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Xbox Live Marketplace Feb. schedule includes $10 Battlefield 1943 [update]
Update: Microsoft has issued a correction on this schedule. The Misadventures of P. B. Winterbottom will be priced at 800 ($10), not 1200 ($15). Major Nelson has a dropped a partial February schedule for Xbox Live Marketplace content, including a particularly nice Deal of the Week. Specifically, next week's deal, beginning February 15, will be Battlefield 1943 for only 800 ($10). If you've yet to pick up the game, $10 is definitely a good price. Also starting next week, both Resident Evil 5 and Beautiful Katamari will hit the Games on Demand service. The post also notes that this week marks the end of the second season of 1 vs 100. Tonight's episode (9:00pm ET/6:00 pm PT) will feature Magda Apanowicz from SyFy's series Caprica. For the season finale this Friday (10:00pm ET/7:00 pm PT), the game will feature 343 Industries' Frank O'Connor and Bungie's Marty O'Donnell. See the full XBLM schedule after the break.
Street Fighter IV hits Games on Demand
We get it. The outside world is far too dangerous to traverse just for video games. There are, like, bees and stuff out there. That's why we have things like Amazon and Games on Demand. The latest coming to the latter is Capcom's new Platinum Hits title, Street Fighter IV. At $30, it's the tamest you'll ever see final boss Seth -- this could be your best bet at having some semblance of self-esteem. Shorcut: Add Street Fighter IV to your download queue [Xbox.com]
DDR Universe 3 is latest addition to Games on Demand
Looking to cram your Xbox 360's side saddle (that's what the cool kids call the hard drive) with more precious e-games? Major Nelson reports US gamers can now check out DDR Universe 3 for $30. Of course, we don't have to tell you that you should own a dance mat before downloading, unless you're one of those freaks who plays DDR games with a controller. If you're outside of these states united, then you can check availability of a new Game on Demand: Medal of Honor: Airborne. If that's not enough to satiate your carnal lust for new gameplay experiences, a new demo for Superstars V8 Next Challenge may also be available to you. Shortcut: Add DDR Universe 3 to your queue [Xbox.com]
Dead Rising, Halo Wars join Games on Demand
Just as expected, today marks the release of two new Games on Demand titles: Dead Rising and Halo Wars. Major Nelson reports each is currently available for download on your Xbox 360, with Capcom's virtual mall full of zombies setting gamers back a paltry $20, while Ensemble Studios' final game is a bit more costly at $30. Each will take up six gigglebytes of room on your HDD upon download. Shortcut: Halo Wars on Games on Demand [Xbox.com] Shortcut: Dead Rising on Games on Demand [Xbox.com]
Skate and Brave: A Warrior's Tale added to Games on Demand
You know, we were just thinking that we'd love to be able to go back in time and check out Brave: A Warrior's Tale. Thankfully, Major Nelson informs us the game has just been added to Games on Demand for $30, so we don't have to take apart that DeLorean in our back yard. It's joined by Skate, which will set you back a much more pleasant $20 and features far less in-your-face advertising than the latest entry in the series. Shortcut: Add Brave: A Warrior's Tale to your queue [Xbox.com] Shortcut: Add Skate to your queue [Xbox.com]
Xbox Live deals, XBLA releases and Games on Demand for January
Major Nelson recently peeled away the veil separating us from the knowledge of when stuff would be coming out on Xbox Live Marketplace over what remains of the month of January. This new knowledge includes the upcoming Deals of the Week -- on January 18, both of the DLC packs for the original Mass Effect will be marked down to 240 ($3) each and Hasbro Family Game Night: Battleship will get rolled back to 400 ($5); and on January 25, Portal: Still Alive will have its price temporarily reduced to 800 ($10). The Major also announced two new Games on Demand: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, available now for $20, and Dead Rising, coming January 26 for an undisclosed price. For the rest of January's bounty, including discounted Games on Demand titles, XBLA releases and Avatar items, head past the jump.
