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Super Street Fighter 4, NFS Shift now on XBL Games on Demand
Fans of downloadable convenience might like to know that Super Street Fighter 4 and Need for Speed Shift are now available via Xbox Live Games on Demand. SSF4 is available for $40, while Shift is a slightly more palatable $30. Oh, Operation Darkness -- the WWII strategy game with vampires and zombies -- is also available today for $40. You know, in case you were waiting for it.
Highlights from this month's Xbox Marketplace deals and releases
Major Nelson has posted his monthly preview of upcoming Xbox Marketplace content, which receives the obligatory winter "wrapping" this time of year. Additionally, Microsoft is offering 400 points back for purchasing a pair of qualifying XBLA titles this month. Complete details are after the break.
OnLive ushers in the MicroConsole with all-you-can-eat game plan for $10 a month
OnLive wants to be the Netflix of video games, that much is clear, and today it's rolling out a flat-rate monthly pricing plan called PlayPack to help seal the deal. It'll cost $9.99 a month when it launches January 15th, giving subscribers access to a back catalog of forty retired and indie titles, including a number of games entirely new to the OnLive service. What's more, if you bought the company's $99 MicroConsole, you'll get access to that entire flat-rate catalog free until the formal launch, meaning you'll have fourteen full games instantly ready to play the moment you boot it up. OnLive founder Steve Perlman tells us you can pay month-to-month and cancel PlayPack anytime you want, and OnLive will still store your savegames for a full year in case you decide to rejoin -- or if you want to mix and match flat-rate and a la carte titles without losing your precious progress. So, when are those MicroConsoles going to arrive? If you were among the first to buy, you could get yours this very afternoon, and Perlman says there are "thousands and thousands of boxes" shipping right now. PR after the break.
XBL Games on Demand may be incompatible with retail versions
Some unsettling news now for fans of convenience: That Xbox Live Games on Demand title you just bought may not work with its retail counterpart. Specifically, CrunchGear reports that the On Demand version of Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is incompatible with the retail version. When attempting to play a cooperative session over Xbox Live, the game returned an error asking that players insert the Rainbow Six Vegas 2 disc. This error occurred regardless of who hosted the match. A call made to customer support later revealed that this is apparently a problem with several older titles. Additionally, users on the LEGO Rock Band forum report that the On Demand version of the title doesn't allow songs to be exported to other versions of Rock Band. This is understandable given that On Demand games have no manual (and thus no export code), though Harmonix notes it is "looking into" the issue. The moral of the story, as noted by Co-Optimus: If you're planning to pick up an XBL On Demand title in order to play online with someone that has the retail version, do some research first.
Alan Wake LE for $30, other Limited Edition sales on Amazon today
Amazon has been dropping deals this week like it's trying to single-handedly stimulate the games industry. Today's "Prelude to Black Friday" offering from the online retailer features several special edition games at deep discounts, including Alan Wake: Limited Edition for a mere $30 (down from $80) [update: it's sold out!]. That's the same price (a.k.a. 2400 Microsoft Points) the standard game will cost as a download when it arrives on Xbox Live's Games on Demand next Tuesday, November 23 (sans access to "The Signal" DLC, which is included in the LE). Halo: Reach - Legendary Edition is also on sale, for a reasonable $75 (50-percent off), as the day's lightning deal, which expires at 5PM ET. Other all-day discounts on Amazon include the special edition bundles for Dead Rising 2, Modern Warfare 2 and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Head past the break to peruse our galleries of some of these limited editions ... if you haven't deserted us for Amazon already!
OnLive MicroConsole official at $99, we go hands-on and bombard you with details
Everybody's favorite instant streaming video game service just came into its own: OnLive is launching the MicroConsole right now, a tiny box that turns your Speedy Gonzales internet connection into a virtual game console. Sure, the company's cloud computing service already lets you do the same from any old netbook -- that's kind of the point -- but the $99 OnLive Game System gives you the leanback HDTV experience complete with a custom wireless gamepad, and (assuming you use HDMI) it'll come with all the wires too when it ships December 2nd. We sat down with OnLive VP of Engineering Joe Bentley to get a handle on the hardware within, and learn about the budding ecosystem you'll be dealing with if you buy in. See what the long-awaited system looks like below, and get the full scoop after the break! %Gallery-107700%
Hot Pursuit demo, Undead Nightmare highlight today's XBLM releases
Right on schedule, the Hot Pursuit demo arrives on Xbox Live Marketplace, joined by a "pack" of wild (western) zombies. Head past the break for the complete listing of today's releases.
