XBLA Unplugged Vol. 1 coming on Sept. 5
by Joystiq Staff 
{ Aug 25th 2006 at 10:25AM }
Microsoft has just announced that the Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Vol. 1 compilation for the 360 will be hitting store shelves on Sept. 5 for a robust price of $39.99. The whole package will include six XBLA games plus a free month of Xbox Live Gold subscription and three downloadable XBLA demos.The games included are: Geometry Wars, Wik: Fable of Souls, Outpost Kaloki X, Bejeweled 2 Deluxe, Hardwood Backgammon, and Texas Hold 'em.
At $39.99 and with a free month of Gold service, is this a good deal for the games offered or not quite enough to warrant a purchase?
Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 hits retail store shelves worldwide on September 5
Microsoft announces the global retail launch of new Xbox Live Arcade compilation for Xbox 360 gamers
Microsoft today announced the worldwide launch of Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1, a new disc compilation of hit Xbox Live Arcade games plus a free 1 month Xbox Live Gold subscription and downloadable Xbox Live Arcade demos. Priced at $39.99 Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 arrives in stores worldwide on September 5, 2006.
Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged provides a taste of the Xbox Live Arcade experience for gamers everywhere, with a great collection of new and original casual games that are fun, engaging and easy to learn and pick up and play.
Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 includes:
6 Xbox Live Arcade hit titles:
- Geometry Wars Retro Evolved: One of the most popular games on Xbox Live Arcade, Geometry Wars Retro Evolved is a space shooter with a frenetic, high-definition twist
- Wik: Fable of Souls: Wik's beautifully mysterious world of fairytale charm unfolds as you swing by your tongue through 120+ single player levels and 7 modes of play, including same-console multiplayer!
- Outpost Kaloki X: Solve challenges, entertain visiting aliens, and rake in the money in Outpost Kaloki X, the light-hearted space station tycoon game
- Bejeweled 2 Deluxe: With awe-inspiring planetary backdrops, explosive new gems and dazzling special effects, Bejeweled 2 is more wildly addictive than ever before!
- Hardwood Backgammon: Play a game of classic Backgammon against the computer, against a friend on a single console, or against on online opponent over Xbox Live
- Texas Hold 'em: This poker title simulates the tournament setting right in your home, and with Xbox Live Vision, you'll feel like you are in Las Vegas
Free 1 month Xbox Live Gold subscription
3 downloadable Xbox Live Arcade demos:
- UNO
- Marble Blast Ultra
- Feeding Frenzy
With the accompanying free 1 month Xbox Live Gold subscription Xbox Live Unplugged gamers can sample all of the benefits the world's largest online gaming and entertainment network has to offer. Connect to Xbox Live and join more than 3 million gamers across 24 countries across the globe; enjoy free game demos, movie trailers and music vides and get together with friends to play in fun, new ways.
Check out Xbox Live and Xbox.com for continuing updates on exciting new Xbox Live Arcade content available to Xbox 360 gamers.
About Xbox Live
Xbox Live is the first and only unified online entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360 system. Xbox Live connects millions of members across 24 countries to enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox Live Arcade, free and premium playable game demos, music videos, and movie trailers, as well as new game levels, characters and vehicles for all their favorite retail games. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris Taran @ Aug 25th 2006 10:35AM
Wait how does the disc come with 3 -downloadable- demos?
Either the demos are on the disc, which would make them allready available without download, so there is no need to use the phrase "downloadable demos" which would imply that they need to be downloaded, or the demos are not on the disc making the demos downloadable on XBox live, but would have nothing to do with this disc because they are and have allready been freely avilable for download well prior to this disc release.
Wickedneoq @ Aug 25th 2006 10:35AM
Makes me glad I've only downloaded/bought 2 of those titles. Getting the rest, and having them on a compilation disc, means I can carry around some cool Arcade games when I go to a buddy's house, and I can play them there on his 360. I find Wik uber-hard though with the controller....
Jay @ Aug 25th 2006 10:43AM
No thanks. $39=£20. add MS UK price increase, £30.
Not even worth £20. for £10 sure, I'd buy that in a flash.
Franky Digital @ Aug 25th 2006 10:39AM
The free month of Xbox Live Gold seems redundant. Isn't the whole point of these packages to bring these games to people who don't have Xbox Live already?
Mike @ Aug 25th 2006 10:45AM
Franky - the whole point of the free month is to give offline owners a taste of Live so that they'll by into the service after the free trial is over.
I think the idea is great, though I would rather see individual games go one sale for $2-$5 so that offline players could customize their arcade selection. Similar to the Game Boy card reader they sold a few years ago.
Brian @ Aug 25th 2006 11:05AM
But you can still go online and download these games with the silver package. I would think that the target audience for this package is people who do not have their Xbox 360's connected to the internet. I don't understand the free month of Gold either.
Daniel @ Aug 25th 2006 11:29AM
My head just blew up trying to understand Chris Taran's post.
indysurfn @ Aug 25th 2006 3:43PM
hmmmm on top of this package. I see a two phase marketing ploy microsoft can do. Phase one. Microsoft should give a discount. For instance give 10% more points for a person to buy what THEY want. For instance getting $43.99 worth of points for $39.99. Cost wise this would be better than a 15 percent discount and will cause a hype for it, by the users in the know. Oviously you would have to limit the amount availible. Second Phase. After creating the hype. Offer it to people with xbox360's that have not bought a XBLA game, and that have not registered to Xbox live GOLD from there box. Trust me they have the data of which xbox360s a membership was registered on. This will bring in some new XBLA blood since they will have heard of the hype. You listening Microsoft? You seemed to listen when you launch xbox1 and I ranted about no Asian market, and no lead without turn based RPG's Look at that 360 LINE-UP I know your listening! Good boys!
