Microsoft Game Studios

Xbox Live Arcade will eventually cease to exist. Every Xbox 360 owner who has spent time enjoying the growing selection of titles on the service has surely had that thought dawn upon them at one point or another. Even assuming that the wait for a new batch of consoles is going to last a few more years, and that technical restrictions will prevent the most ambitious blockbuster releases from appearing on XBLA for some time yet, it’s impossible to not think about the service’s inevitable end. Now, however, Microsoft itself has acknowledged the mortality of XBLA.

When asked by Vox Games if the plug will one day be pulled on the service, Michael Wolf, global marketing manager for XBLA at Microsoft Studios, replied, “Personally, I’d say absolutely, yes. I think digital distribution has to be like that.”

The sound of pitchforks being taken to grindstones can now be heard echoing across the internet. There is no cause for the XBLA faithful to panic just yet, though. Microsoft’s popular downloadable platform most likely has a number of potentially excellent years ahead before its light is snuffed out. “I don’t think XBLA will be leaving soon,” Wolf clarified. “It is an incredible platform. We have XBLA fans, I don’t think it’s going to be announced anytime soon. One thing Microsoft has proven is that we continue to try and adapt and innovate in experiences.”

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Alan Wake’s American Nightmare hits XBLA next Wednesday, and to celebrate Remedy Games have launched a brand new trailer with a bit of a grindhouse feel. The game is …
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Alan Wake’s American Nightmare will debut on XBLA next week, and Remedy’s offering gamers what is probably their last pre-release look at the title in the form of its …
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The Xbox 360 outsold the competition in the U.S. last month and held down its position as the most popular console, reports Microsoft on its official blog. More …
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Twisted Pixel is rolling out the third entry in its series of thematic challenges for Ms. ‘Splosion Man starting on Valentine’s Day, which, for any forgetful male readers …
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Not content with simply crafting an experience which the team believes there isn’t “anything quite like” on XBLA, Remedy Entertainment’s CEO, Matias Myllyrinne, informed Joystiq yesterday that his team is likely to deliver more content for the franchise onto Microsoft’s downloadable platform. Furthermore, even if Al doesn’t get another at the XBLA scene after American Nightmare releases later this month, Remedy will “certainly continue with Wake” in some way or another, according to the Myllyrinne.

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A runaway hit on PC and iOS, Anomaly Warzone Earth is looking to shake things up in the tower defense world on XBLA. In a preview from Joystiq, we …
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Haunt was developed by developed by NanaOn-Sha and Zoë Mode and was published by Microsoft Studios. It was released January 18, 2012 for 800 MSP. A copy of the game was provided for review purposes.

Haunt is the latest Kinect enabled game to hit XBLA, and with PaRappa the Rapper creator Masaya Matsuura at the reins we know we’re in for something a bit different. You play as a “kid” who wakes up in an old mansion when a mysterious painting calls you over. It turns out to be the mansion’s owner, Benjamin Muldoon who has been trapped there by ghosts. He asks you to explore the haunted mansion and collect “Phantaflaks” (regular orange soda just won’t cut it) that can be used to free him once and for all.

If you’re expecting something along the lines of Silent Hill then you’re going to be disappointed. The scares in Haunt are more on the campy Ghostbusters level. Playing like a cross between an old school point-and-click game and a Haunted House amusement ride, there’s about as much frights as there is rapping but that doesn’t stop us being thoroughly entertained.

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Back in the winter of 2001 eager gamers stood in the cold overnight in anticipation of getting their hands on Microsoft’s first console, the Xbox. They took their new console home along with their selection of about a dozen launch titles. About a month later a second wave of games were released, among them was Stormfront Studios’ Blood Wake. It was an innovative title that focused on combat on the open waters. Like many titles from that time the plot had a certain amount of cheese factor, but somehow was still incredibly satisfying. But the real gem was the water physics, something ahead of its time.

Funny thing is, without Blood Wake we wouldn’t have Hydro Thunder Hurricane. See, Stormfront housed the brains and brawn behind Vector Unit, Hurricane‘s developer. Ralf Knoesel and Matt Small both worked on Blood Wake as a programmer and artist, respectively. Knoesel designed the water simulation which became one of the building blocks for the system in Hurricane. These guys have a special place in their heart for this little gem, and there are a lot of good reasons why.

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Zen Studios is looking for deaf, dumb and blind gamers with crazy flipper fingers — or anybody else with a copy of their game, for that matter — …
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