Microsoft will sell games through XboX Live
imed to correspond with the five-year anniversary of Xbox Live, Microsoft has announced it will begin adding original Xbox titles to the Xbox 360’s Live Marketplace for users to download to their hard drive. Xbox Live first burst onto the scene in 2002, a year or so after the release of the original Xbox console. Since then it has gained around eight million users, completely dwarfing any other non-PC online gaming service. On December 4, Microsoft will release a firmware update for the Xbox 360, which will include in part the ability to download specially chosen Xbox games from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Confirmed titles include Crimson Skies, Fable, Psychonauts, and of course Halo. The games will be priced at 1,200 Microsoft points ($15).
“On its fifth birthday, Xbox Live truly is the place for hanging out with friends and enjoying downloadable TV shows, movies, videos, game add-ons and now downloadable Xbox games on demand,” said the Microsoft VP in charge of Xbox Live John Schappert. It edges up the competition over digital downloads between Microsoft and Sony. Sony’s Playstation 3 online store has been noted for its inclusion of full-length, high-capacity games including the PS3 game Warhawk. Xbox Live previously had been relegated to cheap, small casual game titles. Microsoft will also be celebrating the five-year anniversary by awarding 500 Microsoft Points to anyone whose current Xbox Live account dates back to 2002. Additionally, beginning tomorrow, all users in the US will be able to download Carcasonne, an Xbox Live Arcade title, for free.
Source: TG Daily
Comments(7)
Good job copying off of Steam.
Still its a good idea, always has been. Having to go to the store or order online is really stupid. Purchasing games online and downloading them is where it is at. Less waste and packaging for the environment as well, and less cost for the company that created it so they don’t have to pay for the packaging and distribution process.
Steam began in the same year, I hardly think Microsoft saw it and threw something together instantly…
But completely agree about the benefits of the shift of delivery. All media (games, music, movies etc) is going to end up like this one day hopefully.
If Gates only knew that xbox tiles have been on the net since May of 2002.
in the pirating sense…. if you can download games from xbox live to play…. whats to stop downloading from a computer and transferring or streaming from the comp to the xbox?
does anyone know how complicated that would be? not modding the dvd drive but just playing games off the hard drive.
@John: It’s not like Gates is oblivious. In fact, when the team brought him a modded Xbox to look at, he was highly impressed with what the scene had accomplished.
Every major player in the console market has or will soon have their own network to offer to gamers and so do some innovative PC games studios. Wonder if EA’s gonna stay behind on this one for long…
Oh, btw, speaking of modding/hacking the Xbox, I was reminded of this google presentation vid I saw a few months ago about it. If anyone cares to learn more about its security weaknesses, check it out: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4356347903120410001
In my opinion xbox is the best console of the new generation… The only problem is that 3 red lights isue.. man that sux!
Have you seen that game with a bug that gives you easy 1000 game points?
It’s a game called Avatar. Here is the video demonstrating how the bug is done:
weshow.com/us/p/24252/easiest_1000_gamerpoints_on_avatars_game
Nice uh? I will rent this game asap!