HQ NETWORK:   XBOX ONE |  XBOX 360 |  AIDELUXE HQ Network: 45,190 | Guests: 31004 | Members: 1 


   Current Location: News Discord   |   Flickering and shimmering lines across screen   |   New Game - Fursan al-Aqsa - Knights of al-Aqsa Mosque   |   To repair the old Series X or buy new Series X?   |   Error 13 on new HDD   |   anywhere at where i can source some part(s) out   |   WTB : x ecuter 3 modded part(s)   |   Issues with modded xbox open xenium running cerbios   |   Xbox Rewards Problems   |   SNESticle compatibility list. PS2 2024   |   
  Home | Active Topics | CD/DVD Media | Downloads | Forums | Feedback | Games | HardDrives | Homebrew | My Profile | ModChips | Reviews | Search | SoftMods | Tutorials

Xbox News

Catch up on everything Xbox including Homebrew, Emulators, Auto Installer Deluxe, Gaming, Xbox Live and Modding..

Get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Original Xbox Download  Everything Old is Old Again Original Xbox Downloads

Everything Old is Old Again


Xbox 360
Thanks to services like GameTap and Xbox Live Arcade, classic games are being given new life and are bringing in revenue years and years after they first hit the market. GameTap's Stuart Synder, XBLA's Greg Canessa and others chime in on the retro phenomenon.

Want to feel really old? It's been 26 years since the sound of "waka-waka-waka" first resounded in an arcade. Yes, 1980 was the year Midway licensed and installed the coin-op version of Namco's "Pac-Man" in the U.S. And 2006 is the year that "Pac-Man" has become one of the most popular downloads on Xbox Live Arcade and GameTap.

Talk about a game with legs.

In fact, while most of the video games industry is marveling over the success of today's casual games -- those small, downloadable games with simple rules that make it easy for a mass audience to begin playing almost immediately -- less-noticed is the fact that a subset of casual games has become hot this last year and is getting hotter. Indeed, here come the retro arcade classics!

But not everyone has overlooked their appeal. Several savvy publishers are creating business models around them, convinced that there's a new and growing audience that will ensure their continuing success.

Take the folks at Atlanta-based GameTap, for instance. The broadband gaming network launched by the Turner Broadcasting System last October was designed specifically to aggregate classic games.

"It was our belief that there's an audience out there who wants to play these games on their PC at any time of day, any day of the week," says Stuart Snyder, GameTap's vp and general manager.

And an audience that is willing to pay a monthly fee of $9.95 to do so. Subscribers get a two-week free trial and then, after committing to a month's membership, can download a small piece of software that gives them access to as many games as they wish. At the moment, GameTap's library consists of 650 games, of which 115 are arcade classics, and more are being added each week.

The core demographic, says Snyder, are 25-to-49-year-olds "who are those people who most appreciate the 'nostalgia factor' associated with the older games, such as 'Galaga,' 'Pac-Man,' 'Frogger,' 'Burger Time' [pictured at right], 'Dig Dug,' and the others that are on this week's Most Played List."

In addition, he adds, a secondary audience is kids who are too young to remember the original games but enjoy them nonetheless because of their simplicity.

"We're finding that they're a great bonding experience for parents who like to play their favorites with their kids who are having fun with them for the first time," says Snyder.

GameTap is adamant about offering the games in untouched, pristine condition, meaning that the original software is being licensed from the games' publishers as-is in order to preserve the exact look-and-feel of the games.

"That's one of the best features of GameTap," explains Snyder.

It's also a very different philosophy from the one at Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade service where classics are spiffed up and slightly modernized. That involves working with the IP owners to "improve them," says Greg Canessa, group manager of Xbox Live Arcade, which means everything from adding hi-definition graphics to offering multiplayer support.

While Canessa agrees that the "nostalgia factor" is what drives much of the demand for classic games, sometimes nostalgia can negatively affect continuing interest in the titles.

"The problem with nostalgia is that sometimes you have this mental image of how much fun a game was when you played it back in the coin-op days," he says, "but then, nine out of 10 times, when you try it again, it disappoints. You play it for a few minutes and then you're like, okay, I'm kind of sorry I tried it again because I had better memories of it. The truth is the game still kicks butt; it just needs a little updating for the hi-def generation -- maybe tightening up the graphics, maybe adding a background. It's all very subtle and you can even toggle off the upgrades if you want to play the old-school version."

Every Xbox Live Arcade game also includes multiplayer support -- cooperative or competitive -- something that's brand new to most retro games.

