E3 09: Microsoft is pulling the plug on Xbox Originals

Comment with Facebook

Comment with Dtoid

destructoid japanator | tomopop

Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

big news
rumors
originals
releases
reviews
previews
podcasts

faq

Home Microsoft

11:00 AM on 06.03.2009, Jordan Devore

41 comments

E3 09: Microsoft is pulling the plug on Xbox Originals photo

#E3 #Microsoft #xbox #Xbox 360

Xbox Originals, the overpriced, but extremely useful (if you have a large enough hard drive) service that allows original Xbox titles to be downloaded and played on an Xbox 360, is on life support. As reported by IGN, Microsoft has "finished its portfolio" of games, so to speak.

After one additional unannounced Xbox game becomes an Original, the service will not be updated further. Perhaps this has to do with the newly-announced "Games on Demand" service, which provides full retail Xbox 360 titles for download?

Or maybe they simply ran out of quick and easy ports, and all that's left are games that require too much effort to be worth investing in? Either way, there are a countless number of great Xbox titles that aren't A) backward compatible and B) available as an Original. For this, we are sad.

Continue: More Xbox 360 stories

Warhammer 40,000 MMO shown at E3, built to last
40 comments

Next Legend of Zelda on Wii, will be shown at E3
41 comments

E3 2010 website launches, kicks off June 15-17
14 comments

Rumor: Killzone 3, inFAMOUS 2, Resistance 3 reveal at E3
91 comments

41 comments | showing # 1 to 41

BrainLazy

I'd say it's because they charge too much for Xbox Originals. Maybe if they lowered the price to $5, you would see more people buying them.

Or if you want to sell them at $15 = Add achievements and Xbox Live support. Do a true port, not just using the emulation.

Hammersmith

I really wish they had made Psi-Ops backwards compatible. And the 2nd and 3rd PoP games.

Havoc Fang

I hope the last one is one of the Oddworld games. One of the most painful things back when I had a PS2 was knowing that Oddworld was Xbox only. I'd buy it.

Eques-Ardor

It better be Beyond Good and Evil they're working on. >:[

SuitcoatAvenger

So no hope for Psi-Ops or Def Jam: Fight for New York, then? THANKS MICROSOFT.

Look, realistically, this was a pretty good idea that was fucked from the runway. Too pricey, and titles nobody wants to pay fifteen bucks for (Zapper? Really, Microsoft?)

Char Aznable

The size of these downloads was always prohibitive for me, considering my 20gb hard drive. That, and Jade Empire and Psychonauts were the only ones that appealed to me. Sucks for people who were into this, though.

Black Nexus

They aren't really selling, I guess that's why there no ps2 stuff on psn, it is kinda easier to walk into gamestops mountain of used pile and find some of this stuff.

But still this is sad, especially considering everything but the wii is suffering from backwards compatability issues in some form or another.

Conan-san

I'd have to say having to keep the XBOX on to download a whole dvd (What, they couln't have compressed it?) of game doesn't strike me as appealing as well. Not if I have to pay before hand to do so.

Conan-san

I'd have to say having to keep the XBOX on to download a whole dvd (What, they couln't have compressed it?) of game doesn't strike me as appealing as well. Not if I have to pay before hand to do so.

Qraze

gamestop won this battle.

Jon B

Franky, I think that it can't compete with the PSN store in terms of content like this, because a lot of the PSN store content is either rare or hideously expensive for a solid copy.
Plus there was only so many good xbox games. Most of them are on the system with back-compat anyway.

flabzilla

I was never really able to take advantage of this with the 20GB HDD :(

tttt30

I was so waiting for a copy of KOTOR 1 and 2 to show up before the Old Republic game shows up. guess it wont happen.

BluDesign

What's the deal there's? It only takes an hour or two to download most of those xbox games. You're telling me you can't find a way to kill a few hours on your xbox?

Silverback 55

If the price had been 10 bucks, I would have used it more. The only ones I bought were Psychonauts and Stubbs the Zombie.

GoS-CPT-Stewart

@Conan-san

There's an option in the 360's system settings to allow you to continue downloading after the 360 is turned off.

Kris S

I used it once while a little under the influence and kind of regretted it the next day, the problem being it's just too expensive compared to Gamestation or even Solid-Gold (little shout out to my local games shop!)
Not really a great loss, I just hope what replaces it will be better

covah

meh

hpv

A "countless" number? Name five. I couldn't name five (non-sports) games on xbox that I'd want to play at all, much less go back to in 2009.

Chastain86

I can't name five, but I can name two that aren't BC that I did love on the original Xbox: Lucasarts' Gladius and Rockstar's The Warriors.

moocow21

Hopefully KOTOR is the last unnannounced one. If there is one Original I'd be willing to shell out $15 for, it'd be that.

aerofan11

@hpv - What? Halo 1&2, Jade Empire, Knights of the Old Republic 1&2, Conker remake, Chronicles of Riddick. Those are the best exclusives I can think of, but there were a lot more.

Los255

Well, I'm glad I got to play Ninja Gaiden Black, cause it literally was the only Xbox game I was dying to play.

HarassmentPanda

I couldn't wrap my head around paying $15 for a game that's $2 at GameStop (*cough* Crimson Skies *cough*) nor can I understand why MS thinks my 20 GB HDD is sufficient for downloading much of anything. Please drop the damn price on the larger HDDs already!

