MS confirms no Spring update, a DRM fix and an XBLA restructuring

by Dustin Burg { May 22nd 2008 at 4:45PM }

In an exclusive interview with Next Generation, Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten announced the rather disappointing news that they will not be releasing a Spring update this year. This of course means that the rumored Spring update feature set that was leaked last week was complete bologna. Whitten says that instead of putting their resources into a Spring update, they decided to focus their energy into "building the proper infrastructure and scale for the service" (ahem, more reliability). But all is not lost in the land of updates, as Whitten confirmed Microsoft will be rolling out a change to their DRM policy in June that'll allow content owners to re-license XBLA and XBLM content to a single console. This move will make said content available when disconnected from Xbox Live.

Finally, we learn that the Xbox Live Arcade will get a metaphorical Spring cleaning as Microsoft plans to remove under-performing Arcade titles. Games that have been on the market for over six months, have a Metacritic average lower than 65% and a conversion rate below 6% will be targeted for de-listing. A move that Microsoft hopes will streamline the service and open it up to bigger and better things.

Tags: dashboard-update, microsoft, spring-dashboard-update, spring-update, xbla

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Procris @ May 22nd 2008 4:49PM

Great, so no "4 way chat" again. Pretty disappointing, heres hoping fall update brings us something worth while...

Anticrawl @ May 22nd 2008 5:15PM

Fuck dude I know, you could even open up a chat room for multiple people on the regular xbox and we still can't have multi-chat when playing games. How hard could it possibly be?

Sean @ May 22nd 2008 5:44PM

Microsoft have said in the past that multiple-person private chat is restricted by user bandwidth, and could effect games.

Cal @ May 23rd 2008 4:42AM

They should let us deal with that then, we could let our friend with the best connection host the chat

Louis @ May 22nd 2008 4:52PM

Thank God they are fixing the DRM issue. Nothing like double punishment; your 360 breaks, you buy a new one and none of your games work unless you are online. Ha. Microsoft laughs at your addiction.

DjDATZ @ May 23rd 2008 8:23AM

Yep, I just got my replacement back on Wednesday. I thought of calling them and bitching at them to fix it, but with this announcement I can wait a month or so. It's not like it would have been done within a month anyway...

Outinthedark @ May 22nd 2008 4:54PM

Whoa did I read that right...removing titles? What's up with that?

Andre @ May 22nd 2008 4:59PM

They're removing old, shitty underperforming titles, so there's really no harm to be done. Still, I'd rather them just separate those games into another category along the lines of "Crap" and keep them available on the marketplace, should someone still want to buy it (or re-download it).

Outinthedark @ May 22nd 2008 4:59PM

Wow look at how many titles would qualify for deletion...

http://www.metacritic.com/games/xbox360/scores/

Outinthedark @ May 22nd 2008 5:03PM

I agree with you Andre...add a new tab or whatever. This shouldn't be a hasty decision as this might open up new levels of low for XBLA.

There are a ton of titles for XBLA that are under 65...of course that is just 1 requirement but still...

Glad they are fixing the DRM stuff...just got my licenses back. I have been asking since the end of September when I upgraded to the Halo 3 edition.

Odog4ever @ May 22nd 2008 6:17PM

The conversion rate number is still factored into the equation which the general public doesn't have access (or do we?)to so the meta critic list is not definitive. Although its good for speculation.

Also I think de-listing means no new customers will see the bad games pop up in the list of games available for purchase. We can always pull up our download history and select a game for re-download. At least that better be how it works. (*Shakes fist*)

Flip Top Eddie @ May 22nd 2008 6:21PM

I don't like the idea of delisting games, even if they are horrible and no one buys them. Based on it's metacritic rating Aegis Wing would be eligible for delistment, I really liked Aegis Wing. The whole thing just feels wrong, except Space Giraffe and Yaris. They could definitley get rid of those.

Outinthedark @ May 22nd 2008 6:46PM

It's funny you mention Yaris and Aegis Wing as they are both free...

