Jump to content
Please support IVG when you shop at Amazon

The Xbox Originals Thread

GamerZ-Cloud Strife

By GamerZ-Cloud Strife,
in Games

Recommended Posts

GamerZ-Cloud Strife Newbie

GamerZ-Cloud Strife

Posted
Posted
Xbox Live group marketing manager Aaron Greenberg fills in the blanks on the plan to make last-gen's best and brightest downloadable on Xbox 360.

Yesterday, Microsoft announced Xbox Originals, a new program that will see entire retail games from the first Xbox made available for download on the Xbox 360. Set to debut with the system's next firmware update on December 4, Xbox Originals will offer gamers a selection of offerings including Halo, Crimson Skies, Fable, and Psychonauts, with each one selling for 1,200 Microsoft points ($15).

 

Although it will arrive several weeks after the fifth anniversary of Xbox Live, Microsoft is still including the launch of Xbox Originals on its list of celebrations to mark the occasion. In addition to the new program, Microsoft will allow Live users to download a free game from the Xbox Live Arcade for 48 hours, beginning on November 15, the actual fifth anniversary of Live. Most Live subscribers will be able to grab Carcassonne for free, whereas Korean users will get a complimentary Hexic 2.

 

This morning, Xbox Live group marketing manager Aaron Greenberg answered GameSpot's questions about the service, from how often new games will be added to how they're chosen in the first place.

 

GameSpot: Why offer downloadable Xbox games when they're already backward compatible?

 

Aaron Greenberg: We've always said we felt like online and digital distribution was the future of this business, and I think this is the next step in that evolution, to be able for the first time ever to allow people to digitally download and own full retail games. We've never done that before. Frankly, I think with the exception of Halo, almost all these titles are next to impossible to find at retail anymore, so we're making them very available to consumers who would like to purchase them.

 

GS: How frequently will you be releasing Xbox Originals?

 

AG: [it will be] a very regular flow. Obviously we have a large library of backward compatible titles, so we'll have access to that library, and over the coming year we'll release a very steady flow. Ideally, it will be close to a weekly basis. We haven't ironed out exactly the flow, but it should be similar to what you see for Xbox Live Arcade game releases.

 

GS: So the work you've done on backward compatibility is the basis for the Xbox Original releases?

 

AG: Exactly. You basically download the bits of the game and they have to have passed all our backward compatibility certification and testing. We're only going to make available the ones that we know perform extremely well and have a high quality, if that gives you an idea of some of the titles you may see. To start, I think we have a good lineup. To be able to download them, own them, and if you delete them you can download them again, it's very similar to how Live Arcade games work.

 

GS: Beyond having a game that runs well, what are the criteria for selecting Xbox Originals?

 

AG: We look at sales of the titles, which is obviously important, and we look at the performance of the game. We also look at a third criteria--if it's a cult classic. Psychonauts is a great example of that. It's a title that maybe didn't sell extremely well, but we know is very popular with our community and is something people would like that is not available at retail anymore. We'll continue to make those titles available.

 

GS: What steps are being taken to resolve the known in-game issues with the downloadable titles?

 

AG: We're selecting the titles that have the best performance, so ideally there should be very little to no issues with the games. I understand there may be small things with certain games in certain regions and settings, but we're not changing the games. Whatever's a known issue if you buy the game at retail on a disc is the same known issue if you buy the game as a digital copy.

 

GS: So there won't be enhanced content or added online play in Xbox Originals?

 

AG: No. What we're basically doing is taking the games as they were originally created and maintaining that. We want to preserve the integrity of what that original game experience was like. If they have online multiplayer, it's there. Whatever functionality was built into that original game is what people will get. We're not going back and getting the teams that made the game and having them open the vault and recode them or anything like that.

 

GS: Will achievements, in-game messaging, and the rest of the Xbox 360 trapping be integrated somehow?

 

AG: It will perform just like a backward-compatible game, so you'll have limited access to those things. You'll be able to hit the guide button to get into the dashboard, but you won't have access to in-game messaging and things like that.

 

GS: You've already got games from Vivendi, Majesco, and EA set for the service. Which other third parties are on board with Xbox Originals?

