Microsoft to offer free XBLA shooter

Set for release this Wednesday, four-player Aegis Wing was developed by a trio of interns.

While it was originally spotted on the Entertainment Software Rating Board earlier this year, Microsoft kept mum on its Xbox Live Arcade game Aegis Wing until today, when it dropped a couple of smart bombs about the side-scrolling shooter.

First of all, Microsoft said the game would be free to download for all Live Silver and Gold users for a limited time. Second, it's going to be released this Wednesday at 2 a.m. Pacific time. Finally, the game is the product of a trio of students, conceived during a summer internship with Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade division and developed in conjunction with Carbonated Games (makers of Uno for Live Arcade).

Aegis Wing is a cooperative shooter where four players can take on an alien menace in experimental starships online or offline. During battle, players can join their ships together, letting one handle the piloting while the others fire away with superweapons accessible by attaching ships.

Aegis Wing is rated E for Everyone. Check back soon for more coverage of Microsoft's side-scroller.

268 Comments

  • theKSMM

    Posted Jun 1, 2007 3:35 pm PT

    Free game huh? I'll take it. Download now and write reviews later, I say.

  • esoto68

    Posted May 25, 2007 8:49 am PT

    This is an excellent arcade.

  • ek11sx

    Posted May 24, 2007 1:00 pm PT

    its freaking hard

  • comthitnuong

    Posted May 16, 2007 3:38 pm PT

    I have it already. I hope it is good.

  • rosscero

    Posted May 16, 2007 2:32 pm PT

    It's a good game?

    Free anf good...it's really strange...but nice!!

    Free XBLA games!!

    I cant believe it xD

  • Dreski83

    Posted May 16, 2007 1:28 am PT

    I really feel the more freebie content Live makes available for paying users the better it will be for Mircrosoft in the long run... especially with Sony steppin in with Home, why not make members feel special?!

  • puppet-master

    Posted May 16, 2007 12:25 am PT

    to answer the quetion from Tree06 it should be available after 10am in the UK.

  • puppet-master

    Posted May 16, 2007 12:22 am PT

    I fail to see why people are assuming that its a us title only.
    the article only mentions the time of release and does not give any indication that this is a us title only.
    You peple need to stop reading into things to much.

  • iuns

    Posted May 16, 2007 12:08 am PT

    No way !! US only..... sounded so good aswell

    Microsoft's America rules policy is really getting on my nerves !!

  • Tree06

    Posted May 15, 2007 5:13 pm PT

    what time is that eastern time?

  • Hedfix

    Posted May 15, 2007 5:04 pm PT

    Displayed on GAMESPOT UK? Nice of them to mention that it's US only.

    Welldone. /sarcasm

  • Andr3w360

    Posted May 15, 2007 4:31 pm PT

    i like the word FREE!!!!

  • HyperMetaDragon

    Posted May 15, 2007 4:10 pm PT

    Free.

  • jameeler91

    Posted May 15, 2007 3:41 pm PT

    i agree with kronikkilla
    and they should make some gamerpics free(good ones not crappy)

  • blackguy87

    Posted May 15, 2007 3:18 pm PT

    I like that idea about the free games.

  • KronikKilla

    Posted May 15, 2007 2:31 pm PT

    The virus theory is most likely due to his paranoia of MS FINALLY doing something significant about pirates and hackers. But no, it won't be in a game. And what they need to do is start making more XBLA content free, like some of the games that have been on the service since the beginning of the 360. I say they give these games 6 to 8 months to make their money, after that, make'em free.

  • ahyumifan

    Posted May 15, 2007 2:15 pm PT

    hmm... gotta get this tomorrow.

  • Hydrolix

    Posted May 15, 2007 2:01 pm PT

    Virus?? Where'd you get that nonsense from. Besides, viruses can't kill hardware.

  • Ronricofsu

    Posted May 15, 2007 1:31 pm PT

    I'm gonna bet big money that this game will brick a bunch of peoples xbox, and give them the rings of death!!!! Check the xbox.com forums a few days after this free virus comes out.

  • SemiMaster

    Posted May 15, 2007 12:54 pm PT

    I like the cooperative form up like Voltron type aspect.

  • JAY342

    Posted May 15, 2007 12:47 pm PT

    everybody loves free stuff!

  • nutta27

    Posted May 15, 2007 12:24 pm PT

    sumbiznatch the wii is meant to be 4 times more pwerful than the gamecube so it stands to reason that it will be more powerful than the original xbox

  • joshuahaveron

    Posted May 15, 2007 10:58 am PT

    Cool a free XBLA game neat!

  • Sonovius

    Posted May 15, 2007 9:58 am PT

    Kaihato: some countries like Germany have stricter laws about what games come out in their countries. Kind of like the FDA not allowing a Japanese untested drug to just be released all of a sudden.

    This one sounds harmless though I wish Europe could it enjoy it as well.

  • sumbiznatch

    Posted May 15, 2007 9:02 am PT

    Actually the wii is like an Xbox with motion sensors. It is supposed to be as powerful as the first generation Xbox. So I've heard.

  • Kaihato

    Posted May 15, 2007 8:37 am PT

    Guess you didn't get the Memo, Tellyn.

    Major Nelson made an announcement awhile ago about making some items on the marketplace only available to the US for a reason, I can't remember exactly why. Something to do with the companies who release the games and such. Go do some research.