Professor Pew

What HarassmentPanda said. Word for word.

RonBurgandy2010

QUICK, PICK UP PSYCHONAUTS WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!

Holyetheline

They need Achievements.

brainderailment

Yeah, gamestop actually is the better choice here. Since I've got the 360, I've only bought 4 or 5 Xbox games and they were all under 10 bucks. I think I even got Psychonauts for $3 at GameCrazy.

Solgrim

Well maybe they will start patching the older games for Backwards Compatibility now. I doubt it.

pedrovay2003

It's about time --- This was one of the worst things to come out of this generation.

Char Aznable

Really, Pedrovay? Was it that much of an offense? Of all the things from this generation to complain about, this is where you're taking a stand?

akathatoneguy

*sigh*...Gladius. I see myself either having to buy an original Xbox or re-buy a PS2 in the future.

joe asylo

so that mean theres no plan to bring conker to the line up?
man that suck

Kyousuke Nanbu

Overpriced, shitty selection, I'm not surprised at all, honestly who the hell is in charge of choosing this shit?

Then there's the fact that a fair chunk of them can be found for much cheaper at a store.

Chronic Logic

I can go to gamestop and buy a second hand copy of an old xbox game for 5 bux or even less. That's why this service is dead.

Ace Flibble

So we'll never get Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball playable on 360 then after all. Sad panda.

But really, Xbox Originals was a bad idea to begin with, as has been Microsoft's entire stance on backwards compatibility. The original Xbox had a lot of decent games and more don't work on the 360 than do. It's really very annoying, I've still got my Xbox plugged in thanks tot he 360's limited compatibility.

zeroword

I will now work on getting other versions of my multiplatform Xbox games.
I still wanted the other two Prince of Persia games and The Warriors. Should the Xbox 720 come out, I can't be sure I will be able to play my Psychonauts on that either can I?

Woogity

I never downloaded any of these because my hard drive is only 20gb, and just one game would max it out after everything else I have on there.

Projectexodus

Sad, considering it allowed me to experience Psychonauts. Hopefully the last game will be Beyond Good & Evil.

Necros

That's a bit of a shame. I personally would rather own the hard copies of any of those games, but it was a good option for buying some of the less common games that they put up there. The biggest mistake was the same mistake Nintendo has made with the VC: not just flooding the service with tons of quality games, and instead picking and choosing some really odd choices. Ah well...

Mxyzptlk

You failed me, MS. You were supposed to get support for The Warriors before you gave up the ghost@

Click connect and comment instantly!

get involved

register or login
post a blog
post a forum
enter a contest
contribute a news tip
suggest a feature
be a guest editor

support

new member's guide
login assistance
tech support
report abuse
email our editors
read our dev blog
nuclear crisis?

keep in touch

RSS feed
Twitter
Facebook
Myspace
Flickr
Game nights
Meetup+play online

seriously

about Destructoid
advertising
terms of use
privacy policy
jobs at MM
buy our crap

our network

Tomopop
Japanator
Despingation?

Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
living the dream since March 16, 2006

New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

Got news? tips@destructoid.com | Dtoid Twitter

New Videos

What happens if you hate BioShock 2?

A look at Supreme Commander 2's 'The Kraken' in action

Why not? Cloud Strife hacked into Smash Bros. Brawl

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 already exists on SNES

Finally! Plants vs. Zombies on iPhone ready for next week

Mega64: Say no to blue alien sex censorship

Rebellion tells you how to play Aliens vs. Predator

more videos

- The Dtoid Army is 56723 strong -

Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps show all

Call for entries: the Areas of my Expertise

New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide

Originals

Jim Sterling: How Aliens are blatantly better than Predators
Analyzing No More Heroes 2, part 2: The bosses, part 2

Destructoid interview: The music of BioShock 2

Indie games don't have to act like indie games

The art of The Journalism Show: Episode 03

Analyzing No More Heroes 2, part 1: The bosses

Ten things I didn't love about Final Fantasy XIII

Wah wah wah Sonic the Hedgehog 4!

Ten things I loved about Final Fantasy XIII

Rev Rant: Paragon/Renegade

Counterpoint: Mass Effect 2

The ugly truth: I may not be good at videogames

Is Heavy Rain doing videogames a disservice?

iPad: Likely to change gaming, just not yours

Rev Rant: the Wrex Paradox

The best indie games of '09 (that I forgot to mention)

Beyond Dead Space: Sledgehammer Games

How Darksiders is blatantly better than Zelda

The making of The Journalism Show: Episode 02

The simple math of review scores

More Destructoid Originals

We are Destructoid tips@destructoid.com
	Nick Chester Editor-in-Chief	Niero Founder, Big Boss
	Jim Sterling Reviews Editor	Hamza Aziz Community Manager
	Dale North News Editor	Rey Gutierrez Destructoid Video EIC
	Anthony Burch Features Editor	Brad Nicholson Managing Editor
	Tom Fronczak	Colette Bennett
	Ashley Davis	Ben Perlee
	Conrad Zimmerman	Chad Concelmo
	Jonathan Holmes	Jonathan Ross
	Brad Rice	Jordan Devore
	Will Maddock	Matthew Razak
	Josh Tolentino	Joseph Leray
	Topher Cantler	Samit Sarkar


	Adam Dork Daniel Lingen Hollie Bennett	Joe Burling Mikey Turvey