I loved Aegis Wing but the Yaris game is just infuriating stupid market crap...please MS make THAT go away...

I still think removing it entirely is a bad idea. Make a new tab and clean the XBLA marketplace up a bit and we're good to go. No need to start removing titles just because their space on the marketplace is not generating enough revenue...

Toliman @ May 24th 2008 11:31PM

hey, i'd much prefer a refund of points as an option, than any obligatory deletion of content that i'm not using.

from the casual way that MS mentions this, it seems deleting things is MS's way of saying they care.

though, not for you though and definitely not for the paying customers, those idiots are trapped. after all, you can't leave, and you can't get a refund for all those points or months of gold access you purchased either. good luck trying to get your credit card info off their servers before it auto-renews your subscription, without calling xbox support and letting them know why you won't be continuing on.

it's because they care. for your money.

SadisticHam @ May 22nd 2008 4:54PM

Bleh what a let down.

Will @ May 22nd 2008 4:54PM

Aww :(

Timur Tabi @ May 22nd 2008 4:57PM

If they really do allow me to transfer content to another console, then I will forgive them for not providing a Spring dashboard update.

Cal @ May 22nd 2008 4:57PM

Why wait until Summer to announce this?

ordigas @ May 22nd 2008 5:00PM

Yes, it's disappointing, but at least they are finally fixing the problems caused by their clumsy DRM implementation. I just hope that they really come up with a practical solution and not with a painful and complicated work around

Mighty Healthy @ May 22nd 2008 5:03PM

Awful.

As I sit and wait for what possibly could be my 7th Xbox 360, I have THIS to come back to?

That leaked set of features made too much sense...of course it was too good to be true.

*sighs*

Andrew @ May 22nd 2008 5:29PM

I would have given up on around Xbox 4. I've only had to have mine replaced once, and I'm thinking if I have to go through the experience again I might have to make the switch.

Trekster_Gamer @ May 22nd 2008 5:44PM

I think your 7th xbox is a bullshit statement intended to slam the XB360 in general! Either that or you are just abusive to the console. Maybe you should stop using the 360 as a footstool, that's what a Wii and PS3 are for!

Sharp @ May 22nd 2008 7:23PM

Come on Trekster the 360 doesn't need any help making it look like a POS system. It is doing that all by itself, this article is further proof of that.

As soon as I get the RROD it will be out of the door and MS will be out of my gaming plans.

chubytuby @ May 22nd 2008 10:14PM

I agree with trekster :\ You can't possible go through that many 360's without doing something wrong to them.

leo2178 @ May 22nd 2008 5:03PM

so now if you purchased a game that wasn't popular enough you can't delete it for space and re-download it later. way to go M$... u really want us to buy overpriced HD's don't you.

Andrew @ May 23rd 2008 5:00PM

I have a feeling that you will still be able to redownload games that you have already purchased, but people won't be able to find them in the list to purchase them for the first time....

At least I hope that is what is going to happen.

Octantis @ May 22nd 2008 5:04PM

Throw us a frickin bone here. An update every six months was pretty poor and now it is every 12?

Hey MS how about a little something to keep that fans happy? I don't need a lot just a little something to keep the fanboy fires burning. 4 way chat how hard is that? You can find greater than that in Halo 3.

I still love ya xbox, just want to give you a new coat of paint.

webster1990 @ May 22nd 2008 5:05PM

damn it, those features listed in the fake update list thing sounded awesome.

jaferris @ May 22nd 2008 5:06PM

what this stupid
why ms create the spring and fall updates if they just going leave one of them out
---
they say listening too what the gamers want but they never include it
and going have too wait till fall now too see if they even going add anything else
---
pay £40 a year for service and they dont improve on it waste of money

Sean @ May 22nd 2008 5:49PM

You should pay £40 on English lessons and quit whining.

