March 2nd 2009 3:28 pm PT

This week on Arcade: Watchmen

 

Watchmen: The End of Nigh will hit arcade this Wednesday for 1600 points.

Arcade By Larry Hryb, Xbox LIVE's Major Nelson

  • Anonymous

    Man 1600 is alot $20? I dont know I heard it has coop up to 4 players, So I might check it out.

  • Exu

    No chance.

  • Ganon255

    I haven’t heard of this one before. I’ll check the trial. The trailer looked promising.

  • mrlogical

    Not sure if I’m in for $20…

  • Shadow0810

    ehh…based on the previews its not seeming to be a very original brawler, nor will it have a lot of variaty. They could have done better with the license.

  • deltawing12

    Absolutely not.

    I will demo this game, but I refuse to pay 20 bucks for this.

    Isn’t there a movie called Watchmen, as well?

  • MrGreen13

    For an arcade game it’s got some pretty decent graphics…but I’m still not so sure on the 1600ms points…

  • Julio Ernesto

    Por ese precio al menos debería de dar al menos unos 500 puntos de Gamer Score ¿No creén?

    For that price it should at least give at least 500 points Gamer Score, Do not you think?

  • Guto Ribeiro

    I love the comics and i’m sure I will love the movie. The two got my money, but I gonna stop there. There’s NO WAY this game worth 20 bucks. Doesn’t this people know that we are in the middle of a financial crisis ??

  • Cubeforce

    Wow, 1200 already seems to be getting more and more common, and now 1600 games are going to be popping up? Will try the demo but don’t count on me spending my points.

  • Magical Pro

    I was very excited for this game…until I saw the 1600 MP price tag. WTF?

  • PRIMETIME3

    OMG..stop crying about the price..if you dont like it..dont buy it. SIMPLE

  • loopingstar

    1600 points – No Thanks !

  • HunCity87

    I’m not one to usually complain…but 1600 for an arcade game? I’m not too sure I like where this recent trend is going….

  • Hyunkel07

    Are you testing us to see how much money we’re ready to spend to define the new “basic lower price”? I remember a time, long loong time ago, when games were 400 or 800 max, it’s far away now, crisis is there, so people have to pay to remunarate stock owners. Sad world…

  • a peeking duck

    Not to sound horrible but I hope this sells badly. How can they expect people to spend that on a short game, especially during these bad economic times?

  • Kendoguk

    Im sure this game will fly of the servers and make MS and the Developer a lot of cash.

    That was sarcasm BTW

    1200 points was bad enough but 1600 is far too much.

  • YODA12320

    Go Movie-Tie In Games. Though you could sell it at 1200 msp and still make a few extra costumers. Just saying! Demo only, not prepared to pay $20.00 atm.

  • Archangel3371

    Well for bigger and better games to come out on XBLA it’s going to cost developers more to make them and consumers more to buy them so I’ll at least try the demo and wait for the reviews before I spring for this one. I was really hoping that Puzzle Quest: Galactrix was coming out this week.

  • Magical Pro

    PRIMETIME3 your logic is stupid. People WANT to buy Watchmen: The End is Night, but can’t because they can’t afford it. Why? Because of the ABSURD 1600 MP price. Like Guto Ribeiro and Twilight Now stated, the world is in a bad economic state, and most people won’t be able to buy a $20 XBLA game. We have an obligation to rant about such prices – we MUST – so game developers can get the message that their games are unreasonably priced and if they want more people buying their games, they need to lower their prices.

  • Tekkie neXt

    No online co-op?, well that’s me 1600 points better off.

  • Lloytron

    No sale. Too expensive.

    I bet the quality of the game does not match the quality of the title, or justify the price point.

  • Freaky Priest

    Way to expensive. I can’t believe there are people who buy this for that price.

  • Lloytron

    @Magical Pro

    PRIMETIME3′s logic is sound. Ranting and raving on the internet will not change anything. Refusal to purchase a game impacts sales figures. That is the only protest a publisher will listen to.

    Just because people want a game doesnt mean the price should be lower. However people not buying it at an extortionate price will get the message through.

  • alsotop

    Wow, 1600 points for 2-3 hours game? I think not!

  • technofranki

    1600 points is too much, I even think 1200 points is at the limits of what I want to pay for an Arcade game. I had bought a lot more games if they where 800 points.

  • Cubeforce

    @Lloytron
    Have you noticed all the more expensive 1200 points games on the Live charts every week? They don’t even manage to get in the top 3 for their first weeks. Let’s hope that sends a signal, and bring back the “standard” price to 800 points.

  • Satanic Goat

    I was looking forward to this,but blimey 1600 points!!! I’ve got to eat

  • KP ScuzzyBunny

    I will also be dodging this one…first of all, for everyone who “heard” the game was whatever, just click the link and all the info is there, with screenshots and trailers. It’s TWO player, LOCAL (splitscreen) co-op, or solo…and there are 6 chapters. Yes, it looks nice, but when I can buy a game like Sonic’s Ultimate Sega Genesis collection for $29 and get 49 games and countless hours of entertainment, why would I spend $20 on something that I would likely play alone (since there is no online co-op), and be done with in a few short hours? Definitely voting with the wallet on this one, and predicting it doesn’t even make the top ten list.

  • Atleticoinomano

    1600mp???!!!

    Men, you are, definitely, going crazy…

  • HardlyCapable

    The funny thing is, this is supposed to be episodic too. Do they really expect us to pay 1600 points for each episode?

