I agree that games should come with their own pics and themes. Its nice when they do.

Dr Terror

YoRone22

I see ads in Crackdown, I see ads in Rainbow 6 Vegas and in GRAW2.

I find them a little funny more than anything. I didn't even notice the ones in GRAW2 until recently.

I've seen the US marketplace with its wider variety of ads and it does not bother me in the slightest.

And you do realise that updates do a lot more than put ads in games don't you?

If adverts mean that I get access to more free content, I'm not going to complain.

Contra666

batdrox

DiSTiNCT

You're a goon. My comment was a tongue & cheek reference to the way Mark's story was written. Apparently that was lost on you. I also have a newsflash for you buddy. The marketplace tab? The one that's only accesible if you're on LIVE? Yah that one. It's M$'s. Not yours. They allow you to access it and shop there. That's part of that annual fee you pay. It's like if you went into a McDonalds, you gunna ask to start putting posters up of shit you like? Nah, not going to happen. Be thankful you have a 360 and that you're able to access those features at all. And the story is trivial. The system is about playing games. Not worry about what wallpaper you have up. You want wallpaper go get a PS3 and get into the 'Home' Beta. There you can sit alone in your homespace and stare at it all you want.
Go 'Banhammer' yourself.
It's people like you that give gamers a bad name.

DiSTiNCT

Just wait until your dashboard and online enabled games are literally peppered for ads for everything from fast food to deodorant to pop bands to movies to tv shows.

Then remember when you get that auto update notice for SC: Double Agent (or Crackdown) that will force you out of live if you don't accept it. Once you accept the inocuous looking update, enjoy all the ads for 300 on DVD that litter the multiplayer maps, cause they're practically the only thing that's free on xbox live anymore.

Once you've enjoyed all 30 seconds you can stomach of that, go place half of your game library on ebay and see how much you can get for 'em, cause unless you really like getting sold to all the time, those older games are practically unbearable.

Now, imagine a world where you are unable to turn your console on without being inundated with McDonald's ads, and when you see it in your mind, say the following:

"This is the future of of gaming"

Enjoy, we're living it.

stranger

@Contra666: There are a few themes that have only 1 or 2 pictures (Like the free InterServ theme), and they just reuse them on the other blades. They could apply this same idea. Have new themes come with 5 pictures, and the previous themes reuse one of the pictures on the Marketplace blade (maybe the one from the System blade that I never see).

SpacePenguinBot

legacyed

Of course they could do it through a user customisable theme system where each blade can have a different image of your choice.

I don't think they will change it, because Microsoft's Interface Design relies heavily on there being no inconsistencies in how things work, to have some themes with 4 images and others with 5 would not go down to well with the people at the Xbox design team.

So they just chose to stick with 4 blades being themed to keep things simple and they use the opportunity to modify the 5th blade for advertising/promotion.

As for "Personally I can't wrap my head around the idea that anyone should be allowed to buy up adspace in a game I purchased, after I purchased it, altering the content of my personal property. I also cannot understand how MS can legally alter my own private use property via live (which I pay for), and force me out of my subscription-based service should I refuse these ad updates. Anyone know a good lawyer? Cause class action is the only way we're gonna get this disgusting practice to go away, if there actually is a legal leg to stand on..."

I think you are overreacting a little, Microsoft would have this covered in the Terms of Use and it as after all only advertising space. I can see how some people would get annoyed by it, but I don't find it that intrusive. I must point out that as I live in the UK, the ads in the dashboard are quite limited and only really cover Xbox 360 accessories or content on the marketplace.

The main problem for Microsoft is explaining to people why some themes (at varying price points) have 4 images and why others have 5.

Contra666

HEY!

I love mountain dew. 8)

But I hate that themes cost money, especially when a lot of them IMO aren't particularly good themes.

Part of my work involves graphic design. Given the tools, I could make my own skins that would probably beat out anything currently on the marketplace.

The biggest crock, however, is them trying to sell you themes and player icons for GAMES YOU ALREADY OWN.

If you paid $60 for a game, I think the least they could do is throw in the theme and icons for free.

lordargent

azupanda

Dear Distinct,

Meet the banhammer.

Seriously, this is in no way your webspace. And the marketplace background is in no way a webpage. It's a background image in a console I paid for which utilizes a service that I also pay for. When I purchased said console I was able to customize my background images. Now Microsoft has decided to hamper that feature in order to sell more adspace on my console via the service I pay for.

