XBL Deals - Jan 6 - Sep 4, 2014

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Bloomy

Bloomy

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Recent Updates

  • 9/2 - Deals with Gold, Spotlight Activision, Misc Markdowns
  • 8/28 - Sept GwG announced, Misc Markdown
  • 8/27 - NFS Rivals XB1 added to Deals with Gold, Ascend server shutdown
  • 8/26 - Deals with Gold, Summer Binge, Spotlight Shadow Complex, Misc Markdowns
  • 8/23 - Castlevania: LOS2 Misc Markdown
This thread will maintain a list of all current and upcoming sales and markdowns on the Xbox Live Marketplace / Xbox Games Store for the USA.  YMMV in other regions.  If non-US sales are listed, they will be marked with their applicable region(s).
 
Please note:

  • You cannot currently buy any Xbox 360 content on xbox.com using your account balance, you can only use an active credit card or PayPal. To use your balance, you must make purchases on your console.  Unfortunately, even "purchasing" free content through the web site like trials requires an alternative method of payment tied to your account, though adding an empty MasterCard / Visa gift card that is registered for online purchases will work.  Xbox One games can be purchased on the web site with your account balance, but DLC cannot.
  • Some sales are intended for Gold subscribers only, as noted within each section.  This requires being a paid subscriber or within a console-activated "1 month complimentary Gold trial" account.  Neither 48 hour trials, 14 day trials nor free weekends qualify.
  • All known sales and information on sales should make their way into the OP. Major Nelson usually updates his blog with new sales information every other Tuesday.
  • ALL OFFERS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE! No information within this thread can or should be construed as accurate (or still valid), therefore ...
  • Always verify Xbox Live Marketplace prices before your purchase!
  • Spend wisely, have fun, and enjoy!
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Deals with Gold
Gold subscription required
 

9/2 - 9/8 - Misc


[*]Persona 4 Arena - $9.98 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil 4 - $6.59 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil Revelations - $13.59 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Rock of Ages - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
8/26 - 9/1 - NFS Rivals DLC / KI Sabrewulf


[*]Need for Speed Rivals - $19.79 - 67% off - xbldb - base game part of Summer Binge Sale below

8/19 - 8/25 - Call of Duty / Trials Fusion

  • XB1 - Trials Fusion - $13.39 - 33% off (free price on web site is a trial version)
  • XB1 Call of Duty: Ghosts (console only)
    Season Pass - $24.99 - 50% off
  • Legend Pack - CPT Price - $1.99 - 50% off
  • Legend Pack - Makarov - $1.99 - 50% off
  • Snoop Dogg VO Pack - $1.49 - 50% off
  • Squad Pack - Extinction - $1.99 - 50% off

[*]Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - $14.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - $19.99 - 60% off - xbldb

[*]Call of Duty: Black Ops - $19.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Call of Duty: Black Ops II - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb

[*]Call of Duty: Ghosts

8/12 - 8/18 - Square Enix, Fight Night

8/5 - 8/11 - Misc


[*]Terraria - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
7/29 - 8/4 - EA sale

  • XB1 - Battlefield 4 DLC - console only purchase
    Premium - 33% off
    China Rising - 33% off
  • Naval Strike - 33% off
  • Second Assault - 33% off

[*]Ultimate Shortcut Bundle - 33% off

[*]Battlefield 4 DLC

[*]Ultimate Shortcut Bundle - $33.49 - 33% off - xbldb

[*]2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil - $17.99 - 70% off - xbldb
[*]FIFA 14 - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Madden NFL 25 - $24.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]NHL 14 - $24.99 - 50% off - xbldb
7/22 - 7/28 - Superhero sale


[*]Marvel vs. Capcom: Origins - $7.49 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Mortal Kombat vs. DCU - $9.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - $19.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Young Justice: Legacy - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
7/15 - 7/21 - PvZ: Garden Warfare XB1, BioShock


7/8 - 7/14 - Titanfall XB1, Serious Sam and various DLCs


[*]The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[*]The Walking Dead: Season Two - Season Pass - $7.49 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]WWE 2K14 Season Pass -  $9.99 - 50% off - xbldb
7/1 - 7/7 - Thief XB1, Ubisoft XBLA and others

6/24 - 6/30 - Ryse / Diablo / Fable / Payday

  • XB1 - Ryse: Son of Rome - $49.99 - 17% off
    Season Pass - $9.99 - 50% off - console only

[*]Diablo III - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Payday 2 - $12.94 - 63% off - xbldb
[*]Fable II - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Fable III - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Fable Heroes - $3.39 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Fable Anniversary DLC

