<![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA - Kotaku Comments]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA - Kotaku Comments]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Novellion:

You sound like you work in marketing...

Anyway, this is another M$ boneheaded mistake. They need to come up with a category like "Originals" and "XBLA" for games that are neither (like Shenmue or Portal). Problem solved.

It's all semantics and excuses anyway. Chances are Valve wanted to release it for $20 (an M$ no no, you can nickle and dime for Lumines...but not all at once) and Valve would probably be unable/unwilling to make a portal demo for Live (or I assume they would've already).

Billkwando

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> How large is Portal, anyway?

It could be a small download in Steam, but some resources are shared. Portal is really, If you want to look into the code, a _HL2EP2 mod_. So maybe share tons of stuff with HL2EP2. Anyway as work almost like a total conversion, I guest is posible to convert it to a standalone, and maybe lower the resolution of the textures, or remove one of the maps.

Tei

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> if you wanna play it so bad just fucking buy it on steam. also bandwidth aint free but demos/trials are. this means having bloated XBLA games is bad for business.

flanker22

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Im stil baffled as to why people dont get the reason for XBLA download limits????

Its extremely simple. The whole purpose of XBLA is small, cheap, quick to download games, that you can try on a whim.

Once games start getting big, people will not download them, unless they know what they are, thus killing the whole intention.

And what about people with download limits???? Most ISPs have a preset limit. If XBLA games start going to 1gb, that'll eat up both the HDD, and the download limits.

Also, as a large number of people already brought Portal, would the market even be that good? Its a great game, but i certainly dont need to complete it again.

Mr_Ed

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> ..if there is not one already.

DARK DVNT; DARKDVNT [Xfire/Yahoo/Aim] ;Plz visit my website, k, thx.

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Start a petition.

DARK DVNT; DARKDVNT [Xfire/Yahoo/Aim] ;Plz visit my website, k, thx.

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> ...or GTFO with your whining.

joelface

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> fuck. just put it on PSN all-goddamn-ready.

joelface

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> hey guys, theres a PSN, too! we spend money on there, honest!

pandafresh

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Potential reason: Maintaining price disparity?

Maybe this is paranoid, but perhaps Microsoft wants to keep XBLA titles as small bites which people would consume and move on. For 10 dollars (the usual XBLA price point), Portal could suck people in and not let them buy more. Also, 10 would be cheap for the game, raising the level of competition on the service to levels that other devleopers couldn't match.

On a similar note, by forcing Portal to disk they can maintain retail price levels, and keep competition within Gamestop shelves realm. Perhaps similarly this was necessary to keep their retail support of the console.

I'm not saying any of these are good reasons: this is probably the biggest mistake MS made since the 1st generation heat sink.

seishino

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> This could be done on the PSN.

boots555

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Releasing it on XBLA doesn't seem like a good idea anyway. It's also probably far too big. And it'd be hard to limit and give incentive.

Samos42

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Desfunk: what about xbox originals? those are all about 2g as well

inoneed12

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> If that's the case, microsoft should start removing some games.

I'm looking at some of that <8bit crap

Ultrasinc

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Desfunk: Amen to that. I've really cut back on downloading anything off of the marketplace because every time I want something, I have to manage all the data on my launch console's 20GB hard drive. All I download these days are the occasional Rock Band downloadable track (yes to Blondie; no to Skynard) or a trailer I know I'll watch and delete right away. I haven't DL'd a demo in ages.

If I'm a typical consumer, they're hurting sales of movies and TV shows on the marketplace by making the 160GB hard drive so frickin' expensive. If they sold that thing at cost or a small loss, they'd probably recoup their money through movie/TV/game download sales. Naturally, it'd help if they fixed their gimpy DRM, too.

Dirk Dorkelson

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.: "You don't farm that out to some 2nd party and then say "the game sucks because of the hardware...oh well..."

In all fairness to Valve, it is not that big of a company and for a timely release on the PS3 they had to get help with the port. Now, though I would never buy these games for my PS3, I will say that I lament the fact that the PS3 got a subpar port of some great games. On the PC they are all run and play great, and from what I have heard, on the 360 as well, so it is dissappointing being an owner of the PS3, so I'm with you there. Thank goodness for the PC!

homernoy

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Well, money really isn't worth THAT much.