"Competing against yourself to get the highest score you can is great," says Canessa, "but being able to compete with your friends and have the winner posted to our leaderboards for all the world to see has created a whole new market for classic games."

The service's entire portfolio of games, which can only be played on the Xbox and next-gen Xbox 360 consoles, is considerably smaller than GameTap's PC offerings. Currently, it includes just 30 games, with plans to increase that to 50 by year-end. Just 10, however, are classic arcade games -- "Gauntlet," "Smash TV," "Robotron," "Joust," "Frogger," "Time Pilot," "Scramble," "Galaga," "Street Fighter II," and, of course, "Pac-Man."

"Our philosophy is to take only the best games -- the ones that have stood the test of time -- and focus on them, work with the IP owners to improve them, and then continue to work with them to market the heck out of them," explains Canessa. For example, Microsoft is partnering with Namco and Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani to host a worldwide championship around the Xbox Live Arcade version of the game.

"We're going to be taking our worldwide, global high-score leaderboards and creating a whole set of local and regional tournaments," adds Canessa. "Essentially we're going to rank the top 10 Pac-Man players in the world, fly them to New York City, and hold a world championship hosted and refereed by Iwatani-san. You just know this is going to be big."

Unlike GameTap, Xbox Live Arcade has no subscription model; each game is purchased separately. If after an hour or so of free play a gamer wants to buy a game, they click one button on their Xbox and the game is downloaded to their hard drive or memory unit and their account is billed a $5-$15 fee depending on the game. Canessa has found that the conversion rate from try-to-buy is averaging a whopping 24%, considerably higher than the 2% conversion rate throughout the industry for PC casual games. He attributes that to the convenience of the "one-click demo, one-click purchase" process.

Should retro gamers find that they can't get their fill on PC and console download services like GameTap and Xbox Live Arcade, they needn't worry. Publishers like Chicago-based Midway Games are creating stand-alone titles that are "inspired by" -- and, therefore, are just reminiscent of -- beloved classics. For instance, Midway's just-released "SpyHunter: Nowhere To Run" is based on the successful 1983 driving game "Spy Hunter." But purists will surely notice that the star of the new game is former wrestler and now action hero Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, that he can now leave his virtual car and perform head butts and body slams, and that his vehicle can convert into a motorcycle or speedboat. As Midway says, "it's taking the franchise to a whole new level."

Regardless how closely the current retro games mirror the originals, the publisher benefits from brand awareness -- there's no need to explain to consumers what the game is about; in most cases they've heard of it and may have even played it in one version or another.

For that reason, toy makers like Hong Kong-based Techno Source USA have jumped onto the classics bandwagon and unveiled two new retro gaming systems, the "Intellivision 10" and the "Activision 10." Gamers who need a retro fix don't even need an Internet connection; for $15 they can plug one of two self-contained controllers into their TV, each of which contains 10 classic games, and have instant access to titles like "Kaboom!" and "Barnstorming."

"For many manufacturers who were already working with popular new gaming platforms -- like the Internet and cell phones which require fairly simple programs -- retro games are a perfect fit," says Eric Levin, executive VP at Techno Source. "The games were already written, had proven gameplay, and featured tiny programs by today's standards."

Another platform that's well-suited for gamers-on-the-go are dedicated handhelds, like the VG Pockets by Vernon, Calif.-based Performance Designed Products. The $30 Tablet model comes pre-loaded with 25 games, including "Frogger," while the $40 Caplet model features 35 games such as "Space Invaders," "Bust-A-Move" and "BurgerTime."

"Retro gaming takes us back to games that are just plain fun," says Paul Chen, vp of content and licensing, "and they don't require a 50-page manual to figure out how to pass level one."

But nostalgia, fun, and simplicity aren't all that are attracting consumers to these games of yesteryear.

Andrew Phelps is an assistant professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, its director of game design and development, and a man who takes a strong interest in gaming trends. He sees the popularity of these classics as a backlash of sorts against the more mainstream triple-A video games that are longer, more elaborate and more expensive.

"Those games require a tremendous amount of time and energy to get the most out of them," says Phelps. "For instance, when you play 'Grand Theft Auto' or 'The Sims,' the experience takes a while. But retro games are faster, you get to the next level in a minute or two, and the feedback is practically instantaneous. While the more intricate, AAA games are fine for some people on some occasions, other people, especially non-hardcore gamers, just want some immediate, short-term fun. And what better way to do that than play a game that you remember enjoying years ago?"

