Xbox Live Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is a digital distribution service for video games that can be accessed through the Xbox Games Store, which is Microsoft's platform for selling digital content for the Xbox 360. This service primarily focuses on offering smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers. The range of titles available on XBLA includes classic console and arcade games, as well as new games specifically designed for this service. The prices of games on XBLA typically range from $5 to $20. As of October 2016, a total of 719 Xbox Live Arcade titles have been released for the Xbox 360. It is worth noting that prior to the Xbox 360, "Xbox Live Arcade" referred to an online distribution network on the original Xbox, which was later replaced by the Xbox Live Marketplace.
== History ==
=== Xbox ===
The Xbox Live Arcade service was officially revealed on May 12, 2004, during Microsoft's E3 press conference and was made available on November 6, 2004, for the original Xbox console. Customers could acquire the XBLA software by placing an order on Microsoft's website, and it was delivered via mail on a disc that included a complimentary copy of Ms. Pac-Man. To boost awareness of the service, the disc was also included in special editions of the Official Xbox Magazine and as part of the Forza Motorsport Xbox console bundle. Initially launching with six titles, the library expanded to twelve titles by the year's end. Upon connecting to Xbox Live, users had the option to purchase additional titles using a credit card or download a limited trial version of a game. Game prices ranged from $4.99 to $14.99.
=== Xbox 360 ===
On November 22, 2005, XBLA underwent a relaunch on the Xbox 360. The service was seamlessly integrated into the main Dashboard user interface, and as an added bonus, Xbox 360 hard drives were bundled with a complimentary copy of Hexic HD. Each Arcade title on the Xbox 360 boasts leaderboards, 200 Achievement points, and high-definition 720p graphics. Additionally, a trial version of these games is available for free download. These demos offer a taste of the full game, albeit with limited levels, modes, and content. To fully enjoy the game, users must purchase the complete version, which grants access to uploading scores to leaderboards, unlocking achievements, engaging in online multiplayer (with a few exceptions), and downloading bonus content. Over time, numerous software updates have introduced several new features and enhancements, such as a friends leaderboard, additional sorting options, faster enumeration of games, an auto-download feature for newly released trial games, and the ability to send "Tell a Friend" messages. Initially, Microsoft imposed a size limit of 50 MB for Xbox Live Arcade games to ensure compatibility with the 64 MB Xbox memory unit. However, this limit has since been increased to 150 MB, then 350 MB, and now stands at 2 GB, which is a technical limitation of the system rather than an arbitrary restriction imposed by Microsoft. On September 12, 2012, the 2 GB limit was surpassed by two titles, Red Johnson's Chronicles and Double Dragon Neon, weighing in at 2.68 GB and 2.24 GB, respectively.
On July 12, 2006, Microsoft initiated the "Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays" program, promising a new Arcade game every Wednesday throughout that Summer. After the season concluded, Microsoft declared that new titles for XBLA would continue to be released on Wednesdays. To boost the service in retail, Microsoft introduced Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1, a compilation disc containing six games. On October 18, 2007, Microsoft unveiled the Xbox 360 Arcade console SKU, which included full versions of Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Pac-Man Championship Edition, and Uno. On May 22, 2008, Microsoft's general manager of Xbox Live, Marc Whitten, outlined changes for the service, such as increasing the game size limit to 350MB and enhancing digital rights management. Additionally, Microsoft established an internal games studio to produce "high quality digital content" for XBLA.
On July 30, 2008, Microsoft introduced the XBLA Summer of Arcade. Those who downloaded any of the titles released in August (Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, Braid, Bionic Commando Rearmed, Galaga Legions, and Castle Crashers) were eligible for a prize draw with a grand prize of 100,000 Microsoft Points, a 12 Month Xbox Live Gold subscription, and an Xbox 360 Elite console. Another Summer of Arcade commenced the following year on July 22, 2009. Those who purchased all the titles released (‘Splosion Man, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled, Trials HD, and Shadow Complex) would receive an 800-point reward. The subsequent Summer of Arcade began on July 21, 2010, showcasing Limbo, Hydro Thunder Hurricane, Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, Monday Night Combat, and Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. A "Shopping Spree" promotion concluded on November 1, 2010, where individuals who spent over 2400 points during October 2010 received an 800-point reward.
