HAY GUYS

Tube · Local time: Jun 21, 2006, 12:01 PM

Xbox Live Arcade Retail Surprise
>> From next-gen.biz:

Quote:

Encouraged by the success of Live Arcade, Microsoft is planning to bring some of its downloadable games to retail.

Xbox chief Peter Moore is pushing to extend the Live Arcade brands to retail, arguing internally that original games like Geometry Wars, retro hits like Smash TV and casual games like Hardwood Hearts will extend Xbox 360's appeal to non-hardcore audiences.
The company is seeking to offer the games to the 'other 50%' of gamers that have not signed up to Xbox Live, while using the titles to showcase the platform as a welcoming destination.

Makes sense to me. I like the downloadable stuff, but I also like having a case and instruction manual in addition to the ability to play the game on whatever console I want and let whoever play it that I want. I'd bet that they'll cost more if you buy them in stores though.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Tube · Local time: Jun 25, 2006, 12:19 AM

As far as uploading and comparing scores online, both the downloadable and retail-purchasable versions will be exactly the same. What the fuck are you talking about. Either you're connected to XBL or you're not; which version you buy doesn't matter.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Tube · Local time: Jun 26, 2006, 02:13 AM

I have an Xbox Live account and I'd still buy them in the store over downloading them if the option were available. So you still aren't making sense by saying it's safe to assume that you only buy them at retail if you don't have XBL.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Tube · Local time: Jun 27, 2006, 04:36 AM

If you download arcade games off of XBL, you're restricted to using it on one console. If you ever want to play it on a different console, you'd have to transport your whole XBL account to it too and sign in every time anyone wants to play it. I have this feeling that eventually my 360 will die and I'll have to get a new one and deal with all the restrictions of playing my arcade games on a console other than the one they were first downloaded to, even though I paid for them.

If I buy it at retail, I can bring it to a friend's house, let someone borrow it, not waste hard drive space (20 GB is tiny, and a bunch of 50mb games will add up by time there are like 50-100 out). Plus, I enjoy having additional game cases to compliment my DVD/game library. Downloadable digital games is a good idea, but with all the restrictions it comes with to prevent Microsoft from losing a couple bucks, it's actually all a failed concept and I'd rather just have a physical disc instead.

The extra price would be worth it to me to avoid the many annoyances of downloading the games, and only a fucking moron would really just assume that the vast majority of people buying a game at retail don't have XBL. And you know the games will come with a free trial to XBL, which means even a good number of people who buy it without XBL will have it shortly after anyway.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Tube · Local time: Jun 27, 2006, 05:26 PM

I've never once had a game disc ever had any problems due to scratches, ever since games started coming out on CDs over a decade ago. Also,

Quote:

You have encouraged me to go on a quest to find out exactly how your live downloads happens if your original Xbox goes kaput or you create a profile on a friend's machine. Though unless Microsoft is completely insane I am sure you can always redownload that content once you paid for it.

Yes, I'd be able to redownload it, but there are more restrictions in place when you have the game on a console other than the one you originally downloaded it to. So I'd be able to play it, but my friends/family would no longer to also play it, UNLESS I am signed into my XBL account while they play it. Cool as ass.

How ya doing, buddy?