Japan's Xbox Live stats indicate proneness to Japanese-developed games
It'd be impossible to discuss Japan's Xbox Live usage stats, recently released by Microsoft (and posted after the break), without pointing to the overwhelmingly Japanese-developed composition of them. Taking first place among the top XBLA purchases of 2009 was last year's Virtual On port -- a game so popular in Japan that it currently holds second place in the region's all-time bestsellers list. Games like Ikaruga and Trigger Heart Exelica populate the rest of the XBLA stats, though Western-developed Castle Crashers notably takes the number one position in all-time popularity. The sheer Japanosity of these stats is even more apparent in the download numbers for all that other stuff. From demos (75 percent Japanese-developed) to Games on Demand (90 percent) to DLC (also 90 percent), Japanese players clearly have a hankering for homemade games -- even on their Western-developed consoles. [Via Andriasang]
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts now on demand
Though we're on record as saying that a bear with a bird in his backpack is objectively a pretty stupid thing to make a game about, we're also able to admit that Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is a gem that didn't get the credit it deserved. If you had been holding off because you were worried about the GameStop clerk looking at you like a weirdo, you'll be happy to hear you can now indulge your most taboo desires as the bird-backpack wearing bear has made his way to Games On Demand. Go ahead ... your secret's safe with us. Shortcut: Purchase and add Banjo-Kazooie: N&B to your Xbox 360 download queue [via Xbox.com; $19.99 in US]
OnLive shows off UI and iPhone use in marathon tech demo (video)
Sure, OnLive has already done live demos of its "cloud gaming" service, but it never hurts to get another comprehensive 48-minute video on the subject. In a presentation at Columbia University, CEO Steve Perlman goes over the nitty gritty of how game streaming works, the OnLive user interface (11:53), an inevitable Crysis Wars demo (16:35), Brag Clips (17:49), and of course the iPhone app (19:31). Though cellphone integration is still limited to primarily spectating and social networking functions, PCs and Macs can get gaming via a 1MB browser plugin, or you can grab the microconsole streaming box for your TV, which Steve suggests might be given away for free with OnLive subscriptions. If you have any more unanswered questions, check out the audience Q&A at 33:14, and the full vid awaits after the break.
Gears of War now available via Xbox Live Games on Demand
Put down that can of Imulsion energy drink, friend, 'cause we've got some good news for you (and we wouldn't want you to choke, you know). The original Gears of War has arrived on Xbox Live's Games on Demand service, making it that much easier to get ready for next year's big announcement from series creator Cliff Bleszinski (spoilers: it's probably Gears of War 3!). For the usual $19.99, all 6GB of Marcus Fenix's Locust murder opus can be yours -- without all that pesky 'physical media' nonsense -- through the Xbox Live Marketplace (except in Japan, sorry!). We've linked it below of course, for your convenience. Shortcut: Add Gears of War to your Xbox 360 download queue (via Xbox.com)
Namco announces digital distribution expansion plans for back catalog
We know, we know -- you've spent the better part of today searching the internet for all those Namco classics no longer playable on the futurebox of choice in your living room. Thankfully, Namco Bandai just this morning announced intentions to "increase its digital distribution presence," effectively eliminating your wasted time problem. Aside from the news that two Katamari-based titles are headed to Xbox 360 and PlayStation Portable (Beautiful Katamari in "Q1 2010" and Me & My Katamari on December 22, respectively), today's communication did little for news on what else we can expect from the Japanese publisher on the digital front. That being said, the company specifically pointed out future titles heading to not just Xbox 360, but also a bolstering of titles in the PSone and PSP catalogs on the PlayStation Network. It appears as though we won't be hearing about other titles just yet, though, as the company said, "More titles to be announced in the coming months." But hey, at least you can stop all that internet scouring now, right?
PSA: Games for Windows Live's Games on Demand launches
Microsoft's Games on Demand for Games for Windows Live is now live and on demandable. The launch lineup doesn't exactly conjure up thoughts of exploding confetti, but here goes nothing: Dirt 2 ($40) Fallout 3 ($50) Kane and Lynch: Dead Men ("1600") -- really, that's what it says (aka $20) Red Faction: Guerrilla ($40) Shadowrun ($10) Street Fighter IV ($40) Viva Pinata ($10) With established digital distribution systems for PC gamers -- heard of Steam? Impulse? -- already featuring far larger libraries and arguably better discounts, it sure looks like GFWLGOD (we're still working on the acronym ... ) is marching onto the field about an hour after the match ended.
You may download PC/360 Devil May Cry 4 on December 22
Has the pernicious dealing with retail requirement kept you from the ongoing, stylish adventures of Nero and Dante (not that Dante)? Capcom has good news for those of us with no tolerance for relics like stores and boxes: starting December 22, the PC version of Devil May Cry 4 will be available for download on "the digital distribution partner of your choice," including, of course, Capcom's own shop, where pre-orders are being accepted for $29.99. The 360 version will hit Games on Demand, along with Lost Planet Colonies Edition, the same day. Capcom notes that the PC version of the action game features some enhancements not found in the console versions: altered enemy placements, a "Turbo Mode," an extra-difficult "Legendary Dark Knight Mode," among several visual tweaks. And now, it's enhanced with buying it from home mode!
