XBLA file size limit increases to 350MB
by Dustin Burg 
{ May 20th 2008 at 1:15PM }
As part of the "steady progress", Edery confirmed word that they've raised the XBLA's size limit to a hefty 350MB after they've been "listening to our partners, listening to our customers to try and get a feel for what's right." The raise in file size limit is, what we think overall to be a good thing for the market that will probably allow richer, deeper and more involved XBLA games. We agree with Edery, it's just "good for the ecosystem."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tony @ May 20th 2008 1:19PM
Good. I was thinking a doubling up to 300 would have been fine, but this is even better. It still fits on the larger memory card, so everyone is happy.
Jay900 @ May 20th 2008 1:22PM
thank god for this!
CharleyTony @ May 20th 2008 1:30PM
lets hope that 350mb is enough for a xbla portal release !!
Dom @ May 20th 2008 1:41PM
charleytony
I was just about to say Portal too! w00t!
Scott @ May 20th 2008 1:42PM
They should have made it 360 MB for the corny joke.
yuk yuk yuk
Orenthol @ May 20th 2008 1:43PM
It's... a start.
I think the limit, at the very least, if there has to be a god damned limit, it should be 700MB.
But a limit is absurd. Especially when XBOX Originals can be 5GB+, and when the most direct competition (the PSN) has no limits at all, and allows for retail-quality games to be released openly on it.
Andrew @ May 20th 2008 1:47PM
The problem is if there was no limit, all the people who bought an Xbox 360 ARCADE would be screwed.
PeacefulOutrage @ May 20th 2008 1:54PM
I think limits can be a good and a bad thing. I have over 40 XBLA games on my 20GB HDD now, along with videos, themes, gamerpics, demos, and my regular game saves (of which I have quite a few). While I would want to have the choice for longer, more involved games on the platform, I don't want a lot of bloated games taking up any more space than necessary. I mean even Ikaruga is under 50MB, IIRC, and that game has very high production values, from the tutorial, the graphics, gameplay and sound.
PeacefulOutrage @ May 20th 2008 2:04PM
@Andrew
That's not true. The people who bought an arcade system can upgrade at any time. I have a premium system, but I still bought a memory card. People aren't stupid. If they want to watch videos from the marketplace or get a game that is too large, they should just get a message that says that they don't have enough storage space. It never stopped people from buying 4 - 6 PS and PS2 memory cards. And PS2 memory cards are still $25 for 8MB.
I can understand if they paid the same amount as the other systems and were screwed, or were never given the option of upgrading, but that isn't the case.
Mike Sylvester @ May 20th 2008 2:52PM
@PeacefulOutrage
XLBA's Ikaruga is bloatware compared to the Dreamcast version which weighed in at around 18MB.
I'd like to know if this limit increase is too little or too late for the SSF2HDR team to take advantage of.
BananaBoat @ May 20th 2008 3:16PM
Andrew is probably correct. If a game is only 300mb, that means you can pack a hell of alot more of them onto the lowest 360 Harddrive size in circulation. That is probably microsoft's reasoning behind the ridiculously small size that XBLA games are allowed to be.
All the small size does, is send business over to the PSN and to Steam. When you can put out a game with no restrictions on PSN, or Steam (on the PC), why would you limit yourself to developing a game that needs to be that small?
Anyone else not a huge fan of XBLA games? They all seem like games I can play for free on one of those flash arcade websites. Except for a few exceptions like Carcassone (or however you spell it) and uhh...lord...Galaxy Wars? (The one that the 360 came with a demo of)
PeacefulOutrage @ May 20th 2008 1:45PM
I think this is awesome. It should be up to developers to decide who they want to market to. Anyone can upgrade their system if they want to, but they know how many memory cards are out in the wild.
Also games which are standard length like Castlevania will be much easier to produce for people looking for a meatier game experience with more robust graphics and sound.