6/17 - 6/23 - Rockstar Sale, part Umpteen, plus Deadfall & XB1


[*]Midnight Club: LA - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Red Dead Redemption - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb
6/10 - 6/16 - Hodgepodge, Part II, or "Oh shit, we forgot to schedule a sale"


[*]Forza Horizon - $10.19 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil Revelations - $13.59 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Terraria - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
________________________________________________________________________
 
Games with Gold
Gold subscription required, Xbox One games are only playable while Gold is active, but can be added to your account with a Gold trial
 
Free Games


[*]Sep 1-15 - Monaco: What's Yours is Mine - xbldb
[*]Sep 16-30 - Halo: Reach - xbldb
[*]Sep XB1 - Games can be purchased without requiring an Xbox One console


[*]Jul 1-15 - Gotham City Impostors - xbldb
[*]Jul 16-31 - BattleBlock Theater - xbldb
[*]Jul XB1 - Games can be purchased without requiring an Xbox One console
Related sales ** END DATES UNKNOWN **

________________________________________________________________________

Sales & Specials

[customspoiler=Note]If the start & end dates are not well-defined, ACT FAST! since these "sales" could end anytime. However, they may also be permanent markdowns.[/customspoiler]

Spotlight Activision Sale - 9/2 - 9/8

Spotlight Shadow Complex- 8/26 - 9/1

Summer Binge Sale - 8/26 - 9/1 - Both Gold only and Silver discounts


[*]Far Cry 3 - $9.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Forza Horizon - $9.89 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Guardians of Middle-earth - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Left 4 Dead - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Lego The Lord of the Rings - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - $14.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Mafia II - $3.99 - 80% off - xbldb
[*]Murdered: Soul Suspect - $29.99 - 40% off - xbldb
[*]Need for Speed Rivals - $19.79 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]NFL Blitz - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Plants vs. Zombies - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb

[*]Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare - $20.09 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]Rayman Legends - $13.19 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Ridge Racer Unbounded - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Sniper Elite 3 - $26.79 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]SoulCalibur V - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Spec Ops: The Line - $4.49 - 85% off - xbldb
[*]Star Trek - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]State of Decay

[*]Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Twisted Pixel Games Bundle - $9.89 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]The Walking Dead: Season Two - Season Pass - $10.04 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]The Wolf Among Us - Season Pass - $10.04 - 33% off - xbldb
Spotlight Rockstar - 8/19 - 8/25


[*]Grand Theft Auto V - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]L.A. Noire - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Max Payne 3 - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Midnight Club: LA - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Red Dead Redemption - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Rockstar Table Tennis - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
Spotlight Just Dance - 8/12 - 8/18 - Gold only


N64 Banjo Bundle - 7/9 - 8/8


Spotlight XB1 Ghosts (aka, the new Risk Factions) - 8/5 - 8/11

Spotlight Capcom - 8/5 - 8/11


[*]Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara - $5.09 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Dustforce - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Final Fight: Double Impact - $3.99 - 60% off - xbldb
[*]Lost Planet 2 - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Lost Planet 3 - $13.59 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Mega Man 9 - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Mega Man 10 - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Puzzle Fighter HD - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Remember Me - $9.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil Code: Veronica X - $6.59 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil 4 - $6.59 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil 5 - $6.59 - 67% off - xbldb

[*]Resident Evil 6

[*]Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City - $11.59 - 71% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil Revelations - $13.59 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - $5.09 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Street Fighter X Tekken

Spotlight Splatters - 7/29 - 8/4

Spotlight Deep Silver - 7/22 - 7/28

Spotlight Nordic - 7/22 - 7/28


[*]Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon - $3.99 - 80% off - xbldb
[*]Frontlines: Fuel of War - $3.99 - 80% off - xbldb - Unobtainable achievements (servers offline)
[*]Jeopardy! - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]MX vs. ATV Alive - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Painkiller Hell & Damnation - $5.99 - 80% off - xbldb

[*]The Raven - Legacy of a Master Thief Episode 1 - $2.49 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Red Faction: Armageddon - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Red Faction: Guerrilla - $9.99 - 50% off - xbldb

[*]Zombie Driver HD - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
Spotlight Bethesda QuakeCon Sale - 7/17 - 7/20

Ultimate Games Sale - 7/8 - 7/14
Same DLC also on sale on XB1 through console with same discount


[*]July 9

[*]July 10

[*]July 11

[*]July 12

[*]July 13

[*]July 14

[*]All week

[*]The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition - $9.89 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Trials Evolution - $5.09 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Trials Fusion - $13.39 - 33% off - xbldb

Spotlight Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag DLC - 7/1 - 7/7
Same DLC also on sale on XB1 through console with same discount


