Quake Arena Arcade now on XBLA for $15, Quake Live introduces 'Premium Pak 5'

by Ben Gilbert on Dec 15th 2010 10:15AM

As we guessed earlier, Quake Arena Arcade's price on Xbox Live Arcade is considerably less than the cost of a second-hand Dreamcast, broadband adapter and copy of Quake 3 Arena -- it's now available on the Marketplace for 1200 MS Points ($15).

In other Quake news, Quake Live has been updated with "Premium Pak 5," an expansion that adds five new arenas (two are holiday themed), and "new Premium Duel Scoreboards." Two of the five new arenas are community-created, and both of the holiday maps are remakes of earlier Quake multiplayer levels. "Silent Night" updates "Distant Screams" from Team Arena, while "Winter's Edge" is a remake of "The Edge" from Quake 2.

Several other, smaller tweaks have been made, though the list is sadly devoid of virtual santa caps.

Source: Quakelive.com, Xbox Marketplace

Tags: bethesda, id-software, microsoft, premium-pak-5, quake-arena-arcade, quake-live, xbla, xbox, xbox-live-arcade, xbox-live-marketplace

Reader Comments (37)

Or you could not be a pansy and play the game like its meant to be played on a PC....you can buy disc copies for around $10 at some Wal-marts or spend $5 more for the PC version on Steam...which also includes the Quake 3 Team Arena expansion....which I do not think this has (as its a port of the DC version). Both copies are fine, but who the hell wants to play Q3 with a controller when ANY PC now should be able to run Quake all the way. If your PC cannot, then well, you need to do something about that.

@sammo21 LOUD NOISES!

@sammo21

Maybe i have friends who only have consoles? Maybe i dont like playing on a PC?

@sammo21
Wow, anything else you'd like to decide for me today?

Is it impossible for people to just say " hey if you haven't played this ever , it's a great game". And not give a f*^# about what controller they use to play it or what system it is on?

I could care less when and where you play it. Why do you care what I do?

@sammo21 Despite the way that came off, playing Quake on any controller is just a fail waiting to happen.

Twitch shooters aren't made to be played with clumsy controls. Other shooters that have copious amounts of auto-aim, and slower moving, less double jumping action fare better with a controller.

If you honestly think that's not the case, you didn't grow up playing Quake 3 arena.

ps. it's free on any web browser :\

@jynxycat

Except Quake Live is a waste of time. When i was reminded of Quake3 the other day, i wanted to give it another chance. I ended up waiting close to 30 minutes while an update downloaded, which sucks because all i wanted to do was have a quick game. I decided to let it finish, and after waiting, the browser entering full screen crashed my PC and i ended up having to restart. When i picture something running in the browser, i expect to load quickly. At least steam will update everything when i start up windows.

If they had a version of quake 3 on Steam for 10 bucks or so, with steamworks integration and the similar features of Quake Live, i'd probably buy it. That hassle i've have with quake live every time i've wanted to play it has never been worth it.

@jynxycat

I grew up playing Q3A and I've enjoyed dual-analog based games more than any PC game I've ever played. I still regularly play UT2004, and I can safely say if I owned a usb joystick I'd probably play it with that.

The analog sticks might not be as precise in the end, but the entire setup is about a million times more comfortable for me. I'd rather be able to play slightly-less-precise games for hours without pain than have to play slightly-more-precise games for 30-40 minutes with wrists and hand pains.

Choke on it Sammo.....I played it on the PC for years and now I will play it on all of my Xboxes too.....so go troll somewhere else
1200 points well spent

@sammo21
Wait, so you're telling me there are edible dicks for 0 points?

@Prox
WOW - That's a REALLY LOW PRICE!

@Prox
Wow, my comment looks super weird ever since sammo21's dick-infused tirade was removed.

@swooded

I KNOW!!!

For some reason it didn't feel right playing quake with 2 analogue sticks.

@saturn118
Didn't it some twisted control scheme on the Dreamcast
left stick = forward/down & turn
face buttons = strafe, look up/down
..think back them I got a little into competitive multiplayer, I used to play a lot, win a fair bit too

1200MSP is a bit steep IMO, but I'm sure there are plenty of folks who are Quake fans who feel this is a great deal, so more power to them. Glad to see it finally got released anyhow.

My favorite part was when dick eating was discussed in a heated fashion.

Just to answer your question (who the hell wants to play Q3 with a controller when ANY PC now should be able to run Quake all the way.): People who prefer to play on consoles, on their couch, with controllers. This release is clearly not for you. PC exclusives are not for me. That's fine.

