Major Nelson addresses XBLM's drought

Yeah, the MIA Prey demo situation sucks. I downloaded it on my PC Gaming Rig, and it looks freakin' sweet with all setting's HIGH. Can't wait for the XBL version.

And that is really the big issue here - The fact that Microsoft has apparently been unable to ready a small portion of a game for distribution over LIVE, and yet the RETAIL version of the same game has completed final testing, and has sent the Gold to the ditribution warehouses for mass production.... you have to ask yourself what the big holdup is.
Testing is not rocket science, no matter how complex they would have you believe.

Someone posted up here earlier that there is no financial gain to be had for MS by releasing demos, arguing that it only adds value to thier product from a consumer-perspective. I cry horseshit on that one: Demos always have, and forever shall be, produced to distribute ideas and customer attraction. All for the sole purpose of increasing sales of said product.

Actually, my main conscious thought on this issue right now is that, with the release date of July 11th closing in rapidly, they will stall the demo release until after that date, and have been planning to do so since 6/22 or even before.
You have to ask yourself why this would be. And the only logical explenation I can think of is that perhaps the XBOX360 version of the demo stinks.

Alkaiser said:

"Wow. Fantastic. The only content out for two weeks is for specific games only. I was referring to actual XBLA games."

Considering your original post referred to "actual game content" (as opposed to "actual games"), I assumed you were talking about XBLA games, downloadable expansions, etc. Call it miscommunication.

"We have every right to be demanding: we pay monthly for service and content. So thanks for your opinion, but don't tell people who have more than a right to be displeased with service that they pay for which turns out to be subpar."

No, you pay monthly to be able to play head-to-head on Xbox Live. The Prey demo is free, as anyone who has an Xbox Live Silver account will tell you after they download it for free. You're not paying for SF2: HF every month. You're paying for online gaming only.

@48 Hey they reason they are 'bitching' is because most content is not worth the price of admission. Yeah I bought the content for GRAW. Im happy with the maps and game modes. Everything else is kinda tacked on to raise the price of the download. What happened to actual microtransactions? Over promised and under delivered. I miss the old days of $5 dollar map packs on Live. Shoot, I'll buy them for 10 bucks now. 15 dollars = TOO damn much for a game that costs 60 dollars already. The funny thing is the UK and Europe pay even more. Im the type that if I want something I go buy it. Its not a thing about being cheap. I know plenty of people though that just cant afford this Next-Gen form of rip-offs. Its simple people. Overpriced gamerpics, themes and downloadable content. Add on the CONSTANT delays without any information from Microsoft. This includes demos, games and the atrocious back compatibility list. All it ends up doing is irritating our collective vaginas. We have the right to complain. If we dont give them the right feedback nothing is ever going to get fixed. I wonder how hard it is to certify a tiny .jpg image or a theme. We get those almost everyday. We get them shoved in our faces. I see it like this, starve a shark then feed him a goldfish and he'll bite. Thats what's happening here. They starve you for content and release something like a theme and it'll sit there in your face everytime you go into marketplace (Im looking at you horse armor!). Oh and another thing that no one has commented on. Why do Xbox Live Gold members have to have all this advertising on our console? Its only cosmetic but it makes me feel like Im going shopping NOT gaming. Im all for advertising on the Marketplace or on a Silver account. Thats what MARKETPLACE is for. If I dont put up with advertising on my web browser, why should I on my console? Yeah I found another thing to complain about but its a valid point.

Major Nelson turned off all comments. I guess he got tired of all the complaining. I know from your podcasts that you sometimes check out Joystiq so just know that the whining or whatever is mostly not aimed at you or the company you work at as a whole. Its the hiding information about releases that unleashes that. Its the overpricing of content that Microsoft should have some sort of standard on. Prime example, 400 points for Geometry Wars but 1200 for Bankshot Billiards? Fans appreciate you so dont worry!