XBLA's 'Summer of Arcade' lineup reshuffled

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jul 10th 2009 at 3:15PM }

As if this Friday wasn't freaky enough, Xbox Live's Major Nelson has alerted us to a schedule swap occurring within the "Summer of Arcade" lineup. 'Splosion Man has taken the July 22nd spot previously held by TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-shelled, which will now release on August 5th. The full Xbox Live Arcade release list -- excluding next week's Monkey Island revamp -- is as follows:

July 22: 'Splosion Man 800 ($10)
July 29: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 1200 ($15)
August 5: TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-shelled 1200 ($15)
August 12: Trials HD 1200 ($15)
August 19: Shadow Complex 1200 ($15)

We're happy to experience Twisted Pixel's self-destructive efforts sooner, if only to ease us gently into a rather extravagant spending spree.

Tags: marvel-vs-capcom-2, shadow-complex, splosion-man, summer-of-arcade, tmnt, trials-hd, turtles-in-time-reshelled, xbla

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Prox @ Jul 10th 2009 3:20PM

They forgot to add the price drops that would cause me to care.

umm....hello??? @ Jul 10th 2009 8:22PM

that and games that I actually wish to play that would make me care to buy them....

Bootleg Zani @ Jul 11th 2009 12:40AM

Yeah I agree. That is why I will be buying it off eBay XBLA sellers for half off a week after release.

rcrunnr2k3 @ Jul 10th 2009 3:22PM

drop the prices and it will make me happy. i wish SC was coming out sooner

Shadsy @ Jul 10th 2009 3:27PM

Shadow Complex is $15 now instead of $20? I missed something.

tenor77 @ Jul 10th 2009 3:49PM

I think they had a meeting about it last night.

They sent you a card but it said 'For Peter' on it so you must have thought it was FROM you, so you didn't uh, you know it's just easier to call you stupid.

Levi @ Jul 10th 2009 5:46PM

I saw Shadow Complex listed for PC on at least one website, but I can't seem to find the announcement for the PC release. Can anyone confirm it?

MindTheGap76 @ Jul 10th 2009 3:26PM

Have they announced the price of Monkey Island? If so, I missed it.

Snowblind @ Jul 10th 2009 3:27PM

It's 800 points :)

MindTheGap76 @ Jul 10th 2009 3:28PM

Thanks, Snowblind! That is a price I will gladly pay.

Snowblind @ Jul 10th 2009 3:27PM

Those complaining about the prices are still being very ignorant.. Yes, games used to be 800 points a lot more frequently, but that's when we had a 150mb size limitation. You complained developers should be able to release bigger games, and now you're complaining that these bigger games are more expensive, what do you expect?

The only one without an excuse is Marvel vs Capcom, which is just a port of a Dreamcast game. Turtles is more expensive than most will be willing to pay.. but it is a full remake.

tabicat @ Jul 10th 2009 4:10PM

You complained developers should be able to release bigger games,

I never made that complaint. If anything, I am opposed to the trend to release bigger games. And yes, I think $15 is too expensive for any XBLA game. Remember, you can't sell or trade these games when you're done with them.

If you want to charge more than $10, make it a retail disc.

Snowblind @ Jul 10th 2009 4:22PM

Obviously not *everyone* wanted bigger games, and personally I think it's best to keep a mix. But not everyone has the same aversion to paying for digital content as you.

knor @ Jul 10th 2009 8:14PM

so you're saying that you can't trade the games in for $.50?

boo fucking hoo

Vidikron @ Jul 15th 2009 12:35PM

Actually, games used to be 400 MS points a lot more frequently. The inflation has been crazy. And, yes, I get that games are getting more complex with the increased size limitations, but it seems that everyone is now using the $10 and $15 price points whether they really should be or not. There's just no way games like the Turtles remake, MvC2, Trials HD, etc... should be in the same category with Shadow Complex. Sorry, I don't consider that ignorant.

Daniel C. @ Jul 15th 2009 7:26PM

Perhaps publishers found that there wasn't a huge sales difference between $5 and $10 price points? As long as a $10 game sells more than half the units of a $5 game you have more profit.

Also if you sell a game at $10 you have more room to discount it later to boost sales. ($5 off a $10 games sounds like a lot better deal then a $5 for $2.50)

Jcarpio @ Jul 10th 2009 3:30PM

I think SC and Trials are fine at the 1200 pt price (i said fine, not awesome).. MvC might be a bit overpriced, but 1200 pts has been established with capcom fighting games on the service since SFII hyperfighting.

TMNT, yeah. give me the original version at 400 pts then.

Splosion Man is at a buyable price point.

Swagman @ Jul 20th 2009 11:50AM

Shadow Complex is not just "fine" at $15, it's AWESOME at $15.

You get 10 to 15 hours of game (in the main story mission), for only a buck an hour, in a game that is looking very much like it will be the best game (download or disc) out this entire summer. How can you go wrong there? Plenty of $60 games out there that max out at under 10 hours (Halo, Call of Duty, Prince of Persia, Gears of War, etc.), and no one seems to have any trouble paying x4 as much for those simply because they come on a disc. Give me a break.