TheFooFighter

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Why not put on psn then?

Kritikul

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> To allow any size would expose what is one of the 360's biggest problems, proprietary hard drives. $100 for a 120 HDD is ridiculous and would really cause MS more bad pub if consumers had to deal with lack of disk space constantly.

Many people I know don't download movies because they are concerned about disk space and of course that goes for demos as well. They save their space for DLC.

If I didn't already own The Orange Box for the PC I'd definitely want to get Portal for the PS3.

It's been obvious to me for quite some time that I was upgrading a PS3's HDD was not only economical but made a helluva lot more sense then buying a freaking expensive HDD for my 360.

I can get a 160 gig HDD for my PS3 for $60. Copy all my saves, downloaded games, logins, etc., and not lose one thing from my system. I wouldn't have to download all my games again or go through any extra stupid authorizations just to access content I've already paid for.

Try that on a 360!

Marculo

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Mr.SithNinja: LOL! that was totally on point. I was never a fan of Team Ninja until recently when the producer for Ninja Gaiden Sigma said that developers that complain PS3 is too hard to develop for, suck and should stop crying and man-up...more or less.

that's how I took the Orange Box PS3 comedy that is its development.

It's a shame really...is the development community getting to the point where they want to be treated like superstars with privileges to act like babies just because they develop games? this is a business...or so I believed...isn't it unprofessional to openly admit (more or less) that you don't really care about how your product turns out on a specific platform? Especially after Infinity Ward, Capcom, Rock Star and From Software to name a few, have proven that cross platform development doesn't have to suck for one console and thrive on another?

Any time someone cries about how hard it is to develop for PS3 and how 360 versions always run better...I look at Uncharted...I look at Warhawk...I look at MGO (which is NOT a fucking beta...not with how great it ran last weekend) I look at Resistance and Ratchet and Clank, Heavenly Sword, CoD4 , UT3....games that show off the PS3 hardware and is a testament to developers that took the time to make the console perform and didn't just throw there hands up in the air.

Game development is a business. As such...developers have to act like professionals. If their 3D engine and tools didn't run well on PS3 hardware, get them to run well on PS3 hardware. That's their job because it was their game. You don't farm that out to some 2nd party and then say "the game sucks because of the hardware...oh well..."

Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> I'm sure everyone in here has there own "real" reason. Bandwidth is really expensive but I'd assume they would work it into the cost passed on to the developer so it's really strange. Maybe it's a retailer relationship thing. MS doesn't want to offend the retailers devoting shelf space which publishers pay top dollar for. The world isn't as simple as a gamer's wish list though I wish it were.

okenny :) ...building bridges (to hide under)

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @AsWater: Yeah, they rob Peter (PSN) to pay Paul (XBL).

Mr.SithNinja

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Well, if they're just wanting to re-release the same game on XBLA that already appears in Orange Box, then who cares?

Why don't they just create DLC for the Portal everyone already owns on PC and the 360/PS3 Orange Box?

There's still plenty of money to be had... that is if Valve is willing to create NEW content, instead of just rereleasing the same stuff.

thezman

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @hodayathink: Yeah I remember that rant. It basicaly translated to " I am either too dumb or lazy to learn the archetecture to be able to get the most out of the system. I am going to bash it and call it a waste of time in order to mask my own failures and pawn off the port to someone else so they get blamed if it sucks."

maybe he should hang out around Infinity Ward for a few days and learn something.

Mr.SithNinja

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @greeble: You got the right idea here. Except SFHD got gimped so now both versions are "equal".

AsWater

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Tob3z: last time I checked arcade games ARE full games just smaller in size. The only reason they are smaller in size is to allow people to have a good number of games on their ridiculously small 20GB hdd.

If they didn't cockblock games like Portal people would end up filling their drives faster and bitching endlessly at M$ for forcing them to use proprietray storage and not allowing you to use an external device for storage.