Spotlight Pro Evolution Soccer - 7/1 - 7/7


FIFA World Cup Brazil - 6/26 - 6/30

Spotlight Sega - 6/24 - 6/30

Spotlight Lego - 6/24 - 6/30

Spotlight? - 6/17 - 6/23 - Saints Row passes & KI Sabrewulf

Pseudo Deals with Gold - 6/10 - 6/16 - GTA


[*]Grand Theft Auto V - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb
Xbox One Sales

  • XB1 Xbox Fitness - FREE until January 2015
  • Feb 27-? - Zoo Tycoon - $39.99 - 33% off (360 version also, see below)
Skullgirls characters

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Misc. Markdowns / Recently Reduced
[customspoiler=Notes]May be permanent mark downs, may be temporary pricing errors. Items marked with a * have been confirmed as permanent reductions either on the console dashboard, on Xbox.com's Recently Reduced page or corroborated from other sources (PSN, dev/pub, etc)[/customspoiler]
 
September 2014

August 2014


[*]8/5 - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - $19.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - NHL 14 - $39.99 - 20% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - Madden NFL 25 - $29.99 - 40% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil - $39.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - NCAA Football 14 - $29.99 - 40% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - NBA 2K14 - $39.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]8/4 - South Park: The Stick of Truth - $39.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]8/4 - Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag - $29.99 - 25% off - xbldb
July 2014


June 2014

May 2014
April 2014

March 2014

February 2014
[/customspoiler]
[/customspoiler]

[*]2/10 - Far Cry 3 - $19.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]2/6 - Ruby Soho by Rancid - $0.99 - 50% off - xbldb - Guitar Hero World Tour
[*]2/6 - Death Blossoms by Rise Against - $0.99 - 50% off - xbldb - Guitar Hero World Tour
[*]2/6 - Guitar Hero Track Pack 4 - $3.49 - 44% off - xbldb - Guitar Hero II
[*]2/4 - XB1 - Lococycle - $9.99 - 50% off * - Confirmed permanent by Major Nelson
[*]2/4 - Armored Core: Verdict Day - $19.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]2/3 - Metro: Last Light - $39.99 - 20% off - xbldb
[*]2/3 - Zumba Fitness Core - $29.99 - 25% off - xbldb * Confirmed on Dashboard

January 2014

[*]1/21 - Borderlands 2 - $19.99 - 33% off - xbldb  *
[*]1/21 - BioShock Infinite - $29.99 - 25% off - xbldb *
[*]1/21 - The Bureau: XCOM Declassified - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb *
[*]1/17 - Warlords - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb - Previously delisted, relisted at lower price, unknown if it will remain
[*]1/16 - Rayman Origins - $14.99 - 25% off - xbldb
[*]1/14 - Armored Core: Verdict Day - $29.99 - 40% off - xbldb
[*]1/9 - Aqua - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]1/8 - Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool Stuff - $19.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]1/7 - Assassin’s Creed IV Illustrious Pirates Pack - $6.99 - 30% off - xbldb
[*]1/6 - Saints Row IV - $39.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]1/1 - Hydrophobia - $2.99 - 40% off - xbldb *

December 2013
________________________________________________________________________
 
Misc. Promotions

________________________________________________________________________
 
Xbox Live Rewards
________________________________________________________________________
 
Cross Buy Promotions
 
Between Xbox 360 and Xbox One :

________________________________________________________________________
 
Microtransaction Deals [customspoiler=Note]Not tracked by xbldb, use playXBLA for blog updates for these deals.[/customspoiler]


________________________________________________________________________
 
Delisting / Server Shutdown Watch


[*]Capcom Gamespy server shutdown - expected 5/31
  • Age of Booty - 2 achievements become unobtainable with loss of online play
  • Flock! - level editor sharing disabled, no achievements affected

[*]Rockstar games affected by Gamespy server shutdown - expected 5/31

[*]Ubisoft online server shutdown - expected 8/8
  • America's Army: True Soldiers
  • James Cameron's Avatar
  • Motionsports Adrenaline
  • PowerUp Heroes
  • Pure Football
  • Shaun White Snowboarding
  • Tom Clancy's EndWar
  • Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
  • Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent

[*]Rock Band tracks - expected 8/26
  • Fleetwood Mac - "World Turning"
  • Fleetwood Mac - "Don’t Stop"
  • Spinal Tap Pack 01 - $1.00 - 71% off - xbldb
    Back From The Dead
  • Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare
  • Saucy Jack
  • Warmer Than Hell

[*]Spinal Tap’s Tap Ten - $1.00 - 89% off - xbldb
  • (Funky) Sex Farm
  • (Listen to The) Flower People (Reggae Style)
  • America
  • Big Bottom
  • Cups and Cakes
  • Gimme Some Money
  • Heavy Duty
  • Hell Hole
  • Rock N Roll Creation
  • Stonehenge
  • Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight

[*]Official forums announcement

[*]Doritos Crash Course 2

[*]Ascend: Hand of Kul


[*]Rock Band Track - Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" - expected Apr 30, gone Apr 28

[*]BurgerTime World Tour - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb - expected Apr 30

________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to reddjoey, tylerh1701, BobbyTastic and Necrozilla for maintaining prior versions of this thread, and to all those who have posted deals and made Wiki edits.  This thread is truly a collaborative effort built from the contributions of the community.
 

