Xbox Live's Major Nelson » This week on Arcade: Puzzle Quest: Galactrix and Flock! :

fourG

Hey big surprise, I won’t buy either of these at those prices. You win this time MS… or do you?

Malrinth

Flock will have to impress me greatly for me to pay 1200 points for. At first glance 800 seems more reasonable, but we’ll see.

Protonus

For the record:
I’ll pay 3200 points, for a HD, Xbox Live enabled, port of Killer Instinct or Killer Instinct Gold. Pretty please? Money is not important here.

DeathsKamikaze

800 is the most i’ll pay for an arcade, will only go higher in extreme cases (castle crashers)

And all these bad arcade games at 1600 points make the GTA DLC look like a bargain for alot of people.

Rockstar really did a great job with the pricing!

Exu

Fact is, you could just get the original Puzzle Quest for 800. Then, if you really have to be ripped off you can get the 700 point expansion, thereby bringing us to 100 points less for THE SAME DAMN GAME.
—
Or you could just not buy any of it. Microsoft, Dishwasher is supposed to be the rule, NOT THE EXCEPTION.

Exu

Oh yeah, Resi 5 expansion can go Flock itself too. The japs only have to pay 160 MSP for it, and a tenner says the file size is 108KB or 124KB.

PzR Tak

I have to agree about the resi 5 expansion. Why oh why was it not in the game from the get go. Why do we have to pay for it if we want it. (not that I’ve played Resi 5, nor am I interested)

Disco Penguins

Way too expensive for both games. I really wanted to try Flock out, too.

Nomadicgamer

Hi Microsoft,

Hope you’re doing well. Just wanted to let you know that the reason the App Store over at Apple is doing so well is that they offer lots and lots of impulse buys. Start to offer games that are $1.99 or less and your sales will go through the roof. Also, at best a game like Puzzle Quest: Galactrix shouldn’t cost more than about $5. It costs very little to develop and is distributed digitally which should cut down even more on the overhead. At $5, both you and the developer should be able to make a nice profit. I LOVED the original Puzzle Quest, but even I’m not willing to spend $20 on a game like this. I’m a big fan of Xbox Live, but the prices are getting to be outrageous for games which I won’t be able to play 10 or 15 years from now because I never got a disc. Anyway, think about it, ‘kay? I’m looking out for you, buddy! Hang in there.

Your Friend,
NomadicGamer

RockStar AV8R

Just plain sad to see what M$ has done to the XBLA. Completely out of touch and out of their minds with the pricing on this stuff. Congrats, you have lost a sale.

Shiaoran

What the Flock?!

Games that would cost 800 are 1200, games that should cost 1200 are 1600… What’s next? Games costing 2000?

That’s just too much for downloadable XBLA games.

Archangel3371

That’s what I was expecting Galactrix to cost. I’ll be picking it up but not right away since I want to get the RE5 dlc tomorrow and I don’t have enough points to get both.

X Ray Hamburger

Lol ouch. I already figured PQ would be 1600 since that is the PC price. But Flock… 1200 to herd sheep. Sorry if I’m missing something but Flock doesn’t seem my kind of game. Still looking forward to Lode Runner tho, hopefully it doesn’t come out until MS finally decides to honor my valid service contract that I paid for and repair my console….. I love paying for a service that is not honored in good faith.

SalamanderSkill

This pricing is a total joke.
You can’t resell the game. You can’t lend it to a friend. So it has 0$ resale value. ‘Major’ Nelson flock your himself.

UNSCleric

No thanks, won’t ever be buying an Arcade game over 800.

a Master Ninja

It’s like Microsoft wants these games to fail. The manager of XBLA should be ashamed of himself.

skyfire420

i think they should hire a new xbox live staff, obviously this one lacks vision and are definitely out of touch with the buyers want. Whats real sad is that the economy is messed up and MS wants to rape people of the little bit of money that they have left.

bknight2k

What is happening with outrun after peggle it is the only arcade title i am after

LawdaddyCO

Lame. I love PQ but I’m not dishing out 20 bucks for this. Haven’t they realized that if this were priced a 10 bucks they’d make far more money?