As of March 10, 2006, the service had recorded three million downloads. By January 30, 2007, this number had increased to 20 million. On March 6, 2007, the service hit 25 million downloads, and it was projected to reach 45 million by the end of 2007. Microsoft announced on March 27, 2007, that Uno had become the first Xbox Live Arcade game to surpass one million downloads. Nearly 70 percent of Xbox 360 owners connected to Xbox Live have downloaded an Arcade title, with an average of 6-7 titles per user. Original games typically achieve 350,000 downloads in the first month. Over twelve months, titles have an average financial return of 156%, with the first two months of sales accounting for only 35% of the total volume. The average conversion rate from trial download to purchase across all titles is 18%, ranging from 4% to 51%. On September 19, 2007, Microsoft revealed the top ten Arcade downloads worldwide, including Aegis Wing, Uno, Texas Hold 'em, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, Bankshot Billiards 2, Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1989 Classic Arcade, Worms, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Contra.
=== Xbox One ===
Microsoft has made the decision to consolidate all types of games on Xbox One, eliminating the need for separate channels. This means that the "Live Arcade" label has been retired in favor of grouping Arcade titles, retail games, and indies together.
== Pricing and releases ==
Xbox Live Arcade offers a wide range of games at varying prices, from $2.50 to $20. However, the majority of games are priced at $10 or less, making them affordable for casual gamers. These games are designed to be easily picked up and played, appealing to a wide audience. Some games were even temporarily available for free, such as Texas Hold 'em, Carcassonne, and Undertow. Additionally, there are a few games that are permanently free, including Aegis Wing, TotemBall, Yaris, and Dash of Destruction. Microsoft also introduced "Xbox Live Arcade Hits," where games are permanently discounted in price, similar to their "Platinum Hits" for regular retail Xbox 360 games. Some popular Arcade Hits include Lumines Live!, Assault Heroes, Zuma, Doom, Bankshot Billiards 2, Small Arms, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, and Marble Blast Ultra. In 2011, Microsoft announced plans to bring free-to-play games to Xbox Live, with microtransactions available within these games. The first free-to-play game, Happy Wars, was released in 2012.
== Removal of Games ==
In May 2007, Microsoft made an announcement stating that games older than six months would be eligible for removal from the service if they had a Metacritic score below 65 and a conversion rate below 6%. The purpose of this decision was to prioritize larger, more immersive games and enhance the user experience in finding desired games. However, it is worth noting that Microsoft has never actually utilized this method to remove any games.
In February 2010, it was revealed that nine games from Midway Games would no longer be available for purchase. This was attributed to the evolving rights and permissions of the publisher, as Warner Bros. had acquired certain assets of Midway Games, including specific rights related to those nine games. It is interesting to note that Sony's PlayStation Store did not take a similar action with its own downloadable Midway games.
The XBLA version of Double Dragon faced a similar fate when its publisher went out of business. Yaris, an advergame, was removed from the system after a year to prevent it from becoming stale content. Id Software's Doom was also pulled from the catalogue due to the acquisition of Id by publisher ZeniMax Media, resulting in the removal of publishing rights from Activision, the previous publisher. However, Doom was later restored to Xbox Live Arcade under new publisher Bethesda on January 19, 2012.
In 2011, Ubisoft announced that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled would be removed from the Xbox Live service on June 30, 2011, due to an expired license. Additionally, Chessmaster Live has also been removed.
On December 15, 2013, Capcom announced through their blog that Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 would be taken down from the XBLA store. Although no specific date was mentioned, the last date for downloadable content (DLC) for these titles was stated as December 26, 2013.
Category:Xbox
Category:Xbox 360
Category:Arcade
Category:Discontinued Content
Category:Microsoft
Category:November
Category:2004
Category:2005
Category:Video Gaming companies