  • LiK

    Posted May 15, 2007 8:30 am PT

    nice, will check it out, i hope it's good

  • ldonyo

    Posted May 15, 2007 8:17 am PT

    I wonder how many folks will get this downloaded before the Halo 3 beta download becomes available and kills the servers?

  • stejmatty

    Posted May 15, 2007 8:11 am PT

    ill see if i can cram this into my scedule

  • Paceydre

    Posted May 15, 2007 7:45 am PT

    This sounds interesting. I will download this one tomorrow

  • HighlyToxic

    Posted May 15, 2007 7:33 am PT

    K1LLSWITCH: "Name one thing that Nintendo is doing to make everything expensive for the consumer?"

    I never said Nintendo is expensive. I've been a long-time fan of the Nintendo handhelds, and I've always paid a premium for Nintendo games, peripherals and magazines. What I'm saying is that Nintendo isn't cheap, and I never got any free from Nintendo. And before you trash the Elite, let's face it--the Wii is pretty much a Gamecube with motion sensors.

    But understandably, Nintendo, like MS, are businesses, and thus have to make money. The point is, you don't have to buy anything if you don't want to. But at least MS is offering a free game, and that's good for gamers.

  • druggyjoe3000

    Posted May 15, 2007 7:20 am PT

    yeah finally a free arcade game and it sounds cool i am going to get it

  • Sonovius

    Posted May 15, 2007 7:16 am PT

    awesome surprise. can't wait to try it out.
    Microsoft is an enigma. They screw us over on map packs then we get a free game which sounds pretty fun. i iz confrused.

  • Tellyn

    Posted May 15, 2007 6:36 am PT

    And of course, Europe are screwed over yet again.

  • banodyne

    Posted May 15, 2007 6:19 am PT

    Class act. Giving talented kids a "calling card" and a free gift for the community. While I don't want to see every Tetris clone that college students put out, it's a treat to see the best of the best. Kind of like seeing indie films.

  • Da1ShrpSh0trGrl

    Posted May 15, 2007 6:19 am PT

    Sweet! A free game and Halo 3 Beta all the same day. Hopefully the servers can handle the traffic though.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted May 15, 2007 5:23 am PT

    free is always cool.

  • Retro_Man

    Posted May 15, 2007 4:56 am PT

    Major Nelson: I am not sure why this is limited to North America (Canada, US and Mexico) but I'll share the comments with the Arcade team.

  • Retro_Man

    Posted May 15, 2007 4:50 am PT

    Have they given a reason yet why Europe (and the rest of the non US world) haven't got this game yet? Other than "localisation", because how hard is it to bring a shoot-em-up game to other countries?

  • azizrulez

    Posted May 15, 2007 4:36 am PT

    could be very interesting,
    but since its free,it probably will not be that great

  • Retro_Man

    Posted May 15, 2007 4:26 am PT

    Eh? Why do we in the UK have to be exempt from this 'gift to the gamers' thing? I've got 24 games for my 360, and 10 XBLA games... i think with the amount of cash i've spent on this thing, not to mention the three times it's gone back to be repaired, i deserve a freaking free game too!

  • jamalnos

    Posted May 15, 2007 4:07 am PT

    mpeg3s, thank you for your article, by the way I have both of PS3 & XBOX 360 consoles but when I performed the PS3 requirements, I shocked out of my self when I played Call of Duty 3 & Resistance on Bravia HD screen 42" with Monster HDMI cable on PS3 and the maximum degree of sharpness of games objects.

    I am with you, that every console has its advantages and disadvantages.

    But about who will buy a HD screen? here the situation like the Jump from the black & white screens to the colored screens when we asked ourselves who the foolish will buy a COLORED SCREEN !!!

  • wanderingblade

    Posted May 15, 2007 3:52 am PT

    Nice!

  • -HCMF-

    Posted May 15, 2007 3:34 am PT

    GOOD STUFF, FIRST A FREE POKER GAME THAT SUCKED AND NOW A SHOOTER, MY ONLY HOPE IS THAT THIS ONE IS GOOD

  • K1LLSWITCH

    Posted May 15, 2007 3:03 am PT

    HighlyToxic

    "People complain about MS gouging its customers, but personally, I think Nintendo is the most money-hungry of the console makers. Nothing Nintendo makes is ever cheap, let alone free. Maybe that's why they're the most profitable of the big three. Maybe it's time they give something back to their customers."

    Name one thing that Nintendo is doing to make everything expensive for the consumer? Microsoft is charging for every little thing on Xbox Live including picture packs and themes that is equivalent to desktop wallpaper for the PC which you can get free on the internet, and add-on peripherals such as face plates and an external HD drive that makes movies look all pretty. That is also not including the Elite which is basically Xbox 360 2.0.

  • mpeg3s

    Posted May 15, 2007 2:25 am PT

    This PS3 fanboys can't accept the FACT that the 360 has BETTER graphics.

    Who's wants Wifi G when Wifi N is better?

    Period!

  • niceguy10

    Posted May 15, 2007 1:39 am PT

    I agree with darth-revan I wouldn't mind having to deal with sponsors of X.B.L if I could get some free stuff

  • Tamashii-sosaku

    Posted May 15, 2007 12:10 am PT

    FREE IN U.S ONLY = BAD

    What the hell Microsoft? As if U.S. users don't get enough additional content with video marketplace and all it's free gamerpics and themes. We also pay our subscriptions too you know? Infact we pay more for our subscriptions than the U.S. does. How about excercising a little balance and fairness for once rather than ripping your non-U.S. customers off.

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