Survey shows Xbox Avatar 'RetroCade'

by Christopher Grant on Oct 7th 2009 11:58AM

If a consumer survey sent over to us by a tipster is to be believed, Microsoft is looking to bring a virtual Avatar arcade to the Xbox 360. Some of the potential names listed in the survey are "Game Room," "RetroCade," "Tower of ROM," and "Classics LIVE." Yeah, we're partial to "Tower of ROM" also.

If the proposed service sounds familiar, that's because it's nearly identical to PlayStation Home's arcade spaces – like Namco's virtual arcade – just replace the dead-eyed dopplegangers of Home with the scrunchable avatars of Xbox 360. The second survey question sent to us asks, "Which of the following names would most compel you to purchase the product?" indicating that the "Tower of ROM" might not be a free space but could instead have a fee associated with it.

While the survey doesn't give us much more to go on (besides a sinking feeling that we're not interested), we thought we'd ask you, Joystiq Biomass, to weigh in on the product's name. Let the fat cats in Redmond know what you think!

What's the best title for a virtual Avatar arcade?
Game Room	823 (13.6%)
RetroCade	1363 (22.6%)
AvatArcade	491 (8.1%)
RetroGame	116 (1.9%)
Game Preserve	123 (2.0%)
Game Gallery	88 (1.5%)
Tower of ROM	1944 (32.2%)
Tower of Game(s)	55 (0.9%)
Classics	77 (1.3%)
Classics LIVE	960 (15.9%)

Tags: Avatars, Game-Room, Microsoft, retro, Rumor, Xbox-360, Xbox-Game-Room, Xbox-Live

Reader Comments (92)

Looks way too similar to home on the PS3. BUt at least they keep expanding the avatar experience.

I wonder if there will be glitching. Then it would be better than Home. 1.3 RIP Glitches :'(

I havent updated since 1.3 so that's glitchy huh?

This sounds okay if they removed the classics from the dash and made the arcade be a menu and not a retarded walk around thing.

On October 1st, they released update 1.3 for Home. Since then, there are only a handful of glitches available to do in Home. Most of them were removed due to the corrections made to how you stand up. No more bench or popup glitches. Redbull glitch was also corrected. That was a real shame BTW...

People look at home and see a big chat room. Glitchers look at home and it was a huge forbidden playground. Some of those glitches took real skill. There were some that I practiced for hours. All just to stand on top of a rock that no one else could. :::sigh:::

Long live the Homelings, Praise Mother!

This is a great idea... a social gaming experience that's actually focused on real gaming. Home doesn't count... a collection of flash games shoehorned into a 3d world does not a gaming community make.

"does not a gaming community make."

First off, Learn to make sence, second, you never been IN Home let alone know how the mini games work or how many they are or even what they are about. So shut the F up and go read a book. mkay

"Which of the following names would most compel you to purchase the product?"

Purchase? I'm sticking with the free PS Home.

Is that the one you have to wait in line to play the arcade games?

At least it's realistic =)

Hey Pr0f3ta:

First off, learn to spell "sense". Second, "does not a gaming community make" is borrowed from Aristotle ("One swallow does not a summer make"). I thought he made perfect sence [sic]. Guess I need to read some books, too.

LySop

Pardon the callous bastard inchworm, but I miss video game consoles being strictly about games. I can do without extra avatar fluff, Mii fluff, Home stuff...

no1 is forcing you to use the extra avatar fluff, Mii fluff, Home stuff....
its still the same for you:

insert disc and play

tadaa

How the hell is an arcade with classic VIDEO GAMES in it, non-game related?

it's not game related when you see some pedo humping some guy dressed up as a chick in the corner of the Home bowling ally which ends up turning into a virtual blowjob and dont even ask me how that works because I dont even know

Jose: Yeah, I was anticipating that about as soon as I posted the remark. Me, I'd be fine with a menu and a list of games. If it keeps people intrigued, though, good for MS.

Kai: also a valid point. I wish they'd focus their resources on more games though. Like Blinx.

... kidding

Ew... Point taken. Admittedly, the seven minutes I spent inside home consisted of watching the making of Killzone 2 on the big screen in the plaza. Thanks for reminding me to never go back, Solace.

Double Post!

But darkie, I agree. I'd like to avoid Home altogether, and just skip to playing some Centipede or other classics from my XMB. When I get a 360, I hope for the same thing.

Although I do with that they could turn EyePet and Milo into active themes, instead of full on games releases. If I could ask Milo to launch a movie for me, or ask my little helper monkey to fetch me some Ratchet and Clank, I might fiend for them just a little more.

Insolent worm! Tonight you dine with cROM!

blows home out the water, and tower of rom sounds lame.. Retrocade ftw

how exactly does it do that? if you had said the Arcade games in Home then I would agree.....but as this is just a SINGLE room/space then it damn sure doesn't blow shit out of anything....