Though you may find it so, this is not something which is merely "trivial". I don't want a "comany" to pay for adspace on my console, period. If that is going to be a caveat of xbox live going forward, live needs to be made a free service. Period. Otherwise I should have the option to turn the ad-support off. This also needs to apply to games.

Personally I can't wrap my head around the idea that anyone should be allowed to buy up adspace in a game I purchased, after I purchased it, altering the content of my personal property. I also cannot understand how MS can legally alter my own private use property via live (which I pay for), and force me out of my subscription-based service should I refuse these ad updates. Anyone know a good lawyer? Cause class action is the only way we're gonna get this disgusting practice to go away, if there actually is a legal leg to stand on...

This is a big deal, and a battle that needs to be fought now, in the practice's infancy. If the MS ass-rapevertising becomes status quo, it could turn me off to online gaming all together. Or it could just turn me into a PS3 lover.

The fact that you don't think much of the issue, paints a picture of you that is none too pretty. Right now I picture the mindless, ad-imbibing, drool lipped, cheeto stain-fingered, Mountain Dew swilling consumer automaton Microsoft that thinks all gamers are.

Most of us take offense to such treatment, and you should too.

stranger

you couldn't just complain about the dashboard?

hey, i don't like how the ps3's interface is nothing but scrolling squares. sony, even though you have no games till next year, how about you fix the squares for rectangles?

see what i did there?

mesmerMAN

Mark makes a valid point. If these themes were free (as many think they should be) it would be fine to have that ugly orange Marketplace blade. But we pay for themes and the themes we pay for should override any advertising plan MS came up with for that specific blade.

Agree? Disagree? It doesn't matter. It's a viewpoint. And it's not up to you to decide what viewpoint is or isn't "wasting space" on Kotaku. Unless your last name is Crecente or Ashcraft, which yours doesn't appear to be.

Anyway, good post Mark. Entertaining read and an argument I fully agree with.

Sloopydrew

GamerNamedTim

shufflemoomin

When M$ announced the Marketplace blade, they said that it would carry it's own theme which would be subjectable to promotional offers. Meaning If a comany wants, they can pay to have whatever they want there. For you to display your own image there would defeat the purpose of M$ making any money off of that page. You may see it as a Tab. When actually it's a webpage. In the future please refrain from wasting webspace on something so trivial.

DiSTiNCT

As for the GUI itself, I'm a really big fan of Sony's XMB. The 360 Dashboard is fine and all, but there are better things out there.

endejas.

WatershipDown

Why doesn't anybody release a nice background which actually benefits usability and visibility? Some boxes around the content, subtle shadows, that kind of stuff.

TheBard

I wish I could change the theme on my Wii. I'm so sick of the white smooth apple like theme already. I want pretty girls on my Wii!

Jooptang

I don't have a USB memory stick, but I could borrow one from a friend. Do you have to leave it plugged in, or does it copy it over once you set the image as the background?

SpacePenguinBot

I hope that the PS3 becomes more competitive in the coming months because:
1) I own a PS3 and it I want it to do well.
2) I own a 360 and I think MS needs competition to loosen its death grip on the marketplace.

There are certain things I like about each console's interface. I think the 360 does a better job of making more information accessible at once, whereas the minimalist interface on the PS3 means most of the screen is blank most of the time. I like the look of the interface on the PS3 better, it's simple, and classy compared to the garish bright colors on the 360. Hopefully they'll give it a visual update, but I would settle for being able to set my own backgrounds.

SpacePenguinBot

okenny_unbanned

Seriously, this is like trying to charge people for windows backdrops all over again.

Here's something you can do though. If you have a USB memory stick, you can plug it into a USB port and view pictures on it. And there will be an option to use the picture you're viewing as a background.

caveat 1: You can't change the theme of the blades themselves.

caveat 2: The background is the same for all of the blades (except for the non-editable marketplace blade)

lordargent

yes, exactly. the PS3 GUI is classy and sleek. the 360 GUI looks very dated, bland, and very flat.

the zune's have a nice GUI, Vista has a nice GUI; it's time for the 360 to get an update.

Strider_Seven

D00mM4r1n3

Cheers!

frygar

I personally think the blades on 360 are much more sophisticated, and well designed than the XMB.

You have a console that screams to the world "IM NEXT GEN!!! ME! ME! FORGET THE OTHERS" yet, they recycle the uninspired xmb for the console?

no0ne

They don't cover gamerpics, either.

We all need to start boycotting themes and gamerpics ENTIRELY. I mean, I like customization as much as the next person, but were paying for wallpapers, and a 50x50 pictures? And lets see... A 22 minute epiosode costs 160 points...a pack of 4 wallpapers cost 150 points. DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL!?

