Shafted Again: No XBLA Title This Week [Archive]

bapenguin

02-20-2007, 04:55 AM

Wha? What's so frickin hard about releasing 1 damn game a week on Live Arcade? Everytime we hear about the service it's how everyone wants to or is developing a game for the service. Yet as another Wednesday approaches, we are left without a title for XBLA. It's become so bad, that Microsoft's Own PR Team (http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/02/19/541199.aspx) is making fun of the situation.

Here's a tip Microsoft: Get Organized and get some f'n titles out there.

fitbabits

02-20-2007, 04:56 AM

That was funny!

LarsenNET

02-20-2007, 05:00 AM

Actually kind of sad for them. Are these games not ready or is this another strange marketing issue?

If they are going to continue this crap they need to start releasing multiple games per week.

BadCRC

02-20-2007, 05:05 AM

I don't care... every week or no. I JUST NEED GOOD GAMES!

Gorvi

02-20-2007, 05:09 AM

It seems to me like they're taking a quality over quantity approach. Wouldn't that be a good thing?

Magnanimous Gnome

02-20-2007, 05:14 AM

Wow, XBLA sure is working out great so far. :rolleyes:

The lack of good "arcade" fair is pretty sad.

Johan

02-20-2007, 05:18 AM

Besides quality controls on the hardware side, in my opinion the biggest problem MS is suffering is a dearth of compelling titles at times throughout the year. Some droughts are to be expected, but on the Live and the disc-based side of things, there have been too many such dry spells.

I wonder if part of the problem is a bottleneck in the approvals/certification process? Gorvi seems to have hit on that a bit in his post.

And if that is the issue, what the HELL as the deal with the CoD3 map pack fiasco? Some certification process there! ;)

menage

02-20-2007, 05:23 AM

Damn the response on that link was cruel.

I don't get it. Bitching about not being able to buy games. It's not like your getting them for free. I'd rather wait 2 or 3 weeks for games like Hominid or Worms than get crap like RBT forced down my throat. Why the hell is everbody blaming Arcade as a whole. You don't bitch SE when they postpone FF or Konami when they delay MGS (or you would, but then you would buy a machine anyway a year later just to play a game announced 3 years ago).

bapenguin

02-20-2007, 05:28 AM

Wow, XBLA sure is working out great so far. :rolleyes:

The lack of good "arcade" fair is pretty sad.

I think the problem is it's working out too well. People love the content for the most part and they get dissapointed when there isn't more presented to them.

Just ask some of the developers that acutally put out an XBLA title. Very few of them have been failures.

Heretic Machine

02-20-2007, 05:29 AM

It seems to me like they're taking a quality over quantity approach. Wouldn't that be a good thing?

I wish they took that approach, instead of filling their online store with overpriced ports of 80's arcade titles.

KingGorilla

02-20-2007, 05:29 AM

Word around the street is that MS is just sitting on a lot of games that are ready to be released. And these dry-spells between retail launches would be the perfect time to get 2 or 3 out a week. It is a mystery as to why they are not getting more out, and with regularity with so many companies just throwing games at Microsoft.

Food Nipple

02-20-2007, 05:45 AM

It seems to me like they're taking a quality over quantity approach. Wouldn't that be a good thing?

I certainly hope they were not taking that approach when they released New Rally-X and Novadrome.

bapenguin

02-20-2007, 05:46 AM

Elrando Horse

02-20-2007, 05:47 AM

Sure it's dissapointing, but you read some of the responses on the other side of that link and you'd think it was the end of the world!

I think the video was very bad Fu to all the xbla fans eagerly awaiting ,good games.
"What do you do for an encore, pour sugar in my gas tank while anally raping my grandmother?"

WTF!? Are we all becoming a pack of spoilt brats?

total

02-20-2007, 05:50 AM

kaddar

02-20-2007, 06:19 AM

In the worms forum the developers talk about how tough (but perhaps rightly so) the quality assurance is for XBLA. That's what is delaying worms. I imagine that the more complex the title, the longer it takes to get through certification after each patch. So guys, I don't think this is a marketing thing, I think we see the worst games first because they are easiest to get through certification. Worms still hasn't made it through, for example, and according to the developers, no one is delaying it and everyone wants to get it to the consumers as fast as possible.

ElPresidente

02-20-2007, 06:27 AM

Sook thread alert. :P

Borys

02-20-2007, 06:39 AM

It seems that every time Sony does something good for PSN network MS fumbles in a bad way with XBox Live.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Competition is a wonderful thing, isn't it Microsoft?

Kamalot

02-20-2007, 06:41 AM

The good folks at Microsoft should put a reminder in Outlook to launch a game every week. They could even make it a recurring event.

If they need to get the rest of the team on board, they may be able to use a project plan created in Microsoft Project.

KingGorilla

02-20-2007, 06:47 AM

I wonder if they skipped this week to get more people out to buy Crackdown.
With a Halo 3 Beta there was little question of that BA.

crunchymonkey

02-20-2007, 06:48 AM

It does seem odd that we hear there are soo many games in the pipeline, but we aren't seeing many. Will there be a huge dump sometime in the near future?

