Xbox Live gamers to get game, gratis
Free download to celebrate service's fifth birthday
Microsoft plans to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Xbox Live by giving away free games and MS points to the service’s gamers.
Gamers can buy Xbox Live MS points from shops
The company said that Xbox Live’s 8m worldwide members will be able to download a free Xbox Live Arcade game. The giveaway starts at 8.01am UK time tomorrow and ends at 7.59pm on 17 November.
In addition, Microsoft’s also giving 500 free MS points to all active Gold members who have been Xbox Live members since the service's launch. Gold is the highest of the subscription levels.
Points are exchanged in the Xbox Live Marketplace for a range of items, including games, maps and skins.
Call us cynical, but it’s therefore probably no coincidence that Microsoft today also announced plans to release a system update for the console. It allows hard drive-equipped gamers to download complete games, such as Halo and Fable, without the need for a disc.
The update lands on 4 December and each game will cost 1200 MS points. By comparison, 1600 MS points currently cost around $20 (£10/€14).
Playing full games directly over Xbox Live could be a good way of reducing the need to leave the house to buy or rent games over the Christmas break. Now, if you could only order pizza through your Xbox 360...
COMMENTS
Come again?
Where exactly did you notice that you couldn't download games directly from the 360 store? You've been able to since the 22nd of November 2005 - it _was_ a feature from the off; Geometry Wars was an instant classic.
Lighting Blue Touch paper...
Have to say, although i have both a 360 & PS3, I did notice that you couldn't download games directly from the 360 store... Bit odd, as the PS3 can.. (WarHawk) and I was assuming that with all of the usage the 360 Store has been getting, that this would have been a feature from the off..
Think someone somewhere on El Reg mentioned that Microsoft are always chasing the inovative tail of Sony...not 100% true, butt rue in some respects, and this looks to be the case here.
Yes, it's Carcassonne
which is a bit of a pity, since I've already bought that.
Still, at least there will be some fresh newbies to beat in multiplayer.
*Any* free game?
My understanding was that the offer was a free copy of Carcassonne - which while it's an outstanding game is also one that I already own.
Woo!
Nice little gesture there, although I'm more interested in what this latest update will contain.
*crosses fingers for DivX support*
