Microsoft has announced more details about its Xbox Live Arcade "Block Party," which is … right around the corner. Next month’s lead-up to the launch of the Xbox Game Room will see a promotion similar to the one offered during last year’s Summer of Arcade, and then some.
Perfect Dark originally launched for the Nintendo 64 in 2000, and now, ten years later, it’s set to return on the current-generation through the Xbox 360’s Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Developed by 4J Studios – the team behind the conversions of RARE’s Banjo-Kazooie titles – Perfect Dark is easily the most anticipated Xbox LIVE Arcade release of the year, perhaps even since the digital distribution channel launched back in 2005. Priced at 800 Microsoft Points, Perfect Dark will be available from March 17th 2010, and is bound to become one of the most popular games played on the Xbox LIVE online service.
* The Halo Reach multiplayer beta will kick off on May 3. You will be able to access the beta via the Halo 3: ODST game disc.
* Dead Rising 2 will release in North America on Aug. 31, Japan on Sept. 2 and Europe on Sept. 3.
* Dead Rising: CASE ZERO an exclusive download only on Xbox LIVE, will launch prior to the full game and provide a playable prologue that bridges the story between the two titles.
* Alan Wake will launch May 18 in North America and May 21 in Europe. Players can pre-order the title to receive the Bright Falls Bonus Pack, which includes exclusive content like Avatar gear, an Xbox LIVE theme, and a "making of" video.
* The Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII Special Edition Bundle will release starting March 9 for $399, and include a 250GB Hard Drive, two Wireless Controllers, exclusive downloadable content and a Standard Edition copy of the game.
* Toy Soldiers will kick off the Xbox LIVE Arcade Block Party on March 3
* Perfect Dark, Scrap Metal and Game Room will launch this March as a part of the Xbox LIVE Arcade Block Party.
* Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction will release at retailers starting April 13 in North America, April 16 in the United Kingdom, and April 28 in Japan.
* Lost Planet 2 will launch in North America and Europe on May 18.
* Fable III will be available this holiday.
If your fondest arcade memories are of playing gratuitously violent games without your parents knowing, then Microsoft’s Game Room probably won’t give you the sense of nostalgia you’re looking for. According to a Microsoft representative, there are no plans to carry Mature or even Teen rated titles in the feature.
“Games available for download within ‘Game Room’ will carry either E or E10+ ratings,” this representative said to GamerBytes (via Kotaku). “We currently have no plans to feature titles of those [higher Teen and Mature] ratings.”
The reasoning behind this is where things get a little tricky, though. Originally, GamerBytes reported that Microsoft elected to get an ESRB rating for the Game Room feature itself, rather than have to rate every title that will launch within it. As such, they limited themselves to E and E10+ games only, and will have to continue to do so for every new game released for Game Room. The logic here is this will save Microsoft tons of money in ESRB rating fees since they supposedly wouldn’t have to rate future games for the service.
Matthew Kato: "At this year’s CES convention, Microsoft unveiled its plan to create an Xbox Live Game Room where you can go and play arcade classics. Through the years we’ve had ample opportunities to play cherished titles like Tempest – perhaps you’ve already bought some of those games via Xbox Live Arcade. Now, the 360’s Game Room is going to make you pay for them again."
"Classic Game Room HD reviews GRAN TURISMO PSP for Sony PSP, the ultimate Playstation Portable driving game. Have you wasted weeks of your life collecting Nissan Skylines in previous Gran Turismo games? If so then you’ll enjoy this one, loads of tracks and around 800 cars, Gran Turismo PSP delivers the goods and then some."-Classic Game Room
Part 2 is here- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx3LChjHhMM
A survey has been sent to Xbox 360 owners that provides some interesting insights to Microsoft’s ventures into the casual gaming space.
The first part of the survey is the most standard, asking people about their favorite game shows and board games, including Balderdash and Taboo, as well as what they like best about 1 Vs. 100. One interesting aspect of that section is that there may be a paid version of 1 Vs. 100 that will offer better prizes.
The latter part of the survey, however, is extremely intriguing, and an indication that Microsoft may be venturing into a PlayStation Home-like space in which Avatars can congregate and play retro games on classic coin-op cabinets. They queried applicants what name would fit the space best – "Game Room", "RetroCade", "AvatArcade", "RetroGame", "Classics LIVE", and so forth.
WiiLand – "Too broke for HDTV? Gaming on the cheap? Boost your morale by laughing at other people’s sad-looking gaming setups. Ghetto-fabulous!!!"