  • a peeking duck

    HardlyCapable: Penny Arcade did with their game. :P

  • magneto24

    Ok, I am seeing a lot of people complain about the price tag on this game. First off have you seen the graphics and production quaility this “arcade” game offers. I mean the graphics are great, and it even has voice over work done by the actors in the movie. Also this is the 1st part of a larger story. All parts will be released on the arcade. I think I read somewhere that the first part is so much because it is laying the ground work of the other chapters. So when the other chapters come out they will be cheaper becasue you will already have the main part of the game if you buy this one. Here is a link with information on the game. http://watchmenvideogame.com/

    Also make sure you all go see the movie if you are fan of superheros, the comic is great and so far this movie looks like it is gonna rock!

  • Robschach

    Absolutely ourtrageous!! I wouldnt even pay 1200 for it considering there will be episodes (which mounts up the cost hugely) At 1600 points they may as well have released a full proper game. So utterly disappointed :(

  • HardlyCapable

    Twilight Now: True, but it still doesn’t make it right. Plus, this doesn’t look like an in depth game, apparently it only gives 2-4 hours of gameplay.

  • MADEIRA STEVE88

    Bahahah 1,600 ms pts for this, what on earth is the guy who assigns these prices thinking?

  • Shonk

    Give me a call when its 800 points

    what a joke

  • Eldon v3

    Thanks to Castle Crashers and Braid paving way to 1200MP and the paying audience so willingly accepting that, the next logical step is 1600MP :) If you people really can’t resist a temptation “because it’s worth it” then by all means keep on buying. Many of you kept that up during the 800->1200 transition so if you did, why would 1200->1600 be any different?

    Seriously, “because it’s worth it” is sounding more and more like “would you kindly” these days :D

  • KP ScuzzyBunny

    I understand what people are saying about the quality and all that, but my point is that if the game is going to cost $30 or $40 in the end (and have a whopping 250gs), it is WRONG. Doesn’t matter how good it looks or how much work went into it, it’s still wrong. If you are looking at a total price point that is over a lot of retail games, then it should be released on disc, or not be considered an “arcade” game, and should be in a new category of “digitally released full games”. Like I said earlier, there are games like Sonic UGC, Stoked, Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit that could have easily been an “arcade” title, but went low budget disc instead. Even The Last Remnant only cost $39.99! What I see is a company trying to nickle and dime their dedicated fans, and using “future content” to do it, and that is BS. Everyone knows future content is based on sales (look at Too Human and Quantom of Solace…games with scheduled DLC that never appeared because they didn’t sell enough), so if the game tanks, why would they keep making content? The philosophy should be opposite…sell the initial game “cheap”, to get people to buy it, then sell the DLC for more, and in the end you make the same amount of money, but you sell more product.

  • metallicorphan

    i saw the trailer for the game of the film and was suprised it was heading to XBLA as it looked like a movie tie in normal retail game…so i guess 1600 points is prolly decent,although i think i will wait

  • Nitramuse

    Well! The “the 1600 will be the new 1200″ had arrived way earlier than expected, not? :P

  • L0rN

    @ all the people who say “Wow. look at the graphics, i think it`s worth it…”
    SHUT UP

    It`s definetely not worth it. Because it`s not standing for what XBL Arcade was made for. Stop shit like Penny Arcade, Watchmen,…. . We want games like PacMan C.E., Geometry Wars, Galaga Legions,…. That`s what Arcade was made for. And not for these “MSware”-Titles.

  • r3dreck

    pass

  • Cayne

    $10 yes, $20 no way.

  • Ozzzy189

    Well said loRN. I paid 28 pounds for SF4, which in points terms is about 3000 i supppose, and probably far greater value. i haven’t bought an arcade game since geometry wars 2. this does not bode well for outrun. which bearing in mind you can buy disc copies of outrun 2 and coast to coast for about 5- 10 pounds for the original xbox, should make the live one cheaper. it should be 800. no discs to press, no retailers taking a cut, no distribution to pay. watch it be 1200. MS are really pissing me off with this shit. i can only hope the rest of the games i was looking forward too- space invaders and arkanoid, do not get slapped with rip off prices. there is a global recession, MS show a little compassion and respect please. you are taking the piss. i am voting with my wallet- as i always do. r type was another one too. i see a terrible pattern forming.

  • acm2000

    do you idiots realise this game is $20 on pc, $20 on PSN, and thus, is going to be $20 on XBLA, this is not MS’s fault, blame the publisher

  • THE JOZ

    I’ve already spent too much on this damn franchise… and yes its my fault. Two copies of the comic trade paperback(2 x $20), two tickets to the midnght Thursday movie ($20), one ticket to the Friday matinée showing of the film ($10), and two of the figures (1 for $15 the other for $20) … gah… thats over $100 already.

    Fuck if I don’t want the game, I’m mean I’m a dork but big enough of one to buy this at full price. I’ll wait until it drops to at least 800 pts.

    Fucking shit, I sound like a geek. But the book is so good…

  • THE JOZ

    Amen to that ACM2000, I blame WB, Paramount, and all those blood sucking corporations that ironically Alan Moore despises.

  • ElektroDragon

    Do people realize you can pick up HUGE, FULL GAMES lasting 40 hours plus for 360 at my local store right now for $20? Let’s just throw the whole XBLA pricing structure out the window! Who cares about the bad economy? Gamers are made of money! I want to see the next XBLA game come out at 3200 points!

  • Social Outlaw

    1200 for Death Tank and now 1600 for an obvious movie tie in that most people will buy because of a love for the license it’s based upon.

    The only way to stop this insanity is to speak with your wallet. Don’t pay the outrageous prices MS is asking for games if you want to send a message.