Danowat32

Again, crazy pricing.

I really don’t understand why MS can’t see the business sense in pricing these releases at impulse buy level, I am SURE Flock @ 800pts would make more money than Flock @ 1200pts.

For me, its all about justification, I can justify a £6 (800pts) impulse purchase, however, when things start rising to £10 (1200pts), and £14 (1600pts, which incidentally you can pickup full priced, discounted boxed games), then it all goes a bit mental for me, and its no longer an impulse purchase.

XBLA games should be pocket money games, they should be impulse purchases, you should download the demo, play it for a bit, and think tou yourself, meh, its only 800pts, I’ll have that, not sit there and think, hmmmmm…1200/1600pts is a lot of money for an impulse buy.

Its basic economics, stack’em high, sell’em low, and see the returns.

ElektroDragon

TOO EXPENSIVE!

Agent Klutz

Is there a way to trade in my food stamps or maybe donate my blood for microsoft points? How about I name my first born after the xbox 360 for some points. Would red ring or e74 sound good as a boys name.

Euphoric Fusion

Yet again another bad week for LIVE Arcade.
How on earth can people be expected to pay the same price for a pick up and play arcade game compared to a massive expansion for GTA VI.
I made a promise not to buy anything of marketplace that is over 800 points so these are definately a no-go.
Gonna download the trials though just to bring the game’s attach rate down so hopefully it will get pulled from marketplace in 6 months for having less than 6% conversion.
If you are gonna abuse us then we are gonna abuse the rule that you brought in.

zeDuffMan

How is that even a promotion?

MetalGearFloppy

One way to slightly appease the masses microsoft may be to adjust the achievements available for each game:
800pt arcade title = 200 achievement points
1200pt arcade title = 350 achievement points
1600pt arcade title = 500 achievement points.

It stands to reason that this should be happening anyway doesn’t it?
It won’t affect the fact that SOME of these newer titles are over-priced, but it will add some kind of extra value to justify the pricing.

(just remember I came up with the idea eh?)

Beluvius

Looks like I will only buy “Deals of the week” in the future. I will not support this new pricing strategy from MS. MS, you have lost another sale. Already the third lost sale during these disappointing “(rip-off) Days of Arcade”…

Danowat32

@T360UK CHIEF

I like that idea, might have to have a crack at doing that myself.

Marchantia

For those who are interested who sets the price: http://www.destructoid.com/jonathan-blow-talks-braid-pricing-98393.phtml

They “agreed” – so blame both: MS and the developer

Indigo0086

I’m glad it’s almost unanimous that this pricing scheme is pretty outrageous. It’s a shame because this game looks pretty good. But the price is too much. Arcade games used to be where you went for well priced games, not pricing you because you MIGHT buy it.

MyJewlzHurt

Again, no sale here either.

VILIUS169

sorry too expensive.i cant afford it at this time

KMetalmind

I wish Lode Runner doesn´t become 1600, because I really want that one

Warrengonline

@Pandapadawan
If you’re a ‘seller’ what would you do when many well-known businesses start to go extinct or on the verge of it, competition really doesn’t seem to be up to par (Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PS3) and you have opened a door of pandora (XNA) for the good of things. I know some high prices when I see them, but at times some things (Castle Crashers) were worth the price to me. As long as we keep buying ‘all is good’. I do not complain, I’ll point out what I do not like. Some games are not worth their price, but yet many people buy them. Keep that in mind.

@Protonus
For the LAST TIME, I’M FIRST in line for Killer Instinct! Now if it is Killer Instinct Gold or Killer Instinct X comes out first, sure go ahead, be my guest. I’ve been waiting on a Killer Instinct since that terrible KI Gold – man the sprite animation truly s-u-c-ks. And yes, I have both in my collection – SNES and N64. IF I had to put a price on it – I want a ‘true’ to arcade version, with all the old bugs and glitches (especially the rooftop TJ Combo Ultra Combo glitch I’ve never seen that since its glory days in the arcade when I was in high school), a 12 man tournament lobby so that we winners/losers can see the ongoing fights (no voice chat during tourneys), a true ranking skill set on manual combo and auto combos and possible a match up arcade like in SFIV (on off). I’d gladly fork over $80 for the disc as the Limited Editions of games lately are geared toward ‘you didn’t know any better did you’ types which = me. and my DSi….(sigh).. Peggle Dual Shot (DS game, not DSi) not as sweet as Xbox Live’s (graphics, sounds, controls) but just as addictive AND portable.

