Vintage game downloads will only work for Nintendo
Do you really want to download these games?
(Credit: CNET Networks)If you've been following the world of video games, you've probably come across an interesting piece from Team Xbox that claims a new update to the Xbox 360 will allow us to download old Xbox games.
And while I think this is a smart move on Microsoft's part -- everyone seems to want to play old games -- I just can't see how it would benefit the company that much.
According to reports, the first wave of available games will include Halo, Fable, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Burnout 3. Interestingly enough, these games were also some of the more popular titles released for Microsoft's former console, which leads me to believe Microsoft is looking to turn this into a PR victory after the first month of downloads. After all, would anyone really download Kabuki Warriors for just one more thrill?
Regardless, Microsoft may be showing its hand too early. Simply put, I just don't think anyone wants to download games that were released five years ago and hold little value. More than anything, I think people want to download games that came out a decade ago to go back to the good ol' days and finally come to the realization that some of the best games ever released really did come out then.
Let's play a game. If I said you could only download Super Mario Bros or Halo, which would you choose? What about The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past or Fable? Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas or Contra?
At face value, I'm sure some of you may choose the newer games. But before you decide to plunk down some gamer points on newer titles, consider this: all of those games can be played on the Xbox 360 today if you have the disc. Even better, you can probably find them quite easy on eBay or even in your local game shop. Can the same be said for the older titles?
Regardless of where your loyalties lie, those classic titles cannot be played on any game console currently being sold. Worse, you may be able to find them on eBay, but what would you play them on if your older console is damaged or lost?
Now, I commend Microsoft for getting into the game download business. Not only was it a smart move, but it makes some business sense. Further, I think it may actually perform relatively well in the beginning. But in the end, I simply can't see this doing well over the long-term.
Nintendo has been quite successful in its offering of old video games because those old games offer something no other company can provide -- nostalgia.
Even if you didn't like Super Mario Bros., there's no debating the fact that even to this day, people believe it's one of the greatest games ever made. And when given the chance to download that game on the Wii for a nominal price, they jumped at it. In essence, Nintendo was able to breathe life into games that many of us believed we could never play again without pulling the old console out of the attic.
Video game downloads work because people see an old game they formerly enjoyed and say, "wow, I'd love to play this again!" And while some may feel this way about Microsoft's downloads, most will probably look at the price tag and say, "well, if I wanted to play this again, I could run over to my game cabinet, pick out the disc and throw it into the system. Why pay even more for this game?"
Do you see what I'm getting at here? Video game downloads rely on time. Nintendo is successful because its offerings are old -- Microsoft's are not.
Give it about five years and come back to this, Microsoft. Trust me, it'll work then..
Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
About a year after I got Halo 2, I traded in Halo 1. Ever since then, I've waffled over whether to re-purchase it. Additionally, Fable and Psychonauts are games that I never played, but that I'm one impulse purchase away from getting.
Why must the retro game market be limited to games outside of a certain recent range? Why can't we appreciate the full spectrum of old games?
On top of that, they went the extra mile on many of these to include smoothing so they look better than they originally do, because looking at 16-bit graphics on a 1080 screen can be more painful than you remember.
As a rebuttal, the ability to purchase a digital download of a last-generation title is relatively cool. Missed out on Fable? Can buy it new for $20, used for $10, or digital download for $15. The pricing isn't that bad for what it is, and gives you access to some okay games. And the digital downloads are rumored to have some level of updated graphics, gamerpoints and XBL support, which cannot be guarenteed for the actual XBOX DVD versions.
And it opens the door for downloadable 3rd party games that are larger than what XBL Arcarde allows. There has been rumors of this so that episodic games, like the HL2 series, can start being offered via download without the size limitations that are on the Arcade.
However, if it is true that the downloaded versions will have gamer points and XBL support that changes everything. I would consider replaying some of my old games to unlock achievements.
I am going to hold off upgrading my 360 HD until this shakes out a little more. I have a feeling the 120 GB will only be a middle tier HD.
That simple fact destroys the entire premise of this article.
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by _douglas_
December 5, 2007 7:16 AM PST
- I think you are missing the long view.
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(5 Comments)Microsoft does not care about making money off its old games. Microsoft wants people to get used to purchasing their games over the network.
The next generation of xbox will doubtless have a larger HD. Microsoft will be able to release games faster, while barely out of beta, fix the bugs over the network, and make a higher margin on sales than by selling packaged games.