Everyone whines and complains about these prices, yet the cost of making LIVE Arcade games is going up. Used to could make a LIVE Arcade game for under $100,000, now the top tier games cost as much as $1 million to make. With the increase in the XBLA size limit, the price of making games that fill up that size limit have gone up by a factor of 10, but everyone acts like they still should pay $10 for a game that cost x10 as much to make.

What people need to stop doing, is looking at Arcade games as Arcade games, and start looking at them simply as just games. At the end of the day, when you break it down like that, most people would realize that most of the $15 to $20 Arcade games are a much better value than the $600 games everyone has no problem shelling out money for.

Mind you, games live MvC2 is way overpriced at $15. And mind you, you do come across some games (Braid comes to mind) which are priced at $15 for the sake of charging a higher price at. And do not get me wrong, I am not standing up for those games that are deliberately overpriced. However, 90% of the games that go for $15 to $20 on XBLA are FULL GAMES - some of them large enough in scope to rival their $60 counterparts on disc. But we have saddled them with this negative stigma, that any downloadable game, no matter how long it takes to beat it, or how good or innocative it is, is a rip off at any price over $10.

I think it is high time as gamers we get a little more mature on this issue, and re-evaluate our thinking on downloadable games. If someone sells you something that's worth $30, $40, or $50, for only $15, then you have just made out like a bandit at their expense. The problem with Xbox gamers, is that most of us have become so fixated on the $10 pricepoint, that none of us can see anything else.

Jcarpio @ Jul 20th 2009 11:53AM

If anyone has any doubts about Shadow Complex.. Watch this. http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/25541

Captain Planet @ Jul 10th 2009 3:33PM

I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a "Gonna take you for a ride" today.

soniccar @ Jul 10th 2009 3:36PM

I have not seen any of 'Splosion Man, but if it is good and at the prices of these games, it might end up being the only one I get. I will get SC if it is really good and the reviews say that its length is comparable to games that are similar. $15 for a remake that nobody asked for will not allow me to pick up TMNT unless you can play the original online(would be nice if ackments could be unlocked in original too). Haven't seen Trials, but will play a trial(haha). MvC2 is cool, but don't know if I want to buy.

Doc Doom @ Jul 10th 2009 4:32PM

It looks very amusing.

Doc Doom @ Jul 10th 2009 4:33PM

`Splosion Man, that is.

Levi @ Jul 10th 2009 5:49PM

What amazes me is that there are two games coming out that share the extremely unique idea of blowing yourself up constantly to get around and fight your enemies. I mean seriously, which one came first, Splosion Man, or Explodemon? One has GOT to be ripping the other off here.

Personally I think Explodemon looks better, but Splosion Man looks pretty fun too.

Markez @ Jul 10th 2009 3:34PM

I really don't think 15 beans is that exorbiant a price to pay for a game you can sink a lot of time into. I agree that it's BS that the price seems to be climbing ever higher, but all the whiny rhetoric from people who drop serious coin on consoles and new games just wears on me.

Prox @ Jul 10th 2009 3:37PM

If no one complains about a price hike from $10 to $15, another increase from $15 to $20 will follow. Then $20 to $25, etc.

But hey, it's just $5, right?

"Check out the updated Xbox Live Arcade! Now offering 2 games for the price of 3!"

Snowblind @ Jul 10th 2009 3:40PM

Again, it's not like they've suddenly increased all the 800 point games to 1200, it's just games that have been FAR BIGGER.

Markez @ Jul 10th 2009 3:40PM

It's certainly a good point, but I still think they'd do it regardless of any bitching and moaning. Chris D said in a comment the other day that eventually there are going to be XBLA games that'll cost you 60 beans. I don't doubt that, although I think it'll be moreso in the form of a lower cost of entry followed by nickel and dime'ing add-ons. I mean seriously, it's clear Microsoft isn't bothered by all the complaining.

Dirty @ Jul 10th 2009 6:20PM

Well in my opinion the quality of the games has also dramatically increased. Some of the early arcade games were very simple. I dont my shelling out 15 bucks if the game appears to be a well thought out well developed game.

Discotheque @ Jul 10th 2009 3:41PM

I wish Sony was as organized as Microsoft when it came to releasing schedules for expected dl games.

SidearmS @ Jul 10th 2009 3:41PM

Basically, they changed around the release dates so they could have two weeks of peace and quiet before four weeks of loudly complaining people.

As for bigger, more expensive download games, I have to ask the question - when was there a demand for such things? "Arcade" in its meaning does not imply more expensive games than less expensive games. In older days of "arcade", you had a bunch of less expensive cabinets, and three or four "1 dollar to play" cabinets in the "Arcade".

Now? Everything is more expensive, and no one wants to do the basic cabinets any longer. You can also blame MS and their complete mishandling of the "indie games" area. They should have left the 400 price point on the arcade side, and made the indie games no more than 200 points each. I am sorry, your game can be good, but paying 400 for Weapon of Choice versus 400 points for the first Geometry Wars (achievements, leaderboards, online) is NO CONTEST.

Not trying to start anything here, but the price points are too much right now. Shuffle all the days you want, FOUR 1200 point titles when there were only TWO from last year's promotion speaks volumes about how MS sets their pricing.