Blows your mother's huge penis, Kai.

qq

nerd rage much guys?

of course i was talking about the games.. why the hell would i care about the virtual environment...

jose.. yes

Well you should have said that. Home is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more than JUST an Arcade section dude. Thats like saying "MTV Network blows Disney out of the water" when MTV is a Few Channels under Viacom and Disney is an ENTIRE CORPORATION....

Will there also be the same virtual scarcity as Home? Hope they don't rip off the bad parts too. (BTW I voted for Game Preserve because I think that's pretty clever)

Video Armageddon

Pretty neat. I'd like if they could work in some of the classic arcade titles they've released on XBLA. Playing Robotron with someone in there would be fun... I bet it'd build up some interest in those games again so I can finally play someone online too.

Let's keep it true to the arcade spirit...I vote for Chi-mocade.

How about "Playstation Home". Sounds like a fitting name. *Hugs his Galaga machine yet again*

How is Hugh doing?

I think it's my inner hippie, but I really do like the name "Game Preserve."

Maybe it's just because the exceptional Ken Burns National Parks: America's Best Idea aired on PBSHD all last week.

Call it Tower of ROM.
Please.

THE TOWER OF ROM COMMANDS OBEDIENCE

If it is free (at least for gold members), and I dont have to wait in line than I may be interested, especially if it offers achievements. But I can see myself playing this maybe once just to try it out, as I thought that home was stupid as well, and this is very similar.

Are you daft?

"If it is free (at least for gold members)"

lol, I know that microsoft likes to ripoff people but it sure is intelligent enough not to charge any more than what it is charging already. Of course it will be free for gold members which means that it won't be free.

Tower of ROM for me....

too damn Bad Sony is dragging their ass on this...They were talking about "Classic Arcade" titles being in Home a LONG time ago. They damn sure better hurry up before some dumbass says "Sony's just copying MS"

Shameful if this is true. I really like the idea Sony has with home but making it so similar on the 360 is rather shameless on Microsoft's part. I wonder if this is Live Gold exclusive?

Yeah because Sony never borrowed an idea. Dude seeing what the other guy is doing and putting your own spin on it is what makes the video game industry great. Sony took analog sticks, rumble, achievements, and Live and made it into their own thing for the PlayStation. Soon they'll release their own spin on the the Wii-remote.

Sooooo Sony trying to copy and still playing catch up with just about every feature on XBLive must be innovation on their part, right?

Jesus, guys, chill.

- So Microsoft is ripping off something to look EXACTLY like So...
- OH YEAH! ITS LIKE SONY NEVAH COPIED ANYTHING IN THEIR LIVES! OMGSD!
- But it's EXACTLY the same. It's not a similar feature or anything. It's not like a console you can play games on or a PC or a virtual helmet. It's an arcade cabinet that your avatar can use. EXACTLY like in...
- SHUT THE HELL UP! SONY LIKE... MADE THEIR CONTROLLERS WIRELESS! JUST LIKE THE XBOXEN! AND, AND... LIKE... THE NEW XMB IS EXACTLY LIKE THE NXE! ALSO TROPHIES...
- Whatever... I'll just go play my Uncharted 2 Demo...
- OMFG! GEARS OF HALO UNCHARTED YOU MEAN! LOLZOLZ!

its nothing wrong with it. I see what MS is doing....they are going to have a Home like system eventually as well...but from the looks of it they are doing it one at a time...the party system for Netflix will be made into a theater, Arcade room expanded into a FULL game room and they will have Apts/Houses that you can waste all kinds of moon bucks on as well....thing is will people Rag on the MS version of Home like they do Sony's...

Archon you come off as a very defensive Sony fan.

If you're going to play the middle ground, at least capslock everything. Capslock means serious business.

Alright enough poking fanboys with a stick...I have to get back to work.

@NaeemTHM: Sorry, I will be capslocking Sony when they release a Twitter/Facebook app.
Actually, the Video Store is scheduled for November in the UK, might get a chance then in a similar post.

Awww...you're no fun.

*poke poke*

Anything?

@Chris D.
I have to agree here.. As soon as I saw the Avatars, I assumed we'd be getting some kind of Second Life type environment to explore, it's a natural progression.

Of course, the fact Home is becoming more popular and many developers are supporting it with exclusive content is probably pushing them in that direction more so.

I just think it's funny that microsoft would put the effort in to create something so similar to home. I mean do they not see how boring it is?

The avatar Microsoft use (with the blond faux hawk) looks remarkably similar to my own because, well, I have a blond faux hawk and wear a lot of black. It freaks me out every time.

I really don't like any of those names, but do you want to go too obscure and scare off n00bs with a name like Tower Of ROM? Or be utterly descriptive but vanilla with Classics Live? I kinda err towards the latter.

no way am i paying extra on top of live for this. i'll just emulate all of this on my computer if they go that route.

I second this. Of course, I'm also on the side against paying $10 per board game in Hasbro Family Game Night when you can find the real board games for less, but unfortunately, enough people disagree that it still sells.

Does "waste of time and resources" count as a good name?

I can't help but feel the poll is a little biased when the article suggests its preference.

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Survey shows Xbox Avatar 'RetroCade'

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