1200 MS point Braid releases to the XBLA this week

by Dustin Burg { Aug 4th 2008 at 1:15PM }

Microsoft, Number None Inc. and Jonathan Blow just made the official announcement that the time bending puzzling adventures of Braid will be making its way to the Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday, August 6th. Just as was expected. The most newsworthy news coming from today's press release is the fact that the rumored prices for August's XBLA titles that MS later said were incorrect have turned out to be legit! At least for Braid, because it will cost you 1200 Microsoft points as was rumored weeks ago. Hopefully it is just a coincidence, because an 1800 point Castle Crashers makes us shake in our boots.

Gallery: Braid (XBLA)

Tags: braid, microsoft, number-none, xbla

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Arnon @ Aug 4th 2008 1:21PM

Ouch.. good lord that's expensive.. Eh.. I'll still probably get it if it's good haha.

Beagles @ Aug 4th 2008 1:29PM

I dont understand this. I dont know anyone interested in this game at all (aside from myself). How is a 1200 point game going to sway them any easier? No one that isnt interested already is going to purchase this. Hell, Im probably no longer going to purchase it. Considering it costs them NOTHING to distribute, wouldnt it make sense to just price it where revenues are the highest?

I cant see them making more money when only a few people buy it at 1200, where as a ton would buy it at 400 (which also gives the game a following, where you can maybe charge 800 for the sequel and get away with it [ex GW2])

J.F. @ Aug 4th 2008 1:55PM

Don't forget this is a newly developed game, not just some port of old 1980/90 arcade game or sumting.
1200 MSP translates to 15 euro's, that's something of 15 dollars/12 pounds if I am correct.
This game got a very nice reviewscore from Edge magazine.
If you would see this game in your local gamestore, next to all the other x360 games, for a price of only 15 dollars you would be interested, right?
I understand all pricepoints above 800/1200 MSP feel somewhat 'expensive' for 'only' an XBL Arcade game, but most of the time they aren't really that expensive if you think about it...

Dirty Whirlwind @ Aug 4th 2008 3:46PM

A man's gotta eat, right?

Jonathan Blow has pounded his heart into this for more than three years. 15 bucks for GOTY material is nothing.

SavageGrampa @ Aug 4th 2008 1:32PM

"shake in our boots" ... try "not buy this game"

Jonman @ Aug 4th 2008 1:32PM

I'll probably pick this one up thanks to the huge amount of buzz this game has got in the enthusiast press. I usually steer clear of XBLA games that exceed the comfortable 800-point price.

I'm also wishing I'd bought more discounted points cards when Target had them on sale recently.

Karlito @ Aug 4th 2008 1:47PM

A little birdie told me that the target sale is coming back soon

Jonman @ Aug 4th 2008 2:29PM

Sweet! I'll be all over it.

RockerAnimeFreak @ Aug 4th 2008 1:37PM

1200 pts?! are they crazy or something?? I could get an original game at that price!

AoE @ Aug 4th 2008 3:11PM

um... Braid IS an original game.

Steve @ Aug 4th 2008 3:41PM

@AoE:

No, he means an Xbox Original Game, ie games that were originally on the Xbox but now can be downloaded of the Marketplace, compatible with the 360 for... 1200 points.

MrMuggs @ Aug 4th 2008 1:42PM

I don't see the appeal of this game especially not for this price. Seems like a pretty simple side-scrolling platformer. For those that are chomping at the bit for this game can you explain the appeal and excitement around it? What's so hot about this?

BTW, I don't get Castle Crashers either. It seems like a cartoony SmashTV with funny weapons. If it turns out to be as expensive as rumored I totally don't understand why people would be jumping around to get it. Dishwasher Samurai seems to be the best and most original of all of them.

MrMuggs @ Aug 4th 2008 1:43PM

Stewart Bananas @ Aug 4th 2008 2:09PM

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3166184

Read it.

