Sam and Max investigating an Xbox 360 appearance?

  • By Polybren, GameSpot
  • Posted Feb 23, 2007 5:42 pm PT

Source: A job listing on the Web site of developer Telltale Games, fleshed out with speculation from Total Video Games. What we heard: Telltale Games has forayed further into the realm of episodic content than most, having just released the fourth installment of its Sam & Max series this week. The...

Source: A job listing on the Web site of developer Telltale Games, fleshed out with speculation from Total Video Games.

What we heard: Telltale Games has forayed further into the realm of episodic content than most, having just released the fourth installment of its Sam & Max series this week. The developer might be looking to take things a little further as well--all the way to the Xbox 360.

Earlier this month, Telltale posted a job opening on its Web site for an Xbox 360 systems programmer. The ideal applicant would be able to move parts of an existing PC game engine to the Xbox 360, implement platform-specific features, and possess a love of adventure games.

Sam & Max is Telltale's marquee game at the moment and it is an adventure game, but it's far from the only one the company could bring over. The company also has the Bone episodic series, and a pair of Ubisoft-published C.S.I. games, including one due out for the PC later this year. The episodic nature and relatively small download size of Bone or Sam & Max would appear to be ideal for the Xbox Live Arcade, and Microsoft has maintained that the Xbox 360's downloadable game service will be a venue for independent developers.

On the other hand, Ubisoft is having the last C.S.I. game ported to the PlayStation 2, so the publisher clearly believes there's a console audience for that franchise. Although if Telltale were to port C.S.I.: Hard Evidence to the Xbox 360, it would most likely wind up as a stand-alone game.

The official story: "Telltale is continually evaluating new platforms--not only for Sam & Max but for other projects we have in the works. We can confirm that we're hiring an Xbox 360 programmer, although we do not have any official Xbox project announcements to share right now. We're huge supporters of digitally distributing episodic content, and this has been working very well for our current Sam & Max series on the PC. … For a potential Sam & Max Xbox project, we'd certainly look closely at a downloadable digital solution like the Live Arcade." - A Telltale representative

Bogus or not bogus?: Could go either way, but we're hoping it's not bogus.

97 Comments

  • ravissimo

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 6:43 pm PT

    just a quick comment, do people know you don't have to subscribe to gametap to get this game on the PC? you can purchase all 6 episodes for $35 (like i did) from their site, and after all the eps come out, you get the whole thing on a CD. just thought i'd inform people. i had no interest in gametap but i love sam & max. if it came to xbox live, i'd probably buy it again just so i can pick it up and play it through with a controller, although keyboard and mouse makes more sense for an adventure game.

  • TribeHasSpoken

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 11:53 am PT

    Chemist, the fourth episode was released this week for GameTap subscribers. Those who have purchased the series from TellTale Games (like myself) will have to wait until March 8.

  • polsci1503

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 10:53 am PT

    nice! I haven't played a Sam and Max game in years... bring it to the 360!

  • makemeweak

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 8:30 am PT

    Sounds good - whatever they bring to the 360.

  • Rumstocker

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 8:25 am PT

    the more 360 games, the better

  • chemist

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 7:29 am PT

    the story says that they just released the fourth episode. that's incorrect. they have three currently available. the fourth is released march 8th.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 6:57 am PT

    Sam & Max on the 360? I'm down with that.

  • simasgamelord

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 4:49 am PT

    raaaaaaad

  • TimoTheThug

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 3:15 am PT

    Darnit, just call me when there's a PS3 version... well your right ... hooking up your PS3 with keyboard and mouse is awesome when playing this game

  • Lovegreen

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 12:45 am PT

    I'd probably subscribe, if you could get Sam&Max episodes over XBLA

  • HyperMetaDragon

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 9:27 pm PT

    I'm hoping it's bogus.

  • BraindeadRacr

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 9:22 pm PT

    Awesomeness.

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 8:58 pm PT

    Never played this series... sounds like I'm missing out though.

  • Vulpis

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 5:16 pm PT

    Actually, I could see this working decently, and not hurting GameTap any more than the standalone releases of the Sam and Max episodes will..and for the same reason, too--the delay between the GameTap release and the 360 port for the same episode. ;-) A given episode will be old hat to GT subscribers by the time others get to play it. As far as controls go, I can see a couple of options. One could be the obvious one--just use the analog sticks as a simulated mouse as mentioned above, with the awkwardness that ensues. A second possibility is to convert the control scheme from 'point and click' to 'walk up and activate' ala many console RPGs--which would work fine, given how the existing interface works. Or...they could go with the first option, and allow the use of a USB mouse or something instead of the gamepad?

  • BWRoss79

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 1:48 pm PT

    Sweet news!! I'll get it for 360 no problem, but it would be good for the Wii too eh?

  • Tking1293

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 12:52 pm PT

    That sounds pretty cool.

  • ArchAngel2284

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 11:16 am PT

    good ol sam n max.

  • reeconstead

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 9:50 am PT

    This would be amazing, there is something to be said for revisiting games!

    cant wait

  • GyRo567

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 9:37 am PT

    Not only that, but SCUMMVM was ported to the DS.

  • Doolum

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 4:58 am PT

    i surely does hope its not either.

  • ThePatinator

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 4:16 am PT

    Also, a gaming mag in Australia, Hyper, listed Sam and Max Episode three as coming to PC and Xbox 360 in last months issue.

  • smidsy85

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 3:32 am PT

    More bad news for the 360, once they discover what they have been up to at microsoft its all over.

  • CapoX

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 3:02 am PT

    yeah come ON !

  • theKSMM

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 12:57 am PT

    Sam and Max would be a great addition to XBOX Live! Arcade. I'm already a GameTap subscriber, but anything that could help keep this quirky series rolling is a good thing, in my opinion.

    Whoever woulda thunk that the most successful episodic series to-date would appear on GameTap?

  • arc_salvo

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 9:06 pm PT

    Putting Sam and Max on the 360 makes sense, but if/when they get all 6 episodes of Season 1 out, they should release it in a big package for the Wii, imho. The Wii seems like a great platform for an adventure game like Sam and Max.

  • darknferno12

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 7:58 pm PT

    Sam & Max on XBLA Awesome i can't wait (hopefully it doesn't turn out to be bogus)

  • ketsuatama

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 7:38 pm PT

    Please let this be so!!

  • TribeHasSpoken

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 6:30 pm PT

    While I've already paid for the whole season on PC, it would be great to use Xbox Live and similar console networks to bring adventure games to new audiences.

  • ax_prime_basic

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 6:07 pm PT

    That would be sweet... I just played Sam and Max for the first time last night... it's quite lively and fun, if a bit old-school. But that's part of the charm for me It'd be nice to see them on the Live marketplace or something ^^

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 5:25 pm PT

    wicked.

  • HieroHero

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 4:15 pm PT

    I'm sure it will happen

  • Sonicgod

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 3:17 pm PT

    I might get this version since the game is best played in widescreen on the couch IN HD with dolby digital.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 2:43 pm PT

    cool

  • zeecorner

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 2:29 pm PT

    I think that would be a good option for xbla....

    ...still waiting on symphony of the night though

  • orangebrat

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 1:52 pm PT

    :
    A point and click game series on a next gen console, after the genre (not to mention the franchise) was supposedly dead and buried!.


    The "adventure is dead" line is one of the biggest myths and scams that videogame journalists have pulled off in quite some time given there are dozens of P&C adv. games released every year. Within the past couple of years and this year the genre has been undergoing a bit of a revival with some top quality titles and more exposure than it has gotten in the years since the Golden Age.

  • Tinburnic

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 1:44 pm PT

    huh?

  • grey-flood

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 12:38 pm PT

    kick it !!!

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 12:31 pm PT

    haha, that would be cool

  • funhabbit

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 12:29 pm PT

    sam and max rule!!! Hit the Road is the funniest adventure game ever. It would make sense to bring it to 360 with xblive arcade.Porting PC games is real easy too.

  • blacktorn

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 11:21 am PT

    i hope this game comes to 360 because i'm not interested in the PC version

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 10:24 am PT

    That would be great if it came on the 360!

  • anarchicgoth

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 10:24 am PT

    Thats cool I heard Sam and Max was funny and there is NOT going to be a PS3 version lol

  • -HCMF-

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 10:06 am PT

    groovy

  • Unforg1ven

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 9:08 am PT

    please be true

  • Spookhouse1

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 8:47 am PT

    Awesome! the original Sam and Max DOS game from Lucasarts back in the day, was is one of my all time favourite PC adventures, and have been interested these new 'Telltale' Sam and Max games but am very dubious about downloading these things especially on computer. If this through Marketplace may actually get them. Or boxed version not bothered.

  • plutoend99

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 8:44 am PT

    thats pretty cool

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 8:33 am PT

    ill definitley pay 20 bucks for this on my 360

  • gatsbythepig

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 7:46 am PT

    here's to hoping

  • macacd

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 7:05 am PT

    now, now, i want it now!!

  • Timstuff

    Posted Feb 24, 2007 6:27 am PT

    Darnit, just call me when there's a PS3 version...

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