Microsoft have no obligation to provide us with dashboard updates. They offer much more than the competition, so there really isn't a massive need to add fancy, pointless features. I'd rather they concentrated on the backbone of the service to improve reliability, and perhaps increase the likelihood of switching to partial-dedicated servers.

Darth Yoda 03 @ May 22nd 2008 5:10PM

That's great they are fixing the drm issues, but one think I'm concerned about where it says: "... re-license XBLA and XBLM content to a single console"
Me and my wife both are gamers. And we have 2 xbox 360's so if my wife wants to play or watch tv on the main tv I can go to the other tv and play. And i keep my account on a memory card, then sign into live in the other room, and can play the arcade games on content that i bought on my other xbox 360 since I am signed into live. But usually play on my main tv so also want the content there when i play in there. I hope it doesn't mean i won't be able to any more. I can move my game discs over from one room to the other and my xbox live account over without having to buy a second copy of the game, etc, so i don't want to have to start buying 2 arcade games and 2 of each downloadable content, etc.

jeff @ May 22nd 2008 5:11PM

"Metacritic average lower than 65% and a conversion rate below 6% will be targeted for de-listing"

What, no more Yaris!! I better go re-download that great game!

DeaconBlade 360 @ May 22nd 2008 5:11PM

actually, he didn't confirm there was no Spring update. all that was said was that there would be no significant changes this spring. looks, features and other cosmetic things associated with Dash updates.

there may be an update but instead of the usual, users should expect internal changes instead.

:)

ericdrum @ May 23rd 2008 1:31AM

EXACTLY. Nobody read his comments. All the game websites just copied the stupid headline from that site. Total link bait.

ZEBRA NINER @ May 22nd 2008 5:14PM

Hmmm, weird. Well, whatever. I would like a 4 way chat. Also, removing XBLA titles doesn't really make a lot of sense. Why not discount the prices, and try to squeeze a few more pennies out of them?

SABCA @ May 22nd 2008 5:30PM

The removal of games sounds like a horrible idea.

I DO see it being smart to take them off the main list, and relocate them to something like "classics", "Over a year old", or "Retired/Discounted Titles". However, you're telling me if I have a game DL'd and a new friend who just got a 360 wants to join me on it, if the general public didn't like the game (hence low reviews), he might not be able to get it at all, permanently?

Maybe they'll make it so that you can "Tell a friend" about the game, and that will allow them to Download it still, even if it's not on the main list. Because, otherwise, this sounds like a really bad idea.

SABCA @ May 22nd 2008 5:39PM

Interesting note in the full article, they say they'll give a 3 month notice before the game is removed. Well, that's not as bad as it COULD be. I'm glad to see that, at least. However, this still makes me wonder...

The Beta Max @ May 22nd 2008 5:32PM

no spring update? BOO

pulling crappy XBLA titles? YAY

monkeywithnoeyes @ May 22nd 2008 5:36PM

maybe it would of been a better move to allow those arcade games that are set fo "delete" to become free for a months period each to gold memebers.. slightly adding to a much needed reason for the additional charge of a service every other platform in existance gets for free.

RT @ May 22nd 2008 5:36PM

Dammit MS, all I wanted was MKV support and 4-way chat...

Gamertag: GOPAL892005 @ May 22nd 2008 5:58PM

took them long enough to add DivX support - wouldnt hold my breath for MKV as much as we want it.

MKV support would make the X360 into the ultimate media center IMO, easily beating PS3's Bluray.

Hey Apples @ May 22nd 2008 5:47PM

Thank god for fixing their-broken ass DRM. Legitimate customers do not deserve to be treated like criminals.

xenocidic @ May 22nd 2008 5:58PM

all i care about is a frickn way to not have to hear about every joe and their mother who just "...came online."

h0mi @ May 22nd 2008 6:06PM

"Games that have been on the market for over six months, have a Metacritic average lower than 65% and a conversion rate below 6% will be targeted for de-listing"

Names of titles please before you delete them. The worst feeling in the world is to have 1 of these crappy games and not be able to get the online achievements.