Xbox Live Arcade in talks with unnamed board game IP partner

by Mike Schramm { Jul 16th 2008 at 6:30PM }

Scott Austin, Microsoft Director of Digitally Distributed Games, tells us that there are talks in progress with "a potential partner who has lots of board game IP." He says that XBLA's boardgames are considered evergreen content by Microsoft -- games like Catan and Carcassone sell well all the time -- and that Microsoft is definitely looking to include more traditional board games in the Arcade. They expect the same kind of evergreen popularity for their Xbox Live Primetime service, which will combine online gaming on XBL with a television-style format.

We asked Austin if the potential partner in question was a maker of more complex board games -- a D&D-esque board game like BattleLore or Runebound would likely work very well on Xbox Live -- but he was not forthcoming. For all we know a deal is being struck with a more traditional board game maker like Parker Brothers. Either way, fans of board games on Xbox Live will definitely have more to look forward to.

Update: The relationship between potential board game content and the Xbox Live Primetime service was clarified.

Tags: board-game, e3, e3-2008, scott-austin, xbla

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Cesaria (cesariatic.wordpress.com) @ Jul 16th 2008 6:32PM

Hells yeah. Candy Land, bitches!

JeffW8722 @ Jul 16th 2008 6:37PM

Im tellin ya, if Monopoly hits the Arcade, its gonna sell like crazy!

KingOfGods @ Jul 16th 2008 6:53PM

I thought EA already announced Monopoly for 360

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/ea-bringing-monopoly-to-360-wii-ps2/

F1 & The Way PC used to be. @ Jul 16th 2008 6:42PM

Please lord no candy land! My teeth cant take it!

FSK405K @ Jul 16th 2008 6:45PM

If it's Parker Brothers or one of them, I'm going to go postal. Come on, Avalon Hill! ASL on XBLA would be so less tedious.

ButtonMashers @ Jul 16th 2008 6:45PM

Heh, I think they should release some classig board games on LIVE if they want the casual market covered. I mean if they get like monopoly, scrabble, life, etc. i think they could make a lot of money off of the casuals, from like a Star Wars skin for Molopoly, lol.

Jim Halpert DM @ Jul 16th 2008 6:50PM

Give me Monopoly Xbox Live addition..with special pieces and locations....Bomberman Act Zero can be jail

WhatIsThatThing @ Jul 16th 2008 6:54PM

Personally, I'm hoping for Scrabble.

wickedneoq @ Jul 16th 2008 7:17PM

Safe to guess that yeah, it's Hasbro (Parker Brothers, whatever, same thing). Scrabble, Monopoly, etc. all in the cards that EA wants to publish for XBLA so they can make the 360 print money. They did it with Pogo and Facebook for free, so why not with Xbox Live for moneys? It's so obvious.

tensider @ Jul 16th 2008 10:29PM

If they get Hasbro, they'd probably get some interesting Wizards of the Coast titles as well: Dreamblade, Heroscape, even older titles like Guillotine.

I'm still hoping for Fantasy Flight, Mayfair, Rio Grande, or more Days of Wonder - but even Hasbro might provide for some cool games.

wickedneoq @ Jul 16th 2008 10:59PM

I'd be a jerk if I said "MODO". For people who know what I'm talking about... yeah... I'm a jerk.

MattLoter @ Jul 17th 2008 1:08AM

I doubt WoTC is all that interested in XBLA since they are in the process of launching a huge web based subscription "game table" with a lot of their properties (and the newer Avalon Hill stuff).

rivaldi22 @ Jul 16th 2008 7:17PM

Descent: Journeys in the Dark would be an awesome XBLA title.

Dan J @ Jul 16th 2008 7:18PM

HERO QUEST please!

The original, the expansions, and then throw in user-created maps/campaigns... man, that'd be awesome.

Darkendes @ Jul 16th 2008 7:18PM

I'd love to see Parcheesi. I haven't played that game in forever. It's competitive enough for a Live Arcade game, and it has 4 players. *shrugs*

But give me Candyland on Live and I'll have no other choice but to buy it.

343 Guilty Fart @ Jul 16th 2008 7:37PM

Whatever happened to Alhambra or Puerto Rico? Weren't those announced at E3 last year? Need moar german board gamez!

Hardman @ Jul 16th 2008 7:52PM

I'm hopping for Fantasy Flight Games. They have some awesome board games that could work well for the 360.

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 16th 2008 7:59PM

Move ahead 2 green spaces

MikeJett @ Jul 16th 2008 8:09PM

Risk? Anyone? Anyone? Imagine sitting in front of your tv for three days straight trying to bring peace to the middle east ....for real though, I'd totally buy it.

AnthonyGalindoX @ Jul 16th 2008 8:25PM

I don't care if it's one of the most simplistic board games ever, I want Candy Land XBLA!

Rob Cannon @ Jul 16th 2008 8:28PM

Days of Wonder! Rio Grande Games! Please?

Jonah Falcon @ Jul 16th 2008 8:39PM

I always loved Bonkers! as a kid. So random. :D

Ghede @ Jul 17th 2008 1:31PM

I recently sent an E-mail to Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro enquiring about a reprint of Betrayal at the House on the Hill or a port to Live. I got back a "We don't know, but we will try and get your request further up" e-mail.

... Please god let them have heard me....