How much money has Microsoft made from the XBLA?

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Published: Thursday 7th August, 2008 | Author: Steven Williamson
Products: Xbox 360
Companies: Microsoft (All Microsoft content)
Platforms: Xbox 360
External reviews: Microsoft Xbox 360

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We've heard Microsoft on many occasions banging on about how great the Xbox live arcade is and how successful it has become since launch, but without seeing the figures it's always wise to treat such bragging with a pinch of salt until we see the facts.

Well, the facts have finally arrived, with Microsoft reporting that it has taken $240 million from the Xbox live arcade since launch, with $180 million of that said to be from the last year!

Furthermore, Microsoft's IEB manager Kevin Salcedo claims that "games with paid downloadable content sell, on average, $21 million more at retail, provided the DLC hits within a so-called 30-day "sweet spot."

With these figures at their fingertips, developers can be in no doubt that the future of console videogames could well lie in the release of episodic content and tons of extra DLC.

Let's just hope we don't get to a point where all games are released incomplete and then we have to download new content just to find out what happens next.

Have you been buying stuff from the XBLA? Discuss in the HEXUS.community forums.

Source :: GamaSutra

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Re: Headlines - How much money has Microsoft made from the XBLA?

Posted by Saracen - Thu 7th Aug 2008, 9:36am

Quote
Have you been buying stuff from the XBLA?

Nope.

EDIT - Just to be clear, this is a reply to the post below by *HEXUS*. A clock issue made it appear to be the opening post.Quote

Re: Headlines - How much money has Microsoft made from the XBLA?

Posted by Stewart - Thu 7th Aug 2008, 10:44am

I have a love\hate relationship with the XBLA.

I have been buying stuff, left, right and center. Soul Calibur, Golf: Tee It Up, Sensible World of Soccer, Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3, Assault Heroes 2, Puzzle Quest, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Texas Hold 'Em, N+, Streets of Rage 2, Sonic The Hedgehog, Commanders: Attack of the Genos, Ikaruga, Pac Man Championship Edition, Worms, JetPac Refulled, Ecco The Dolphin, Every Extend Extra Extreme, Doom, Marble Blast Ultra, Assault Heroes, Cloning Clyde, Uno, Undertow, Golden Axe, and Track and Field to be exact.

So I've given them a fair chunk of cash over the last year.

Lots of great games there as well, a nice mix of quality original titles, and some classics from previous systems.

There is also plenty to look forward to, Bionic Commando, etc.

Just recently though, the prices seem to be getting less competitive. 700pts for the Puzzle Quest DLC, 1200pts for Braid which can be beaten in under 2 hours, Bionic Commando delayed, 1942 was a dissapointment, and rubbish like Double D Dodgeball being full priced 800pt games.

Achievements really add an incentive to download a few of these games as well, everything is more fun with achievements. There is a pretty basic problem with this though, which is that unless all the achievements are single player, or the XBLA game in question is very popular, you have a period of about 2 weeks from the games release to get them. Any longer and there will be nobody online playing those games.

Overall I love the XBLA, its chocked full of great games and if you want to save a few quid, instead of shelling out £40-£50 for a full price titles, you can download a few well chosen XBLA games for £10-£15.

Lets hope a few dodgy games and the price creep don't spoil it.

Quote: Saracen
Nope.

Great post mate. :D

Database problems shorten your posts slightly, I notice.Quote

Re: Headlines - How much money has Microsoft made from the XBLA?

Posted by Parm - Thu 7th Aug 2008, 11:09am

I don't buy a whole lot from XBLA, I find most games to be overpriced. However, I have picked up a couple that I genuinely enjoy.

My latest purchase was Geo Wars 2, and it's worth every penny. :)Quote

Re: Headlines - How much money has Microsoft made from the XBLA?

Posted by Saracen - Fri 8th Aug 2008, 12:35pm

Quote: Stewart
......

Great post mate. :D

Database problems shorten your posts slightly, I notice.

:D

Actually, what shortened my post was that that said everything I wanted to say. But I'm sure I can .... erm .... elaborate on it a bit if you like? :DQuote

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