And yes, MS does set the pricing, ask the "N+" guys about that. Or ask Bizarre Creations about their original plans for Geometry Wars and MS nixed that idea.

Now if you had all five of these games on a DVD, would you pay $70 for THAT? Now ask yourself if you would pay that amount on games you can not resell or trade out. The DVD idea is not so bad, but the DD version? NOTHANKYOU.JPG

XBox 360 - last year - 4 of 5 (I won Braid), this year - ZERO of 5.

whylekat @ Jul 10th 2009 3:44PM

I think you're misunderstanding the way "arcade" is being used here...

Snowblind @ Jul 10th 2009 3:45PM

When was there a demand for bigger games? You're kidding right? When there was a 150mb size limit, there was nothing but complaining. People BEGGED them to remove it so we could have bigger games.

I agree that the pricing for some games can range from bad to plain outrages, but you guys complaining are seriously beggining to grate, and seem to have no idea what you're talking about.

A lot of the games priced 1200 points are better value than full retail $60 games.

Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 10th 2009 3:46PM

Damn, I thought you would've exhausted all the hot air you're blowing now, yesterday.

SidearmS @ Jul 10th 2009 5:03PM

@ whylekat: I am sorry, what EXACTLY was your definition of "arcade"? I do not see your definition anywhere. So before you say anything, perhaps you should have a meaning of your own worth posting.

@ snowblind - DEVELOPERS cried about the limit. SHOW ME with links and posts exactly where people were asking for bigger, more expensive games. I have yet to see a single post where a customer asked for this to happen.

@ storm eagle - Yeah, I am like a bad penny, I always turn up. And since all you can do is post one liners and downvote, you still are a useless pile of nothing. My "hot air" still means more than anything you say for real.

Get with the program 12 year olds and those who are older and still act like 12 year olds - if you do not make noise about this, it will get worse. As for the guy who said "one day there will be $60 downloadable games" - NO CHANCE. As long as there are retail $60 games, good luck trying to get away with that.

Unless your game has a massive pedigree behind it, charging increasing prices on your stuff will only cause you grief. When I see a developer annouce a COD or Halo type AAA title as DL only, then you might have a point. Until then, forget it - there is nothing on this planet worth $60 as a digital download only.

XBox 360 - I love feeding the trolls. They are so predictable, and the fact that none of them can write more than one sentence while being such losers is assuming.

Markez @ Jul 10th 2009 5:14PM

Look at me look at me I like to listen to myself and don't pay attention to anyone else look at me...

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN

lbrandvik @ Jul 10th 2009 3:42PM

Were the prices this much for last years Summer of Arcade?

Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 10th 2009 3:45PM

Somebody missed the "1200 is the new 800" memo.

MindTheGap76 @ Jul 10th 2009 3:53PM

Last year:

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 - $10
Braid - $20
Bionic Commando Rearmed - $10
Galaga Legions - $10
Castle Crashers - $15

Paul @ Jul 10th 2009 4:30PM

i thought braid was 1200 points ($15) and not 1600 points ($20)?? either way you can see the price increase but its not really that bad:
10,10,10,15,15 to 10,15,15,15,15
its just the bad games that get priced at 1200 points that makes these other games look bad (or good, depending on how you look at it).

MindTheGap76 @ Jul 10th 2009 4:36PM

Paul, you are totally right. My bad. I saw that it was currently $15, but I thought I remembered them lowering the price $5 post-launch. I was mistaking it for the Penny Arcade game.

whylekat @ Jul 10th 2009 3:42PM

Ugh no turtles in time pushed back for stupid splosion man?? Damn!! I want my childhood now not in august. !

Sweetjohnnycage @ Jul 10th 2009 3:43PM

Omg stop bitching about the price! $15 dollars really isn't that bad when you think about what you're getting. And to the person who said TMNT was a game no one asked for, I've been wanting it since the XBLA came out! Come on, 4 player co-op with your friends in a game that you played as kids is totally worth $15.

Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 10th 2009 3:49PM

I have to agree with you JC. I don't think it's too much. But then again, I'm willing to pay it. And I already own the game on my SNES. If it's too much for you, simply don't buy it.

Everyone on here is flaming TMNT more for it's price-point more than BF:1943 and it's not even out yet. And 1943 isn't even working correctly!

whylekat @ Jul 10th 2009 3:50PM

Totally agree! There are few games that offer genuine fun + 4-player co-op! I hope they remake all the beat 'em ups for XBLA! I want Avengers or Simpsons Arcade next! Or even better, The Uncanny X-Men (mmm 6 player co-op amazingness!!)

Sweetjohnnycage @ Jul 10th 2009 4:26PM

Thanks guys. I'd love to see The Simpsons Arcade Game on the XBLA sometime soon as well. I'd have no problem paying $15 for that either.

whylekat @ Jul 10th 2009 4:47PM

It's true, chances are we pumped well over $15 in quarters into these machines a decade ago! If arcades still exsisted the way they did back then I'd happily do the same anytime. These games are classics. $15 for the hours of entertainment they'll provide is a steal.