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Xbox Live Arcade

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Xbox Live Arcade(XBLA) is a digitalvideo gamedownload serviceavailable through theXbox Games Store,Microsoft'sdigital distributionnetwork for theXbox 360.It focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers. Titles range from classic console andarcade video games,to new games designed from the ground up for the service. Games available through the XBLA service range from $5–20 in price, and as of October 2016, there have been 719 Xbox Live Arcade titles released for theXbox 360.Prior to the Xbox 360, "Xbox Live Arcade" was the name for an online distribution network on the original Xbox, which was replaced by theXbox Live Marketplace.

History

Xbox

Xbox Live Arcade onXbox(2004)

The Xbox Live Arcade service was officially announced on May 12, 2004, at Microsoft'sE3press conference by Bill Gates[1]and launched on November 6, 2004, for the originalXboxgame console.[2]The XBLA software was obtained by ordering it on Microsoft's website. It was sent by mail on a disc that also contained a free version of theMs. Pac-Manvideo game.[3]

To generate greater publicity for the service, the disc was also distributed with special issues of theOfficial Xbox Magazineand as part of theForza MotorsportXbox consolebundle[4]The service launched with six titles and expanded its library to twelve titles by the end of the year.[5]Once connected toXbox Live,customers could purchase additional titles by using acredit card,or download a limitedtrial versionof a game. Prices for the games range from $4.99 to $14.99.[6]

List of Xbox Live Arcade games released on the original Xbox since early 2011 (27 titles)

Xbox 360

Xbox Live Arcade onXbox 360.
See also:List of Xbox 360 games

On November 22, 2005, XBLA was relaunched on theXbox 360.The service was integrated into the mainDashboarduser interface, and the Xbox 360 hard drives were bundled with a free copy ofHexic HD.[7]Every Arcade title on the Xbox 360 supports leaderboards, has 200Achievementpoints, and high-definition720pgraphics. They also have atrial versionavailable for free download. These demos are playable and most of them offer only a fraction of the levels, modes, and content of the full game. A full version of the game must be purchased to allow the user to upload scores to the leaderboards, unlock achievements, play online multiplayer (with a few exceptions), and download bonus content.[8]Several new features and enhancements have been added throughsoftware updatesincluding a friends leaderboard, additional sorting options, faster enumeration of games, an auto-download feature for newly released trial games, and "Tell a Friend" messages.[9]The original size limit imposed by Microsoft for Xbox Live Arcade games was 50 MB, in order to ensure any downloaded game could fit on a 64 MBXbox memory unit.The limit has since been changed to 150 MB, then 350 MB, and now 2 GB, the latter of which is a technical limitation of the system (rather than an arbitrary limit imposed by Microsoft).[10]On September 12, 2012 the2 GB limitwas raised to an unknown number with two titles,Red Johnson's ChroniclesandDouble Dragon Neonweighing at 2.68 GB and 2.24 GB, respectively.[11][12]

On July 12, 2006, Microsoft launched the "Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays" program, which promised a new Arcade game to be launched every Wednesday for the rest of that Summer.[13]When that summer ended, Microsoft announced that new titles for XBLA would also be released on Wednesdays.[14]In order to promote the service in retail, Microsoft releasedXbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1as a compilation disc of six games.[15]On October 18, 2007, Microsoft announced theXbox 360 ArcadeconsoleSKUwhich includes full versions ofBoom Boom Rocket,Feeding Frenzy,Luxor 2,Pac-Man Championship Edition,andUno.[16]On May 22, 2008, Microsoft's general manager ofXbox Live,Marc Whitten, detailed changes for the service that included increasing the size limit of the games to 350MB and improving the waydigital rights managementis handled. Furthermore, Microsoft created aninternalgames studio to create "high quality digital content" for XBLA.[17]