The reasons why they list the XBOX originals differently are:

1. By seperating them from the "arcade" cataloge they can circumvent their own size DL policy.

2. They get better "visibility" giving them their own section tab.

3. They get to convince people like you that it isn't a conspiracy to cover the fact that they would rather screw you over with proprietary HDD (that they charge way too much for) than to make everyone's life easier with one standard sku and HDD.

4.???

5. Profit.

Mr.SithNinja

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Novellion:
You sir! I demand you stop being reasonable at once! That is not the point of flamebait!

Covert_Knight

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Why can't people just buy it on the Orange Box? I mean, $60 sounds expensive, but think of it as getting 5 next-gen games for the price of one.

dawimp523

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> MS should delete old demos to save bandwidth then.. I would gladly pay 10$ to try portal as XBLA but I won't buy the orange box.

mcool93

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Meh who cares, Vaulve games are only good on the computer, its just not right using a console for them >_> sans tf2 wich has the wierdest lag issues and driver issues evar, all the games can be run in dx 8 and you will get a good fps, it may not be as pretty as your xbox or ps3 if your comp isnt that good, but it will be more fun, and once your done you can get tons of mod's for half life and have even more fun, there's seriously no reason to get this on a console unless your computer has 5mb of ram and a dx -1 graphics card

D Mitsuki

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Its called the Orange Box. If you don't want to buy it then no portal for you!

cybereality

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> OMG the sky is falling! No Portal on XBLA what a tragedy! ....

Why is everyone making such a big deal out of it? It goes against their policy and thats it, theres no suprise. I bet the orangebox is plenty cheap now anyhow.

I think they should have a way of selling full games though, kind of like xbox originals. I don't see why they wouldn't do that since they've be going on about digital distribution for so long.

TheHun

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> what about psn?

VixDiesel

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Kenofthedead:
This may sound ridiculous, but I actually enjoyed that flash game more than the real game (I played it before I got the actual game). There were way more puzzles and they were actually difficult. I breezed through Portal without getting stuck for a minute. I think as great as it was it could have really done with some more imaginative puzzles, about 50 would have been right.

Have they asked about putting it on the PSN or do they still hate the ps3?

valleyshrew

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]>

[i23.photobucket.com]
Yeah I had the Orange box for the 360 but decided to return it after I beat Portal. I already owned Half Life2, and Episode1 and once Steam offered the seperate games I downloaded Portal for 19.99. I'm good now and I'm not planning on getting episode2 anytime soon.

JorgieX

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> all i want to know is who made that phenominal piece of lego art work up there?

Go Team Venture

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @diablofreak:
[i23.photobucket.com] you took the words right out of my mouth. I am for sure boggled by the constraints on Live! arcade games, but that will need to change sooner or later. We might just have to wait for the next XBOX system.

JorgieX

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Who cares? Portal is available on every system already and readily available on the PC. You could pick up Orange Box for like $20 used now if you really wanted it. It's also a redundant game. Why waste bandwidth on something that is available on disc already? Should we get Halo 3 on the XBLA next?

KirbyMorph

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> This size limitations are just stupid. Why doesn't Microsoft realize that people who buy Core SKUs don't even bother with M$ points and the marketplace. They are usually people who buy it just for playing Halo 3, COD4 or GoW and the ocassional FIFA/Madden.
Geez, I would be willing to bet that Core SKUs have the lowest Xbox Live subscription rate of all the SKUs. These people won't care and won't buy some relatively unknown game called Portal anyways!

Release it for the PSN, damn it!

Alex_Mexico

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Stoli: but those are all last gen games. It's a reactionary move to PSN and VC. Unfortunately for MS, they don't have the rich history of titles that Nintendo and Sony have. Nintendo more than Sony. It's the original titles that MS need for LiveArcade. Look at what the competition is offering and counter it with games that are as good or better. But they can't do that with a ridiculously low size limitation. If MS offers more robust experiences by lifting the size limitation and letting developers have freedom to design then the original Xbox offerings on LiveArcade don't look so thin compared to PSN and VC/Wiiware.

Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Tob3z: Oh, you mean like the original Xbox full games they have for download now?

Stoli

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> I want Portal for 360, but I don't want Orange Box. This is disheartening news.

