Microsoft announced that their December 4th, 2007, Dashboard update will include the ability to download and play original Xbox titles.
As Xbox Live Marketplace doesn’t really exist in Europe yet and the page linked previously doesn’t exist on the UK Xbox site, it is unclear whether the same titles will be available for download or at all in Europe. That’s the moaning out of the way.
What this really means is that Microsoft’s launch promise that nearly every Xbox game would become backwards compatible was clearly not just hyperbole. Microsoft have come up with this excellent way of monetising their existing Xbox software library and so have the incentive to continue working on the patches required to get an original Xbox game working. These patches will not only work for the downloaded originals but also for the original Xbox retail unit (game in a box).
This is great news for those of us with libraries of Xbox games and a desire to check out the older games on the platform for a reasonable price. The Xbox Originals will be available to download at 1200 Microsoft Points (I hate these things, what’s wrong with real money?) and that works out at £10.20 for us in the UK. And, yes, that is rather more expensive than the $14.99 or £7.25 (at today’s exchange rate) that our American friends will pay. However, because the patches also apply to the original retail unit, it does mean that we can pick up those. Generally, you can find these second-hand on eBay or cex or sometimes brand-new, for less, sometimes a lot less, than £10.20. For example, prices on cex start at ten pence and that includes postage and packing! (Note: you need to spend a minimum of £2 at cex. I think we can manage that.)
Microsoft followed up this good news with a batch of new Xbox originals that now work on 360. I hope they continue releasing at a good pace.
Slimm Says
After Sony dropped the BC ball by removing backwards compatibility from the PlayStation 3 brand, it’s nice to see Microsoft pick it up and run with it. I look forward to playing my entire library of unfinished Xbox original games on the 360.
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