Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/List of Xbox Live Arcade games


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was   speedy keep. nom withdrawn (non-admin closure) Pcap ping  19:07, 30 January 2010 (UTC)

List of Xbox Live Arcade games

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Complete list of games sold though an arguably official retail channel, even listing a proxy for the price (MS points). WP:NOTCATALOG, WP:NOPRICES. Pcap ping  16:52, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Software-related deletion discussions.  -- Pcap  ping  16:53, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Business-related deletion discussions.  -- Pcap  ping  16:53, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Game-related deletion discussions.  -- Pcap  ping  16:54, 30 January 2010 (UTC)

The team at Microsoft is looking for several things. For one, they want ideas that'll expand the Xbox Live Arcade offering -- not clones of existing games. For another, they want games that'll work well on a console and that'll utilize the features of Live as much as possible. [...] These games are meant to be downloaded, so they shouldn't require a manual, or maps, or complex instructions -- "pick up and play" simplicity is the key to a successful Live Arcade game. [...] Once Microsoft likes the idea, the team there will provide game developers with support throughout the process. Documentation is available, developers can talk out their problems in a special Xbox Live Arcade developers' support forum, and Microsoft provides checklists and testing guidelines for every milestone along the process. Microsoft even has partnerships with testing and localization companies, meaning that small developers can access these services at discounted rates. [...] Of course, the certification process for Xbox Live Arcade games is just as rigorous as for a regular game title. Games are tested technically (making sure they don't crash or corrupt saved game data, for example) and functionally (making sure that it's possible to win the game and to get all the Live achievements, among other things). It's pretty serious stuff, but despite this, Xbox Live Arcade games have made it through the whole development process in as fast as three months, with many first-time developers releasing their game after around 6-7 months of development. (emphasis mine) So, do we have a list of Microsoft certified games? Because this certification appears not that different, except for the marketing filter that excludes anything MS doesn't think will sell well on-line. Pcap ping  18:15, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Keep This nomination came about from Articles for deletion/List of Steam titles (2nd nomination), where I've explained the difference between why this is not a directory while the List of Steam titles is more so. Specifically, titles that arrive on the Xbox Live service are ones that have been certified by Microsoft and gone through a rigorous process, while Steam can sell anyone's games. Another different to consider here is that many of the titles on this list are titles unique to XBLA; on the other hand, nearly every Steam title can be purchased from a different channel. In other words, XBLA is closer to a list of what products a specific company makes (which is appropriate) while the Steam list is a list of third-party products a vendor sells (which is closer to a directory). I would consider ditching the prices (in favor of a statement that most games are between 800-1200 MSP), but their present inclusion is not an issue regarding this article's keep-ability. --M ASEM  (t) 17:12, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Your statements about the certification are not documented in the article on Xbox Live Arcade. Please provide some references independent of MS marketing that verify that's indeed the case. Otherwise I'm inclined to think this is just a thinly veiled deal between MS and some software makers. Also, we do not have a list of applications sold on the Apple App Store, even though those certainly require a certification from Apple. So, I'm not terribly convinced that even if the certification is serious, that entitles the store with a list of products on Wikipedia. Pcap ping  17:33, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Well, remember, WP is not a reliable source, but here's at least one source that talks about the rigors of getting a game to XBLA. In contrast there is also Xbox Live Indie Games, which is a user-contributed that has a peer review process but no release control by MS, which is compared to the difference with the Steam game lis.  There is no cert process for iPhone apps, (Apple does reign control on removing apps as they see fit) so this is also the same as the Steam store analogy. --M ASEM  (t) 17:50, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * It seems to be mostly a marketing-driven selection:
 * It doesn't matter if it is a marketing filter or not, it is the fact that it is not just any game but those that MS has selected and approved through certification that will be on the service. Retail, non-downloadable games for the Xbox have to go through the same process. Unlike Steam or iPhone app store, where any small developer can get their game included on the service, XBLA is highly selective, and thus more than just the type of directory that WP:NOT is meant to discourage. It is instead closer to List of Xbox 360 games in that the XBLA is a unique platform, not a storefront for games that can happen to be sold on it. --M ASEM  (t) 18:32, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of video game related deletion discussions. MrKIA11 (talk) 18:42, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * (unindent) I had a look at a radom sample of the games Mega_Man_9, Battlefield_1943, Ion_Assault, Undertow_(video_game), Pac-Man_Championship_Edition, and I agree that many are unique for this platform/delivery, even if some appear to be just ports with some tweaks. Nomination withdrawn. Pcap ping  19:07, 30 January 2010 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.