Assassin's Creed 2 now on XBL Games on Demand, Brotherhood Avatar items added
Xbox Live Marketplace has gone assassin crazy today, throwing Assassin's Creed 2 onto Games on Demand and tossing a gondola-load of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood items onto the Avatar Marketplace. The game will run you $40, and the Avatar outfits aren't exactly cheap, weighing in at $5 each.
Xbox Live Marketplace releases for rest of August scheduled
Though the Summer of Arcade promotion has drawn to a close, there's still plenty of upcoming Xbox Live Marketplace releases to be psyched over. Well, assuming you're a fan of side-scrolling beat-em-ups, that is. Major Nelson's blog recently released the XBLM schedule for the remainder of August (posted after the jump), a period which will see the release of Scott Pilgrim and Shank, discounts on Zeno Clash and some BioShock 2 DLC, and the arrival of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 Avatar items. You know, something casual for your Avatar to wear around the house.
Halo Reach listed at $1250 on Xbox Live Marketplace (and why you can't buy it)
No, this isn't a glitch. Halo: Reach is technically available on Xbox Live Marketplace right now, a full month before its official retail release. But before you load up on Microsoft Points to get early access to the game, be warned. Even with $1250 worth of MS magic money, you won't be able to download the game. Unfortunately, you'll need a special code that unlocks it. According to an official Microsoft Support document, "customers can see the item in the Web Marketplace but cannot purchase it unless they have the special pre-paid token ... The content is available only to users who have a special 25-character pre-paid token that enables them to download the item." It's likely that the full version of Halo Reach is being offered to reviewers via digital distribution; however, don't expect Halo: Reach to be available via the Games on Demand service. Microsoft had previously enabled early digital distribution of Crackdown 2 for reviewers -- and Crackdown 2 is still unavailable to the public via Xbox Live. Update: A Microsoft spokesperson has offered this statement on the matter: "We plan to provide a limited number of copies of Halo: Reach using the Games on Demand technology for media review purposes only. While we are thrilled to be able to take advantage of the technology to provide media with a more accessible and convenient review experience, there are no plans to launch Halo: Reach to the public through Games on Demand." [Thanks, don!]
Batman, Phantasy Star Universe hit XBL Games on Demand
We're not sure how it happened. We could have sworn that Too Human was the only new release on Xbox Live Games on Demand this week (it was the only one listed by Major Nelson, after all). And yet, somehow, Batman: Arkham Asylum has appropriately emerged from the shadows as well. Joining the Dark Knight is Phantasy Star Universe, which recently received a shot in the arm thanks to a new update and a free expansion. Arkham Asylum can be had for a steep $40 (the GOTY Edition costs $50 in-store), while Phantasy Star Universe is $20. As usual, pricing and availability vary by region. Xbox.com: Add Batman: Arkham Asylum to your Xbox 360 download queue ($39.99) Xbox.com: Add Phantasy Star Universe to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99)
Madden 11 demo leads rush of Xbox Marketplace content
The Xbox 360 forecast is absolutely droughtful this week at retail, with the Clash of the Titans theater DVD release tie-in drying up store shelves. Thankfully, the Xbox Live Marketplace is overflowing with new content this week, including today's release of the new Madden demo. Additionally, DLC for a pool of recent releases -- Alan Wake, Lost Planet 2 and Transformers, to name a few -- flowed out today, and the "Summer of Arcade" shines on tomorrow with Hydro Thunder Hurricane. (Did you read our review yet?) Finally, Borderands' trio of add-ons is on sale through Sunday. Check out complete details of the week's XBLM content after the break.