Viva Pinata: Party Animals now party on demand
As promised, Viva Piñata: Party Animals is now available on Xbox Live Games on Demand. Before you get too excited, just remember that Party Animals is the Viva Piñata themed party game. It doesn't involve the wonderfully addicting gardening and breeding aspects of the original Viva Piñata or its sequel, Trouble in Paradise (which is also available on demand, incidentally). That said, if you're looking for a decent game for the kids, you could probably do worse. In the US of A, the game can be had for $19.99. Be sure to check Xbox Live Marketplace for the price in other regions. Shortcut: Add Viva Piñata: Party Animals to your Xbox 360 download queue (via Xbox.com) [Via Major Nelson]
XBLM December deals: Cheap Shadow Complex, Maw
Microsoft has announced the Xbox Live Marketplace content schedule for December and it's a real doozy. The Deals of the Week -- usually a haven for long-forgotten or unwanted DLC -- are actually real deals this month. In particular, Shadow Complex will be dropped from 1200 ($15) to 800 ($10) during the week of December 21. The following week, starting December 28, Twisted Pixel's The Maw will fall from 800 ($10) to a miniscule 400 ($5). In addition to the normal Deals of the Week, Microsoft will also be offering daily deals from December 18-31. The company didn't specify what any of those deals will be, though it promises discounts on "games, movies, blockbuster game add-ons, holiday themes, you name it!" Rest assured, we'll be keeping our eye on things once the deals start rolling. In the meantime, check out the XBLM December schedule, including Deals of the Week, Games on Demand and XBLA after the break.
Games on Demand adds Bolt & Trivial Pursuit
One of the more convenient (and pricey) methods for games acquisition -- Microsoft's Games on Demand service -- has just added a pair of new titles to its North American library: Disney's Bolt and EA's Trivial Pursuit. Each can be yours for $19.99, granted you have the respective 5GB and 2GB of space for each. Prices and availability vary by region, but the insatiable, shameless desire for Achievements that would drive you to actually purchase these games is universal. Shortcut: Add Bolt to your download queue [via Xbox.com] Shortcut: Add Trivial Pursuit to your download queue [via Xbox.com]
Games for Windows Live adding Games on Demand beginning Dec. 15
Games on Demand, a.k.a. full game downloads, is one of the more recent additions to Xbox Live -- and today Microsoft has announced that it's bringing the service to its Games For Windows Live platform beginning December 15. GFWL creative director Chuck Osieja calls the initiative "Microsoft's return to delivering Windows games built on unique LIVE experiences." The service has a rocky history of sporadic supported releases and last summer ditched its subscription fees in the face of competition from the likes of Steam. The move puts Microsoft up against Valve's digi-distribution service, which similarly offers community features and its own Achievements system, but boasts a much larger catalog at present. The GFWL Games on Demand initial lineup will include Resident Evil 5, Red Faction: Guerrilla and Battlestations Pacific along with new GFWL-enabled versions of 2D Boy's excellent World of Goo and Hemisphere Games' Osmos -- all titles currently offered by Steam, with some available via Stardock's Impulse service. Microsoft hasn't divulged pricing for titles offered via GFWL Games on Demand. A reworked version of the former Windows Vista Ultimate Extra Tinker will be made available free to GFWL users when the Games on Demand service launches a week from next Tuesday.
Crackdown leaps into Games on Demand lineup
Games on Demand's latest additions are all about two types of orbs: agility and katamaris. The 6GB Crackdown is reasonably priced at $20, with the "Getting Busy Bonus Pack" DLC permanently reduced to 400 ($5). Those looking for a cheaper solution to obtaining Crackdown are advised to permanently borrow the copy their Spartan-obsessed buddies purchased for access to the Halo 3 beta years ago. If you happen to live in Japan and are interested in collecting a single, incredibly huge sphere, Beautiful Katamari is now available. Helping the Prince keep his egomaniacal father happy will cost 2000 in Japan -- there's no word on a global release yet.
Saints Row 2, LEGO Indy hit Games on Demand
As promised, both Saints Row 2 and LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures are now available on Xbox Live Games on Demand. The games are available in almost all regions, though Saints Row 2 is not available in Japan, while LEGO Indy skips both Japan and Mexico. Saints Row 2 is $29.99 in the US and Lego Indy is $19.99. Prices vary by region though, so check before you plunk down those MS Points. Add Saints Row 2 to your 360 download queue Add LEGO Indiana Jones to your 360 download queue
MS announces incoming Games on Demand, Deals of the Week
Heading into the Thanksgiving weekend and the beginning of the holiday season, Microsoft has revealed the upcoming additions to Games on Demand and Deals of the Week. On November 23, Games on Demand will see three new entries, Saints Row 2, LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and Battlefield: Bad Company. The same week, there will actually be three Deals of the Week. The Fable II DLC "See the Future," normally 560 ($7) will be knocked down to 400 ($5). Meanwhile, Death Tank, usually 1200 ($15), will be reduced to 800 ($10). As The best deal, however, will be the excellent puzzler Peggle, which will shoot from 800 ($10) to 400 ($5). Pair that with the recently released Peggle Nights expansion (400), and you've got a lot of sweet, sweet Peggle for only $10. As revealed earlier, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will the Deal of the Week starting November 30. It will be reduced from 400 ($5) to 240 ($3).