As far as I'm concerned, they should be free simply because its free advertisment for the companies. It only took 5 minutes to grab 4 screenshots or promo artwork and pack it together. If I'm looking at a bioshock theme or gamerpic all day, its going to remind me to buy the game.

CrimzinD

Anyways, why can't 360 users put a different background for each blade? That would be awesome.

harakiri_love

This isn't a slam to the guys at dbt because they have a wonderful site and I dig the way the dish up the previews. Very clean!

NeonJebus

You can change your screen name!?!?

Besides, every pixel of the Marketplace blade is covered with buttons and ads.

Toasticus

Xbox364LIFE

Deviation

Dogswithguns

Again, if MS saw the PS3 as a major threat, they might actually make some of these changes. It's too bad all I play on it are PS2 games.

SpacePenguinBot

deaftly

some people don't mind paying for theme's, but for God's sake at least make them look correct.

it's little things like this that make the end user experience.. a little salty.

well, they offer themes, at a price, but they leave out a blade. lame.

i've got an idea, since we're on the subject, update the whole 360 GUI in Vista style. transparencies, smoothed edges, etc. cause frankly, the PS3's GUI is so much better looking.

2nd idea, throw out more free themes! stop charging $2-5 dollars for these tiny little items. we already paid for the system, why not let us enjoy it with themes already.

Strider_Seven

I'd even be happy if they just let me choose a background color and be done with it. I really find all the themes to be pretty cheesy at best.

SpacePenguinBot

Because it was added afterwards.

The Theme requirements were all set in stone before the Marketplace blade was added to the Dashboard. Either ALL of the previous themes would have to be updated to support the additional blade, or they'd have to do their own themes on it.

Yes, this obviously gives them the benefit of selling the Marketplace blade sponsorship to third-parties, and I'm sure that factored into the final decision, but it was also the path of least resistance.

If you want to complain about something, complain that we can't preview the theme before we buy it. I've purchased a couple of themes that I'm pretty remorseful over.

Rob SuperRob Stevens

I finally own all the consoles, and this is one of the reasons I want the PS3 to start putting up a fight (any day now, guys). Their approach to dlc, user customization, open standards, and user generated is much more sane than Microsoft's. I would hope if the PS3 actually becomes competitive, MS might be forced to treat the consumer with a bit more respect (that's right guys, I'm not actually a wallet with legs).

SpacePenguinBot

I stick with the Halo themes (Trilogy, TV ad, Halo, Halo 3, Halo Wars...) as they're generally the best ones made.

RageKage

Glad to see there's not a new ad supported background there now. But even the smaller ads there now and on the home blade that are not game related really are an eyesore. We pay our $ every month for the Live service. Therefore I dont think I need to see ads for sprite, Mcdonalds, burgerking...and uh all the other crap ads I seen in there.

Game ads though, good. HD-DVD player ad-on ad, fine. Poorly drawn theme availble for purchase, maybe but dont push it Microsoft.

yashichi8bit

They all suck so bad. Most of them don't fit with the interface at all. They are either too dark so you can't see the interface, or they're composed so that you can't see key parts of the picture, because it's covered by an ad. They charge for themes that are basically advertising for games, movies, tv shows, etc.. and you can't even preview them!

But what really annoys me is that you can't make your own. I could make some really nice ones that would be leaps and bounds better then the schlock that's there now. They're really lacking in simple, design oriented themes. Maybe they could finally address some of those promises they made about user generated content on the marketplace. I could make a theme of my own, post it to the marketplace, and get a few gamer points whenever someone buys one. I could even make a cardboard sign that says "Will do graphic design for XBLA games."

But that will never happen. MS is way too controlling of the marketplace. I have a hard time seeing how anyone pays for them.

SpacePenguinBot

-New themes 5 pictures FTW
-No more price increases of these themes either M$
-While your at it maybe bundles with themes and pics together for a discount?

Ryanraven

It's good to hear I'm not the only one that gets a kick from high speed blade switching. Since my 360 is in my bedroom where I have two tv's set up,(one for gaming and one for tv/movies), I use a pair of wireless headphones so my wife can listen to the other tv without being disturbed by the gaming volume. With the headphones on, the back and forth of the blades can make a hypnotic sound. And I often find myself in a trance, swishing back and forth. Pathetic, isn't it?

coalhalo

Muffin_Man

NeonJebus

baxterpunch

Soy Bob

thaKingRocka

tomakasatnav

Seven Is Darker

crewwolfy

jihadjoe343

Lebensbaum

Hills

whitehawk