  • ScubaKev

    I’ll try it – I try almost all the XBLA games. BUT, $20 seems a TOUCH steep, but we’ll see. The bottom line is I’m just not that into brawlers. The Lost and Damned WAS worth the $20, I loved it. I’ve finished it but still need to finish the 100% stuff. I am just sad there is no “100% achievement” in L&D.

  • acm2000

    Social Outlaw: it is NOT MS, true, MS does not like putting stuff for free on XBL, but the publisher of the games chooses the price point, why would XBLA get a cheaper price than the other available services? think before you type

    people really need to be banned from posting on this site….

  • MACPH1ST0

    I’m kinda interested in this game after seeing X-Play’s hands-on preview a couple weeks ago (http://g4tv.com/xplay/previews/36558/Hands-On-Preview-Watchmen-The-End-is-Nigh-Part-1.html). But judging by the price and that there’s no online co-op, I’ll definitely be waiting for the reviews before I part with this many points.

  • Social Outlaw

    acm2000: If MS can tell a developer they have to put a price on content which the developer would like to post for free then they can also tell them the price they are asking is too high for the content being put forth.
    If you think this Watchmen game will be on par with GTA:L&D or any other offering that is set at the 1600 price point then by all means buy it.
    Defend the practice if you want and say it is the developer, but if the developers set prices there would be a bunch of things available gratis as fan service from developers.
    Maybe you should ban yourself from this site

  • AceBox89

    I must have missed when the economy came back. These games have no cases or discs, meaning much less to produce and cheaper to make. That also means that we can’t resell them at a “game store” or online auction. So really you buy it and you’re stuck with it taking up your HDD and once you’re done it’s garbage.

    Like people have said 400-800 should be the rule period. I have over 50 arcade games I bought when that was happening a long time ago and the only game I’ve bought in the last year was Braid(which although great should have been 800). I would have gotten Castle Crasher for 800 and probably another game with the 400 I saved, but not at 1200. And 1600 yeah right.

  • ToEvadeSlugs

    I don’t understand how people can start saying its expensive before being able to even try it. By the screen shots it looks like a lot more development time went into this than the average arcade game. I look forward trying the demo. I’m hoping it is good as I’m interesting in the Watchman franchise even though I never read the Graphic Novel.

  • BeAkErOo

    no way, 1600 for The Lost & The Damned is expensive enough but understandable, screw this

  • VEGEMITE 98

    Major, I know points are sold online, but in stores in America points are sold in 1600mp lots. where as in Australia they are sold in 1500mp lots. so we have to buy 3000mp lots to be able to purchase this game. any idea why is sold this way?

    in any case you know me I will be buying it anyway. I think I am the only person in Australia that has ALL XBLA games!

  • dreampage

    Hahaha! 1600 Points! No fricking way. Game developers, publishers and platform holders must learn that there IS a limit for downloadable game prices. And that limit is way below $20 for the majority of gamers. OutRun OA will be 2400 Points or what? Nonsense.

  • juan cabrera

    I really don’t know why people are complaining so much. Have any of the people even tried it yet??? Now, im not defending the game, but say it is a really good, almost full-retail game that just happens to be released on XBLA? Aren’t people used to paying like 60 dollars for a 8-10 hour game anyway? To me, it is exciting that we keep having these original games come up on XBLA instead of ports of really old games. I would rather pay $20 dollars to download the game on XBLA than pay $60 for simply a box, a manual, and space on a shelf in a store.

  • THC FightDog 85

    Der Preis ist heiß! ;)

  • bknight2k

    not at 1600 points

  • DeathsKamikaze

    Id ahve said no for 1200 let alone 1600.
    and GTA:L&D was 1600, im sure this cant compare!

  • Exu

    Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa.
    Okay, so I was against buying this game before but now I’ve had a look at what it has to offer… I’m even LESS inclined! What a miserable mire of a game.

  • BrooksterMax

    Lol I am not even going to try this game to avoid the temptation of paying 1600 points, thats too far for me. Bring back 400 points Sonic 1!

    Has anyone noticed that many of the recent posts here on each recent arcade release are about them being too expensive!

  • CheekyLeeth

    At time of writing there are 65 posts prior to this one. Only 1 of them is from somebody stating he will definitely be buying it, and even the other guy who says it is worth the money has not categorically said he will buy it. Learn from this. When somebody with the gamertag “Robschach” states that he will not buy a Watchmen game because of the price, then you can not possibly get a mmore clear indication of what you are doing wrong!

  • Bushi no Eire

    Is this a joke?

  • IIII Bobby IIII

    sorry but i cant buy anymore, the dollar here in mexico is just over the clouds 15 pesos per 1 dollar and 6 months ago we where 10 pesos per 1 dollar is crazy sorry i just cant buy more content online

  • TES7769

    Unlike most posting here, i’ll wait until i play the demo before i judge as to whether or not paying $20 for the full version is out of the question.As someone fortunate enough to have had the forsight to read,collect, and preserve two copies of the full original run of the (then called)”maxi-series” when it first came out(oh, those were glorious days in comics compared to now), i have learned long ago that it’s alot better to reserve judgement until AFTER one knows what they are talking about.

  • Gorkinlot

    No way and Peggle and Space Invaders Extreme please

  • Canadian Loony

    Well it’s obvious Microsoft is more concerned about making a profit this generation. Anyone with half a brain could see this coming a mile away and how they have gradually increased prices and implemented more premium DLC into games. I think Live is ruining the gaming experience. We are left with patches and partial games when they get released now. Plus the independent games on XBLA are getting more costly and the good games are few and far between. They seem to be most fillers to show how big and popular Live is.