Warrengonline

@T360UK CHIEF
The ONLY promise I made to myself was to ALWAYS play the trial BEFORE purchase. Paranoid, I even played The Dishwasher for 1 minute in trial, THEN bought it, JUST in case the ‘fun’ had been removed. It was still intact, purchase. To go with it the 120GB HDD, until the price get to a ‘respectable’ consumer price, I will not buy one. I’m not being negative, but I was hurt a bit when everyone was shouting they had a 20GB HD, but yet formatted with NONE of my games or videos mine always read 13GB. I felt like I bought a three bedroom house and the third bedroom was the garage. So, as I delete completed games, ehhh, I can wait.

nastyswan

Hey, at least this region gets it for 800 ms points.

http://www.xbox.com/zh-SG/games/f/flockxboxlivearcade/

Whet Wetty

So… the total cost for new games this week is $35 on XBLA? Chingame!

I would have snatched up Flock at 800MSP. The game looks interesting, but not 1200 MSP interesting.

I bought Braid at 1200MSP and loved it. I bought Penny Arcade at 1600MSP and hated it. Price increases do not guarantee quality games. It’s especially annoying that there is no guaranteed price drop system on XBLA (since there’s not form of competition you monopolistic money grubbers). Penny Arcade at 800MSP is a slap in the face. If they would allow devs to drop pricing after a few months, I wouldn’t complain. The way I see it, I got Dark Sector at Newegg for $10 and that is a way more developed game than Flock. I can wait for the next “Deal of the Week” promo when Capcom and MS feel a little less greedy.

BTW: Is this the end of 400MSP games? I know you ran out of retro titles to p1mp, but surely you can find something to run a promotion on?

Wormboy74

1200 Points for Flock?? Come on, I really was expecting 800 for this title! I don´t believe that MS is really trying to raise the prices for all Arcade titles!

I wanted to buy specific games from the days of arcade and bought me some points, thinking that the games would be 800 and now I am screwed!

First no Dishwasher in Germany on day of release and now these prices….MS is really screwing Arcade up.

Great work!

Shonk

Another 2 games I WONT be buying

keep up the good work ms

VEGEMITE 98

Major, I thought there would have been a a bit more publicity over this week releases as this week marks the 200th XBLA game release.

Nex Antonius

I’m still buying Flock, because I actually like to SUPPORT developers.

I Super Sambo I

They are cheaper than Steam, yet people are still calling them overpriced?

You havent even played them yet, how do you know that they will be overpriced?

Also FFS, 400 MS points is about £3. Is that really too much to spend extra?

Bool Zero

Flock seems worth the price to me. I demo’d it a few months back on PSN through Qore and it was an excellent game and seems a steal at $15. While I would love the pricing to be lower I think that it is a well deserved price for the quality and fun factor of the game judging just by my time with the demo alone. So they will get my money.

On the otherhand, I have PQ: Galatrix for the DS and was sadly disappointed with it compared to the great original. The charm and fun is far removed and while the concept works n paper they just seemed to fall flat in execution with this title so buying it for XBLA is a pass for me. The game really lacks that something special that the original had in spades.

Complain all we want about these prices, at least we get to actually demo each game. You don’t always have that luxury on the other systems…

TeakLocket

Are the games any good?

TruRAV3N

Holy crap! Whats with these prices!!??

Ai Kago

1600 points for a glorified FLASH game, that is pretty mediocre.

LittleBlueAlien

Game: Yes.
Price: No.

El Gran Rabo

Its definitly to expansiv, first you must buy a Harddrive thats overpriced and now the Arcade Games to, Thats realy bad.

April 6th 2009 2:47 pm PT

This week on Arcade: Puzzle Quest: Galactrix and Flock!

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