 

AG: My understanding is pretty much all of our top publishers will be part of the program. I'm not aware of any publishers that are not participating; it's more an issue of picking the right titles and the time that they will launch. These publishers have already made these games; I think it's pretty straightforward that they would want to rerelease them digitally.

 

GS: How big will the game files be?

 

AG: They vary. I think original Halo ran close to 2GB, to give you an idea. To be fair, there are games that will be bigger than that, but that's the one I downloaded and tried.

 

GS: We know about Xbox Originals and the Family Timer controls. What else will be included in the December 4 update?

 

AG: At this point we haven't gotten into any of the other details. Just like any other update, there will be changes to the dashboard and the blades, cosmetic stuff. We always have fine-tuning of playback of movies and music. But at this point, we're going to wait closer until that date--probably the last week of November is when we'll do a lot of show-and-tell with everyone in the media so people can see what they're getting. The reason why we do that mainly is because the team is still finalizing and testing a lot of the functionality. There are always a couple of things that are on the bubble.

 

GS: Is the 1,200 Microsoft points ($15) price set in stone for all Xbox Originals in the future, or might we see some higher or lower?

 

AG: Set in stone. We decided to keep it simple. Rather than have some games at $20, some at $10, we kept them all at 1,200 points. Every game will be at that price, set in stone, at least in the foreseeable future.

 

GS: Is there any way Xbox 360 owners can suggest new additions to Xbox Originals?

 

AG: Yes! That's one of the things we really do want, because we have this catalog of titles [to choose from]. We'd love to hear feedback from the community on what titles they want, because frankly, we're doing this for them. It's easy to pick Halo and maybe a Fable, but it would be great to know if people prefer Psychonauts or Dead or Alive. Do people want ToeJam and Earl? Jet Set Radio? I know there are a lot of cult classics that were popular, and it would be helpful to get an idea of what people's appetites are for those games today.

Source:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6182876.html?...newstop;title;1

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KeezNah Newbie

KeezNah

Posted
Posted

(Hope it's okay if I make a separate post about this.) :censored3:

 

We have official confirmation! In a press release that was sent to us just now, Microsoft India says that the Xbox Originals service will indeed be available in the country on December 4, along with expectations that Xbox LIVE will cross the 10-million user mark by June 2008.

 

Each Xbox Original will retail for 1200 Microsoft Points (or approximately INR 590 a pop) and will range from 2GB to 7GB in size, which should take us about, oh, 2 days to download on our crappy 256k lines. (Sorry, Microsoft, that 4 - 8 hour download timeframe is for the lucky people in the rest of the world who have access to great 2Mbps lines!) And yes, we too will get the chance to download Carcassonne (or Hexic 2, we’re not sure) within a 48 hour period as we had previously reported. Also.. wait, what?! That’s not what we reported! We thought it was a 24 hour period, unless my Math is that phenomenally bad. But the press release claims we should be able to download “a free Xbox LIVE Arcade game*, within a 48 hour period starting 15 November 1:30 PM.” Oh well, this one’s better anyway.

 

The real problem here, though, is the fact that the Xbox 360 120GB HDD seems to be available exclusively as part of the Xbox 360 Elite, and is not sold as a separate accessory unlike other countries. With each demo crossing the 1 GB threshold, and with Xbox Originals ballooning up to 7 GB, what the heck are we going to download these games on? We still haven’t had any mention of this from the horse’s mouth yet, but we’re guessing that the 120 GB drive should be announced soon enough. That, or they’re content with selling just one or two Originals to customers here.

 

With a nod to Word Puzzle, the first Asia-developed Xbox LIVE Arcade title, Microsoft also hopes to expand their Arcade portfolio to nearly 100 games by the end of the year, before briefly mentioning Guitar Hero 3. Now, since us Indians are sorely upset by the fact that Guitar Hero 2 and Guitar Hero 3 never launched here officially, we’re really excited to see it on the list and hope it’s not some SNAFU, designed to cruelly lift our hopes up only to smash them to pieces on the hard rocks. We’ve sent emails to Microsoft and the local Activision distributor to confirm this, but we haven’t gotten a reply yet at the time of posting.

