Microsoft Discovers That Nostalgia Sells When It Comes To The Xbox
from the well,-duh dept
Apparently it took Microsoft this long to realize that many video game console buyers are from a generation that grew up playing classic video games from the 70s and 80s. While they've got all that fancy power under the hood of the Xbox, plenty of people still pine for those old games -- and Microsoft is starting to deliver them, offering up a series of downloadable classic video games from the 1980s for the Xbox 360 as part of the Xbox Live Arcade. Apparently, the company figured the less complex Live Arcade games would hit the casual gaming "bored housewife" segment of the market -- and are only now realizing that more traditional gamers are pretty damn excited about playing Pac-man and Frogger all over again. Of course, considering you can get many of those games for free online using emulators, or buying some of those super cheap nostalgia packs, it certainly does seem like a bit of overkill to use an Xbox for such games.
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MAMEoX
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Re: MAMEoX
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No more overkill than...
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Paying for pixels?
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mon the neds
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Re: Re: Paying For Pixels
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Re: Re: Re: Paying For Pixels
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Re:
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not true
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Re: not true
Don't get me wrong, I like my Xbox. But it is the gateway to a service model for Micro$oft. A means to extratct money on a regular basis. Just like they've wanted to do with Windows for years. The 360 gives them a whole new platform on which to just that.
I grew up with the old school games in question. I like Splinter Cell, Halo, etc. But I don't always have time for an invloved game in the evening. It's nice to boot up an old favorite on my hacked Xbox for a little entertainment in a limited time frame. I don't have to worry about making it to the next save point. Just play for a few minutes, and stop. That, I think, is also the target market.
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Oh Boy! Yet Another One...
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Re: Oh Boy! Yet Another One...
But I still wouldnt pay $15...
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This is what is next?
And like StarMonkey says. How many copies of Pacman and Frogger do we already have, and how many more do we need.
Looks to me like the xBox 360 team is already out of new, fresh and original ideas. So they are trying to convince us what we really want are the original games of yesteryear.
Look Mom! That game system you spent $1,000.00 for last year on Ebay now plays Pacman. Cool, huh?
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Re: This is what is next?
I can play my Atari versions or I can play PacMan against my buddy that lives 500 miles away while chatting like he is in the same room. This is the fresh idea. Community is the big thing and the fresh idea. Heard of Myspace?
Microsoft may not do a good job in a lot of areas, but MS haters have to admit that the 360 team is doing the research. No one needs to convince me... if it is fun and in my budget then I am for it.
Microsoft is going where the money is at. It cost very little to produce these games and people want them. People have held this to be a truth by voting with their cash... I mean MS points.
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Ooo robotron2064!?
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On my PC
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Re:
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"When i say Xbox 360 adapter i mean an adapter for the remote control, not the whole console."
It's already been done with the original XBOX, and I'm sure somebodies bound to do it with the 360 soon enough.
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xbox360
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No one is going to buy a 360 just to play the games on Live Arcade. Those games are there as a perk. But they are proving to be very popular.
And they don't cost $15. More like $5-8.
Live Arcade R0xx0r$ my $0xx0r$!!
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Geez, it's not that serious.
For people who don't have the knowledge of emulators or who simply enjoy playing games on a huge LCD (or Plasma or whatever the case) is true HD then let them have their 360 versions, why not?
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Ohhh...
Ok people... you're bashing MS so hard that you're completely missing the point.
This whole XB360 Arcade thing is just MS doing what they designed the 360 to do... and that's to be the "all in one" package for home entertainment. They know they won't completely push other systems out of your house. They're not trying to. What they're doing is trying to entice you with convenience.
Is anyone surprised that a business is trying to make money? Seriously people. You're acting like this is some subversive way to for MS to milk even more money out of you. They aren't making you download these. They're not required for anything.
I'm a great example of their target for these things (although, I haven't bought any yet, because it's not worth my money yet). I play the $60 360 games and the $50 Xbox games. I use it for a DVD player (although I don't have the remote). I browse for the occasional movie trailer or neat video or whatever. I like the old arcade games, so if I see one that really strikes my fancy, I'll buy it. Simply because I use my 360 as my gaming center.
I don't play many computer games anymore. I'm tired of being just under the sys req's to play them and I'm not sinking retarded money into a rig just to play this season's games and then have to upgrade next year. And with many PC games coming out multi-platform anyway, I'm making the choice to go onto a non-PC platform. My choice. meh. So they target this kind of offer of convenience at people like me. Doesn't make them evil and subversive (MS has many many other ways of being that).
Simply put, this is MS doing what they had planned to do with the 360. And we shouldn't be surprised to see them try it. It's like when the phone services added long-distance and international calling. They weren't trying to evilly subvert letters and postcards. They were just trying to win some market.
OMG!!! They're trying to make money!?!?!!!one11!
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Re: Ohhh...
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To quote Larry the Cable Guy
Most people spend $1000+ on a computer to check email and play solitare. It's not so much having an overpowered machine for the job, as it is having a machine that makes itself more worth the cost by multitasking. I love the megaman collection for my gamecube and other remakes. I've always thought that they should remake platform games utilizing the power of the new systems, such as fully 3d rendered graphics in a side-scroller (kindof like Viewtiful Joe)
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Re:
I don't feel like dealing with hacking around with crap when I get home from work. I work and study hard all day. This allows me to make a good living and have the money to relax when I am at home.
From your comment, it sounds like your hate for Microsoft is what the real issue you have with the 360. Have an open mind to all companies and all equipment. You would expect and Apple employee to be lined up with you on your hate talk, but I don't see the point. Talk about the real issues in the article instead of flaming. It's a waste of time.
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missing the point
ACHIEVEMENT POINTS. and plenty of them.
Im gonna go play hexic.
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Hacking an X-box?
So, how does one hack an X-box and why?
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Re: Hacking an X-box?
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OK, so im already paying for "Live" that every other system PS2, all PC games are free....Ok so whatever, $60 there.
Now you want me to pay a couple of bucks for super old games that like Mike said are free Emulators? Im pretty sure I didnt spend $800 on a system to play Pac-Man
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Re:
What's so bad about Microsoft offering services? It's not costing you anything since you don't want it. Geez.
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Geez...Again
Do you think Linux would exist today (and if it does then would it exist and be as complete as it is) if Microsoft Windows was not driving the market. More than 80% of the worlds PCs have Windows pre-installed. Hate Microsoft all you want, I'm sure Gates doesn't give a shit.
Yeah you can hack a XBOX with linux or mods chips or blah blah blah, but not everyone has the technical know-how or the time or even the patience to do that. As a matter of fact, I have the 360 (and I love it) and I wouldn't waste my time modding it because that's all it is to me, a waste of time.
Again, pay attention to the "360" part of the name. It means something. CONVENIENCE. That's what's going on here. It's a way for Microsoft to make a little extra dough on the side without hurting anyone. So damn, put a freakin sock in it.
These comments are getting entirely too technical. The 360 is not designed for the tech dude running dual CPUs on their desktop, it's designed for the gamer (who isn't always so technically inclined) and the home-theatre dudes. My 360 and PC (which can run circles around my 360) both work together, giving me a nice, intergrated, remotely powered, great sounding, pleasent audio/visual experience.
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Jason
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Multiplayer via Live
I've played old school games on my PC and my gameboy advance, but I have more fun playing the XBox Live Arcade games.
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