Chris Taran @ Aug 25th 2006 11:45AM
@7
Yah, I really have no idea what I typed there. There was deffinetly a point I was trying to make, but even I have a hard time making it.
That's what I get for trying to write within 15 minutes of waking up.
Foppe @ Aug 25th 2006 11:49AM
What does they mean by 3 downloadable Xbox Live Arcade demos?
Is the demos included on the disc? Then why call them downloadable demos instead of just Xbox Live Arcade demos?
nojok3 @ Aug 25th 2006 8:30PM
Chris Taran, you are an idiot. You download the demos off the disc so you don't have to keep the disc in the whole time (I assume).
VampireHunter Z @ Aug 25th 2006 12:02PM
They are called downloadable demos because there are currently available on the marketplace for download. In the same way the arcade games are available for download on XBLA. Is it so hard to wrap your heads around that?
It's also not redundant because not all demos are downloadable. OXM gets exclusive demos a lot of times. If you still don't get it then all I can say is the demos are on the disc.
Plaid Ninja @ Aug 25th 2006 12:06PM
I'd definitely buy this at $20, maaaaaaaaaybe at $25, but at $40? HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELL NO.
All I'd play out of those is Geometry Wars & Bejewled. Wik is ok, not worth more than $5. Backgammon? NO. Chess on the other hand, that I'd go for... but of course, there's no Chess on Live, and there probably never will be.
dsub @ Aug 25th 2006 5:48PM
this should be $19.99 end of story.
Bohn @ Aug 25th 2006 12:32PM
I don't know what's so confusing, honestly it's pretty simple.
The 3 downloadable games and the free trial exist to help increase the adoption rate of Xbox Live. They are giving non-live users an incentive to try out the Live service, and hopefully get hooked and buy a full years membership.
It's not rocket science...basic marketing and promotion.
blau @ Aug 25th 2006 12:36PM
I think the downloadable demo might mean that you can save the games to your 360 and pass the disc on to a friend. You wouldn't be able to do that iwth the actual games though.
Game Artist @ Aug 25th 2006 12:55PM
If you can't download the full games to your HDD, that removes a major feature that I like about XBLA. That I dont have to pop in any discs to play a game. Its nice just to turn it on and have them available.
I dont understand the month of gold, etc either. If they have the ability to hook up to the net in the first place, why would they need to buy the disc? Its presumably aimed at people who dont have a broadband internet connection.
insane_cobra @ Aug 25th 2006 1:01PM
Would've been worth every penny even without a free month of Gold service.
JS Beckerist @ Aug 25th 2006 1:11PM
Wik: Fable of Souls is the most fun hotseat (same console) multiplayer game ever made, and the best investment I have so far made on XBL Marketplace!
I'm now psyched for the new bomberman!
kftgr @ Aug 25th 2006 4:20PM
Damn...got Wik and Texas Hold'em already; no interest in Backgammon and OKX; Burnt out on Bejeweled and all its clones already. The only thing worth it is Geometry Wars, and that's only $5.
It would be good if you get some MS points credited to you if you already own some games in the compilation. Win-win for everyone as you basically get a discount for your other games with your credits, and MS gets your $ for games you wouldn't have gotten in the first place.
AC91 @ Aug 25th 2006 5:54PM
Well, all these comments are good, but remember, these are for people without Xbox Live, possibly no high speed internet who have no chance to play these games.
I personally have OKX and (of course) Texas Hold'em off that list, and MBU and UNO from the demos, so I won't want it, but a non-Xbox Liver doesn't have them.
Rip-off for us, good thing for them.
epobirs @ Aug 26th 2006 5:31AM
This serves more than one audience.
On one hand, it delivers XBLA games to those who cannot conveniently connect their 360 to the outside world. They may lack broadband as many places still do. That would account for a good number right there.
Presuming the games do not need to be installed to the hard drive, this also serves those who bought the Core System.
Remember, barring disaster, the Xbox 360 is still just getting started in terms of the installed base Microsoft intends to establish. Far more 360 sales lie ahead than have already occurred. That means many millions, perhaps tens of millions, of new users who have no existing XBLA investments and aren't sure about the value of a Gold subscription. This product makes a for a great starting point to try out Gold along with a variety of games.
Although this is given and SRP of $40, that is but a smokescreen. This will have great value as a bundle item to sweeten an Xbox 360 purchase rather than a price drop. It won't put off a price drop forever but it will put off the next one a while. The same strategy has served Nintendo in propping up the Gamecube's $99 price.
This will be the perfect bundleware. Hey, this online poker is kind of fun. If I buy this camera thing it would be even cooler and I get a headset, too. I've really gotten attached to this online play, guess I'll have to subscribe.
Give them a good taste and they pay to each the rest of the meal. And theone after that.
Sami @ Aug 26th 2006 3:31PM
I was expecting an analysis of the price cost after the "is this a good deal for the games offered or not quite enough to warrant a purchase?" question and the break, not a copy of the press release. Indeed, this package is quite confusing, although I understood Chris Taran's first post perfectly.