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Microsoft tightening territory controls on Xbox Live
While the internet continues to decimate conventional demarcations like "countries" or "continents," content owners still find themselves funneled into separate geographical compartments. As an Xbox Live user, you are encouraged to keep your arms, legs and credit cards on the inside at all times, lest you cause some sort of international incident. The Xbox 360's Spring (that's Autumn for those on the other half of the planet!) dashboard update will further enforce this by restricting downloads based on the location of your console.As Microsoft's John Porcaro explains it on the Gamerscore Blog, "if you have set up an account that does not match the country where you are located, you will find that these new security measures will only allow you to purchase and download content that is licensed in the country where you are located." Frequently, said country will not go by the name of "America," as the wealth of content available to US subscribers utterly dwarfs that found in other regions, including Europe. There's a reason people are taking their Xbox Live accounts on international trips.While this primarily concerns content such as television shows and movies (which often hit Xbox Live before they've even been advertised in other countries), the decision to "strengthen the territory controls" seems exclusionary when more effort could be made to spread the content on a supposedly global network. The spider's web of licensing and regulation within television makes the delay and segregation somewhat understandable, but the possibility of Xbox Live Arcade games becoming similarly entangled is worrisome. Gamers in countries where the Xbox 360 has launched sans "official" Live support are already being foiled in their attempts just to purchase MS points. Your plastic's no good -- oh, except when it comes time to renew that Gold subscription. Then those borders fall down like dominoes.
Microsoft on the hunt for originality with Xbox Live Arcade
In a self-sponsored session, Microsoft Senior Program Manager, Katie Stone Perez, laid out what they're looking for when it comes to new titles for Xbox Live Arcade. The six most important factors for a successful submission are worldwide appeal, cooperative play, multiplayer features, visual redesigns for ports, a family-friendly design and of course, paid downloadable content.When it comes to family-friendly experiences, they don't mean they're looking for bubbly visuals or titles with easier difficulties, but the option to include different handicapping and kid-friendly tricks, scaling difficulty and the ability to continue in arcade titles. Microsoft is also looking towards more portable-like experiences, citing the recent boom in the pick-up-and-play nature of say, the Nintendo DS. Original, innovative titles are also a huge plus when it comes to pitching a title, so it would be best for developers to leave their dual-analog shooter at home. PomPom? You guys are just fine.Now that you know what Microsoft wants from new Xbox Live Arcade titles, how about yourself? We'd personally love a release schedule, but that's just wishful thinking.
This week on XBLA: Absolutely Nothing
Video: GSB News: XBLA Forecast var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/This_week_on_XBLA_Absolutely_Nothing'; Microsoft must be running low on original ideas as this week, Absolutely Nothing is making its way to the Xbox Live Arcade. As a sequel to the critically panned Jacksquat, you would think that Microsoft would wise up and stop trying to shove this property down our throats. Alas, in a week that has given us the likes of New Adventure Island and Streets of Rage for Virtual Console, and FlOw for the Playstation Network, Microsoft will be delivering Absolutely Nothing to your Xbox 360 this Wednesday. It's not very funny, is it? Someone should have told the folks over at the mouthpiece Gamerscore Blog that before they whipped up the video above, coincidentally, just after pulling their entry declaring that Xbox Live Arcade fans are shafted for the week. Okay, it's kind of funny, but we're still not laughing. Neither sarcasm nor serious cat (who, last we checked, was serious) can shed a positive light on yet another week of disappointment for Microsoft's download service.Do us a favor. The next time you don't have anything to offer, just give it to us straight. Don't play cute about failing to meet the demands of your audience for the umpteenth time.[Update - The aforementioned entry at the Gamerscore Blog is back up, and here it is!][Thanks, Ben!]