    After this generation I might get into PC gaming. Seems to me the only platform left with innovation and interest for the gamers and not all about making money with shoddy hardware and overpriced shovelware.

  • CARNAGE RULES

    Here we go again. Every week the mental midgets come out and complain about the rise of arcade games. Well dumb@sses the average cost for an arcade game remains $8.37 or about 650 points. There are only 9 titles for 1200 and 2 including this one going for 1600 out of 192 games.

  • Makavelo

    i lol at 1600mp, and where the hell is king of fighters?

  • MACPH1ST0

    Carnage Rules: Who here is talking about averages, other than you? We’re talking about recent trends in XBLA pricing. Just look at the release dates for those 1200 and 1600 games, and you’ll see what’s going on.

  • rogXue

    Well Carnage you go and pay your “average” we’ll sit here in the real world where the price for this title is still too expensive…

  • Bv8360

    Not wanting to whinge, i love the Xbox live arcade – though the 1600 MP price tags are definately reducing my purchasing habits.

    Beforehand i would nearly purchase everything, though now i am having to be quite selective and only grab the titles that really stand out.

    Thanks MN for keeping us informed, will certainly try the demo.

    Cheers

  • Lynch182

    im glad to see alot of people voting against it. im even sure people will think twice about any arcade game which comes out at 800ms points let alone 1600 due to the financial crisis at the minute. People keep voicing your opinions and maybe you might get a change.

  • Magical Pro

    XBL WILL EXPERIENCE A SOCIALIST REVOLUTION!!

  • Pirate at 30

    Next week’s “Deal of the Week”….Watchmen at 800 points…50% discount guys, you are getting a deal!!!

  • CARNAGE RULES

    @MACPH1ST0

    Roboblitz 11/18/06
    Braid 08/06/08
    Castle Crashers 08/27/08
    Portal 10/22/08
    5th Grader 10/29/08
    Penny Arcade Ep 2 10/29/08
    Super Street Fighter II 11/26/08
    R-Type 02/04/09
    Death Tank 02/18/09

    What games on this list are not worth 15.00 maybe 2 or 3 in my book.

    The only 1600 point game came out 9 1/2 months ago.

    Trend, what a joke. cheapskate

  • ToothlessFrog

    1600 points is a lot for a service that was all aobut pick up and play, cheap games. The whole point of the arcade is for a cool, obviously smaller game in the vein of either an oldy, or a small original. I’m sorry but the arcade is losing its purpose and MS is losing touch with its consumer base. I’m fine with this, but couple it with options for those of us who spend the real money on the physical games, and like to spend 5 or 10 bucks on an arcade game. Very sad, very sad indeed. C’mon MS, get back in the game.

  • WakeUpInFlames

    Well, with all the money I’ve already spent on Watchmen stuff here lately, $20 isn’t that big of a deal…Ima gettin’ it!

  • VinnieDaMac

    Sorry, I don’t pay for advertisements.

  • yolarrydabomb

    VinnieDaMac, are you paying tv?

    Then you are paying adertisements more.

  • MACPH1ST0

    @ CARNAGE RULES: Thanks for proving my point. The majority of the games on that list you provided are of the same or close quality to games that used to be routinely 800 points. So yeah that’s what you call a trend. But hey if you like paying higher prices for your games, that’s fine… but that doesn’t mean everyone else has to like it.

  • Karachi King

    @ MACPH1ST0: What about retail games? Even though they are all released at basically the same price point, do they all offer the same value for money?
    I have bought many full price games that only last for 10 to 20 hours(or sometimes less), yet I have also bought games that have lasted me more than 100 hours. Is that not just as crazy?

  • pabc

    cheapest UK points is 2100 for £17. 1600 points = ~£13. There are over 2000 listings for new sealed premium titles on ebay for that price or less.

    If the arcade games really require that price point to recover development costs then start developing simpler games to keep the costs down or convert old arcade titles. You know, like you used to.

  • shadaik

    One word only: No.

  • Danowat32

    1600 points? BAAAAAHAHAHAHAH

    Dont say I didnt warn you.

    MS tested the water with the 1200 point price level, the community obviously brought enough to warrant that, now MS are testing the 1600 point price level.

    Think to yourself as you buy this, where will it end…….

  • Danowat32

    1600 points? BAAAAAHAHAHAHAHHA

    Dont say I didnt warn you.

    MS tested the water (succesfully) with the 1200 point price level, and enough people brought it to warrant the increase, they are now testing out 1600 point price level.

    Buy at your peril, just think about this as you buy it, where will it end……

  • Anonymous

    1600 points ? nar i’ll pass, seen as its 2 hours long at the most.

    Get real with your prices.

    Your becoming

    Ripoffsoft.

  • Secret Fuller

    wow! get a life. Gta IV TLAD was 1600 ms points!!!

  • DarkKnightHP

    Sorry, but no sale.

    I mean, they don’t even sell 1600 point cards up here in Canada, it’s 1400 for $25 and 2800 for $40.

  • HardlyCapable

    For all the guys saying that it’s Microsoft’s fault; get over yourselves and learn some facts. It was Warner Bros that decided the price, not MS. This game is going to be $20 on all THREE platforms, PSN, PC and XBLA. If you want to complain about it fine, but direct the hate towards Warner Bros.

  • BrooksterMax

    Does anyone remember the days when posts on Major Nelsons blog about new arcade games were about them being great or bad. Those were the days when we could get 120% mortgages, borrow loadsa money, get nice big cars and buy any games and consoles we want on credit

    The world has changed :P

    Now all we care about is the price :) But then 1600 msp is a huge price, I need to feed my family first :P

  • Anonymous

    Some people are so closed minded when it comes to digital distribution. It won’t be long (and already happens from time to time on PSN) before full sized new games will be available to download. You would have paid £40/$60 for such games in a store, and will pay £30/$50 online instead.

