Game Room decorations are unlockable

By Robert Purchese Published 11 January, 2010

Plus: once owned, games are free.

Microsoft's told Eurogamer that Game Room decorations needn't be bought as they can be unlocked inside the games themselves.

High scores mean prizes, and you could walk away with a retro theme, prop or mascot for achieving them. You can also whip the wallet out and purchase them, but for how much Microsoft's not ready to divulge: "There's no more information at this time," a spokesperson explained.

As announced at CES 2010, 30 retro titles will be available for Game Rooms at launch this spring. As for additional titles, the platform holder told us they'll be added each week. Remember, Microsoft hopes to have 1000 available after roughly three years.

Each of those games costs 240 MSP (£2/€2.80) to own, either on PC or Xbox 360 - a dual-licence to own the title on both platforms costs 400 MSP (£3.40/€4.65). Leaderboards, Achievements, challenges and taunts are shared. And once you own the game, you'll never have to pay to play.

We're not sure whether there's an upper limit on how many games/cabinets one person can own, or whether multiple games can be played on one cabinet.

Those that don't own a game must pay 40 MSP (£0.34/€0.47) for the privilege, which should represent two turns' worth - although the length of time playing will depend on the style of game being played. It's not clear whether friends visiting your Game Room will have to pay to play, but that would obviously be brilliant.

Remaining answers will be cleared up when we can see Game Rooms with our own eyes.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • miiiguel #1 2 years ago

    Friends visiting my Game Room and paying me to play would, indeed, be briliant.

  • Roland_on_the_Ropes #2 2 years ago

    If you buy a game can you then rent that out to others to play? Now that would be a winner!

    Got there just before me!
    Edited by Roland_on_the_Ropes at 11/01/10 @ 17:14

  • weejok #3 2 years ago

    The money they pay will go straight to Microsoft! No way they would allow anyone else to profit from it.

  • Hobo #4 2 years ago

    "Got there just before me! "

    I think the article already did that?

  • LOLLERS #5 2 years ago

    2 turns? I think you mean 2 credits?

  • INSOMANiAC #6 2 years ago

    Once you own them they are free, BARGAIN ! .............

  • chiz #7 2 years ago

    2 turns? I think you mean 2 credits?

    Same thing!

    I bet you got an "extra live" instead of an "extra man".

  • octavedoctor #8 2 years ago

    hmmm I'm not really sure I 'get' this gameroom thing. Haven't we got enough with XBLA and Indie games?

    I'm also worried it's another excuse to make money from all those early 80's arcade ports that we had on XBLA at the beginning...

  • Deucalion #9 2 years ago

    Isn't this just a poor equivalent of Playstation Home?

    /runs :oP

  • Eldritch #10 2 years ago

    Does that mean they'll be supporting the 360 for three more years?

  • waggy79 #11 2 years ago

    What would a poor equivalent of Playstation Home look like? I cant imagine it being any worse...

  • Eldritch #12 2 years ago

    @waggy79: True, and I actually do own a PS3.

  • Frandroid #13 2 years ago

    @Eldritch I suspect the 360 will see at least 3 years of support from MS. Even if a new console is introduced in that time frame, I doubt the 360 will be dropped in the same way the original XBox was. That said, I also suspect this will carry across to any new console that is developed too. With MS and Sony investing so much time and money in their online community, we'll see it all carry across. Aside from anything else, it'll help tie gamers to the new console.
    Actually, I've thought for a while now that the next console generation is going to be very different to previous ones. Much more of an upgrade, with proper backwards compatability, profiles carrying forward. Less opportunity for consumers to switch allegiance.

  • Markusdragon #14 2 years ago

    At £2 a game, it's far too expensive, especially considering the extremely primitive nature of these games.

  • metalangel #15 2 years ago

    So, 240points per ancient game in my pretend arcade?

    Just buy an old laptop from eBay and install MAME, for goodness' sake.

  • waggy79 #16 2 years ago

    @Frandroid interesting you saying that, ive wondered the same. Will things like profile, gamerscore, etc be carried over to the next gen to keep loyal consumers? or should everyone start from scratch seeing as there are quite a few cheaters out there with bogus gamerscores...

  • coolbritannia #17 2 years ago

    Isn't Playstation Home the poor equivalent of Playstation Home?

  • sneetch #18 2 years ago

    @waggy79

    Well, as your Xbox Live account and your Windows Live account are the same, I'd imagine you'll bring the same account on to the next console too.

  • Hix15 #19 2 years ago

    Will all these games get natal support as most old school arcade games have fairly simplistic 1 stick 2 button controls?

  • Jesus: Action Figure #20 2 years ago

    What I want to know is, what happens to my current arcade classics?

    If I've already bought Missile Command, for example, on XBLA, do I have to buy a NEW version of the same game for £2 for the cabinet?

    Seems off doesn't it?

  • homerramone #21 2 years ago

    Yeah - What he just said. I bought loads of them for 400 pts. I better get free cabs for em !

  • penhalion #22 2 years ago

    I think they should have it so that you get a cut of the revenue generated by your games room. They need to drop the play price to 10msp per go though, as 40 just seems too much. It needs to be true micro transactions. Say 10msp per play with a minimum of 100msp per arcade spend.

    Of course then you'd get everyone trying to lure their friends to their game room to spend their spare points and you'd be left alone in a sea of retro crud.

  • Deucalion #23 2 years ago

    What would a poor equivalent of Playstation Home look like? I cant imagine it being any worse...
    I know - I was joking :-). Actually Game Room might turn out succesful, since, if I've got the concept right, it offers nothing but social gaming (feel free to enlighten me). Home on the other hand, fails as a virtual entrance to social gaming, because it's too big (but yet feels empty) and takes forever to enter. If it loaded instantly upon turning on the PS3, perhaps it would be of more use. Anyway, I'm looking forward to see how Game Room turns out.