KingGorilla

02-20-2007, 06:57 AM

My pet theory is that they are saving them for Vista Integration onto MSN games. Or for paid download via some Steam-like application.

Sandman

02-20-2007, 07:05 AM

Funny, I reported last night that we are getting an XBLA title : Nada 2 (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25704)

KingGorilla

02-20-2007, 07:12 AM

Not as cool as Let's Wait in Line.

snugglebearofdeath

02-20-2007, 07:14 AM

Worms. That's all I want. Worms.

Kamalot

02-20-2007, 07:18 AM

Not as cool as Let's Wait in Line.
People play that all the time in order to get a Wii. ;)

TheFlyingOrc

02-20-2007, 07:26 AM

It seems to me like they're taking a quality over quantity approach. Wouldn't that be a good thing?For crappy downloadable games? No.

TheFlyingOrc

02-20-2007, 07:27 AM

You don't bitch SE when they postpone FF or Konami when they delay MGS
....yes, we do. A lot.

Magnanimous Gnome

02-20-2007, 07:27 AM

I think the problem is it's working out too well. People love the content for the most part and they get dissapointed when there isn't more presented to them.

Just ask some of the developers that acutally put out an XBLA title. Very few of them have been failures.

That's a good point. I'm sure that nearly all (if not all) XBLA titles have made money. Really, how could they not?

KingGorilla

02-20-2007, 08:03 AM

People play that[wait in line] all the time in vain, pointless, futile, comic attempts to get a Wii. ;)

It is fixed.

Dirty Harry

02-20-2007, 08:07 AM

Funny, I reported last night that we are getting an XBLA title : Nada 2 (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25704)
Yeah your news post was better, pretty lame for bap to take credit for a quality post.

Kamalot

02-20-2007, 08:10 AM

I guess it hasn't bothered me in the slightest. I am plenty content with Texas Hold'em, Lumines, Geometry Wars, Uno and Small Arms. Anyone have any other suggestions out there for the 2000 points burning a hole in my product? I was thinking about getting UMK3 but didn't think the demo was all that great. Anyone have UMK3 and can tell me if the unlocked characters actually stay unlocked after you get them or do you lose them when you leave the game (they did this on the Saturn version and it drove me insane).
I very much enjoy:

Assault Heroes (http://www.assaultheroesgame.com/) (Think Ikari Warriors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikari_Warriors))
Outpost Kaloki X (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outpost_Kaloki_X)
Heavy Weapon (http://www.popcap.com/launchpage.php?theGame=heavyweapon) (Great for more casual gamers and multiplayer too!)

Gorvi

02-20-2007, 08:13 AM

For crappy downloadable games? No.

Well, I don't exactly have a 360, so I don't know first hand. Quality over quantity would be the smart way to go, though.

fitbabits

02-20-2007, 08:14 AM

It seems that every time Sony does something good for PSN network MS fumbles in a bad way with XBox Live.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Competition is a wonderful thing, isn't it Microsoft?
Back on top form already, I see. I would say it's great to have the old Borys back, but I'd be lying through my teeth...(like how I've been apparently lying about everything else)

Rifter

02-20-2007, 08:19 AM

Here is my take on things... So, we get annoyed when title release dates are pushed back. On big name, AAA titles... why are people shocked when small, XBLA titles also get pushed back? I will lay you odds that the XBLA team has titles lined up for release, assuming they make it past QA, and actually get done on time.

I thought the video was kind of funny.

TrackZero

02-20-2007, 08:44 AM

It seems to me like they're taking a quality over quantity approach. Wouldn't that be a good thing?

Yes it would. I'm in no rush. I'd rather have them held up, then tons of crap dumped into the marketplace. Hell, I already own 28 XBLA games, how many more do I need?

Mortis

02-20-2007, 08:49 AM

Give me SotN NOW damn it.

Disgustipated

02-20-2007, 09:24 AM

In the time it took to make that shitty video they coulda released Alien Hominid HD. Fuckers.

CPaladino

02-20-2007, 09:49 AM

The video isn't delaying the release of any XBLA titles. We are the community team - none of us are coding those titles, but we do share the frustration of this Wednesday's non-release.

I posted a reply to the video over on xbox.com's forums:

http://forums.xbox.com/2/10460138/ShowPost.aspx#10465932

The summary is that the video was poking fun at ourselves, not at any of our customers.

fitbabits

02-20-2007, 09:51 AM

Our team isn't delaying the release of any XBLA titles. We are the community team - none of us are coding those titles.

