Report: XBL Poker won't be free

Manager of Xbox Live Arcade says gamers will ante up for upcoming Texas Hold 'Em game; release date also in question.

Back in March 2006, the news was great for Microsoft. The company boasted that production on the Xbox 360 was being ramped up by two to three times what it was at, Xbox Live Marketplace surpassed 10 million downloads, and several new pieces of content, including a free download of Texas Hold 'Em Poker, were en route.

Fast-forwarding to today, Xbox 360s are no longer scarce and Xbox Live Marketplace continues to buzz along--but apparently Texas Hold 'Em is going to cost gamers some cash.

Speaking with game blog Joystiq, Xbox Live Arcade group manager Greg Canessa said that gamers will have to pay to play the popular card game.

"First of all, [Texas Hold 'Em Poker] won't be free. We haven't decided on what the final price will be, but it will not be free," he told Joystiq.

GameSpot contacted Microsoft for confirmation, but the company would only say, "We have not yet provided any official details regarding pricing on this title. Texas Hold 'Em Poker is still in development, and full details regarding the launch date will be announced."

So why the change of heart? Early Internet reports stated that the game would be free because it was being sponsored by Riverbelle.com, an online casino. The Xbox.com listing for the game makes no mention of Riverbelle anywhere, an odd business practice for a major sponsorship deal. One possibility is that Riverbelle dropped its sponsorship, perhaps forcing Microsoft to charge for the game. Attempts to reach Riverbelle were unsuccessful as of press time.

But that's not all. The game's release date of August 23 may have folded. On Xbox.com, the game's Web page now shows a release date of "TBD." As for when gamers can begin bluffing on Xbox Live, Microsoft would only say, "Specific details regarding the launch of Texas Hold 'Em Poker have not yet been announced, please stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks."

39 Comments

  • gamer_199

    Posted Aug 22, 2006 8:53 pm PT

    On the 23rd of August, this game will e free for the first 72 hours, after such time this xbox live arcade game will cost 800 Microsoft Points, approxamitly 10$.

  • soadnick947

    Posted Aug 14, 2006 10:08 am PT

    That's a shame...

  • JBiker51

    Posted Aug 11, 2006 7:48 pm PT

    All those websites with poker have spyware on them, anyway. If it costs money, maybe they'll put more hard work into making it good.

  • pants81

    Posted Jul 29, 2006 3:01 pm PT

    I hate poker!

  • jsstlh

    Posted Jul 24, 2006 8:42 pm PT

    I wonder why partypoker wont sponsor it....that would be cool

  • capthunt

    Posted Jul 24, 2006 11:47 am PT

    pff consoles

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Jul 24, 2006 10:04 am PT

    wasn't getting anyways.

  • Lillemanden

    Posted Jul 23, 2006 7:53 am PT

    In any case you can't play poker if you don't play for money, and I don't see that happening on XBL.

  • sundown70

    Posted Jul 22, 2006 10:19 pm PT

    i can believe it....stuff happens

    if anyone else noticed there will be a 360 hold 'em game...not to be confused with this arcade game...

    the 360 wouldn't make any money if the arcade game was free...think about the marketing people...

  • ryanstoy91

    Posted Jul 22, 2006 1:27 pm PT

    I play on Pokerstars for free anyway, but it still would've been nice to get some free gamerpoints out of it or something.

  • veracity024

    Posted Jul 22, 2006 10:11 am PT

    umm duh

  • moocow21

    Posted Jul 22, 2006 10:02 am PT

    That bites... I was looking forward to something FREE on the Marketplace... I can't believe they would say it will be free, then change that.

  • Benny_is_here

    Posted Jul 22, 2006 5:32 am PT

    Guess I'll miss up on the non-stop action, then

  • _Sam_

    Posted Jul 22, 2006 12:17 am PT

    That's too bad

  • ThrillhouseLive

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 11:43 pm PT

    Poker sucks.

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 10:22 pm PT

    Why would Riverbelle not want to sponsor the game? I would think this would be a pretty big deal for them. I hope it doesn't cost too much. And it's gonna cost money and it lost it's release date? I want to know what Tikgames has to say about that.

  • WWWAD

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 9:29 pm PT

    its gonna be a cool game but i think microsoft should stick to what they say and keep it free. i dont know if anybodys with me but im not gonna get it unless its free. whos gonna protest with me?

  • den1233

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 7:37 pm PT

    better not be more than 400 points

  • juvinwo1

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 7:30 pm PT

    disappointing its not free, but I will still play it, poker rocks!!

  • pookers47

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 6:05 pm PT

    i can play it on play tiger gaming for free with the same type of ppl newayz y pay for it

  • MoreCowbell6924

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 5:56 pm PT

    thats crap

  • Olegm

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 4:03 pm PT

    I agree with caesarbites. Now if they still decide to load it up with ingame ads, then I'd be pi$$ed.

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 4:02 pm PT

    Eh, I feel kind of misled, but you can't exactly complain too much about someone not giving you free stuff, particularly when people work to bring it to you. If you don't want to buy it, don't, but I don't see how you can b*tch about the lack of handouts. Get a job, you parasites.

  • evilmonkey998

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:58 pm PT

    If it is more than $5 pass

  • ryanjtravis

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:53 pm PT

    Lame move.

  • caesarbites

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:53 pm PT

    Free games are good, but they are free for a reason. If paying $5 for the game means that I won't have to see an ad every fifteen minutes of an old woman jumping up and down near a slot machine because she's a "winner" at Riverbelle Casino, then so be it.

  • T1Panda

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:48 pm PT

    Wow, that's kind of a bummer. I might still get it, though, as long as it's not more than $5 or so.

  • PS3_3DO

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:46 pm PT

    I was looking forward to a free game but if it's $5 than I still might get it. Uno is great and that only cost $5.

  • Zeromind_Eric

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:44 pm PT

    Eh....boring. Won't buy it.

  • bdub20791

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:44 pm PT

    ARJBNDAZJLKZJ. way to keep a promise.

  • TheMierArmy

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:41 pm PT

    not free? what a surprise

  • revelations

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:39 pm PT

    I refuse to pay more then a buck for a card game like that. Kinda sux

  • sushi_111

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:38 pm PT

    Meh, 5 bucks wouldnt kill.

  • Cube_of_MooN

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:36 pm PT

    Hopefully it isn't delayed... and that it doesn't cost too much......

  • SuperIntendent

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:34 pm PT

    theirs plenty of other poker websites that are free and you can even play for money. if you could play for microsoft points, that'd be cool to gamble.

  • Jypson44

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:34 pm PT

    Content on XBL not being free?! Get outta here!!!

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:32 pm PT

    Free or not I was not really planing of downloading it.

  • Banana_Kid

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:32 pm PT

    If it's more than five bucks, I'm not getting it. A far superior card game is already there for five bucks. Texas Hold 'Em is not worth two Unos.

  • TimSpot GameSpot staff member

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 3:31 pm PT

    Bummer.

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