  • Danowat32

    Yup, already happens now on the PSN, you can pay WAAAAYYY over the odds for Burnout Paradise if you want on the PSN, or you can pick it up much cheaper in the shops.

    Digital distribution doesnt always mean cheap, which it should be because the overheads are way, way cheaper.

    Price NEEDS to reflect quailty and quantity, rather than the current “pick a figure out of the sky and double it” pricing that goes on.

  • CheekyLeeth

    @Kotatsu Neko : And nobody will complain when that happens. But, that is not the case in Live Arcade. What is happening here is that as the MS point price ceiling has been raised from 1200 to 1600, so has the floor from 400 to 800. When was the last time you saw a 400 point game released? I’ll save you the time looking and tell you it was Crazy Mouse, a game so bad it would have been too expensive at free.

    Had R Type Dimensions been released as two seperate titles they each would have sold for 400. (The precedents being Sonic 1 & 2, and Pacman & Ms. Pacman.) There is absolutely zero justification for them being 1200. Try to understand this ; 1200 is clearly the new standard price, with 1600 being the new price for anything bigger. Simply put, games that should be, and once would have been, 800 are now costing us 1200, with there having been no official statement from MS that this is the case. So, the only logical assumption is that we are being charged more because of a belief that we will pay more. Again, if an official announcement is made to indicate that 1200 is indeed the new standard price, then you will find the vast majority of these complaints will cease.

    96 posts before this one, at time of writing, and not even 5 confirmed buys. That is a low percentage, in my opinion. When 90% of your customers are saying the same thing, it would be a smart business decision to listen to them.

  • Col J Matrix UK

    So when are the 2000 point games going to come out?

    The more people just roll over and take it with these prices the more expensive it’s going to get (this has been happening since 800 points became standard, then people actually paid 1200, what do you all expect? You’re pushing up the prices for goodness sakes).

    I really don’t see why people DEFEND these prices as well. If we as consumers can keep the prices down then that’s a good thing.

    For example I loved Braid, but refused to buy it at 1200. Last week it went down to 800, so I bought it, same with worms dropping to 400 points. Just don’t buy the expensive titles, wait for a price drop.

  • Karachi King

    @ CheekyLeeth: Actually, the last 400 point game was Minesweeper. It too, was generally panned by the userbase here, but what isn’t these days? I maintain that most of the 400 point games are pretty terrible, but you get what you pay for.

    Col J Matrix UK and many others in this thread are right, comments here won’t do anything. What will is not purchasing games that aren’t value for money. The 90 or so people commenting in this thread is a miniscule sample of the millions of Xbox Live users. It’s ‘possible’ that many of the people in this thread are much more frugal than the majority of users, hence why the prices seem to be increasing(I would say the quality is generally better though).

    Personally, I’m not going to completely write the game off based on the price when I haven’t even played it. I paid 1600 points for Penny Arcade on the day it was released, because it was damn good fun, and I don’t regret it one bit.

  • Urban Myth nxs

    You got the title of the game wrong Major.

    Should be: Watchmen: The End IS Nigh. Not The End OF Nigh.

  • emuholic

    It should be called 800 Points: The End Is Nigh :)

  • Khufu23

    Whoever was responsible for pricing this, is a tool.

    I remember a time when games were 400 and 800. I’m glad Pac Man CE come out long enough ago to fall under those price tags.
    I know it’s not MS who priced this as its the same price on the PS, but if Pac Man CE come out tomorrow, I just know it’d be 1,200.

    I don’t mind 1,200 for the odd game here and there, but 1,600 is like charging £10 for a £5 note.

    And to the person who said that the following ‘episodes’ of this game will be cheaper – do you have that set in stone?
    I can see it now, someone buys this thinking someway down the line that get more games cheap. Then episode 2 comes out for 1,600 with the excuse stapled on of “Well, you people didnt buy enough of episode 1 so this needs to be priced higher”

    One more thing I’d like to say is how this game comes out on its own this week. You release this with a 800 game and this wouldn’t sell any.

  • MeS FEAR

    Again 1600 Points???? This cant be…if the game will have 6 or 7 hours gaming then the price would be fair but not that…the arcade games are going to be more expensive then i thought..first 400 and then 600,800,1200 and now 1600..thats crazy…when will these arcade games cost 2100? Microsoft really thinks that ppl are rich

  • SOG Random

    There is another way for Microsoft to increase the prices and that is to increase the cost of MS Points.

    As for the Watchmen game if it had been 800 MS points it would have been a definite buy as I am a fan of the comics, at 1200 MS points it would have been a get the trial and read the reviews, at 1600 it is a wait for it to come down in price.

    If the game had been more than a few hours long then it may have been different but with the Fallout 3 DLC and Puzzlequest Galactrix to be released in the near future there are better things to spend points on.

    The question has to be asked if the money they gain through a higher price is lost through significantly fewer sales

  • Kuji PR

    ouch, I’m jumping into the Watchmen bandwagon but this is too much :O

  • ninshua

    I’ll wait for user reviews but I was only expecting to pay 1200 points. Might just wait for it to go on sale.

  • NBA2kChico

    WTF!!!???
    1600 points for whut!?
    a game thats fake Batman….and got 2-3 hours gameplay…..

    maybe 1200, but 1600 is too much……

  • II QUiCK5HO7 II

    You cannot really compare it to Batman, cos it’s not Batman. ANd it’s over priced like most arcade games. It costs as much as TLAD!!!