 
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Upvote 0 Downvote
tylerh1701 said:
Even if you want to ruin your experience by using a guide from start to finish I still think it's closer to 10 hours for 100%. No guide and your first playthrough should be about 10-12 hours.
Click to expand...
? I never use a guide but how do you guys play this in ten hours. I put about 25 hours into this. I look around for time consuming collectables but do you guys just cliff note the story. I must be the slowest player alive and afraid to miss funny content! O:)

 
HaloGX said:
I love that they need an entire "team" just to pick two free games a month. That sounds like the start of a "how many people does it take to screw in a light bulb" joke.
Click to expand...
lol it is pretty simple to just choose 2 games is a whole team really needed? I literally thought it was just one guy who chooses a game and just sets it as free,but its funny how its a whole team of people yet no one knows what the majority of xbox live users actually wanna play,the last month or 2 wasnt to bad but naturally people compare this to the PS+ deals and if thats the case then GwG gets blown away

 
Ltrain8765 said:
? I never use a guide but how do you guys play this in ten hours. I put about 25 hours into this. I look around for time consuming collectables but do you guys just cliff note the story. I must be the slowest player alive and afraid to miss funny content! O:)
Click to expand...
I'm slow and probably put closer to 15 hours into the game. I did most the side quests, and found about 50% of the collectibles by myself. I guess 25 hours would be about right if you searched every nook and cranny in the game, and then researched most areas once you unlocked new abilities. But, even if you didn't use a guide in your first play through and had to play it a 2nd time, I still think it is easily 100%able in 25 hours.

 
Again guys, the rule with Games w/ Gold:

If you're posting here, Games w/ Gold proooooooooobably isn't meant for you.  You aren't the target audience.  Keep this in mind.

To anyone complaining Civ: Rev takes too long, here's a tidbit to remember.... I have owned Civ 3 for years on disc, but I just installed it off Steam (got it from the Humble Sid Meier Bundle) onto my laptop and played a game. of it over the weekend.  And Steam of course tracks your time spent in a game, and since it was a fresh install, it started at "0"...

To play one, single Civ 3 game, I've put 9 hours into it over the weekend already (fairly standard map, standard size civs), nothing too extravagant.

So keep this in mind as you're playing Civ: Rev.  A couple hours total to play a game of Civ is *nothing* in comparison to what PC gamers are used to with it.  It's an INTENSIVE series, turn-based or not.  Keep in mind what it spawned from.  So yeah, 9 hours into one single game seems like a lot, but h the stories you get from those games...

 
OrchestratedHtz said:
Still debating on picking up:

Galaga Legions DX
I Am Alive

Any opinions on the 2 titles? Both are under $4 this week and the cheapest price offered so far
Click to expand...
I picked up I Am Alive and enjoyed it. It's a short game but it's visually appealing (if you're into disaster scenarios). It's definitely a niche game but I got a lot of enjoyment out of my first playthrough.

 
OrchestratedHtz said:
Still debating on picking up:

Galaga Legions DX
I Am Alive

Any opinions on the 2 titles? Both are under $4 this week and the cheapest price offered so far
Click to expand...
Currently playing Galaga Legions DX. It's very good and you'll enjoy it if you're into shoot'em ups. It has "easy" achievements (specially compared with former Galaga Legions), though to beat the timeattack for stage Championship 5 took me an hour, more or less @_@ Maybe it's me and I'm bad LOL

 
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Thanx for the quick replies everyone. Definitely picking up Galaga because thats my shit! Late nights with a bunch of drunken friends playing the OG. Not to mention it was one of the females who was reigning high score champ for quite some time. Gotta love a sexy gamer chic who crushes anyone at such a great classic!

Still debating on I Am Alive. Not trying to buy anymore games I won't get replay value out of so I'm swaying more towards no
 
Metalepic said:
Has anybody read this article yet?

