c0bra95

Yeah, most of these XBLA games are short, and they seem to be getting shorter. I hope they aren't doing it on purpose, as if the $15 price has to mean that we can't get 20 hours or more of enjoyment.

In other news, Gatling Gears dropped to $10, and that game can be replayed a ton. I have as much time into it already as Bastion and ITSP combined (both finished), and I'm going back in for more.

@Fire Walk With Me

I have to disagree here. I wanted to like Wakfu, but just the opposite happened during my way through the trial. Control is awful, and movement feels really primitive. Bastion (also overhead 2D) handled these much better.

@c0bra95

Edit: comma between "past" and "games". (You really need to give us an edit function, joystiq powers-that-be.)

These are 2 very different protections:

*Copyright* protects the program code itself, and nothing more. Anyone is free to reproduce the same functions of the copyrighted code, provided that none of the original source code is contained in the new work.

*Patent* protects the process itself, in this case, a game that bounces a ball with a paddle into a wall of bricks with the object of breaking through it. Anyone who creates a similar game may be infringing on such a patent. However, in the past games (like Breakout) were not patented, though their source code may have been copyrighted.

Never will buy it as long as that's the case. Just like with XBLIG, forcing me to be online to play what I bought is an absolute deal breaker.

Child of Eden would have been a great XBLA game. Had it been downloadable out of the gate, and priced at $15 or less, it would have sold very well. As a full-price boxed game, it never had a chance.

@(Unverified)

Amen. So glad to see I'm not alone in understanding the sad working conditions here in the US. Corporations have us by the balls, and software development is truly the pits. I'm so glad my days in the those trenches are behind me.

For the record, I hate Gamestop and their used-game prices and policies. But what the hell kind of headline is that? Now anyone breaking into the digital-distribution business is "stealing" from Steam? Since when does Valve own the very concept of going digital? The last thing we need in this crappy economy is more monopolies. I welcome competition for Steam with open arms, even if it comes from sucko Gamestop.

I'll bet all the money in my pocket (admittedly not much) that the lion's share of those sales are on the Xbox.

Stupid name, promising console. I'm guardedly optimistic.