On July 30, 2008, Microsoft announced the XBLA Summer of Arcade. Anyone who downloaded one of the titles released over August, (Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2,Braid,Bionic Commando Rearmed,Galaga LegionsandCastle Crashers) would be entered into a prize draw with a grand prize of 100,000Microsoft Points,12 Month Xbox Live Gold subscription, and an Xbox 360 Elite console. Another Summer of Arcade began the next year on July 22, 2009. Anyone who purchases all the titles released, ('Splosion Man,Marvel vs. Capcom 2,TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled,Trials HDandShadow Complex,) will receive an 800-point reward. The next Summer of Arcade began on July 21, 2010, and featuresLimbo,Hydro Thunder Hurricane,Castlevania: Harmony of Despair,Monday Night CombatandLara Croft and the Guardian of Light.[18]A "Shopping Spree" promotion ended November 1, 2010, in which anyone who spent over 2400 points during October 2010 received an 800-point reward.

By March 10, 2006, three million downloads had been made on the service.[19]By January 30, 2007, that number had grown to 20 million.[20]The service reached 25 million downloads on March 6, 2007[21]with 45 million downloads projected by the end of 2007.[22]On March 27, 2007, Microsoft declaredUnoto be the first Xbox Live Arcade game to exceed one million downloads.[23]Nearly 70 percent of Xbox 360 owners connected to Xbox Live have downloaded an Arcade title[24][25]with theattach ratebeing 6–7 titles per user.[26]Original games typically receive 350,000 downloads in the first month. Titles have an average 156% financial return over twelve months with the first two months of sales accounting for just 35% of total volume. Averageconversion rate(from trial download to purchase) across all titles is 18%[22](a low of 4% and high of 51%).[27]On September 19, 2007, Microsoft announced the top ten Arcade downloads worldwide asAegis Wing,Uno,Texas Hold 'em,Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved,Bankshot Billiards 2,Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1989 Classic Arcade,Worms,Castlevania: Symphony of the Night,andContra.[24]

Xbox One

WithXbox One,Microsoft has decided to forgo placing different types of games in different channels. As such, Microsoft have discontinued use of the "Live Arcade" moniker, instead grouping all types of games (would-be Arcade titles, retail, and Indies) together.[28]

Pricing and releases

Xbox Live Arcade titles range in price from $2.50 to $20 with the vast majority selling for $10 and under. The games are generally aimed towards more casual gamers, striving for "pick up and play" appeal.[25]Several games were temporarily free, includingTexas Hold 'em,Carcassonne,andUndertow.[29][30][31]Others are permanently free includingAegis Wing,a game created by three Microsoft interns,[32]TotemBall,a game that can only be played with theXbox Live Visioncamera,[33]Yaris(aToyota-backedadvergame),[34]andDash of Destruction,which was released on December 17, 2008, as a Doritosadvergame.[35] On November 30, 2007, Microsoft introduced "Xbox Live Arcade Hits", where games are permanently reduced in price (a similar concept to their "Platinum Hits" for regular retail Xbox 360 games).[36]As of July 22, 2008, current Arcade Hits includeLumines Live!,Assault Heroes,Zuma,Doom,Bankshot Billiards 2,Small Arms,Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords,andMarble Blast Ultra.[37]On June 24, 2011 video game website1UP.comreported that Microsoft was preparing to bringfree-to-playgames to Xbox Live and said games will include amicrotransactionservice.[38]The first free-to-play game,Happy Wars,was released on October 12, 2012.[39]

Removal of games

In May 2008, Microsoft announced that games older than six months would become eligible for delisting from the service if they had aMetacriticscore below 65 and aconversion ratebelow 6%. The objective was to "focus the catalogue more on larger, more immersive games and make it much easier to find the games you are looking for."[40]However, Microsoft has never removed a game using this method.