New XBL Games on Demand: Stuntman, FaceBreaker, NFL Tour
Another Tuesday, another batch of Xbox Live Games on Demand. This week it's NFL Tour, FaceBreaker and Stuntman: Ignition. They're available for $20 each in the US. (As usual, pricing and availability vary by region.) Also, you should probably think long and hard before picking up NFL Tour or FaceBreaker. Xbox.com: Add NFL Tour to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99) Xbox.com: Add FaceBreaker to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99) Xbox.com: Add Stuntman: Ignition to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99)
Games on Demand: NBA Street Homecourt, Conan
NBA Street Homecourt and hack-n-slasher Conan are both available now for $20 on Xbox 360's Games on Demand. Yes, you can pick up physical copies of both titles for half that price used at GameStop. Also, Rockstar Table Tennis is now available on GoD in Asia and Project Sylpheed can be purchased off the service in Japan. As this post involves basketball, [insert obligatory comment about LeBron and Miami here].
Gears of War, Max Payne and Bioshock added to GFWL Games on Demand
Better late than never, right? Gears of War ($20), Bioshock ($20) and Max Payne ($10) have been added to Games for Windows Live's Games on Demand service. [Thanks, TheWeaponeer]
GFW on Demand now offers day-and-date releases
When Games for Windows Live's Games on Demand service launched in December we said it was "marching onto the [PC digital distribution] field about an hour after the match ended." Three hours later (in metaphoric time), the service announced today it will offer day-and-date game releases from publishers 2K Games, Capcom, Microsoft Game Studios (what a coup!), Rockstar Games, THQ and Ubisoft. We can't help but imagine Steam, Impulse and all the other digital distribution players at their post-game parties laughing. The initial day-and-date offering by the service is Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. At the same time, the Prince of Persia games The Sands of Time and Warrior Within are each $2.50 -- which seem like much better deals than the aforementioned title. The service has also added several more games, which we've listed after the break.
Earthworms, FPS deals and LEGO Harry Potter on XBLM next week
Major Nelson has spilled all of the proverbial beans on next week's XBL content and deals, and it looks like the perfect time to catch up on some games you might have missed. Leading the pack is Earthworm Jim HD, the long-awaited re-release of the only game in memory that lets you launch cows for fun and profit. It'll be out on Wednesday, June 9, for 800 ($10). Red Faction Guerrilla and Need for Speed Undercover will be released for Games on Demand, and a demo for LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 will be out on Monday, June 7. The deals are excellent as well -- Worms 2: Armageddon, Duke Nukem 3D and Peggle (yes!) will all be on sale next week for 400 ($5), and you'll be able to get FPSes Serious Sam HD, Call of Duty Classic and Battlefield 1943 for just 800 ($10).
Games on Demand: Medal of Honor Airborne, SoulCalibur IV
Microsoft has added two more popular Xbox 360 titles to the console's Games on Demand system -- Medal of Honor Airborne and SoulCalibur IV are now available for download, priced at $19.99 each. Those of you overseas (or in the US with amazing memories) will know that MoH Airbourne actually appeared internationally back in February, but now everyone can enjoy the relentless slaughter of WWII soldiers from above. Oh, and playing a fighting game as Yoda is fun, too. Xbox.com: Add Medal of Honor: Airborne to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99) Xbox.com: Add SoulCalibur IV to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99)
Games on Demand: Call of Duty 4, Battlestations: Midway
It's all about war on Xbox Live Games on Demand this week. Up for grabs are two war, one from the history books and another inspired by more modern fare. Battlestations: Midway puts players in charge of sea and air skirmishes of World War II. Meanwhile, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is ... well, you're probably familiar with that one. As always, even in war, prices and availability vary by region. Xbox.com: Add Battlestations: Midway to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99) Xbox.com: Add Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare to your Xbox 360 download queue ($39.99)
Force Unleashed, Top Spin 3 now Games on Demand
Let's face it, most of us will never be a Jedi nor a professional tennis player. However, thanks to Xbox Live Games on Demand, you can now pretend to be either one, since Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Top Spin 3 are both up for grabs this week. We'll let you sort out which one is about Jedi knights. As always, availability and pricing will vary by region. Xbox.com: Add Star Wars: The Force Unleashed to your Xbox 360 download queue ($29.99) Xbox.com: Add Top Spin 3 to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99)