  • Hobiologe

    I’ll wait for the Watchmen – Deal of the week! In about 3-4 weeks … :D At this pricepoint this game will fail.

  • Warrengonline

    @Eldon v3
    Castle Crasher’s price was well worth it. To those who just want to plow through the game and say “I beated it” (yes, I purposely said the improper “beated” in stead of “completed”). I love the artworks of tom Fulp and Behemoth Dev Team. I met another fan last night playing the game who loves it just a wee bit more than I.

    @Col J Matrix UK
    IF the games do go to 2000 MS Points, MS will see the errors in their ways when THAT particular game trial downloads are low, sales are even lower and Gold Memberships lapse into Silver for months on end. Then possibly a price reduction will occur. But with like deals at Best Buy (http://kotaku.com/5162895/buy-xbox-live-gold-account-go-see-watchmen-for-free) the movie will live on. I only hope this game has superb graphics and awesome surround sound effects.

    Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part I (this is a part one also) and where are Shenmue Chapters 1 & 2, 3 & 4, 5 & 6, etc?

    Maybe I’m lost in a time warp, but RPG Experiences were based on time spent playing the standard game, minus the hidden items and the high level up skills? Thus expanding the value of the experience and the price it was worth. And if SOG Random is correct, well I guess my plan is to complete all the XBLA games I have, wait for the 120GB HDD price drop, then I’ll be back to purchasing XBLA games instead of retail. This kind of bites as many of my friends are now pushing “buy used”, but those sales do not support the developers (financially), but those who can’t afford the $59 price tag can afford the $40 and below price.

  • CosMick

    Ahahahahahahahaha….

    I’m sorry but that pricing is ridiculous!

    Being the same price as The Lost & Damned is a joke.

  • Doctor Xpro

    Were the hell is Halo 3 new maps!!!!!!!!!!

  • SalamanderSkill

    Who ever finalized this price should consider moving into comedy!

    So Jokes aside… What is the real price Major Nelson?

  • b0omz

    How are they going to make an action game out of a graphic novel that was heavy on the psychological and political stuff, and light on the action just like V for Vendetta. Sure there are a couple action scenes and a prison break out scene, but this is no action movie or some regular superhero movie.. It’s about washed up retired heroes being caught up in a conspiracy involving them and people they know, and like I said, any action there is, you can already see in the trailer..Those are the only scenes with action. This game has no point existing. This game and the trailers are misleading people into thinking the movie is going to be something it isn’t, and the story is too good to warrant this treatment. Warner Bros. is pulling an Adrian Veidt(Ozymandias) with the products here…Veidt corporation would do this, but WB doing it when the story pokes fun at this sort of marketing, is not clever.

  • Mickeh

    Well it’s the companys fault/microsofts too (like how CC’s King Pack, they wanted it to be FREE, mircosoft said no 150 points) when they moan about poor sales. I wonder why, not been much news/info on this game really, can’t see it even having good reasons for a 1200 price tag nevermind 1600.

    Get back to 400,800,1200 [Thou far too many using the 1200 price point. 1200 for braid yea worth it but not some of the other crap that we don’t even know about, like CC’s I knew about that when first came into production, 2 years worth waiting for)

    No more stupid prices unless its something little bit special. Uno is 400 points, its one of the highest sale games in total on XBLA and its always in the top 10 sales every week for the arcade… GET THE HINT -_-

    Side Note: I still can’t change my gamertag on here, keeps saying xbox live gamercard checks not active or something.

  • Louie

    Just another reason why i don’t buy any games in the marketplace.

  • JORBO TRON

    well you can go to best buy get a 1600 point gift card and the you get 2 watchmen movie tickets free ($24 value) so a movie and a game for $20 isn’t bad. Plus I did an online order and it took Best buy so long to put it together that they gave me a $10 gift card.

  • ShaggyB

    $20??? Ok i like Watchman and all…. but thats a bit steep for an arcade title. In stores id pay that but online…. perhaps as a deal of the week a few months from now.

  • ShaggyB

    Also let me add 1200 aka $15 should be the absolute max for an Arcade title. Its a rare game that I find is worth a $15 buy. $5-$10 seems to be a magic spot. A $10 title being put on sale at $5 is a bargain and instant buy for me. a $15 title put at $10 is a buy for me if i was interested in the title.

    If you guys want to make a new category for Download Full Retail Games, similar to what sony did with Warhawk…. thats fine. You could put Watchmen in that and charge $20. (yes i realize there wont be a retail version to go with it…. but you get the idea)

  • ShaggyB

    Xpro PT: They are in the Halo Wars Limited Edition. They wont be up for download to non Halo Wars buyers for a month or two…. Hopefully not longer… but i could see it getting posted at E3…. Thats a bit of a wait though.

    If you want it now, consider Halo Wars……

  • Makavelo

    i remember buying a game for 400mp, then buying another one for 800mp and then Castle Crashers for 1200 but thats as far as it goes what happened to the days of 800mp at maximum for top games? this is suppose to be Arcade i want Arcade games for reasonable prices.

  • Robschach

    What really annoys me is that, i think, while a lot of people voice their opinions of disappointment and disgust at the price, a large majority of people will still buy it therefore proving to these over charging companies that we are willing to bend over and take it like chumps.

    Therefore nothing will change and we will still be expected to pay over the odds for these games. If people didnt actually buy it and stuck to their guns then maybe we might see the price drop that we feel realistic.

    So please people dont fold and get it if you truely feel its too expensive. Speak with action.

