M'soft brings TGS, X06 to XBL

Flood of content from Tokyo Game Show and X06 to hit Xbox 360 from September 20-29; game from "major franchise" headed to Xbox Live Arcade.

At this year's E3, many Xbox 360 owners got a chance to see the Halo 3 trailer around the same time that selected members of the press saw it for the first time. During the week of E3, Microsoft opened up the floodgates and posted several pieces of content on Xbox Live Marketplace, including demos, videos, and other goodies that were simultaneously making their debuts at the trade show.

Needless to say, gamers gobbled up the new content in record-setting fashion, with 5 million downloads passing through the pipeline in just one week--more than a fifth of all Xbox 360 downloads up to that point.

With E3 well in the rear view mirror, gamers are looking toward this weekend's Tokyo Game Show and next week's X06 event in Barcelona, Spain, for industry news. Following the success of the Xbox Live Marketplace experiment with E3, Microsoft will also have plenty of downloadable content for the two upcoming events.

Beginning September 20, Xbox 360 owners signed up for Xbox Live can check out highlights from press briefings, behind-the-scenes videos, new game demos, and never-before-seen trailers. Most of the content will only be available on Xbox Live Marketplace through September 29.

One Xbox Live Arcade title will be available each week, including a previously unannounced game from a "major franchise" making its way into Marketplace for the first time.

Microsoft isn't ready to reveal which game demos will be available, but gamers can expect new game videos from yet-to-be-announced games and from the following upcoming titles:

Call of Duty 3 (Activision)
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (Tecmo)
Forza Motorsport 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (Eidos)
Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (Microsoft Game Studios)
Need for Speed Carbon (EA)
Project Sylpheed (Square Enix)
Shrek 3 (Activision)
Viva Piñata (Microsoft Game Studios)

The inclusion of Shrek 3 in the above list is the first confirmation that the green ogre will be headed towards Microsoft's next-generation console. No other platforms for the game have been announced.

New picture packs and themes from games such as Alan Wake, Fable 2, Mass Effect, and Forza Motorsport 2 will also be available, as will a free picture pack and an exclusive scene from the upcoming season of Battlestar Galactica.

According to the UK Xbox.com, the promotion will be accompanied by a free trial of Xbox Live Gold for all UK-based Xbox Live users, courtesy of Windows Live Spaces. From September 20 to 29, all who have signed up for an Xbox Live account will be able to enjoy the service's premium content, including online multiplayer gaming. A similar promotion will take place in Japan, but there are no plans to bring the free trial to the US.

217 Comments

  • RangedReCoN

    Posted Oct 6, 2006 1:44 pm PT

    All I want are Call Of Duty 3, Halo 3 and Halo Wars demos/more videos.

  • ElectrolightSH

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 9:18 pm PT

    I hope there will be a demo of Halo Wars sometime soon.

  • -Twilight-

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 7:09 pm PT

    That it does, ChaoMan, that it does.

  • DarkChaoMan75

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 6:43 pm PT

    this totally owns E3!

  • Kravyn81

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 5:58 pm PT

    E3 wha'?

  • adijan

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 4:54 pm PT

    CoD 3 will be great.

  • westsider101

    Posted Sep 27, 2006 2:33 pm PT

    About the F.E.A.R. demo big deal it was released a year ago but not everyone has a P.C and for everyone who is thinking about getting it. DO it it's freaking awsome.

  • agentsanderson

    Posted Sep 26, 2006 2:13 pm PT

    your quite lucky boolzero. Bet u had fun trying out those games. Honestly what game do u think exceded expectations. Like the next big thing, any games on the same level as Kameo, Oblivion, Graw, etc? So far most 360 games have been great, but really nothing special.

  • boolzero

    Posted Sep 26, 2006 1:25 am PT

    Dud you say? I got to play Crackdown, Rain, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Project Sylpheed, Smackdown vs Raw 2007, Sonic and Tenchu, among some other games... The TGS wasn't a dud to me, the press just don't seem to be covering it well... They had to have at least 30 games playable for the 360 there (I am American but live in Japan, btw), but with the lack of coverage or even mentioning some of the stuff I see here from the Gamepsot guys, its hard for those who could not go to the show to get the real deal. Sonic, Gundam, Trusty bell, Tenchu, WWE sdvr 2007, the games I mentioned and quite a few others that I can't remember were all playable there. The coverage may be a dud, but the show wasn't bad at all; not as good as last years TGS but not bad et al! Trust me, the show wasn't a dud, at least not from an attending perspective... now the coverage and release of info to the general public who can't make it to these events; that has been poor IMO...

  • agentsanderson

    Posted Sep 25, 2006 3:21 am PT

    Microsft ...what a dissapointment, theyve put up a FEAR demo which has been out on CD for who knows how long .... more so, I dotn want a demo of a game I finished a year ago on a PC. Theres no difference. TGS was a DUD.

  • Xternal

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 2:56 pm PT

    Sorry to be offensive, but here is what i believe.. GEARS OF WAR- Shish. so are all the rest of them.. bar 1.... C A L L O F D U T Y 3 * * *
    Call of duty is the shish, get used to it

  • Xternal

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 2:52 pm PT

    Pray for cod3

  • agentsanderson

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 1:47 pm PT

    ITS A DUD. The TGS demos statement was a dud... So far nothing. Only one worthless demo.The way microsoft was hyping it up youd think they had some special demos coming out...