I did, however, post a reply to the video over on xbox.com's forums:

http://forums.xbox.com/2/10460138/ShowPost.aspx#10465932

The summary is that the video was poking fun at ourselves, not at any of our customers.
Welcome to EvAv! I loved the video, by the way, and can't see why anyone would have been offended or upset by it. :confused:

Morangie

02-20-2007, 09:55 AM

It seems that every time Sony does something good for PSN network MS fumbles in a bad way with XBox Live.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Competition is a wonderful thing, isn't it Microsoft?
What is the good thing Sony are doing for the PSN network? Updating it to have features Live has had for just under a year now? I think Microsoft would agree with you, competition like that is a great thing.

fitbabits

02-20-2007, 09:57 AM

What is the good thing Sony are doing for the PSN network? Updating it to have features Live has had for just under a year now? I think Microsoft would agree with you, competition like that is a great thing.
You're fighting a non winnable war. Bozza has hates for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Gorvi

02-20-2007, 10:11 AM

What is the good thing Sony are doing for the PSN network? Updating it to have features Live has had for just under a year now? I think Microsoft would agree with you, competition like that is a great thing.

Well, at least this week, we're getting flOw and should be getting Tekken 5. Of course, it has a looooooong way to go to catch up with the XBLA offerings, but at least it wins for 1 week. ;)

Magnanimous Gnome

02-20-2007, 10:17 AM

Back on top form already, I see. I would say it's great to have the old Borys back, but I'd be lying through my teeth...(like how I've been apparently lying about everything else)

Borys and I should revive our old rivalry. I remember when we'd bicker in every thread and both of us got banned - more than once if I remember correctly. Then the site crashed (not the 2005 crash, an earlier one), and I came back with a different name. That bastard found out and blabbed it everywhere, and our rivalry continued. Then he started freaking out over my rapidly growing post count (when I made like 50 posts a day)....he calmed down shortly after that though, and after a couple more site crashes/resets our rivalry ended.

Man those were the days.... :cool:

Magnanimous Gnome

02-20-2007, 10:19 AM

Oh yeah, um, XBLA.......

Heard there's an UNO game up there... ;)

Deadend

02-20-2007, 10:22 AM

I liked the video, even if I could feel the frustration from it, as you WANT to release games, but you have not been given anything to release.

Maybe next week will be good.

total

02-20-2007, 10:43 AM

I very much enjoy:

Assault Heroes (http://www.assaultheroesgame.com/) (Think Ikari Warriors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikari_Warriors))
Outpost Kaloki X (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outpost_Kaloki_X)
Heavy Weapon (http://www.popcap.com/launchpage.php?theGame=heavyweapon) (Great for more casual gamers and multiplayer too!)

Hey thanks a lot Kam. I have rocked the Demo of Outpost and thought it was like a Lemonade Tycoon in space type deal. How is the replay value on this one. I have Heavy Weapon in my queue so it should be done when I get home. I will look into Assault Heroes.

Kamalot

02-20-2007, 10:50 AM

Assault Heroes is my current favorite. The bosses in later levels are top-notch.

I think Outpost has a few extra downloadable missions.

total

02-20-2007, 10:55 AM

Assault Heroes is my current favorite. The bosses in later levels are top-notch.

I think Outpost has a few extra downloadable missions.

I am playing tons of Small Arms and Poker. I can't believe I like Small Arms, simply because I can not stand Smash Bros. I play Uno mainly for the social aspect of the game, and have met some very nice people on there. I've also witnessed just a few people spanking it on cam, which is always...neat. I want to see some more games using the camera!

Magnanimous Gnome

02-20-2007, 12:53 PM

I am playing tons of Small Arms and Poker. I can't believe I like Small Arms, simply because I can not stand Smash Bros. I play Uno mainly for the social aspect of the game, and have met some very nice people on there. I've also witnessed just a few people spanking it on cam, which is always...neat. I want to see some more games using the camera!

Does that seriously happen??? :eek:

total

02-20-2007, 01:01 PM

Does that seriously happen??? :eek:

You better be sure of it. I love the idea of the camera for the social aspect, but there are a lot of odd people out there. I have been flashed on XBL though, so I guess that sort of negates the jerking off thing.

Magnanimous Gnome

02-20-2007, 01:58 PM

You better be sure of it. I love the idea of the camera for the social aspect, but there are a lot of odd people out there. I have been flashed on XBL though, so I guess that sort of negates the jerking off thing.

I'd heard of guys showing their junk on there, but I didn't know how common it was. It never occured to me that some would take it a step futher!

Kamalot

02-20-2007, 02:02 PM

You are all convincing me to NEVER get a camera. I don't need to see a bunch of tools play with their tools.

total

02-20-2007, 02:16 PM

You are all convincing me to NEVER get a camera. I don't need to see a bunch of tools play with their tools.

Which is why I typically try to host games! The camera is frickin awesome! I love the Vegas face mapping (my buds and I spent the first couple of hours with the game playing with just that feature) and it really adds to the social feel of Uno. I would definitely say the good outweighs the bad with the camera. The biggest problem I have with it (aside from the occasional cock) is that so few games support it. I want to see some eyetoy-esqe games, or maybe something like that card game they showed at E3 for the PS3.