GWG to become more true to gamers

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/10/games-with-gold-to-become-more-true-to-gamers-expectations
Click to expand...
I'm curious what he meant by "with the constraints that are there". Perhaps if those constraints were known, people would better temper their expectations for the program. Ah, who am I kidding? Stick of Truth for April GwG or we riot! [customspoiler=Spoiler]I have Gold for online multiplayer, so I fall into the "I'm fine with GwG even if there's occasionally stuff I already have" camp.[/customspoiler]

After knocking DuckTales off the backlog last week, I added Galaga this week and will check out the Gunslinger demo tonight. Finished Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom last night, so something from the new sales tonight will need to replace it. I saw someone mention Half-Minute Hero a few posts back, would probably fit well into the backlog. Or Costume Quest, now that the sequel's been announced.

 
OrchestratedHtz said:
Thanx for the quick replies everyone. Definitely picking up Galaga because thats my shit! Late nights with a bunch of drunken friends playing the OG. Not to mention it was one of the females who was reigning high score champ for quite some time. Gotta love a sexy gamer chic who crushes anyone at such a great classic!

Still debating on I Am Alive. Not trying to buy anymore games I won't get replay value out of so I'm swaying more towards no
Click to expand...
I enjoy Galaga Legions DX quite a bit, I often pull it up while waiting for a download or something for a quick round. But, be warned, it isn't much like the original game - at all. It is closer to Smash TV, or Robotron - with a heavy emphasis on maximizing score (similar to Pac Man DX). Not that that is bad, but if you are looking for chocolate ice cream and you get strawberry ice cream it can be a bit off-putting. Still tasty though.

 
Bloomy said:
I'm curious what he meant by "with the constraints that are there". Perhaps if those constraints were known, people would better temper their expectations for the program. Ah, who am I kidding? Stick of Truth for April GwG or we riot! [customspoiler=Spoiler]I have Gold for online multiplayer, so I fall into the "I'm fine with GwG even if there's occasionally stuff I already have" camp.[/customspoiler]

After knocking DuckTales off the backlog last week, I added Galaga this week and will check out the Gunslinger demo tonight. Finished Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom last night, so something from the new sales tonight will need to replace it. I saw someone mention Half-Minute Hero a few posts back, would probably fit well into the backlog. Or Costume Quest, now that the sequel's been announced.
Click to expand...
Constraints = budget

It's all about the money plain and simple. Sure, there are probably more convoluted answers such as Xbox making concessions for certain publishers, publishing rights, distribution agreements, etc., but in the end, it's as simple as the fact that if Microsoft spends enough money, they will get better/newer games.

I'm not being critical of Microsoft with this comment. I'm simply stating business facts.

 
tylerh1701 said:
True, but why shouldn't it be?
Click to expand...
If they're going to get your money for playing games anyways, why do they need to incentivize you with free stuff?

Games With Gold is not a "reward" for hard-core gamers and those who buy a lot of stuff. Just... deal with it. It's for those that don't buy much, to drum up interest in games and franchises (and in some cases to revitalize online communities). They aren't getting your money twice, so why try?

Just like PSN's free games basically exist only to keep people subscribed to Plus. They're not to "thank" or "reward" Plus users, they're a placebo.

Everyone keeps wanting/trying to make GWG some sort of REWARD for them personally, and... it's not.

 
Metalepic said:
Has anybody read this article yet?

GWG to become more true to gamers

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/10/games-with-gold-to-become-more-true-to-gamers-expectations
Click to expand...
Not really sure how much the "you keep your games" concept actual adds to the value on a system that is now last-gen. I don't really see pulling my old systems out in a few years and thinking how cool it is that I can still play Fable 3 and Crackdown. I've got PS+ also and for the money, I have no problem renewing for another year, or maybe two tops, while I keep the PS3 active. Having Gold and PS+, I really don't feel like I've gotten my money out of GWG. I hope they do adjust their approach to the program so I have a reason to renew Gold. I don't think they need to try match PS+, but a couple newer and better titles would go a long way with me.

 
WNYX585AM said:
Constraints = budget

It's all about the money plain and simple. Sure, there are probably more convoluted answers such as Xbox making concessions for certain publishers, publishing rights, distribution agreements, etc., but in the end, it's as simple as the fact that if Microsoft spends enough money, they will get better/newer games.

I'm not being critical of Microsoft with this comment. I'm simply stating business facts.
Click to expand...
Of course money is at the root of it, but it would still be nice to hear a little more about the process behind it. Do games with more DLC or part of a franchise get a little more attention to try to spur purchases? Was this an experiment on the 360 with things now in a bit of a holding pattern because of the new generation, and they want to see if Sony might scale back on their game offerings now that PSN+ is a requirement for PS4 online multiplayer? I could see the first question being answered publicly, though I doubt the 2nd would.