    I think that Microsoft or whoever is in charge of the XBLA is losing sight of what the Arcade is. (retro games/small private production games like Braid) Watchmen cant be counted as an arcade game! Its more like the first breed of this new age of downloadable games everyone talks about us coming into. So if they are going to count it as an arcade game then it should be priced as an arcade game (absolutely no more than 1200 points maximum), otherwise Microsoft need to make a new section on the dashboard of digital download games along side XBLA.

    As follows-

    XBL Arcade games
    XBOX Digital Games downloads (ie a step above arcade) Perhaps combining old xbox games, remakes like Banjo Kazooie and now new Proper games that could retail properly like Watchmen.
    XBOX DLC

  • CARNAGE RULES

    @ MACPH1ST0

    You’re just a cheapskate and if it’s not free you’re not happy. I looked at your games played and you have a whopping 37. You got Aegis Wing for free. You got Yaris for free. You got Carcassonne when it was free. You got Undertow when it was free. You got Dash of destruction for free. Hexic HD is free on the HD. You probably even preordered fable to get the Pub games for free.

  • Mickeh

    It’s like any nice simple clean arcade games (for example newish release. The Maw) I’d buy a lot more games if was all like that and only 800 points. (unless it’s one that I love [castle crashers] and one that I’d get a lot of play out of)

  • MACPH1ST0

    @ CARNAGE RULES: I see you conveniently overlooked all the Arcade games I have bought, like Castle Crashers (one of the rare games worth its higher price), Braid (at 800 points, the price it should have originally been), Puzzle Quest, both Geometry Wars, Duke Nukem 3D, etc etc, not to mention all the DLC I’ve bought too. I’m more than willing to spend the points if it’s worth it. So yeah, nice try. So you can keep throwing your insults around and trollin’ it up on here, but that’s still not going to change the fact that there’s been an unnecessary increase in Arcade game prices lately.

  • Magical Pro

    Whoever tries to defend this $20 price tag either works for the publisher of this game or an idiot.

  • VEGEMITE 98

    @ CARNAGE RULES, You forgot Texas Holdem was free, and Australia got TMNT for free! and I got Tetris for free!

    Major, and you organise to get OFFICIAL price list for XBLA, as the old one
    that stated 400, 800, 1200 seems to have disappeared!

    Also we would like hear your response on this situation. it seems a bit dodgy that you post that the game is 1600mp without you batting an eyelid. Take your Microsoft hat off and tell us the truth about the pricing. and silence is an answer!

  • CARNAGE RULES

    @VEGEMITE 98

    Yeah, I know. I was just pointing out the ones MACPH1ST0 got for free. He hasn’t paid for Sh@T and he’s complaining about high prices. There are 62 games at 5.00 how many has he purchased? 2. There are 111 games at 10.00 how many has he purchased? 9. Let me also just point out that people don’t like MACPH1ST0. A 4 star rep in 2 years. Yeah right.

  • L0ng5h0t

    I wouldn’t mind paying the 1600 pts if this was a complete game, but this is episodic. At $20 a pop, and I think I read somewhere that there is going to be at least 5 episodes, this will cost way more than if it was a retail release.

  • MACPH1ST0

    @ CARNAGE RULES: How stupid do you have to be to not jump at the chance of getting a free game on the rare occasion that Microsoft actually offers one? (provided you’re actually interested in it of course) That has nothing to do with being cheap. If you want to keep wasting your points on any crap game that gets released, then go ahead and be a sucker. And when it comes to my star rep, don’t talk about something you don’t have a clue about. Now shoo, troll!

  • UnarmedGorilla

    This one looks at though it was intended to be a full release based on the movie IP, then part way through the developers realized it was sh$t and decided to slap a $20 price tag on a half-baked game in order to try and make some of their money back. I wouldn’t waste a penny on this kind of title… another useless kick-punch-boot button masher.

  • CARNAGE RULES

    I’m not trolling. What have I exaggerated, I’ve only pointed out the facts about you. Are they untrue?

  • KP ScuzzyBunny

    @ CARNAGE RULES: Look at MY games played and talk that trash…I have PURCHASED over 100 XBLA games, and have played 348 games total (most of the retail games are purchases as well). I have multiple systems, multiple HDTVs, multiple accounts, 10k ms points, and I am saying this price is ridiculous and that I won’t buy it. Am I “cheap”? I don’t think so, and there is nothing wrong with only having free arcade games or a smaller game library, since not everyone got a 360 at launch (a lot of people worried about the RROD), and others just recently got on Live (without which, of course, you cannot use XBLA), and of course some budgets are bigger than others. There is a line, and they crossed it.

    That being said, the big “change” in the pricing came from two main factors. First is that the “retro” game market dried up, so they moved the 400 price point to the Community games. The second factor is that they removed the 50MB cap that was on developers, so they could make bigger (i.e. more expensive) games. So now the price points are 400- Community Games, the rare promotion, or an even more rare retro title; 800- and original game whose size is usually less than 100MB; 1200- an original title that is a few hundred+ MB; and then the 1600- which is the largest and usually for a licensed title (like this game that DOES have stunning graphics and everything, I just don’t think $20 is a good price for a short, local-only, episodic game).

  • MACPH1ST0

    @ CARNAGE RULES: Yes it’s obviously untrue, and everyone else can see that too. You pick and choose what you want to fit your version of what you think an XBL member should be, and just make up everything else. So yes you are trolling.

