Beyond Summer of Arcade

21.07.11 - stainless meat grinder

In my review of “Bastion” on Wednesday, I talked a bit about the idea that Microsoft’s Summer of Arcade program may be starting to outlive its usefulness.

Back when Summer of Arcade launched in 2008, Xbox Live Arcade was a growing platform. We’d long since graduated from the days of 2006, when the marketplace was dominated by classic arcade games like “Time Pilot” and we couldn’t even count on a new game every week. But there were plenty of weeks with releases people have long since forgotten about. Are you still playing “Bliss Island,” “Rocky & Bullwinkle” and “MLB Stickball?” Didn’t think so.

While these kinds of low-profile, low-praise games still get released on Xbox Live Arcade with regularity, we now often see multiple titles released each week. Additionally, the number of terrific games has risen to the point where we can probably expect three different Microsoft-backed showcases this year. Last year, after all, brought us the annual Summer of Arcade, but also House Party and Games for the Holidays. (Conveniently, all these promotions tend to fall when retail releases have slowed to a trickle.)  Summer of Arcade follows a spring Block Party and will almost certainly be followed by another Games for the Holidays-type promotion.

More about stainless meat grinder on: Santa Rosa Press Democrat (blog)