 
Bloomy said:
Of course money is at the root of it, but it would still be nice to hear a little more about the process behind it. Do games with more DLC or part of a franchise get a little more attention to try to spur purchases? Was this an experiment on the 360 with things now in a bit of a holding pattern because of the new generation, and they want to see if Sony might scale back on their game offerings now that PSN+ is a requirement for PS4 online multiplayer? I could see the first question being answered publicly, though I doubt the 2nd would.
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Yeah, the behind the scenes details for both programs would be quite interesting, but we'll never know about most of it (except perhaps many years from now). I would imagine Microsoft has been dropping it's jaw every month as Sony continues to make them look bad (with free games). I'll bet MS has been waiting for Sony to rein in the spending on their program since Sony has to be making no money on it and probably losing money on it. Unfortunately for Microsoft, that probably hasn't happened as quickly as they expected, so they're cautiously ramping up their effort to save face, etc. Assuming PS Plus is not profitable, Sony will have to change at some point and then MS will probably look decent or even better in comparison without having given away too much (except whatever loyalty they may be losing now). I'm still betting that PS Now factors heavily into some sort of PS Plus change and will replace some or all of the "free" games.

 
SonictheHedgehog1337 said:
Is Galaga Legions DX available on one of the compilation discs? I'm thinking of buying it at this price.
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Since everybody was tripping over themselves to defend off-topic vs. on-topic, I'll answer for you. It's not. Galaga Legions is. But Galaga Legions DX (Director's Cut), is not. Legions DX is worth the $3 and it's the first time it's been on sale. Go for it.

bardockkun said:
Bayonetta
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Were you always this funny? Because I just spit my drink out laughing, no joke.

TheLerm said:
I have enough credit on my 360 to buy, South Park: Stick Of Truth. I'm so tempted... Someone please talk me out of it and remind me it will be on sale in a few months!
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It's fantastic, but it is incredibly short for Paper Mario: SouthPark Star. I'm going to wait for it to hit the halfway mark or so, I recommend you do the same or Redbox it.

It's pretty good for a game with troubled development though. (Will Obsidian ever catch a break? Tune in next time!)

So, back to the off-topic vs. on-topic debate. Once upon a time, I, thinking that mods actually exist here (aside from sp00ge), thought that off-topic conversation should be limited to Xbox marketplace stuff (as opposed to the gamertag exchanges and all that), for fear that mods would step in and cull discussion.

Which was met with so overwhelming with #threadpolice and the like, that I was admittedly upset enough to stop excitedly contributing to the wiki in the OP for a while (this was when reddjoey was still in charge, iirc).

Since then, I've learned that mods do not care beyond legal infractions, so we're left to police ourselves. But that leads to the difference of opinion that has already been shown (it's very much deja-vu). I enjoy the off-topic discussion (I always have and it's why a majority of us stay here), but I would submit that it should stay relevant to the xbox as a platform, the xbox community (gamertag swaps and stuff) and particular games on said platform (and any other platforms said games might be on, like with Guacamelee for example). But I have no authority in the matter, so it's just a suggestion.

IN OTHER NEWS, as Cleaner has posted Costume Quest is confirmed to be getting a sequel. Which is very exciting.

Also, for those of you who liked it, Gone Home is getting a console port by the same people as the ones behind Costume Quest 2, iirc.

http://www.xboxachievements.com/news/news-17544-Costume-Quest-2-and-Gone-Home-Coming-to-Consoles-This-Autumn.html

As for the interview with Spencer, it's obvious what he's trying to get at. When it comes to PS Plus vs. Games for Gold, you have to notice the difference in ideology. One is a subscription meant to hook you for all eternity, the other is just a way to incentivize subscribing in the hopes that you'll stick around, and to provide bonuses for people who have stuck around as long as they have.

With the Xbone getting GwG the games-are-too-old argument should go away. And it should be on equal footing with PS+ (in regards to PS4 PS+ vs. GwG, as they will both get one or two games "free" per month) they will pretty much be the same thing aside from the difference in ideology.

The "limitations" are just that Microsoft is being cheap with paying for licensing because GwG doesn't bring in the money PS+ does because of that difference in ideology I stated earlier. Expect Sony to get cheap now that PS+ is required for PS4, and that so many good games have been obtained by PS+ subscribers (which they are required to be subbed to play). They've got their customers hooked, and they know it, it's simple business sense.

I've said it a million times and I'll say it again. PS+ has the better selection, but GwG has the better philosophy. Simple as that.

 
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OrchestratedHtz said:
Still debating on I Am Alive. Not trying to buy anymore games I won't get replay value out of so I'm swaying more towards no
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I didn't like it. I don't have the time to sit there for so long. Between the lack of checkpoints and the limited "lifes"., it just became a pain to play.