  • CARNAGE RULES

    @Killer Scuzzy J

    Listen up jackhole, You have right to complain. You have spent the money on titles that are 400 to 800 points and now you feel your loyalty is being taken advantage of by higher prices. My argument comes from someone who hasn’t purchased these titles and is still complaining about higher prices. I didn’t say there was anything wrong with getting free titles but, if you’re not even buying the 400 to 800 point games than why the hell are you complaining about the prices. aaaaaand nascar sucks.

  • Makavelo

    @Carnage Rules

    Go away troll

  • A Place for Us

    Wow. Those pesky film companies really want to rake in the $$$. How about selling it at 1200 or even 800 and maybe that’ll gain more sales and more money for them that way.

  • Shonk

    I own

    133 Full Arcade Games
    167 Retail Games
    112 HD-Dvd’s

    1 Elite
    2 Pro 120 Gig
    1 Pro 60 Gig
    7 White Wireless Joysticks
    1 Black Wireless Joystick
    3 AV Breakout Boxes (£35 a pop)
    2 Wireless Headsets
    2 Big Button Sets
    3 Hd-Dvd Drives
    1 Camera
    6 Chat Pads

    Im Sure there’s more as well

    I wont buy 1200 or 1600 Point Games

    Am I Cheap Also?

  • Dubbington

    I don’t think it’s right to have this idea that the Live Arcade “should only be this, and never move away from it”. It’s just an alternative method of distribution, developers should put whatever they want on it and not be restricted to classic rereleases and new games in that style. If they want to put a game that’s less than a full-on retail release, but more than the typical Arcade game up, why shouldn’t they, and why shouldn’t it be priced to reflect what it is? Because you “don’t think that’s what Live Arcade is for”? Come off it.

    Is this game worth 1600 Points? I don’t know yet, I haven’t played it. Neither, I’d wager, has anyone else commenting on it. Where has this “2-3 hours of gameplay” come from, anyway? The previews I saw gave a 4-8 hour range. Then you have to consider if that’s just a single playthrough, or taking into account going through as both NiteOwl and Rorschach? How’s the replayability?

    There’s no point judging anything about the game and its value until reviews and the trial are out, but people on the internet love any chance to complain about things and argue amongst themselves I guess.

  • CARNAGE RULES

    @Shonk

    You may not be cheap but, you’re dumb as dirt. Read

  • VEGEMITE 98

    I got you All beat, check my arcade list, I have 192 of them, including two that have yet to be released which unfortunatly don’t show up on my list! I also have every XNA released and the majority of XBOA originals, so BEAT THAT!.

    and Major you STILL haven;t answered my question! mmm typical

  • smileriraq

    Think things are getting too personal here, a persons gaming history is irrellevant wether they have bought 100 games or only 1. The point is they prices for the games are shooting up but the quality for the most part stays the same. In the beginning arcade games were like cheap n cheerful games that allowed you to go back to a game you loved in the past or a quick gaming hit. Now they are working on a pricing level thats just under a full release and as a result gamers wont download on a whim as they might of in the past and the gamer needs to justify paying the cash for it.

    Myself personally Im voting with my wallet, in a few months my Gold account will be up for renewal and I wont be renewing it. However that is viewed by the forum will not worry me one iota , if enough people do that then MS will have to relook at their pricing but I dont think enough people will do it to dent MS profit margin.

  • THC FightDog 85

    Where is it now? Want to play the Demo.

  • VEGEMITE 98

    it’s on there but it’s locked for download at the moment.

  • Kartanym

    Watchmen = 2-3 hours gameplay for $20 … Iron Man = 8 hours gameplay for $100 … as much as it’s expensive for a LIVE title, it makes sense when you look at it like that *shrugs* not that I’ll buy it anyway, I don’t really have much interest in it. The movie, on the other hand, I can’t wait to see on IMAX tomorrow.

    Oh, and Puzzle Quest, any update on its delay please Major? Like a reason why perhaps? That’d be nice, thank you.

  • MetalGearFloppy

    Hmmm, still not available to download… what’s occuring Major?

  • Warrengonline

    [Looks puzzled at everyone and wonders what is the fuss all about.] None of this makes sense. It’s a game, it is fun to a point, its based on two characters in a book and it costs only $20 ‘brand new’. I do not look at this game in particular as an ‘XBLA’ game, but a game if sold on a CD $20 is nice. It’s not Final Fight, no. It’s not Double Dragon, no. It is beat’em up fun, yes. As many of us have said, show your support by buying it or not buying it. Then take your praise of disapproval to the xbox.com forums where 90% more people go than here. Whining about the price over and over is like telling your dog he stinks and he just stares back at you. What then? The Dishwasher cometh so you have a lot more options in the arcade coming soon. I’m a bit over it. My question is “If it were free would you even play it to the end and beat it?”

    @Magical Pro
    I do not defend it or neglect the $20 price tag. It is a quality product just as is/was Syphon Filter was. If I do not like something, I rarely speak of it and urge my friends to join me. Rarely has that happened. I really do not think I buy that many arcade games, but being pinned as “Warren will buy any game” of the group is not a good thing. And most scoff at “What happens if you get the Red Ring?” and all that hoopla. From what I’ve played, its a good game. The ONLY reason I haven’t rush to buy it as it takes up too much space on my 13GB HDD (Xbox360 Pro / Premium or whatever it is titled today). Enough said. “If you’re selling me a 4 bedroom house, the fourth bedroom better NOT be the garage.” Play and delete has been a current activity I have never had to do until now.

  • GentlemanGhost

    I think people should just avoid purchasing this game until the movie is out of the theater. You know people will loose interest once that happens, and when they do the price of the game will come down. I played the demo and it’s all right, but you know if the movie hadn’t just come out there’s no way people would pay $20 for it.

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