In February 2010, it was announced that nine games fromMidway Gameswould no longer be available for purchase, "due to publisher evolving rights and permissions" (even though Sony's PlayStation Store never did as such with its own downloadable Midway games), referring to the purchase byWarner Bros.of some assets of Midway Games, including certain rights related to the nine games.[41]Similar fates befell the XBLA version ofDouble Dragonwhen its publisher went under.Yariswas anadvergamethat was pulled from the system after a year due to avoid it becoming stale content.Id Software'sDoomwas pulled from the catalogue due to Id being purchased by publisher Zenimax Media, and as such the publishing rights were removed from then publisher Activision.[42]From January 19, 2012,Doomwas restored to Xbox Live Arcade under new publisher Bethesda.[43]In 2011,Ubisoftannounced thatTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelledwas due to be removed from the Xbox Live service on June 30, 2011, due to an expired license.[44] Chessmaster Livehas also been removed.

On December 15, 2013, Capcom announced on their blog thatMarvel vs. Capcom 2andUltimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3would be removed from the XBLA store. Although no specific date was listed, the last date for DLC for these titles was listed as December 26, 2013.[45]

See also

References

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  2. ^Surette, Tim (November 6, 2004)."Xbox Live Arcade available now".GameSpot.RetrievedJune 18,2017.
  3. ^Dale Nardozzi (December 3, 2004)."Xbox Live Arcade Breakdown".TeamXbox.Archived fromthe originalon May 17, 2008.RetrievedMay 19,2008.
  4. ^"Forza Motorsport Bundle".Xbox.com Catalog.Microsoft.November 12, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon October 24, 2006.RetrievedMay 26,2006.
  5. ^Hilary Goldstein (November 1, 2004)."IGN: Xbox Live Arcade Review 'We check out the first wave of Live Arcade games. Will they be worth your cash?'".IGN.RetrievedMay 27,2008.
  6. ^Microsoft(June 10, 2005)."Xbox Live Arcade Games".Xbox.com.Archived fromthe originalon August 21, 2008.RetrievedJune 13,2008.
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  9. ^Microsoft(October 30, 2006)."November 2006 Update Features List".Xbox.com.Archived fromthe originalon May 12, 2008.RetrievedMay 13,2008.
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  11. ^Red Johnson's Chronicles.Marketplace.xbox.com (2012-12-09). Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
  12. ^Double Dragon Neon.Marketplace.xbox.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
  13. ^Jason Dobson (July 12, 2006)."Microsoft Confirms 'Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays'".Gamasutra.RetrievedJuly 12,2006.
  14. ^Tor Thorsen (July 11, 2006)."$10 Street Fighter II coming to Xbox Live August 2".GameSpot.Archived fromthe originalon July 15, 2006.RetrievedJuly 12,2006.
  15. ^"Xbox LIVE Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 Game Detail Page".Xbox.com.Microsoft.September 5, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon November 19, 2006.RetrievedFebruary 3,2007.
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  17. ^Joe Keiser (May 22, 2008)."EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MS to Delist XBLA Titles".Next-Gen.biz.Archived fromthe originalon January 24, 2012.RetrievedMay 22,2008.
  18. ^Michael McWhertor (July 6, 2010)."Limbo, Lara Croft and Castlevania Heat Up Xbox Live's 'Summer of Arcade'".Kotaku.com.RetrievedJune 16,2011.
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  22. ^abBrandon Boyer (August 15, 2007)."GameFest: TMNT, Street Fighter II Top XBLA Charts".GamaSutra.RetrievedAugust 15,2007.
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  26. ^Patrick Klepek (August 13, 2007)."Gamefest 2007: 45M Downloads on XBL".1UP.com.RetrievedAugust 13,2007.
  27. ^Scott Austin (July 16, 2007)."Partner Day Seattle 2007 - XBLA Business Update"(PDF).Microsoft.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on June 25, 2008.RetrievedJuly 16,2007.
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  30. ^César A. Berardini (November 15, 2007)."Reminder: Get Carcassonne for Free".TeamXbox.Archived fromthe originalon December 13, 2007.RetrievedNovember 15,2007.
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