I'm tired of developers complaining how much it costs to make games for this generation. Look at PSP games being turned into PS2 games, and all of the DS games that really could be released for a home console. Their budgets are usually around a couple million dollars. How about PS2 and Saturn games? I'd love to see some more games like PAA: OtRPoD. Why can't a new SNK vs Capcom, Powerstone, Rayman or even better, RPG be developed and released for XBLA?
There are a number of games that are suited for arcade, because of their obscurity. This way they don't have to worry about being removed from the shelf after a few months or not having any copies at all when customers do want to buy. Everyparty may not have been a big seller in Japan, but if MS released it worldwide through arcade, I know that I'm not the only person who may have bought it. Look at Scene it!, Cataan, and Carcassonne. They seem to be doing well, and there aren't many games like it available.
Anyway, thanks for letting me rant.
Kevin Gass @ May 20th 2008 1:45PM
Oh god the last time they increased the size limit, we didnt hear from Castle Crashers for a whole year!!!
TORO @ May 20th 2008 2:08PM
Or maybe they did this because of Castle Crashers? Behemoth declares CC is done and sent to certification, couple days later MS announces increase in storage.
I'd be interested to know how big CC will be ;)
Maverick Saturn @ May 20th 2008 1:50PM
Celebrations all round!
A toast to Micro ^^
iFester @ May 20th 2008 1:50PM
This is starting to feel like and auction. Can I get a 400 cap, 400 - 500 cap... 1g. We have 1g cap now.
Seriously, it's a good thing as we'll benefit from better games; provided they stay in the $10-20 price range.
ZenGaijin @ May 20th 2008 1:52PM
Why even have a limit at all? I mean the PS3 has amazing download games that have no such limits on what makes them amazing.
Scott @ May 20th 2008 1:58PM
Because of the 360 Arcade and the need to fit XBLA games on the 512MB memory card.
I agree though, I'd prefer to see no limit...and the 360 Arcade possibly eliminated.
PeacefulOutrage @ May 20th 2008 2:15PM
@Scott
There is no reason to eliminate the arcade system. What MS should do, though, is allow developers to release games at any size they choose. The developers know how many people they are alienating when they release their games, and since it would be their profit, it should be up to them. People can always by a HDD, so even 512 shouldn't be the limit in that respect. If I was an arcade owner, the only way I would cry foul is if MS were giving incentives to create larger games to force people to upgrade their hardware. Otherwise I see no problem.
Etchasketchist @ May 20th 2008 2:22PM
Make bigger memory cards.
Mike @ May 20th 2008 2:04PM
The more they raise the limit, the more pissed I'm going to be until they drop the price of the 120GB drive to something more reasonable.
Dralthi @ May 20th 2008 2:37PM
I was just going to comment on that. Now if they can bring down the price on the 120GB hard drive we'll be in good shape!
I'm only going to download more XBLA games as the system gets older and that 20GB (err... 13GB) isn't going to last forever.
Not to mention, I haven't even downloaded any movies yet and those run in the gigabytes already.
skullivan @ May 23rd 2008 10:52PM
This is so absurd, they should have just raised it to 350MB LAST YEAR. How ironic is it that they raise the limit to 350 just days after Castle Crashers (which was delayed in the wake of last year's increase to 150) is finished.
I'm sure if the Behemoth had 350MB to work with from last year the game could've been even better. Hopefully they were notified of this change long enough ago for them to take advantage of it.
Phawx @ May 20th 2008 2:30PM
I'm half and half on this issue. One I like the limit because it forces developers to make use of as little resource as possible, which is supposed to be the point, even for the Indie scene.
On the other, I feel that if a developer can honestly show that a game needs more space they should be given that option with little effort.
Dralthi @ May 20th 2008 2:42PM
I wonder how much scrutiny M$ puts on developers for keeping their file sizes down?
When a game is being certified does M$ send it back to the developer if they think the file size can be shrunk down more?
I know this was the case with Bionic Commando Re-Armed because the developer made a stink about it earlier.
With this new filesize limit is M$ going to be more lenient with that?
ccc @ May 20th 2008 2:30PM
heh, this news was a long time comming and I am glad to hear it has finally come to pass.