Max @ Aug 4th 2008 1:57PM

Yeah, I'm not getting this. 800 MSP should be the norm unless it's a totally awesome game like Puzzle Quest which I didn't mind spending 1200 MSP. Just my opinion of course! I'll probably play the demo, but not likely a purchase unless the demo blows me away.

Aero @ Aug 4th 2008 2:11PM

I'm expecting Castle Crashers to be the same price that was leaked before now.

Tony @ Aug 4th 2008 2:13PM

I suggest people look into it more before dismissing it as a simple platformer. There's more to it than that. $15 is not that bad for this game. It's happened for a few other titles with reasonable success.

I know quite a few people interested in this title, personally. I don't think this will hurt it. If it does, then I'm sure they'll call it a "hit" and lower the price.

ccc @ Aug 4th 2008 2:24PM

I'll have to play the trial but this trend is disturbing.

If its really good I'd say it may be worth 1200 points. But you know what, Commando 3 and 1942 were both awesome and they were 800 points so in my mind this will have alot to live up to.
I think Puzzlequest was the only worthy 1200 point game out there and bankshot billiards and roboblitz were failures. Which way will braid go? I'll know in 2 short days.

ZenGaijin @ Aug 4th 2008 2:26PM

I still don't see the appeal of this game. Looks like a bland 2D platformer with time rewind. Maybe its one of those "you have to play it to understand" titles

Echtzeit @ Aug 4th 2008 4:03PM

I'll buy this right away, without even trying the demo. It's just that good.

Etchasketchist @ Aug 4th 2008 4:36PM

Have you played it?

GANNONSMASH @ Aug 4th 2008 5:25PM

Damn, I'm exactly ONE DOLLAR short. :(

Sunny @ Aug 4th 2008 6:11PM

Castle Crashers can't be 1800 points. Microsoft won't allow XBLA games to be more than 1600, remember?

Wootai @ Aug 4th 2008 9:32PM

I have a sneaking suspicion that with the upcoming release of the XNA games and them having a tiered payment system of being between 250 and 800 MSP. Microsoft may be preparing us for a new structure for the XBLA games. XNA games going for $3-$10 and XBLA games going for $10-$20 makes sense.

On the books this will keep the XBLA making more money than XNA.

It will keep 3rd parties from making games for the XNA rather than the XBLA if they can sell games for more money (and therefore have bigger budgets)

If the games sell well, it will indicate that consumers are willing to pay that much for Digital Distribution on a console and open the doors for a possible all (or Mostly) digital distribution system in the future

This seems like a very strategic move for Microsoft regarding where it wants to take the console in the future. Since they're doing this (practically) right before the fall update, and also blowing it up as the "Summer of Arcade Event" and "Accidentally" releasing the prices for the games weeks before the release (something they've only done once or twice before) it may be a sign of things to come.

Mike @ Aug 4th 2008 6:44PM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I wont buy this.
I already own it, its called the SNES version of SUPER MARIO BROS.

"I'm sorry, but the princess is in another castle"
how is that legal?
and one of the stages is an exact copy of the classic arcade game DONKEY KONG, please tell me I'm not the only one noticing this.

Its true though, I havnt played this game itself.
but still, this reminds me of the old school mario games a little too much, just has a new skin to it.

Dirty Whirlwind @ Aug 5th 2008 10:54AM

Braid is a puzzle game, not a platformer. And it plays nothing like Super Mario, get that straight before you post stupid comments.

The princess line and the Donkey Kong-layered level is obviously a homage to the Mario games. If you really can't see that, then I feel very sorry for you.

Mike @ Aug 5th 2008 11:34AM

lol.
Puzzle game? maybe puzzle elements.

Tetris is a puzzle game.
this is not.
It might be a cross between platformer and puzzles.
Still, this doesn't even look interesting.
I'll try the demo
but it still reminds me too much of mario games with a new skin.

And dont tell me I post stupid comments. Because I dont. Dont say you know how it plays either, you havnt played it yet, ITS NOT OUT YET.

Dont act like you know everything kid, because you dont. :]