It appears as though Microsoft's plans for an August launch of its Games on Demand service is popping up a bit early. Why just this morning, we spotted a listing for the already confirmed Mass Effect (sporting its snazzy new Platinum Hits packaging) in our Xbox.com Marketplace RSS feed. Unsurprisingly, the listing has been removed from the website itself, though RSS feeds won't allow for editing after something has been published.
As 360sync.com rightfully points out, game manuals will be provided virtually through the Xbox.com Marketplace website according to the listing, so you've got that going for ya (which is nice). We're not sure when these puppies are showin' up on XBL for sure, but from the looks of things, we'd say sooner rather than later. For a video tour of the upcoming Games on Demand service, hit the break.
You do realize that you can replace the 360 hard drive with any hard drive without voiding your warranty, right? Just like the PS3.
The only difference is it's capped at 120gb and since it's not "officially" supported you have to open the instructions online rather than opening up your manual, which most people probably do already anyway.
Well technically yeah. Keep in mind a 20gb hard drive is really only 13 or so cause of all the system crap MS keeps on it that can't be removed. So it can hold about 2 full games if you don't keep anything else on it at all.
Antonio - Do you really think this far into the console generation you're really going to sway anyone's opinion about any of the consoles, or is it possible that you just enjoy looking small-minded and petty? Just curious. Seriously, enough with the trolling. You've got another six years to troll with the PS3. Better pace yourself!
I doubt that the makers of these music games will let them do that, mostly because of the peripherals. (You can never have too many plastic instruments...)
I can understand the allure of downloadable games on portable devices (you don't need to carry around a bunch of UMDs, etc.), but why would anyone want to do this on a game console? In the 30 minutes it'll take to download the game, you could have went to Best Buy, bought the game, and made it back home.
As for the argument that "I don't have to switch game discs," seriously, are you really that lazy? Do you also wear Depends so you don't have to get up and go to the bathroom?
I seriously don't see any benefit to buying games digitally on a console - it's the same thing as if you bought the game disc, but you lose the ability to sell your copy, lend your copy to a friend, etc.
No tax, no scratched disks, redownload ability (?)...it's the wave of the FUTURE man! Get with the times! Oh did I mention, no plastics going into landfills?
For me I live in a town of 1200 people so the closest store to buy games is 20 minutes away. So convenience is one. Carbon footprint is two. I don't have to drive nor does the postman and all that paper and plastic doesn't have to be produced. digital distribution is the future for all media. Gone will be the media trophy rooms.
yeah, it saves space inside the house, it's a tad bit easier to play different games, and it's eco-friendly. and i guess it's cheaper on the consumer and publisher ends. so it's a win all around, except you can't trade or sell them.
It's kind of silly to think this service will have any affect on Plastic/Paper consumption. It isn't like all of a sudden they are going to stop producing millions upon millions of discs for a game's launch.
That's something to look forward to in the future though. Hopefully the next generation will have day-and-date downloads for all retail titles, with production numbers drastically reduced on physical copies (in the event there actually are physical copies).
This is a great service though, and I am all for reduction or elimination of plastic and paper consumption
I could definitely see some sort of buy-back implementation in these services. Give up your rights to play this game, get $5 worth of space bucks towards any other title on the service.
Why not?: Control of distribution is centralized to one retailer (less consumer choice), reliance on a centralized server (what happens if this service stops? Will you still be able to download your games if your hard drive crashes?), lose ability to sell your copy to anyone (without relying on the good graces of Microsoft to implement such a feature), lose the ability to easily show off your entire game collection
No damage to your discs: The only time I've ever had a problem with discs getting scratched was when my launch PS2 started scratching discs. Otherwise, I take care of my games - if you're spending $60 on a game and using it as a coaster, then you're just a retard.
Convenience: 30 minutes to download a game or 30 minutes to go to the store and buy the game. You're probably making a weekly trip to Walmart anyway.
Save the Environment: This falls under my category of the "Watching a movie on Lifetime." You didn't actually do anything meaningful, but man, you feel good about yourself. Kind of like people won't don't drink diet soda because it'll give them cancer, but they have no problem smoking. It's called worrying about the wrong things.
my disc drive dosnt work unless i sit there for sometimes up to 45 minutes putting the disc in and out until it reads, so spending 30 minutes downloading a game that would instantly work all the time would be kind of nice
I don't know about everyone else...but I don't like downloadable games. I like having the physical disc, so I know I can always go back and look at the case and get flashbacks. With Downloadable titles...I feel like i don't physically own the game, so, instead of complaining, I'll continue to buy discs. As for DL games on handhelds, that is different. No one wants to walk around with 30 UMDS and DS Cartridges. that's a pain
Well when this comes out I can download it and know for a 100% fact that it'll work on my 360. No worrying about system requirements or expensive upgrades at all.
@ Vcize You cant replace your hard drive in the 360 with any old drive. You have to buy a certain WD drive, load special files on it, and later if Microsoft decides they want to start banning for switching drives then you get banned too. Its not an easy process and for 99% of people with a 360 their only choice is to buy the official Microsoft drive.
If anyone has noticed, If you play Mass Effect currently, the Game image in your games library is the Platinum Hits Cover. That just appeared yesterday sometime.
What concerns me the most is that Microsoft are apparantly forcing people to find manuals online and not include them in the main download, I hope this isn't the case.