@swooded
So that should have been @sammo21 (obviously)

A controller strikes me as being a bit slow for quake (Well it does for most FPS games, I cant stand playing them on consoles because of the lack of speed and precision)

...But nonetheless, for those who have yet to play Q3, enjoy, its one hell of an FPS.

@zerokku Lack of speed and precision makes teem harder to use which makes the competition much fiercer. Console fps are by far the superior fps players now. Going to mouse/keyboard is playing on easy mode now.

@Jack Kevorkian

Thats like saying people with one leg running marathons are superior to Olympic runners because it takes a lot more effort for them to do well in comparison.

@Jack Kevorkian

Extra! Extra! Racing competitions are now driven with your feet because it makes you feel like a pr0!

Seriously, anyone who studied ergonomics would shoot you in the head. Dumbest thing ive ever read.

That is steep for a game that is essentially free to play through a browser now.

@Shinchi People on Xbox Live don't know that.

PC elitists are just the WORST.

@ZForce915 realists*

@ZForce915

So when the English were mowing down the French in the Hundred Year War with Welsh Long Bows do you think one of the French soldiers was standing there saying, 'English elitists are the worst!'

@Cleric

+1 for obscure historical reference.
-1 for non-sensical reference that doesn't apply.

You evened out today, my friend. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

I feel like getting this but I already have it on PC and I have zero friends on Xbox Live :(

Well i have to agree with sammo, but of course what he/she doesnt realise, your talking about about average gamers here who dont care about the money, they just want to play the game even if its through one of the worst controllers. But what do you expect, average gamers.

There are two games I've ever been anything close to a "pro" at; Quake 3 Arena and (perhaps oddly) Jet Set Radio. I fully understand the benefits of a mouse and keyboard to a controller. After-all, I started off playing the Dreamcast version of Q3A until I moved on to PC.

That said, everyone's been around the block with Q3A. Even the people like me, who lived and breathed the game often haven't even played it in years. So, what's wrong with offering the game up with a casual dynamic? Christ, the game's been out for over a decade. Some of us may even have more fun playing it poorly on a big screen television than becoming seriously competitive again.

For Q3A, trying to rock the PC elitist thing at this point probably means you've got a tattooed arm of clan names and Front Line Assembly album covers and are physically STUCK in 1999.

Love to get it but too much $$ for me.

Oh no, Microsoft got it's holiday's mixed up. Instead of the week before Christmas, they think it's April Fools. hahaha, good one MS - $15 for Quake Arena... well, hopefully tomorrow they'll get the holiday's back in order and offer Quake Arena at a proper, less hilarious price of $5.

If not, MS has some 'xplaining to do...'

@Axcalibur Microsoft got it is holiday is mixed up? Oh noes!!!!1!!

Not paying $15 for an eleven-year-old multiplayer shooter, sorry.

Then again, I'm a cheapass and almost never buy XBLA games unless they're on sale... I might cave if (probably when) it gets a cut, just because.

If you are having a hard time aiming with the right stick on the controller, go practice some more. Zing!

Sincerely,
A console elitist

As long as everyone plays with a controller what's the problem? I remember in early days PC FPSes supported keyboard look, that would be a problem when playing vs mouse users

Quake Arena Arcade

Quake Arena Arcade now on XBLA for $15, Quake Live introduces 'Premium Pak 5'

Reader Comments (37)

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:23AM sammo21 said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:28AM Gritzor said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:31AM Billlop said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:34AM AMH said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:18AM jynxycat said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:30AM DangerMouse001 said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 6:37PM sonicspike41 said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:33AM OSGh0u1 said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:56AM Prox said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:10AM swooded said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 12:10PM Prox said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 3:08PM PreGHz said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:36AM saturn118 said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 3:49PM Mazrael said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:36AM Teancum said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:38AM Oobgarm said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:47AM swooded said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:48AM swooded said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 10:48AM zerokku said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 12:34PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 12:42PM zerokku said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 12:52PM CrabBattle said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:10AM Shinchi said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:19AM jynxycat said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:10AM ZForce915 said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:19AM jynxycat said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 1:15PM Cleric said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 3:11PM PreGHz said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:15AM vmenge said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:20AM thegamemaster said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 12:03PM RickGhastly said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 1:39PM Usr666 said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 2:06PM Axcalibur said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 3:10PM That Darned said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 2:42PM darkinchworm said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 6:39PM jastani said

Posted: Dec 15th 2010 11:57PM ybfelix said

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