 

Linkage

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarketTantrik Newbie

MarketTantrik

Posted
Posted

Xbox Originals already have issues

 

From Xbox360 Fanboy

http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2007/11/14/xb...dy-have-issues/

_______________________________________________________

 

xboxoriginals-225.jpg

 

Wow, the Xbox Originals service hasn't even launched yet and there are already bugs. According to a page found on Xbox.com, several of the game for the service will be launching with some "known issues." Most of these issues involve minor graphical problems like flickering or drops in frame rate, but there are some strange ones too. Fable, for instance, will serve players up with bursts of audio static, and HDMI 720p resolution for Psychonauts is not supported for PAL televisions. Attempting to run Psychonauts in this manner will lock up the game.

 

Additionally, the page reveals that extra content in games like trailers or demos -- the Fuzion Frenzy demo in Halo comes to mind -- are not supported and will result in system crashes. Speaking of Fuzion Frenzy, it is listed as one of the titles planned for the service, which is news to us.

 

Granted, we haven't seen any of these "issues" in person yet, but they have us a bit worried. Given the issues presented, it sounds like these games are being offered with no changes, much like Nintendo's Virtual Console service. We can't be sure until December 4th, but considering how our Xbox Originals Fanpoll is going, 360 gamers may be disappointed.

____________________________________________________________________

Link to comment
Share on other sites
THE DIRECTOR Newbie

THE DIRECTOR

Posted
Posted

MS India: Originals service coming Dec 4, Orange Box was timed 360 exclusive

 

A MS India press release says that the Xbox Originals service will be available in the country on December 4, and that Xbox LIVE will cross the 10-million user mark by June 2008. Each Xbox original will cost 1200 points, and range from 2GB to 7GB, which as one site points out will take much longer than the 4-8 hours MS say it will take, as users in India have internet speeds of around 256K. Also the Official invite for Microsoft India’s Gamers’ Night event claims that The Orange Box is a “timed Xbox 360 exclusive”. Is it a conspiracy theory brought to light or a PR mistake?

 

 

Official Press Release:

 

Xbox 360 Muscles Up in Asia with Launch of Xbox Originals

A red-hot year for Microsoft’s superior video game and entertainment system across the region

 

New Delhi, 14 November 2007 - Classic hard-to-find Xbox version one games are back on the menu of Xbox 360 gaming connoisseurs in India, as Microsoft today announced the global launch of its milestone Xbox Originals on Xbox LIVE. By offering this new service to the 8-million strong Xbox LIVE global community - the number one online video gaming platform - Xbox 360 provides strong impetus for the mass adoption of digital distribution in the video games and entertainment industry in India. With the launch of the online gaming service in India this month, Xbox LIVE has expanded its worldwide footprint across 26 countries. By June 2008, Microsoft expects the Xbox LIVE community to cross over the 10-million member mark.

 

Rolling out on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on December 4, Xbox Originals will unveil with a launch portfolio of popular and cult favorite Xbox 1 games such as “Halo”T, “Fable”®, “Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge”®, “Psychonauts”® amongst others.

 

Xbox 360 gamers will be able to purchase these Xbox Classic Games at 1,200 Microsoft points, or approximately Rs 590 a piece. Each game - ranging from 2GB to 7GB in size - will take about 4 to 8 hours to download. To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Xbox LIVE , all current Xbox LIVE members will be able to download a free Xbox LIVE Arcade game*, within a 48 hour period starting 15 November 1:30 PM.

 

“The gaming industry in India in on an upward trajectory and Xbox 360 is committed to sustain it by giving Indian consumers more choices in the way they buy and play video games. Xbox Originals will serve as a one-stop shop where they can buy hard-to-find classic Xbox games to play on their Xbox 360,” said Mohit Anand, Country manager, Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division. “Titles have been handpicked from a list of 250 backward-compatible Xbox games in Asia to be made available in this new service to ensure a high quality and balanced portfolio.”

 

Xbox Originals is the latest in a series of innovative online gaming services from Microsoft, which is pulling out all the stops to draw people of all ages into Xbox 360 and its premier online gaming platform. Xbox LIVE Arcade continues to introduce recreational and casual players to the world of high-def, next generation console gaming with new and classic retro games in bite-sized offerings. “Word Puzzle”, the brain-busting game created by Interserv of Taiwan, made its global debut last week to become the first Asia-developed Xbox LIVE Arcade title. Microsoft expects the Xbox LIVE Arcade portfolio to grow from over 70 to nearly 100 games by the end of the year.