Casual games are, of course, another alternative for mainstream gamers, but Phelps observes that those newer, more graphically rich titles are generally more sophisticated in their play style.

"By today's standards, the logic of retro games isn't hard to understand and their intricacy is pretty simple in comparison to the other downloadable games that are available," he says. "All in all, the classics were great engineered pieces of entertainment at the time and their design has held up 25 years later. It's still fun to play 'Pac-Man' because it's just as challenging today as it was then."

And, like casual games, there is an addictive quality to retro games that, says, Phelps, some scientists claim are physiological in nature: "We're talking about some dopamine systems in the brain and adrenaline rushes that make people want to continue playing because the game excites them. Also, some personalities are strongly affected by goal-oriented behavior. I mean, how many times have you stayed up past midnight just to see if you can get to the next level in a game?"

But whether the mass-market will stay addicted to retro games or this is a short-term fad depends on who you ask. The folks at GameTap and Xbox Live Arcade say they're here to stay, but Phelps isn't so sure.

"My hunch is that we're talking about something that's cyclical," he says. "People will get tired of them for a while, come back to them again, and then stop for a while. Of course, that depends on which games you classify as retro which, it seems to me, is an expanding universe. In a few years, 'Tetris' will be considered a retro classic ... and then perhaps 'Bejeweled' and 'Zuma.' Twenty years from now, there'll be some old folks who grew up with 'Bejeweled' and they'll look back and go, 'Oh, man, remember playing "Bejeweled"? That was so cool!"

News-Source: http://biz.gamedaily.com
Original Xbox Download  Related Stories Original Xbox Downloads
 More about Xbox 360
Original Xbox Download  Most Popular Original Xbox Downloads

Xbox 360:
wxRipper v1.2 and wx360 v1.6

Original Xbox Download  Rate this Article Original Xbox Downloads
Average Score: 0 | Votes: 0



  

 Printer Friendly Printer Friendly  Send to a Friend Send to a Friend
Pre-order Dying Light 2 Deluxe Edition for Xbox
 Xbox Download Stats
 Normal Downloads:
  Files: 1,248
  Categories: 125
  Downloads: 1,726,294
  Served  103.08 Tb

 VIP Downloads:
  Files: 772
  Categories: 168
  Downloads: 204,503
  Served  15.36 Tb


Latest Normal Downloads
Xbox Feet Replacement
DVD Elimination Kit V2
Scarface 80led Install Kit PDF Guide
XboxLike 2.0 (UnleashX)
Xbmc 3.5.3
XBOX MultiRip XGET SCRIPT
XGET
Xbox-HQ 2018 UnleashX Skin
Jedi Outcast Academy PC Source
Jedi Outcast Academy SDK
Jedi Outcast Academy XBOX Source
XBOX Save Resigner 2.2
Babylon 3 GS
Ruxia 2018
Star Wars UnleashX Skin
UXArchitect
Soulja boy skin
Tokyo Night BLKIV UnleashX Skin
AVA Backup
KIxxx v1.2 RC

Most downloaded
Auto-Installer Deluxe v1.01 (VIP)
[Downloads: 138350 x]

C-Xbox Tool 2.0.5
[Downloads: 126303 x]

EvolutionX Dashboard Build 3935
[Downloads: 71159 x]

Surreal64 (N64 Emu)
[Downloads: 50301 x]

Surreal64 CEB5.52u1
[Downloads: 41636 x]

xboxhdm 1.9
[Downloads: 39737 x]

Extract-XISO Gui for Windows
[Downloads: 39496 x]

XisoManager v1.5.1
[Downloads: 33826 x]

Xbox-Hq Auto Installer Deluxe 2.11 FINAL (VIP ONLY)
[Downloads: 30763 x]

Auto-Installer Deluxe v1.0 Manual (PDF)
[Downloads: 28225 x]

Enigmah Xbox PAL-NTSC Video Selector
[Downloads: 26506 x]

EvoX Dashboard Build 3921
[Downloads: 24621 x]

IsoMaker v1.21
[Downloads: 22709 x]

XWB Extractor 1.1
[Downloads: 22440 x]

Qwix 101
[Downloads: 19221 x]

Chimp v2.4
[Downloads: 19104 x]

ConfigMagic Final Xbox v1.6 - Source
[Downloads: 18876 x]

PCSXbox (PS1 EMU) v11
[Downloads: 17196 x]

Qwix 1.01
[Downloads: 16626 x]