EskimoDave

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Heyyou27: Really? Where all the games downloaded through the Elite, or did you upgrade from a Premium or something?

Stoli

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> They should totally make it for PSN. This would force MS to allow it for Live. See what happened to BC: Reamred and Super Street Fighter HD? They said "Uh oh, live version may be inferior to PSN version due to limit constraints" and MS made an exception.

greeble

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> It's in the name.

Xbox Live ARCADE. Not Xbox Live Full Games.

I completely agree with the size limit for arcade games. But yes there could be another service for Full games. So its not a case of asking them to up the limit. It's to ask them if they can do another service.

Tob3z

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> So, why no love for the PSN?

SofaKingHI

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Pretty much a failure Imho.

It might be 'too soon' since the orange box is still selling well, but little, sub 20 dollar games (katamari anyone?) that could be downloaded that are new are the next big thing. How many analysts say within a generation or two, we wount be even using CD's for games?

Xbox, get on the bus now before you have to wait for the next one.

huginn

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> PSN, please, Valve!

Likwit

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> There is a really great Flash game based off Portal. Really some great 2D puzzle gaming joy.

Valve should take that fan project, pay off the creator and give him some small royalties for the future, and use that for Arcade.
[portal.wecreatestuff.com]

Kenofthedead

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Derigor: I would agree that most GameStop customers are tards because I was an AM there a while back.

I bought the Elite because of HDMI, 120HDD and much lower failure rate. I ran the numbers every wich way, used system vs new, can't find a used Elite because everyone trades in the older ones because they know they are ticking time bombs.... I almost got the Halo edition but the paint job didn't justify the HDD difference.

...and the black with chrome drive tray matches my PS3.

Mr.SithNinja

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Internal memo from Microsoft:

"Whoever decided that we couldn't match or exceed EA's offer to Peter Moore is fired as of now."

Guizzy

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> THIS is exactly what I was talking about last week. MS needs to rethink that stance...seriously. LiveArcade needs more robust experiences to compete with PSN. Arcade classics aren't going to do it. Rez is nice and all as well as other titles and Soul Caliber is nice but PSN is getting a Socom, Wipeout HD.

Portal on LiveArcade would have kicked SO much ass.

Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Derigor:What are "DX drivers"?

homernoy

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Nightshift Nurse: Mile High Colonic: But Valve hates the PS3. I think I remember a Gabe rant a while back, and they didn't even handle the development of the PS3 port of the Orange Box (which is probably the main reason it sucks so bad even though it came out later). If they released it as a standalone, they'd actually have to go back and fix some of the issues in the PS3 version.

hodayathink: I like neo-noir lesbians

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> And to think, there are some people in the Video Game Industry that actually take Microsoft seriously...

humongous_mouse

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> I only wanted Portal and TF2. so if they were offered at launch on the XBLA I wud've gotten em there and paid less instead of paying 60$. I mean 60$ IS definitely a great deal, but I only wanted 2 of the games included.

that's what M$ is looking at too I'm sure. and probably Valve doesn't like the royalty fees they gotta pay to get it on the XBLA.

so those 2 together, means we won't see it on the XBLA. it's always about $ on both sides.

Lanhoj

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Klopfer123:
Just go to your local EB, by a used copy of the Orange Box, play Portal (and check out the commentary if you are at all interested in games development and theory) then return it within 7 days and say you didn't like the game.

While this may be working around the system, it is their policy with all used games and you can return the product within 7 days for a complete refund.

Ankhenaten

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Good for Microsoft! It seems that Valve is always looking for exceptions in the name of their creative superiority. Valve is certainly free to release the game's constituent parts as retail releases. However, this is certainly NOT the purpose of the arcade, and the policies that this decision derives from are not 'absurd' as the author has suggested (arcade entries and demo offerings constitute two unique revenue streams and should not be used as comparables within an honest discussion.)

The comments expressed on this page seem to be primarily from hardcore gamers who cannot see the value of marketing efforts aimed at a more casual audience. The simplicity offered by the Arcade SKU, a slim set of (mostly) solid arcade entries, and a strong effort to maintain system security through a closed system are crucial parts of the mix for Microsoft going forward. These help to insure a robust experience for a variety of users. Microsoft knows, perhaps better than anyone, the perils of allowing a platform to be all things to all people. I believe the conservative restraint that they have shown in dealing with the evolution of LIVE functionality is outstanding.

