Microsoft cutting back on Xbox Arcade ports?

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 1st April 2008
Comments (11) Stumble
Is Microsoft eager to cut down on the number of arcade ports on Xbox Live Arcade?

Is Microsoft eager to cut down on the number of arcade ports on Xbox Live Arcade?

According to comments made by a Japanese developer, Microsoft has decided to distance itself from the faithful ports of old arcade games that have thus far been a hallmark of the Xbox Live Arcade service.

In comments made in an issue of Famitsu, Masaki Sakari of 5pb games revealed that Microsoft rejected a number of faithful arcade ports it had developed for the Xbox Live Arcade service.

"Out initial plan was to port lots of good arcade titles to XBLA. We talked to IP holders of these titles, and persuaded them. We secured these licenses, and finally talked with Microsoft," said Sakari.

"There they rejected all of our proposals saying, 'We are going to cut down faithful arcade ports.' We felt so frustrated."

The comment doesn't clarify exactly whether Microsoft is against the specific cave-shooter genre that 5pb specialises in, or if it is cutting down on all arcade ports in general. With a recent push for newer and more original content though, it looks like it could be the latter.

How do you feel about the Xbox Live Arcade service? Are there too many retro ports on there, or do you like nothing more than to kick back with a two controllers and an updated version of Golden Axe? Let us know in the forum.
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Quote Flibblebot 1st April 2008, 12:18
I'm glad, tbh.

I have my Xbox set to download new XBL games automatically, and I'm sick of seeing yet another retro arcade port. There are better uses for my next gen console than playing ports of games that are 20+ years old. If I wanted to play games with old, outdated graphics and no save option, I'd go and buy a secondhand SNES.
Quote Gunsmith 1st April 2008, 12:55
so your saying that you'd prefer todays stagnated and unoriginal industry then classic like Streets of Rage?
Quote Blademrk 1st April 2008, 13:20
New content is good, obvioulsy, but I did enjoy playing quite a lot of the old ports (Dig Dug, Galaga, Rush'n Attack (aka Green Beret), Doom.........). There were some that weren't quite worth the download but that goes for some of the original content they put up ther too.
Quote lewchenko 1st April 2008, 13:27
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunsmith
so your saying that you'd prefer todays stagnated and unoriginal industry then classic like Streets of Rage?

Yes. Thats exactly what we are saying. However, we will have to disagree that today's content is stagnated and unoriginal. Some of the best and most original games ever have been released over the couple of years.

You call a street level beat-em-up clone from the 1980/90's original ?

I personally find retro games so lacking in depth, and once the nostalgia has worn off (after 10mins) you are left wondering why you bothered with it.

Each to their own, but personally I find retro conversions boring, unoriginal, and stagnated in nostalgia and history !
Quote TreeDude 1st April 2008, 13:31
i don't see why they can't do both. I don't think the arcade ports take a whole lot of time and effort. They could just put a smaller team on the ports and a bigger team on original content. The more selection the better IMO.
Quote cjoyce1980 1st April 2008, 16:23
lots of arcade ports and original IP for me please
Quote pendragon 1st April 2008, 17:58
oh man, I want to play Golden Axe now!
Quote 1ad7 1st April 2008, 23:02
This is a bad move for xbox arcade, it would be a good move for all other game design. "Mr. Bill how about we create a new game, you know not just a copy of our previous one. People like new stuff not just playing games that feel like older games." "Good idea Mr. One so that settles it no more arcade titles on xbox arcade we need new ****!" "On another note how goes Bioshock 2" "thats not what I mean Mr. Bill ................."
Quote Mentai 1st April 2008, 23:39
I think it's stupid. They should just split it into sections, retro and new. That way it doesn't matter how many retro games they get, the people who are after them people will be happy because of greater selection, and then newer games will get done because the retro section will be overbloated for anything to be noticed. Win Win.
Quote LordPyrinc 2nd April 2008, 00:16
Some of the old SNES games are still fun to play even if the graphics are dated. I still fire up classics like the Final Fantasy games, Ogre Battle, Wizardy V every so often for the fun of great RPGs. Using an emulator now, but I still have my SNES boxed up somewhere with some of those games mentioned.
Quote ssj12 2nd April 2008, 03:48
Sony's original titles are so much better.. so who cares.
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