Softmod Installer Deluxe v5.11 Final
[Downloads: 16222 x]


Latest VIP Downloads
Softmod Installer Deluxe v6.0
HeXEn 2017
Rocky5 Softmod Kit 2017
ISO Recorder
X3 3294 BIOS
Phoenix Bios Loader v1.4.1
Bios Checker v5.0
UnleashX V0.39.0528A
Chimp v2.6
Softmod Installer Deluxe v5.12 Final (SID5)
HuGoX v10
DaphneX v0.96 Beta
WCW Mayhem (PS1 ROM)
Final Burn Legends PGM ROMS-Number
Final Burn Legends PGM ROMs-G
Final Burn Legends PGM ROMS-E/F
Final Burn Legends PGM ROMS-D
Final Burn Legends PGM ROMS-C
Final Burn Legends PGM ROMS-B
Final Burn Legends PGM ROMS-A

Most downloaded
Auto Installer Deluxe 4.53 Part1of4
[Downloads: 11210 x]

Auto Installer Deluxe 4.53 Part2of4
[Downloads: 11151 x]

WinUAEX v18
[Downloads: 7621 x]

Auto Installer Deluxe 4.53 Lite
[Downloads: 7328 x]

Softmod Installer Deluxe v5.10 Final
[Downloads: 7214 x]

EvolutionX Dashboard Build 3935
[Downloads: 5546 x]

Auto Installer Deluxe 4.50 Final Part4of4
[Downloads: 5377 x]

Auto Installer Deluxe 4.50 Final Part 2 of 4
[Downloads: 5187 x]

Auto Installer Deluxe 4.50 Final Part 1of 4
[Downloads: 5182 x]

Auto Installer Deluxe 4.50 Final Part 3 of 4
[Downloads: 5176 x]

Atari 2600 Roms
[Downloads: 3981 x]

uaex v0.81
[Downloads: 3137 x]

WinUAE 0.9.91
[Downloads: 3135 x]

Auto-Installer Deluxe v3 (AID 3) - Torrent Link
[Downloads: 2978 x]

Evox M8+ BIOS
[Downloads: 2528 x]

tHc Autoinstaller
[Downloads: 2418 x]

Xecuter2 4983.67 Bios CD
[Downloads: 1818 x]

Xbox-Hq BIOS CD Pack v2.01
[Downloads: 1808 x]

DVD-X v2.0 *DONGLE & REMOTE FREE*
[Downloads: 1782 x]

Evo-XXX Adult Skinpack
[Downloads: 1628 x]

More Xbox Files and Downloads
 Site Statistics

  HQ Online Statistics
    Members: 1 | Guests: 31,004 | Xbox Live Tags: 4,375

Dugon8er
HQ Registered Member
View More Detailed Statistics
 Site Statistics

  HQ Online Statistics
    Members: 1 | Guests: 31,004 | Xbox Live Tags: 4,375

   Forums
Active Users: 29075
   Your Account
Active Users: 1553
   Xbox Games
Active Users: 85
   Home
Active Users: 55
   Profile
Active Users: 49
   News
Active Users: 47
   Private Messages
Active Users: 30
   Xbox Homebrew
Active Users: 22
   
Active Users: 21
   Downloads
Active Users: 16
View More Detailed Statistics
 Site Statistics

  HQ Online Statistics
    Members: 1 | Guests: 31,004 | Xbox Live Tags: 4,375

   Registered HQ Members: 224,655
   Website Launched: May 2003
   Page Impressions: 844,106,285
   Forum Topics: 26,353
   Forum Posts: 177,750
   News Articles: 9,371
   News Comments: 1014
   Xbox Games: 1154
   Xbox Screenshots: 2,064
   Xbox Cheats, Codes & Guides: 686
   Xbox Game Reviews: 138
   Xbox Homebrew: 410
   Xbox Tutorials: 271
   Xbox Downloads: 1,248
   Xbox VIP Downloads:
View More Detailed Statistics
 Popular Xbox Games
Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
   Page Views: 315,637

EA's first The Lord of the Rings action/adventure game will take players through the roles of the key action heroes from New Line Cinema's epic film trilogy. As Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, players wi..
Lord of the Rings: Two Towers Boxart for the Original Xbox
More Xbox Games
 HQ Network Affiliates
Xbox.Com
Xbox One Games
MrModChips.Co.Uk
GamerBolt.Com
Commodore Cardboards
Xbox Achievements
Play-Asia.Com
Video Game Consoles
Xbox Accessories
Xbox360RepairService
View All HQ Affiliates
Xbox Game Pass
 Xbox-Hq.Com - Archived News