SABCA @ May 20th 2008 2:39PM
I think we have the release of Nintendo Wii-Ware + Capcom's complaints with Bionic Commando and SSFIITHDR to thank for this. Can't say abot Castle Crashers until we see the size...
I just hope optimization is still a priority, and that the larger size limit doesn't simply mean that games are going to cost more. Shrek and Roll isn't worth more than Ikaruga just because it's over twice it's size in megs...
Even if 350megs is available, if a game as awesome as Ikaruga can fit into about 50 megs, Then it proves you don't need More megs to make a game properly.
If something like Omega Five can have such high-quality graphics, within the previous restrictions, I hope future games aren't just bloated messes that lack perfection.
I really hope this opens the XBLA up to new Genres. I'd LOVE to see some original 2D or even 3D fighting games coming to the service. 2D games that weren't done in flash were apparently not a good fit for the service before. Original, new, high-res sprite games would just be great. (Or just "Guardian Heroes". Please?)
I'd assume profitability will keep prices and sizes in check, though. I hope the size is used for fleshing out ideas, and taking things that where previously restricted, to the level they always where intended to be at.
Teabag @ May 20th 2008 2:44PM
Is this necessarily a good thing? What is 'arcade'? Small side games made for a quick play. Increasing the size limit all the time will just result in big arcade games. What's the use of it then? Arcade should be quick downloads. Not everyone is blessed with a high speed internet connection. 350mb is fine...but going on increasing...like 700-1GB...that's too much. Heck, it will be equal to a retail game demo!
Dralthi @ May 20th 2008 2:48PM
Get used to it because that's where the future of the gaming industry is headed. I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation of consoles are almost completely dependent on doing everything online.
Discs are on their way out. I think a lot of companies have been making it blatantly clear that the future of gaming is going to be online only.
That means downloading your games instead of buying them in a store.
Patrick @ May 20th 2008 2:57PM
I don't care what the limit is, I just want SSFIITHD Remix already!
tan @ May 20th 2008 3:06PM
honestly if they do this they have to increase the arcades memory and the pros' because i know that my 20gb is resonably full and i still haven't been taking advantage of any movie rentals etc...
i mean my 'games' bit of my hdd is already nearly 8gbs with all the dlc and stuff... and thats without the new cod4 maps and halo maps.
also with rock band dlc coming this week i really think i may need to upgrade by years end...
PRICE CUT FTW!
then i can get an elite=]
Dralthi @ May 20th 2008 3:16PM
Probably M$'s plan all along.
emirabal @ May 20th 2008 3:37PM
Lower the price of the 120 gb or release a new 200 gb hard drive for some price but we should see something now along these lines.
AG @ May 21st 2008 10:28PM
next thing is too get rid of the core pack arcade or make the price of getting a hard drive affordable
LaughingMan @ May 20th 2008 4:48PM
This is great. I never understood why the majority of stuff on Marketplace are huge files (demos, videos, Xbox Originals) but the XBLA games absolutely had to stay small. +1 for common sense.
bigmac375 @ May 20th 2008 9:18PM
holy shit dustin, bad image.
Vern @ May 21st 2008 2:00AM
Does THAT MEAN MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 2 CAN BE PUT IN SOME TIME I HOPE SOOOO THAT WOULD BE SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
googoogachoo @ May 21st 2008 11:12AM
they shouldn't pander to the lowest features, provide arcade owners reasons to upgrade to a 20 gig HDD, or even past that. If they lowered the price of the 120 gig HDD, people would be buying it more. Having a HDD only makes it easier to want to buy more content off XBL anyways. MS will get their money in the end without gouging gamers with their BS proprietary HDD's.
It would be awesome to get some larger games that are neither xbox originals, or fit under the old XBLA limit. How about some Sega "classics" from the Dreamcast?
theJman @ Jun 8th 2008 2:31PM
What if MS kicked the size limit and streamed it to your 360. So you could make a 5GB game and instead of downloading it, you download content as you need it. The game could be limited to 256 MB on your harddrive/ memory card and be cleared and replaced as needed. This would require a constant internet connection, however.