 

It’s All About Games: Biggest-ever holiday lineup

 

As the year-end approaches, Indian consumers will see Xbox 360 churning out the biggest and greatest holiday lineup in video game history. Xbox 360 is releasing 70 new games in Asia over the holiday period. This will grow its portfolio to a total of 270 games in the region by the end of the year, 40 of which are available only on Xbox 360.

 

“We are out to win holiday 2007. We have a bountiful harvest with an unprecedented string of titles that cater to wide-ranging tastes and are designed to whet the gaming appetite of every family member. We have an expanded portfolio of broadening titles this season -”NBA 2K8″ from 2K Sports, and “Viva Piñata: Party Animals” from MGS and Krome Studios, “Spiderman - Friends of Foe” and “Lego Star Wars: Complete Saga” from Activision - that are designed for recreational and casual gamers,” said Alan Bowman, General Manager, Asia Pacific and Greater China, Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division.

 

Xbox 360’s irresistible holiday lineup also includes exclusive Xbox 360-only games such as the record-breaking “Halo 3″, “Project Gotham Racing 4″ and “Mass Effect” from MGS, “Bioshock” from 2K Games, “Guitar Hero 3″ from Red Octane/Activision, and “Call of Duty” from Activision.

 

Xbox 360 also has special offers for the Indian market as it brings home in partnership with Panasonic the “Super Stylish Super Saver offer” -a Xbox 360 Core console, and two popular games - Viva Piñata & Forza Motorsport 2 with Panasonic 32” LCD TVs. The offer is available at Ezone and Big Bazaar Stores. Priced at Rs 49,990, Indian consumers can save over Rs 24,000 on the entire deal!

 

Two more mega offers from Xbox 360 this holiday season:

 

1. Buy an Xbox 360 Core console and get 2 blockbuster games worth Rs 4,405 absolutely free [Viva Piñata & Forza Motorsport 2]

 

2. Buy an Xbox 360 Pro console and get 4 blockbuster games worth Rs 8,614 absolutely free [Viva Piñata, Forza Motorsport 2, PGR 3 & Yuvraj Singh International cricket 2007].

 

Mohit Anand, Country manager, Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division said, “We are happy to bring to Indian consumes offers like these that not only give a boost to gaming in India but also is reason to cheer for gaming fans and novices alike with such super saver deals.”

 

Strong Momentum Worldwide

 

Microsoft is banking on this biggest holiday line-up and its two holiday bundles to propel Xbox 360 to the top of the next generation gaming market worldwide. Almost half of all console and game sales for the year are historically made during the crucial holiday quarter.

 

“Games drive console sales and we have the recipe to ensure Xbox 360 is at the top of the game with the latest blockbuster games available in the Indian Market,” said Mohit Anand.

 

Xbox 360 is showing strong momentum this year. At the end of September 2007, total number of Xbox 360 consoles sold to date reached 13.4 million units globally, achieving a more than 90% quarterly increase driven by the record-setting launch of “Halo 3″ and an early ramp-up to the holiday season in anticipation of the greatest holiday lineup in video game history.

 

“Halo 3″ has proven to be another unprecedented blockbuster, contributing about US$330 million to Microsoft revenue at the end of September. However, it is not only Xbox 360 games by MGS that are making the grade in the last several months. Microsoft has also seen Xbox 360 driving third party video games sales. According to the latest figures from market research firm NPD Group, independent game publishers are selling more games on Xbox 360 than on any other platform. Over the last 12 months, they have seen their titles for Xbox 360 hit the top ten 27 times.

 

“Xbox 360 is the number one console in the market. We are undoubtedly the market leaders in India - number one in consoles’ sales, number one in game sales and number one in the online space. We expect Indian consumers to go all out this holiday season with all the great offers available in the market,” said Mohit Anand.

 

 

source: http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=22809

 

http://theangrypixel.com/blog/2007/11/15/m...imed-exclusive/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...