   Wednesday, January 22
 WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers launches day one wit
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 281 | Comments: 0

   Tuesday, January 14
 'StarKeeper' Announced for Xbox X|S, PS5, Swi
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 284 | Comments: 0

   Monday, January 13
 Shroom Siege announced for Xbox Series, PS4|5
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 279 | Comments: 0

   Monday, January 06
 Award-Winning Sci-Fi Builder 'IXION' Lands on
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 284 | Comments: 0

   Friday, November 01
 Detective Sim 'Shadows of Doubt' confirmed fo
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 349 | Comments: 0

   Monday, September 30
 Co-op Action Rogue-Like SWORN launches on Xbo
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 376 | Comments: 0

   Monday, September 09
 Dollhouse: Behind the Broken Mirror Hits Xbox
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 310 | Comments: 0

   Thursday, September 05
 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Announced For Xbo
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 351 | Comments: 0

   Wednesday, September 04
 2025 release for Promise Mascot Agency on Xbo
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 568 | Comments: 0

   Monday, September 02
 First Dwarf coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, S
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 304 | Comments: 0

   Thursday, August 29
 “Wardens Rising” arrives later this year on X
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 410 | Comments: 0

   Wednesday, August 28
 Crime Simulator announced for XBOX X/S, XB1,
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 706 | Comments: 0

   Tuesday, August 27
 Action Adventure 'Island of Winds' Is Heading
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 507 | Comments: 0

   Monday, August 26
 Steel Seed Drops New Gameplay Ahead Of 2024 L
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 331 | Comments: 0

   Friday, August 23
 Nekki and Story Kitchen to bring SPINE to lif
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 387 | Comments: 0

   Wednesday, August 21
 Yooka-Replaylee - A High-Def Remake of Yooka-
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 394 | Comments: 0

   Tuesday, August 20
 DevGAMM Game Industry Conference returns to P
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 327 | Comments: 0
 Magical RPG Garden Witch Life set for console
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 302 | Comments: 0

   Monday, August 19
 Lost in Tropics debuts on PC, with console re
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 319 | Comments: 0

   Thursday, August 15
 Undisputed brings authentic boxing to console
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 480 | Comments: 0

   Wednesday, August 14
 The Precinct Launches for Xbox Series, PS5, a
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 426 | Comments: 0
 'Big Helmet Heroes' To Launch This Year For X
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 590 | Comments: 0

   Tuesday, August 13
 Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II set for relea
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 453 | Comments: 0

   Monday, August 12
 Extinction Rifts unleashes cross-platform cha
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 413 | Comments: 0

   Wednesday, August 07
 Magical Bakery Set To Cast A Spell On Xbox Se
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 371 | Comments: 0

   Tuesday, August 06
 Lady Death: Demonicron is coming to Xbox Seri
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 359 | Comments: 0
 Whimsical RPG Necro Story launches on all maj
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 401 | Comments: 0

   Monday, August 05
 Take to the skies with Microsoft Flight Simul
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 357 | Comments: 0

   Friday, August 02
 Designated Demigod launches in 2025 for Conso
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 492 | Comments: 0

   Wednesday, July 31
 Deathbound Launches Simultaneously Across Xbo
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 538 | Comments: 0

   Friday, May 24
 Chrysolite announced for to Xbox Series, Play
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 406 | Comments: 0

   Thursday, May 23
 Toopan Games Unveils 2025 Release for 'Multiv
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 436 | Comments: 0

   Tuesday, May 21
 AAA Multi-IP Battle Royale “OPEN” confirmed f
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 587 | Comments: 0

   Monday, May 20
 THE SMURFS - Village Party launches in June o
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 687 | Comments: 0

   Friday, May 17
 Puppet House creeps onto Xbox Series, PS5, an
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 794 | Comments: 0
 ESDigital Games and Storm in a Teacup team up
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 770 | Comments: 0

   Thursday, May 16
 F1 Manager 2024 coming to Xbox X|S, XB1, PS4|
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 592 | Comments: 0

   Tuesday, May 14
 The Night Wanderer and Thorgal - two new game
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 666 | Comments: 0

   Monday, May 13
 'Realm of Ink' Reveils New Map Trailer, Invit
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 513 | Comments: 0

   Friday, May 10
 System Shock remake arives May 21st on Xbox S
 published by: BigJ | Page Views: 564 | Comments: 0

News Archive


Get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate