Original Xbox games coming to Live Marketplace

Downloadable back catalog tied to celebration that includes free Carcassonne download, new features set for December 4 firmware update.

The Xbox 360 already plays a selection of original Xbox games with its backward-compatibility feature, but soon gamers won't even need a disc to boot games like Halo, Fable, Psychonauts, and Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. In conjunction with its ongoing celebration of the fifth anniversary of Xbox Live, Microsoft today announced that it will be selling those four games, among others, for download from the Xbox Live Marketplace early next month.

Calling the program Xbox Originals, Microsoft will sell the games for 1,200 Microsoft points ($15) each, and the company is promising to expand the number of games offered over the coming year. A Microsoft representative had not responded to a request for comment on whether these games would have their original online features intact, or if Xbox Live support would be added into previously offline-only games, such as Halo. Xbox Originals will debut on December 4, and will be part of a firmware update that will also include new parental-control options.

That isn't the only news Microsoft has to celebrate the anniversary of Xbox Live. The company has also announced that it will allow Xbox Live users worldwide to download a free game. For 48 hours beginning 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on November 15, members in Korea will be able to download Hexic 2 for free, whereas the rest of the world can grab the board game Carcassonne at no charge.

Microsoft is also offering a token of appreciation to longtime Live users. The company will deposit 500 Microsoft points ($6.25) into the account of every Xbox Live member who joined the service in 2002, the year it first launched.

Update:

Microsoft Australia has confirmed that although the Xbox Originals service will launch in Australia at the same 1,200 Microsoft point cost on December 4, gamers down under will not receive the bonus 500 points being given away to active Xbox Live subscribers. A representative for the company explained this was due to the later launch date of the Xbox console in Australia, meaning the five year anniversary will not coincide with the North American promotion. The representative was unable to confirm whether the promotion would be offered when the fifth anniversary does occur in Australia in late April next year.

UK Update:

Microsoft Europe, however, confirmed that the offer is good for European Xbox Live users, who hold Gold membership and have been active since launch.

933 Comments

  • Bakahashi

    Posted Dec 26, 2007 6:20 pm PT

    Such a shame that they don't come with achivements, I'd rather own the original game in that case, or get the PC version.

  • lawzie

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 9:20 am PT

    I hope SF 3rd Strike will com along with this

  • AveragePumpkin

    Posted Nov 23, 2007 4:25 pm PT

    Im so hoping for the lost chapter version that way im gona get filled in on all the big holes in the story that i felt like i missed in the normal fable version, like who the hell whas that **** in the end of the game helping you fight monster in theforest?

  • Djinnator

    Posted Nov 23, 2007 12:48 am PT

    well, i've seen 'halo: combat evolved' for $10 at best buy, but other than that it is a good way to spread these games to people who don't already have them.

  • SonicTheMonkey

    Posted Nov 21, 2007 9:09 pm PT

    I hope Fable up for download is the lost chapters version...

  • spencdiamonds

    Posted Nov 21, 2007 5:00 pm PT

    Yes I agree with Ryan-man I already own Halo and it is so so old and there is much better games that I would rather play for 70 bucks a shot.

  • ryan-man

    Posted Nov 21, 2007 12:49 pm PT

    most games look like crap now, not worth buying. m$ pfft

  • charizard1605

    Posted Nov 21, 2007 5:39 am PT

    OLD IDEA...
    Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console, basically, as you can see.
    Yet still, it's a great move for MS, finally we'll be able to get Fable....

  • TeTBCN

    Posted Nov 20, 2007 11:38 pm PT

    bufff...
    I wait play in GR 2 and GR 2 Summit Strike.
    ¿If i have the original game can copy in HDD without pay?

  • Timbydude

    Posted Nov 20, 2007 8:57 pm PT

    no achievements (already announced) but I never played Fable, so that should be fun.

  • gR_Silent

    Posted Nov 20, 2007 6:59 pm PT

    will they have acheivements?

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Nov 20, 2007 8:45 am PT

    most likely won't buy any but stranger things have happend

  • Dkarlowicz

    Posted Nov 20, 2007 8:30 am PT

    $15 for a old game.!!! That seems rather steep. Shouldn't Microsoft be selling them for under $10, since they are cutting out the retail merchants and will save on not printing instructions and game discs? And you could probably score some of these games used for the original platforms for under $10 if you are a frugal shopper. COME ON, pass down the savings to us, don't blatantly try to make an obscene profit on these games which all (with exception of Psychonauts) made millions for their companies already.

  • littlevicky93

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 9:37 pm PT

    raahsnavj, did it ever say in the text "we will also stop making xbox games backwards compatible". These news only say that people who DOESN'T already own these games on Xbox will get a chance to play them and not having to pay so much for it. If people already own these games, why would Microsoft not make their games BC?

  • eliehass

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 4:17 pm PT

    and i would like KOTOR

  • illmatic630

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 2:46 pm PT

    i would like Ninja Gaiden please

  • NinjaWallace

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 10:49 am PT

    I've wanted to play Psychonauts for a long time and now I'll be able to. The other games I own or have played, so don't really interest me. But hopefully a few other games I'd like to get my hands on will be released.

  • eliehass

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 10:07 am PT

    raahsnavj, if you have the disc you can play the game on your 360 just fine without paying again or downloading it. This service is for people who cant find the game in stores or dont want to go out and buy it, or maybe just dont want a disc.

  • raahsnavj

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 8:07 am PT

    I'm amazed at how many people forget that M$ promised to have backward compatibility in the 360. Instead now they get you to pay $15 for something you should have already if you have the disc! What a bunch of suckers we are for letting the big M steal our money... again.

  • Simba_Dude

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 6:18 am PT

    lawlz what a great marketing scheme M$ has made here. Fill up your drive faster with a couple games and then the customer will have to buy a bigger HDD in order to fit other things on there xD Brilliant in my eyes and I can see thousands of xbox 360 owners falling for this marketing idea of theirs. To bad I only use my HDD for game saves and nothing else and besides what possible orignal xbox games can they bring for download that I would want to play but don't own a copy of?

  • timdabrat

    Posted Nov 18, 2007 7:58 pm PT

    sizewise, im guessing about 2-4gb each..... enjoy your HDD while you can MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

  • grantiscool10

    Posted Nov 18, 2007 12:17 pm PT

    They should get the Xbox version of UT. I forget what it's called though.

  • Xhybrid_bombX

    Posted Nov 18, 2007 9:19 am PT

    psyconauts and fable...my question is that how memory will these games take up?

  • pspmax022

    Posted Nov 18, 2007 8:00 am PT

    id just download psychonauts cause i have halo and fable.

  • ck02623

    Posted Nov 18, 2007 7:30 am PT

    "Microsoft will start selling downloadable original Xbox games on the Xbox 360 next month for $15. Which of the announced titles most interests you?"

    "None of them"

    Ditto.

  • goldglover1025

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 10:24 pm PT

    i already have halo so i couldnt care less really, i do know there are some people who havnt even played halo but played h2 and h3, so they need to check into that, but i might check into fable to get ready for f2

  • playa42018

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 6:18 pm PT

    "Microsoft will start selling downloadable original Xbox games on the Xbox 360 next month for $15. Which of the announced titles most interests you?"

    "None of them"

  • Aquachild

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 5:28 pm PT

    I love this idea, then I can sell my old Xbox games (They're taking up a bit of space) and maybe they'll have revamped graphics* acheivements too!

    Let's hope other Xbox exclusive games like Conker: Live & Reloaded and maybe Halo 2 will make it as well, even if later.

    (*The original Halo in Halo 3's Graphics...Mmmm...)

  • buffdaddy69

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 3:44 pm PT

    "blisken11 LOL you idiots, take up more of your HDD and delete your other downloads and have to repay if your HDD goes bad or want to get the game after deleting it, all profit for M$ and all they do is appoligize for taking your $ and making you wait a month for repairing there crappy hardware and extending there worthless warranty to continue the tourment and try to keep you happy with stupid achievement points which only give you bragging right that your system hasnt crash yet and have no life. Enjoy having multi-disc game that'll cost more once devs run out of that limited DVD space and have to get the next Xbox console that comes out with HD-DVD or Blu-ray drive, by then hopefully you'll learn or M$ will that there system is out of date and worthless"

    Its doing better then the Sh*tstation 3.

  • Lafitte

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 2:36 pm PT

    15 seems like a fair price. I can't find most of these games for less than 20. And aren't most of these already BC?

  • HALOISTHEBEST26

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 2:30 pm PT

    blisken11: LOL you idiots, take up more of your HDD and delete your other downloads and have to repay if your HDD goes bad or want to get the game after deleting it, all profit for M$ ______________________________________________________

    dont call anyone an idiot because you are the biggest idiot i've seen in a while because if you own a 360 you would know that once you have downloaded anything its free for your account forever i can delete things, strap C4 to my HDD, and just go get a new HDD or memory card and download the same things all for free, i know because 1. my brain contains more than 5 cells, 2. I've done it (except for the C4 part)

  • s2i2p2i2o

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 1:08 pm PT

    God, quit your **** you don't have to download them! no one is forecing you! I think The only game I will get is halo. My disc is so **** up so I can't play it.

  • dyaballikl

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 10:26 pm PT

    hoping to see achievements. if i'm going to overpay that much, i want new content and achievements.

  • jmrwacko

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 9:03 pm PT

    I never got to play psychonauts, so maybe I'll be a tool and take advantage of this.

  • HK88

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 7:28 pm PT

    How about Microsoft make them BC like they should? That is what they should be doing. It is as if they took a play out of Sony's "how can we (insert vacuum cleaner noise)" handbook.

    A. They cost too much
    B. What about the people who bought those games already for $50 and are waiting for BC?
    C. Hard drives are small on most users have 20 gigs... So now they will pay 180 to pick up the 120s to fill up fast too.
    D. It is all around WIN for Microsoft and LOSE for the gamer. Finally, how about "none of the above" on the poll since 15 is overpriced.

  • living_wmd_888

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 7:26 pm PT

    Psssssh. You know, these games would cost the same on a disc, and would be just as (in)compatible with the 360.

  • daviddrinkard

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 7:08 pm PT

    Why would you spend $15 on a downloadable game when you could just go buy it used for about half that? Most of the games on the Xbox are like $10 now.

  • bacchus2

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 3:38 pm PT

    Just realised I predicted this in a blog a few months back.
    http://au.gamespot.com/users/bacchus2/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=m-100-25036858

  • WolfIsLoose

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 3:02 pm PT

    Some games I would pay $15 dollars for (as long as they release them) like Marvel VS Capcom 2, but for some it would be a rip-off.

  • dashizy666

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 2:33 pm PT

    I wonder is they'll add achievement points, if so that would be awesome.

  • soldier-dark

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 12:46 pm PT

    Yay. My Halo disc was destroyed, so now I'll finally be able to play it again.

  • SuP3R_TooT

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 10:40 am PT

    Only way im buying any is if they add new features like halo online co-op

  • GuilSSJ

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 9:07 am PT

    cool!

  • Rolld6

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 9:05 am PT

    The poll on the main page forgot a "none of the above" option, when choosing which game you would download for $15. These games are too old for a $15 price tag. I have some of them (Halo, Fable and Crimson Skies) and I have my old Xbox still hooked up to my TV on an alternate port. So, my vote would be "None of the above".

  • DryvBy2

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 5:36 am PT

    Do you 360 guys know how big these games are? Imagine the profit they're going to make when you fill it up and have to buy their 120GB hard drive for that outrageous price of theirs. Enjoy being tools.

  • Themilkman418

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 3:31 am PT

    Nice, get to play pyschonauts finally

  • Shoun

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 11:15 pm PT

    One of the "Xbox Live is 5" Themes is for Return to Castle Wolfenstein, does this mean it will be released as a download as well? That's probably one of my favorite FPS titles and I'd love to see it on the 360.

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