Novellion

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> My friend made that picture!

[www.brickshelf.com]

Roflcopter_Down: Wants you to follow HIM!

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> It would be better if they put Portal Flash on the XBLA.

Crash McCloud

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Mr.SithNinja:
I was about to post a response to this but um, I couldnt type up anything that didnt look like a blatant Ms/xbox360 flame.

before the 3 year warranty the core existed so people could replace their RRoD consoles and use their old hard drives. They aint never gunna drop the price on those storage units because well, too many people buy them. Just look at how many idiots got rid of their 360 for an Elite because it was black, hada bigger hard drive, and they thought it had better graphics lol. (I should say I worked at a Gamestop when the Elites came out, and yea... thats why my idiot customers wanted one).

@diablofreak: but the 360 basically is a pc, just an old one. Seriously mandatory hard drives might suck, optional is always better, but if enabling the use of a hard drive to significantly further the console gaming experience leads to dev making bigger and better games for us, why not be for it? It's not like you are installing something on a PC and have to worry about "do I have the latest DX drivers?" or "how many times can I install this, where's my cd key, blah blah". you pop in the disc and press X? Then wait. And if you cant wait 5-20 minutes to further the cause of gaming well then sir I dunno what to say to you. I mean go make a sammich, drop a duece, read some Kotaku, Play some DS/PSP while it's installing. /shrug

Derigor

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Christ, would it kill this guy to even mention the PS3. The 360 is coming dangerously close to triple-digit sales in Japan and is set to be overtaken by the PS3 in all other regions and developers still act like it doesn't exist.

Nightshift Nurse: Mile High Colonic

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> when the price of the arcade falls below the price of the wii then youll understand why theirs an arcade sku... the arcade sku is made to compete against the wii.. thats the only reason its their as a dirt cheap way into XBox gaming.

as for the arcade limit ... it is stupid ... but its very simple to resolve, have game downloads check the size available before they download if they have a 256mb card and the game is 512mb then say "this game is too big for your available space please buy a hard drive or larger memory card"

phantam

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> There is some middle manager at Microsoft with a bunch of fingers pointing at him today.

LOL!

axiomatic

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Mr.SithNinja: The only problem with that idea is that after spending so much cash, will there be any left to buy XBLA games? Also, the price of XBLA games would increase as well. With more space comes more development costs, and that means that the games will also cost more. The best part about a size limit is that it keeps the prices low enough that people will take a chance and buy that obscure game, such as Portal.

partyspasb

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Mohrdikai: how is this shooting themselves in the foot?
anyway, why was it not pitched to sony?

xbulletholes

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @ Mohrdikai: Ever since my Elite red-ringed in early March and M$ refused to transfer my licenses from my downloaded content I've decided not to buy 360 games/services anymore. Games I'd normally get on the 360 will now be purchased on the PS3, GTA IV being one of them. By the time the 360 DLC is available new games I'd rather play will be out anyways.

Heyyou27

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> I love my 360, but it certainly does seem like they are willfully derailing the train. The Core/Arcade was a miserable idea and should clearly be pulled from the market - beyond the lack of a large enough hard drive, they are already facing a storage issue in the future with using DVDs instead of Blu-Ray.

I anticipate I'll be switching over to a PS3 sometime in late 2009 (assuming my 360 lives that long) - hopefully they'll have the price down and the online play vastly improved.

LongDarkBlues

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @DevonTheDude:

I agree. I does name make any sense that there's a cap on Arcade games when many demos, map packs and movies are way more larger in size. It's fucking ridiculous, and the Xbox Mircosoft team needs to pull their heads out of their asses.

dead_red_eyes

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Why Microsoft still has a cap on the downloads is anyones guess, especially since most of the DLC on live is over 500+MB. Why do the arcade games have a cap, it doesn't make sense, heck RSV's first map pack was about 750MB and many demos are over 1.5 GB. So why have a cap in one section of live (the one that needs the cap removed bad), it doesn't make since.