 
WNYX585AM said:
Yeah, the behind the scenes details for both programs would be quite interesting, but we'll never know about most of it (except perhaps many years from now). I would imagine Microsoft has been dropping it's jaw every month as Sony continues to make them look bad (with free games). I'll bet MS has been waiting for Sony to rein in the spending on their program since Sony has to be making no money on it and probably losing money on it. Unfortunately for Microsoft, that probably hasn't happened as quickly as they expected, so they're cautiously ramping up their effort to save face, etc. Assuming PS Plus is not profitable, Sony will have to change at some point and then MS will probably look decent or even better in comparison without having given away too much (except whatever loyalty they may be losing now). I'm still betting that PS Now factors heavily into some sort of PS Plus change and will replace some or all of the "free" games.
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I think PS+ is profitable, marginally. I would bet Sony pockets about $5-$10 for every $50 PS+ subscription and MS pockets about $45-$50 of every $60 Xbox Live Gold subscription.

 
Yeah I didn't see the Gone Home thing until after I posted and that makes me super excited too! It's an amazing game and I'll definitely pick it up again to support the dev. Somehow my 6 year old PC managed to run it so it'll be nicer to play it on a console.
 
chubbyninja1319 said:
I really didn't either, despite my few pleading tweets to Tim Schaeffer. I liked the first way more than was healthy.
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Are you me? Seriously. :lol: :lol:

Also very psyched for Gone Home. It's exactly the kind of thing I would love to play but usually miss out on as console person (see also: Proteus).

 
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Cleaner7 said:
Yeah I didn't see the Gone Home thing until after I posted and that makes me super excited too! It's an amazing game and I'll definitely pick it up again to support the dev. Somehow my 6 year old PC managed to run it so it'll be nicer to play it on a console.
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I wasn't that big a fan of the game (it's one of those overrated games I talked about the other day, like with The Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite), but if they have a funny achievement for beating it in under one or two minutes, I'd get it.

 
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tylerh1701 said:
I think PS+ is profitable, marginally. I would bet Sony pockets about $5-$10 for every $50 PS+ subscription and MS pockets about $45-$50 of every $60 Xbox Live Gold subscription.
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WNYX585AM said:
Yeah, the behind the scenes details for both programs would be quite interesting, but we'll never know about most of it (except perhaps many years from now). I would imagine Microsoft has been dropping it's jaw every month as Sony continues to make them look bad (with free games). I'll bet MS has been waiting for Sony to rein in the spending on their program since Sony has to be making no money on it and probably losing money on it. Unfortunately for Microsoft, that probably hasn't happened as quickly as they expected, so they're cautiously ramping up their effort to save face, etc. Assuming PS Plus is not profitable, Sony will have to change at some point and then MS will probably look decent or even better in comparison without having given away too much (except whatever loyalty they may be losing now). I'm still betting that PS Now factors heavily into some sort of PS Plus change and will replace some or all of the "free" games.
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Gamasutra has a good article about the developer side of the business deals for PS+ and it doesn't seem like they pay a ton of money for the games. The indie devs that have had their games on there have called the payout a "nice bonus" since they get other things from the deal like increased exposure, publicity, and feedback, so they don't necessarily need to get a ton of money. You guys are also ignoring their cut of the sales that they have every week, so they don't only get income from subscriptions.

 
Gun to my head, if you were to ask me what the premise of Gone Home is I'd say you play as a first person lesbian and Street Fighter II is somehow involved and set in the 90's. In short, I have no idea what the game is about, but my limited knowledge of the game does make it sound more sexy than it should be.

BobbyTastic said:
Were you always this funny? Because I just spit my drink out laughing, no joke.
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I Think listening to podcasts and gaming just gives me extra sass.

 
bob101910 said:
The most popular tag on Steam for the game sums up the whole thing pretty well, "Walking Simulator".
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That's cool. Like I said, I dig Proteus, and one of my all-time faves Dreamfall is pretty much just a "narrative experience" with little or no gameplay other than walking. Looking forward to it. Sounds like it might be a pioneering classic of the FPL (first person lesbian) genre.

 
bob101910 said:
The most popular tag on Steam for the game sums up the whole thing pretty well, "Walking Simulator".
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So technically it's just a next gen remake of...
230666b.jpg
?

Also I always felt that title needed a "Bitch!" at the end of it. Also "Walk it Out, Bitch!" would appeal to a more vast audience.

 
Royal High Knight said:
What kind of theme do these sales fall under? Bad games. Also LOL at the 0% discount for Ghosts. Thanks Microsoft for the great sales.
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XBLDB hasn't picked up anything new yet, those were markdowns from last week. The page was updated today to filter out all the "psychological drops" (2.00 -> 1.99) for Rock Band, Lips, etc. The stuff listed on the page is probably the March permanent drops, though the dashboard (as of this morning) hadn't added March to the price drop section yet. The Ghosts drop was probably because they applied an exact 33% drop to $59.99 (which is $40.19), then adjusted to the advertised $39.99 price.