  • 24dude13

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 6:55 am PT

    Yes it was worth waiting more time for the 360 to get their good games

  • doomhesoka55

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 8:34 pm PT

    interesting

  • agentsanderson

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 2:48 pm PT

    no demos, up apart from some jap bull game. Honestly i cant be mad, I have 11 Xbox live demos on my HD and xbox live is really the best service, letting users download free demos is the greatest invention for a console.

  • therandar

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 1:03 pm PT

    shrek 3? wtf?

  • meboney1985

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 8:35 am PT

    XBOX is always on top helping out its xbox live gamers. Demos or no demos the fact that the XBOX 360 will dominate the gaminig world is the most important thing.

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 3:46 am PT

    nice games

  • chiefmegadeth

    Posted Sep 21, 2006 7:57 pm PT

    Theres not going to be a Gears Of War demo NO WAY!!!!
    They said they will not release a demo,only after the games out 100%sure,
    So stop talking crap and geting people happy cause it aint true

  • ravage928

    Posted Sep 21, 2006 4:36 pm PT

    MICROSOFT WE ARE WAITING!!!

  • agentsanderson

    Posted Sep 21, 2006 1:58 pm PT

    Where are these demos? Microsoft are full of ish. Im still waiting.

  • ravage928

    Posted Sep 21, 2006 7:43 am PT

    How do you know there will be a Gears Of War demo? They haven't even said what game it is, let alone online!

  • majindustin

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 11:12 pm PT

    So is that 1 or 2 XBL arcade games, it says one a week, but it's only 9 days...

  • emptycow

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 9:26 pm PT

    there will not be a Lost Oddessey demo the reason the games not in english yet

  • emptycow

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 9:23 pm PT

    theres going to be a gears of war online demo next week 4on 4 dm

  • ravage928

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 9:16 pm PT

    Still nothing!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Real720

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 6:00 pm PT

    Mmmmmmmm................. Mass Effect................

  • ravage928

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 5:27 pm PT

    When will they put the demo up!! I have been waiting forever! Once it comes up, somebody post here and say it please!!

  • JaMeS4418

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 3:15 pm PT

    DLC is a good thing

  • agentsanderson

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 12:14 pm PT

    ???
    STill waiting microsoft, there hasnt been anything new put up on live..

  • Squids-Ahoy

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 11:55 am PT

    Xbox allowing downloadable content through live is awsome to the max.

  • Tamashii-sosaku

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 11:32 am PT

    There won't be a Lost Oddessey demo on Marketplace. It's already been confirmed that it will come with the November issue of Famitsu in Japan. If and when they actually translate the demo it may get put on European and U.S. marketplace but you know how long it took for the N3 demo to go up and that required pretty minimal translation. Hopefully there will be a nice hi-res direct feed video of the demo trailer though.

  • Andrew_D28

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 9:09 am PT

    There better be some way to play Lost Oddessey demo!

  • k-diddy66

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 8:53 am PT

    not a very surprising line up

  • agentsanderson

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 4:27 am PT

    Been a while and still no demos, movies, etc. I stayed up on live thinking something would pop up, theres nothing. newly released demos only lists, Nba 2k7, NHL 2k7, and NHL 07. Videos are teh same, and clicking on the TGS banner only brings a list of old bullshi*. SO wheres thestuff at microsoft? am i missing something

  • mark_unix

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 3:44 am PT

    fable2 is in the middle of development, i doubt they will show off any gameplay unti Q2 2007.

  • ImmortalWrath12

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 3:39 am PT

    ARRAGHAHHR!!! I Need Fable 2, CoD3, huxley! Give us demos damn you!

  • LordSauronDa1

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 9:43 pm PT

    The Shrek movies aren't that funny!!

  • SuperbGamer

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 8:57 pm PT

    Wow, Shrek 3! I thought the series already ended...

  • JaMeS4418

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 7:04 pm PT

    i didn't know microsoft would be this into tgs. It seems more like a japanese thing

  • scmbg

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 6:53 pm PT

    Really nice things!

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 6:18 pm PT

    I hope the XBL servers will be better this time around. It took forever to download stuff during E3.

  • mega_egg

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 4:13 pm PT

    hahaha like big woop dee doo over SHREK 3 ... hype for shrek 3? wat a JOKE..... so this is why gamespot have their lips sealed to M$ and Nintendo buttcheecks and continue to bash sony..... ahh well your loss GAMESPOT wen you too get PWNGE

  • vamroc

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 2:13 pm PT

    The major franchise is Sonic the Hedgehog since Microsoft just signed a deal to aquire a sizable portion of Sega's library.

  • vamroc

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 2:03 pm PT

    Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (Eidos) Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (Microsoft Game Studios) Call of Duty 3 (Activision) Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (Tecmo) Forza Motorsport 2 (Microsoft Game Studios) Need for Speed Carbon (EA) Gears of War There you go seven deadly reasons to buy a 360 and worth burning in hell for each one.

  • mariomaniac92

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 1:51 pm PT

    Wait....Shrek 3? So is there going to be another movie?....

  • John_of_Fire

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 1:24 pm PT

    Great news. I loved the E3 downloads. (filled my hardrive) I am looking forward to this.

  • runstalker

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 1:09 pm PT

    Stop using M'soft, Tim. Nobody uses M'soft. It's 'Microsoft' or it's 'MS'. I can appreciate that you wanted to limit the amount of acronyms in one headline, but seriously, M'soft isn't good.

  • booomer69

    Posted Sep 19, 2006 12:39 pm PT

    microsoft agains leads the industry, sony don't forget to take notes so you can copy it.

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