Marketplace 'Consumables' unveiled...16 Aug 2006 1:47pm
Witter away your Microsoft Points, go on!
If you are the type of gamer who, once you have purchased a title, systematically downloads every gamerpic, theme and expansion pack for it, you might want to start topping up on Microsoft Points now...
IGN have reported that the next strategy aimed at you parting with your precious MP has been revealed, and its dubbed 'Consumables.'
Rohan Oommen, Live Marketplace business manager, spoke of this new initiative at Gamefest 2006 - further highlighting the way Marketplace is set to integrate itself into the games you play. The basic premise is that you will soon be able to purchase in-game consumables, such as armour or weapons, that have a specific life-cycle. Once depleted you will have the option of either purchasing them again or forever committing their memory to history...
These consumables are also set to be offered in-game, rather than the current method of purely downloading an expansion pack whilst not actually playing. For instance, if you take a title such as THQ's forthcoming Saints Row - imagine going into one of the many weapons stores and actually spending Microsoft Points to kit yourself out with weapon no hoodlum would drop during a gangland shoot-out. And in much the same way you shop for anything online, it is also rumoured that Xbox Live Consumables will drop into a shopping basket before you actually confirm their purchase.
Just how popular this new innovation will prove to be, and indeed what games choose to support it, is unclear. But with the technology to implement its use due in the next dashboard update, we might not long to find out.
What is your opinion? Does this bring a real world quality to titles or is this a way to fleece gamers into spending money on content the initial purchase of a game should cover? Tell us in the comments box below.
Source:
Official xbox magazine
Pour les anglophobes, le prochain tournant du Xbox live serait de proposer dans un jeu comme Saint Row (GTA Like) d'acheter par exemple les armes pour équiper son personnage avec des MS points. Il est aussi question de vendre du matériel avec une durée de vie définie (comme la console
C'est peut-être leur idée pour que la division Xbox soit bénéficiaire sur cette génération