DevonTheDude

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Put it on PSN you ***holes.

GreenCard200

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Are there no more "hip" people heading up the XBox 360 department?

Is it all just suits who are completely out of touch with reality now?

Twisk

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @rup3t: But it's always been easy to fill up the HDD with free demos.

So why wouldn't they want you to fill up your HDD with games you paid for? The logic makes no sense.

smcallah

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> One game from the DLC or all of them on one disc... Hmmm...

Fallible

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> to me, that would have been the ideal distribution of portal. hell, i basically bought the orange box for portal (at least as of now, since i've barely played half life and haven't touched tf2).

not only would it sell like proverbial 'hot cakes' but it would also push the brand and probably sell more copies of the other parts of orange box to people who wouldn't have considered it otherwise.

PGGB

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> This kind of thng is going to continue to happen because Microsoft got greedy about their need to have everyone use only THEIR HDD. Since they are overcharging for their 120GB right now, how can they slash the price on that one then release a larger drive for the some price point? A price point that even if they made it a 250gb is still a rip-off because you can buy that laptop drive for half of that.

$189 for a 120gb storage device is freaking stupid. Almost as stupid as a $99 wifi adapter that is how old now??

Memo to M$:

Here are step by step instructions on how to fix this whole storage/XBLA mess.

1. Kill the Arcade sku. It is a waste of everyone's time.

2. Kill the 20gb add on drive. See #1 for reason why. Cut the price of it to $49 to clear out what you have already produced.

3. Cut the price of the 120gb to $99-$109. A far more reasonable price point and you will still make money on it.

4. Release a 250gb for the $179 price point you love so much. People will pay it even tho they are getting ripped. (Just look at how many WiFi adapters you sell for the price of a Draft N router.)

5. Kill the DL size limitations on XBL. Devs are happy. Gamers are happy. The world is happy.

6. ???

7. Profit.

Mr.SithNinja

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> This is why console downloads won't work. MS wants to keep it a subscription based, rental affair while players want to download and OWN the game.

globones

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> How many ways can they piss away their giant next-gen lead? Oh, so many ways.

kingclip

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Hey Valve..Give Sony a call.
No size limits and free advertising.;)

enewtabie(Future LittleBigPlanet Master Creationist)

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> are they just trying to run the 360 into the ground? because that's what it feels like lately...

AgainstOne

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Xagest: That's classified as an expansion pack (just like Oblivion's Shivering Isles) and thus circumvents the XBLA rules. It's a system riddled with holes, sadly. :(

eastx

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Pombar:

I think the basic concept could still work if limited in short doses. For example, keep it team based where each team only has one portal gun. Or for death matches, each player is allowed only x amount of portal setups.

You could even introduce new weapons to reduce the effectiveness of portals. Such as, a portal-shift gun which would allow you to move another persons portals to another location. Or Portal-EMP grenades which instantaneously close all portals when activated.

Really the skys the limit.

TaggarT6

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Desfunk: The thing is, I'd be more than willing to upgrade to the higher hard drive (120gb) if it wasn't £120! That's bloody ridiculous. Either let me use my own (cheap) external HDD, or charge me a reasonable amount.

TearsandScreams

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> That kinda sucks, I've heard so many good things about portal, but I'm not willing to buy the orange box. There's not much point as I've played HL2, E1&2 already :/.

Klopfer123

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Why would people not want to get the Orange Box!!! TF2+Portal is worth the cash right there add in HL2 +ep1 +ep2. JUST get the Orange Box!!!

F8X

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Release it exclusively on the PS3 then..

Abdar

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> That's kinda weird considering Samurai Warriors 2: xTreme Legends is available through live.

Xagest

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> i think it's more based on how stupidly small the 360s HD actually is. Portal is about 2gb if i'm not mistaken (though i'm sure on the 360 they could compress some crap), so that would be a decent chunk taken up for one game. And if you factor in that other companies would want to jump at higher sized downloadable games, then your 360 drive would be filled in seconds.

The thing is what.. 20gb? And how much of most owners are already filled with the 'required' system data, and save files?

