Microsoft’s Demands
Ever wondered just how strict Microsoft is with their downloadable titles? We have the answer.
It’s all about equal or better for Microsoft in the downloadable games market.
Here’s some bullet points from a Eurogamer interview with European Xbox chief, Chris Lewis.
– downloadable games must ship on Xbox Live Arcade at least simultaneously with competing platforms or Microsoft may refuse to publish them
– they must have at least feature and content parity on-disc with the other video game platform versions in all regions where the title is available
– any demo on Xbox Live Marketplace must ship within the same week of its launch on other video game platforms or via magazines
Lewis didn’t definitively say that they wouldn’t publish a downloadable game that launches on a rival platform first but said, ‘I’d be surprised if we saw that as something we’d encourage’
How do you all feel about this? Do you prefer Microsoft’s strict approach with titles that appear first on rival platforms possibly not being published on the 360 or Sony’s more relaxed one that sees games eventually come over after appearing on Xbox?