April 8th 2009 1:41 pm PT

You can now purchase Xbox LIVE Arcade titles from Amazon

 

Amazon has opened their Xbox LIVE store which will allow you to purchase Arcade titles directly from Amazon. In addition, you can also purchase points (good for Marketplace content) and subscriptions as well. The cool thinks about this is that you can use the Xbox LIVE Amazon Xbox LIVE store to purchase Arcade games and Microsoft points to send as gifts. Once you make your Amazon purchase, you’ll get a code that you can enter on your console or directly on Xbox.com to get your purchased item(s).

Edit: It is currently US only.

 

Archive By Larry Hryb, Xbox LIVE's Major Nelson

permalink: http://majornelson.com/2009/04/08/you-can-now-purchase-xbox-live-arcade-titles-from-amazon/

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  • A Place for Us

    Suggestion: Add Solo, Maestro to payment methods for Europe. I had to go out of my way to get a Visa debit card to purchase stuff directly.

  • PriusGuy2004

    This sounds like an interesting idea! I just noticed something… “Dig Dug” on Amazon.com = $5. On XBLA, it is 200 points…so XBLA is the better deal…by about $2.50…if my calculations are correct.

  • NavComm81

    I’d be more excited if it were on Amazon.ca. Still, I own 23 arcade games already though, so I guess I don’t NEED this.

  • Anonymous

    oh look us only same shit as always

  • DarkGin87

    Other countries should get cheaper Xbox live because we don’t get anything else

  • skyfire420

    sweat? nice grammar Dustin Krieger, go back to school and stop playing games. I hope you realize that attitude is why people all over the world hate Americans.

  • MACPH1ST0

    Hate, skyfire420? Such a strong word! And besides everybody loves the US again now that we have Obama! lol http://www.chiaobama.com

  • Warrengonline

    @MACPH1ST0
    Amazing! Barack Obama transforms into George Washington via ch-ch-ch-chia! Weird, but cool. But no thanks, I’m not a chia fan. Also, I like Ryu and Ken’s “Sure-You-Can!” over “Yes We Can.”

    @Over use of the word ‘sweat’ in the use of sweet.
    Sweat = to perspire; sweet = having the flavor of sugar, slang – “COOL!” Honestly, I thought people using ‘seat’ instead of ‘sweet’ were using it as a joke sometime ago. Seems I was wrong.

  • LivinItUp

    WARNING: Do not buy the Lost Cities code on Amazon. The game hasn’t been available for purchase on XBL Marketplace for a long time, and these codes won’t get you the game, either. Trying to redeem the code will reward you with an error. So, unless you don’t mind spending $10 for an XBL Marketplace error code, don’t purchase Lost Cities from Amazon. I previously brought the absence of Lost Cities on the XBL Marketplace to Microsoft’s attention, but never received a reply. I wonder if they’ll take this issue seriously?

  • Sneeches

    AWESOME, now how about you make it available for other countries, and Amazon.ca

    Thanks

  • roddymacd

    don`t ask about other countries as you will get the same usual crap about international law, god i buy things from amazon.com yes dot com not .co.uk so don`t give us anymore crap microsft you are just concerned about your usa customers same as always never mind the rest of the world

  • Warrengonline

    @BryceS
    Regarding “If somebody can come up with an idea which leverages the negligable distribution costs of games in a similar way, then they stand to make an awful lot of money.”

    Isn’t that what GameTap.com and Gamefly are somewhat doing?

    @LivinItUp
    Did you report that to Amazon and Microsoft? That would be most helpful for the busy mom (dad or uncle, etc) who does not visit or know about majornelson.com and will not see your warning. Um, did you document your issue correctly? I’ve rarely had issues needed me to call 18004myxobox, but when I did they took care of it with VERY little run around. Also, is the download in your download history? I usually check all of that so when they look they can see the incident. Head over to the xbox.com forums where more official xbox agents actually read/view some comments.

  • CrossyX

    FFS, i was happy there for a second until i read the normal “US Only” comment. How long until this is implemented in Europe? When will Europe get all the extra features US get over Live? MS need to realise they do have consumers outside the US.

  • Ark Hunter

    That’s pretty sweet! Will sales from xbox come over to Amazon? (looks like Penny Arcade E1 is full price at Amazon)

  • BryceS

    @Warrengonline Yes those are good examples. Also look at what id are doing with Quake Live. But PC gaming has been in decline for quite a while now, so there may not be the market to support such services. Could MS/developers make money by providing some Arcade games for free but supporting them by advertising? A game like Uno must have a pretty low development budget and there is plenty of time between turns when people might read on-screen adverts. Could an ad-supported version of that game be provided for free alongside a version where users could pay to get rid of the adverts? It could be quite attractive to advertisers and shouldn’t be too intrusive in that sort of game.

  • LivinItUp

    @Warrengonline

    Already posted on the forums weeks ago (regarding the absence of Lost Cities from the Marketplace, even though it was nominated for an XBL award and whose trial version could be downloaded only via the award app), and sent Major Nelson two messages. MS seems content to ignore this issue, although it’s more volatile now that Amazon is selling codes for a game that doesn’t exist. I can’t imagine that Amazon will be too pleased with MS.

  • SpaceNinjaDino

    I don’t know if this open the door for eroding prices or not, but that is an issue that should be addressed. My friend and I really want Switchball, but neither one of us is willing to pay $10 for it. We’d definitely buy it for $5. The developer should be able to adjust the price at any time. If they want to see revenue bump up, this is necessary.

    This would also allow a good sale when the game first comes out. Give a 25% discount for the first week. Then let it hover for a year at the regular price. This is done for all new released DVDs every week and it works. A bargain shopper will either buy it immediately or wait until the price erodes in the far future. However, do not bump up the regular price just to make the sale look good.

    Prices need to be fair. You’ll be surprised at the volume spike when the price is fair.

  • Casserole

    No wonder everyone wants to emigrate to the US!

  • II W4RLORD II

    this sounds good.

  • tozOL

    mmm, well I guess I got excited for the second it took me to realise its a USA thing again, I aint going to rant about that, its been said a million times but nothing is ever done.

    Now I could also understand here if it was something like “walmart”, a USA only store, but jesus were talking Amazon, probably THE biggest online retailer in the world today.

    So why can not thsi be implemented across the board..its extremely poor business sense.
    But you know what, and I mentioned this on my podcast this week, (crankygamersuk.net)
    And thats the fact when situations arise lie mine, it only makes folks more angry and actually put them off the XBLA.

    My scenario, wanted puzzle quest, saved up for a while, expecting 1200, get screwed over again for 1600, but guess what, I have 1560 MS points, now being as I dont use credit cards any more on the xbox system, my choice was simple..buy 2100 for around £16….bottom line..stinks to high heaven, poor business sense and poor customer loyalty.

  • Khufu23

    OK Major so you say “It is currently US only”. That makes me think this will be done around the world at some point? Can you confirm this Major??

    I hope so because this is a great idea. I’d gladly pay an extra £1 or so to get the game I want without having to fork out £17 for a 2100 points card. If MS have any sense they will be working like mad to get this (cool) idea up and running worldwide.

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