 
Ryuukishi said:
That's cool. Like I said, I dig Proteus, and one of my all-time faves Dreamfall is pretty much just a "narrative experience" with little or no gameplay other than walking. Looking forward to it. Sounds like it might be a pioneering classic of the FPL (first person lesbian) genre.
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Narrative experience is a good description of it. The basic premise if you come home from abroad to an empty house and you explore it to find out what happened to your family. Basically you collect journals that your sister left behind and she tells her own story.

I loved it but I could also relate to her sister's journey a lot so it touched home so to speak. But like any game that's really hyped or divisive you should temper your expectations and go in with an open mind and minimal knowledge.
 
Ryuukishi said:
That's cool. Like I said, I dig Proteus, and one of my all-time faves Dreamfall is pretty much just a "narrative experience" with little or no gameplay other than walking. Looking forward to it. Sounds like it might be a pioneering classic of the FPL (first person lesbian) genre.
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The problem is that other games have done the "narrative experience" better. For the most part, the only thing that Gone Home brings to the table is the particular story arc it does, specifically its subject matter. The subject matter is what drew in all the 10/10s (which is why I call it an overrated game), and is often used as a "shield" from legitimate criticism (both the devs and the fans are guilty of this), which is why you don't hear much of it at all. For example, this is more or less a response to the criticism the game got as a "walking simulator".

http://www.dorkly.com/video/58404/gun-home

Hilarious as it is, it paints the complaint of "walking simulator" as ridiculous. A narrative experience can easily have some elements of gameplay (most often puzzles). As much flak as stuff like Walking Dead gets as a "game", even the QTEs and such in that is a much better execution of a narrative-based story. But Gone Home takes the easy way out and just has the "game" serve as a vehicle to immerse you into a story. If you view it as an interactive story, that's fine (even so, it would be an overrated interactive story). But more often than not, it's not.

I appreciate the subject matter (whether it was specifically used for "controversy" or not), but not the execution. Unfortunately, the devs seem unlikely to take the criticism to heart because their egos have swelled up to the size of hot air balloons given the fawning over their game. But that's more a result of the current media climate and its circlejerking, a discussion better saved for another day.

 
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[customspoiler='Gone Home Spoilers']It sucks that somebody spoiled one of the major plot points of Gone Home for you guys, but that doesn't really make it okay to keep spreading it around with the news of it coming to consoles so that new people can check it out.[/customspoiler]

 
FriskyTanuki said:
[customspoiler='Gone Home Spoilers']It sucks that somebody spoiled one of the major plot points of Gone Home for you guys, but that doesn't really make it okay to keep spreading it around with the news of it coming to consoles so that new people can check it out.[/customspoiler]
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I agree, I've tried not to mention the spoilers myself (using vague phrasing like "subject matter"). I guess others assumed most people already played the game?

 
BobbyTastic said:
The problem is that other games have done the "narrative experience" better. For the most part, the only thing that Gone Home brings to the table is the particular story arc it does, specifically its subject matter. The subject matter is what drew in all the 10/10s (which is why I call it an overrated game), and is often used as a "shield" from legitimate criticism (both the devs and the fans are guilty of this), which is why you don't hear much of it at all. For example, this is more or less a response to the criticism the game got as a "walking simulator".

http://www.dorkly.com/video/58404/gun-home

Hilarious as it is, it paints the complaint of "walking simulator" as ridiculous. A narrative experience can easily have some elements of gameplay (most often puzzles). As much flak as stuff like Walking Dead gets as a "game", even the QTEs and such in that is a much better execution of a narrative-based story. But Gone Home takes the easy way out and just has the "game" serve as a vehicle to immerse you into a story. If you view it as an interactive story, that's fine (even so, it would be an overrated interactive story). But more often than not, it's not.

I appreciate the subject matter (whether it was specifically used for "controversy" or not), but not the execution. Unfortunately, the devs seem unlikely to take the criticism to heart because their egos have swelled up to the size of hot air balloons given the fawning over their game. But that's more a result of the current media climate and its circlejerking, a discussion better saved for another day.
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What would QTEs or anything else really have to add to Gone Home? It's the story of a woman coming home after a long trip across Europe to find out that nobody is home in sort of a creepy way, so you set out to go through all of their stuff to put the pieces together. Should they have left a bunch of Professor Layton-esque puzzles for her to find and solve like they're a family of psychos? The Walking Dead has an easy source of conflict in the other survivors and zombies, but there's just the mystery of what happened in Gone Home. It might be a bit more mundane or ordinary in what it's going for, but that doesn't mean arbitrary gameplay would make it better. At that point, it might as well be something completely different.

 
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