Desfunk

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> This size limit thing is starting to become ridiculous. I understand what Microsoft is trying to do and I understand they don't want to open the floodates for XBLA games to balloon to crazy sizes but come on. It's officially starting to do them more harm than good.

Do they really think the people who STILL don't have hard drives are getting online and downloading a shit load of games? They're probably not online at ALL! If the memory card thing is the main reason than just label games that go over the limit. Call them "Hard Drive Only" or "Gold" games or something. If a company wants to release it as such and is ok with losing out on the "memory card" customers than why stop them?

Guitaratomik

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> It makes sense that microsoft would want people to buy orange box instead considering portal is the game that got much of the hype going for that package. I know thats why I picked it up.

Beasterling

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> The way MS keeps shooting itself in the foot this generation its a miracle they're still able to stand at all.

I can help but feel the writing's on the wall for my favorite green machine.

Mohrdikai

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Watch Valve negotiate with Sony about having the game on the PS Store. Just watch!

fourzerofour

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> That would be nice... but I wouldn't mind buying just Portal on disc for my 360 for the same price as the PC stand-alone

Cannedpasta

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @TaggarT6: Apparently they tried making a MP Portal mode, and it wasn't nearly as fun as the idea had sounded. Apparently really wasn't that special. So I'm content for thme to leave it as the nigh-on perfect little product it is.

Pombar

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Dakobah: It's the same game, but Portal was kind of the unexpected hit of Orange Box and given the length of the game, having it as a standalone XBLA arcade title makes sense.

nekura

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> ...and of course, PS3 is a waste of everybody's time. Ask Infinity Ward and Rockstar.

FP_slomo788

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> I wonder if its more of a technical issue (what with the file size restrictions) then a marketing one.

A portal based MP games would be fantastic.

TaggarT6

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Microsoft is friggin' Whacky. Still say it was a dumb move to not make HDD standard on the 360. XBLA file size restrictions would probably have been a non issue.

@Dakobah: you are correct but on the PC side of life Portal can be downloaded individually for cheap. dude yo gotta play that game. It's short but sweet.

SAKY

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> I am pretty sure they mean *only* Portal, and while I think it would be a great idea, I can see why they are not allowing it.

I think it has a lot to do with the "if we let them do it, we have to let everyone do it" situation.
Its also a slippery slope type of thing for gaming size, as it would be really easy to fill up one of the older 360 hard drives. But then it IS M$ and making reason for people to pay for bigger hard drives could only be a good thing from their point of view.

rup3t

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> Seems like pride is keeping developers from XBLA. Bite the bullet and unclench that fist microsoft; a bigger slice of a small pie is still a small slice.

vincevl

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @diablofreak: sony doesn't force installs though, developers make that choice and it should be about the choice.

I'm not sure why MS is so caught up on this standard of not selling all consoles with hard drives. People will need them eventually and I don't think it'll affect their sales THAT much.

jp182

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Dakobah: well yea but there are those who want portal alone...

segamanxero

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> @Dakobah: i think he means that they want to sell it as a standalone for people who dont want to buy the orange box

smuckers is good

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> some people like me just want portal or tf2. You can purchase them separatly over steam. same kind of idea would apply here.

So... valve. PSN portal it up? probably not since those duders friggin hate the ps3 but oh well. Not like I care since I already got it off steam.

Derigor

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> no, see Valve is offering all of the games separate from the box now; trying to get the last bit of residual sales.

But most likely the reason is that MS demands a certain chunk of sales on the XBLA that Valve isn't comfortable with.

jp182

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> I guess Microsoft doesn't like money that much after all.

PissedPS3Fan

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> microsoft is stupid for keeping the size limit on these things. i think the hdd is required, they can still sell the core/arcade without an hdd and label it for casual gamers, but it's beginning to get into the way of many other things now (GTA, XBLA size issues, etc)

but if forcing hdd means hdd install like the PS3, then i'm all for microsoft keeping the current constraints. I can't stress enough, a console game SHOULD NEVER require an install. this isn't a PC!

diablofreak

]]> <![CDATA[Microsoft Rejected Portal For XBLA]]> I thought you could already play portal?

orange box?

or is that a different game?

Dakobah

]]>