Jaffe: "Put commercial titles on XBLA"

By Tom Bramwell Published 18 February, 2010

"For the love of f***ing god."

Eat, Sleep, Play boss and God of War veteran David Jaffe has implored publishers to start putting proper games on digital download services.

"For the love of f***ing god, put some commercial titles on XBLA," Jaffe told an audience at the DICE Summit in Las Vegas this week (thanks GamesIndustry.biz).

"EA's the first company to really go out there and say 'Hey, we're speaking to our console consumer...' Let's think a little bit more about what the consumer wants."

And how - Battlefield 1943, released last summer on PSN and XBLA, received rave reviews and sold by the electronic truckload.

Jaffe admitted there's a danger of stuff slipping out of view with too much content vying for people's attention, but he said that's no different to how games have to fight for space in shops, "or when you go to buy a car".

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (45) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Br0ken_Engli5h #1 2 years ago

    David Jaffe makes public comment, swears a bit.
    Well, that shocked the shit out of me.

  • the_dudefather #2 2 years ago

    on the GI.biz article it says he mentions PSN as well, but whatever...

    'grr that asshole talking mess about the 360 just because he works for Sony'

  • bad09 #3 2 years ago

    God could you imagine the price of new retail over Live? Would make Steam look like a bargain store!

    / shudders

  • HermitArcader #4 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • Sunyavadin #5 2 years ago

    What an utter tit.

  • Dezm0nd #6 2 years ago

    David Jaffa Cake asks for better known titles on XBLA? Well, why not release Calling All Cars on XB-- oh wait.

  • woodnotes #7 2 years ago

    I always think of him as David Jaffa Cakes too.

    Patcher already gave one very good reason why publishers don't do this though. Idiots get Madden Arcade confused with retail Madden. They think that paying 800 points for the XBLA version is just the same game. Idiots, that is.
    Edited by 1 at 18/02/10 @ 09:20

  • mfnick #8 2 years ago

    Im quite happy getting games like Trials HD, Splosion Man, Misadventures of whats-his-face etc. on XBLA thanks.

    'Commercial' titles should mostly stick to the retail side otherwise all these, smaller, unique & brilliant games wont get a look in.
    Edited by 1 at 18/02/10 @ 09:21

  • woodnotes #9 2 years ago

    Indeed mcnick, if the big publishers take over XBLA then we might not see as many of those awesome indie gems.

  • sd99 #10 2 years ago

    Isn't this what the new Games On Demand is for? XBLArcade is designed for small, arcade like games - hence it's name. Duh... Jaffe Gaffe.

  • metalangel #11 2 years ago

    I hoped it would be Al Jaffee of MAD Magazine fame.

  • HermitArcader #12 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • M_of_the_sys #13 2 years ago

    Yeah! Who wants more great titles like BF1943? More indie games please!

    /sarcasm

    "'Commercial' titles should mostly stick to the retail side otherwise all these, smaller, unique & brilliant games wont get a look in."

    Tell me, why can't indie games get a look in? It's not like they're fighting over shelf space. Why can't we have both?

  • mfnick #14 2 years ago

    @Vertical Stand - Yeah, I agree. As long as it is done so that they can make more 'leftfield' gams as you so nicely put it, rather than just a load of 'me too' or licenced games.

    Shadow Complex was a great addition to XBLA for example & that was from a commercial dev. BF1943 was amazing too. I just dont want these to become so common games like the ones I mentioned along with ones like The Maw, Braid etc. dont really appear anymore. Plus, as brilliant as BF1943 & Shadow Complex are, they arent really unique, more like just cut down, smaller retail games. It would be nice if they did something really fesh.
    Edited by 1 at 18/02/10 @ 09:56

  • Sunyavadin #15 2 years ago

    Isn't this what the new Games On Demand is for?

    THIS.

    He's clearly talking about something he's never actually bothered to look at.

    I reiterate my prior statement.

  • BillyBrush #16 2 years ago

    No David, let's have new 2d games, like Winterbottom released yesterday, a different kind of market for digital, a bit of indie spirit.

    I like that as soon as the guy has a rant he decides to use xbla as an example, whereas if he's trying to talk something up it'll be a psn title that no one's buying.

    it's definately a genuine Jaffe comment, he can barely hold it in at the best of times.

  • homerramone #17 2 years ago

    And if you do put commercial stuff on there.. make it work on release day (as opposed 3 days afterwards!) :-)

  • mfnick #18 2 years ago

    M_of_the_sys - I know what you're saying. But if lots of bigger & well known titles end up on XBLA - these will undoubtably be pushed to the front of the marketplace. Just like in the retail space, people will just end up buying what they know & wont be bothered to search out those awesome & unique games that will have been pushed to the back.

    If someone browses the Marketplace now its quite easy to just stumble across those games I mentioned. Someone with 800-1200points burning a hole in their account is far more likely to end up taking a chance on these when that happens. Put a load of commercial games or ones with well known IP's attached to them onto the marketplace & those will be the only ones that actually get bought.

    Its not like XBLA is made up of indie games as it is anyway (the indie channel is for that). Its lots of the smaller development studios that are getting by on that service creating smaller really great & polished games.

    Edited by 1 at 18/02/10 @ 10:08

  • Sunyavadin #19 2 years ago

    I don't really see what his issue is.

    We have:

    Full retail titles on GoD.
    Small indie games on the Indie channel.
    Arcade/classic console/classic PC titles on XBLA.
    New IPs and extensions of older recognised games franchises on XBLA.

    A lot of these have a development budget and time close to that of a full boxed retail game. It's such a wide spectrum though, that I can't see what this mythical platonic ideal game could be that doesn't fall somewhere on the scale.

  • Toothball #20 2 years ago

    It seems like some publishers are still dubious of downloads on consoles because of all the complaints they seem to get when they try it and don't get a favourable response. It certainly seems to be the case as far as the PSN is going too. But unless they start pushing this more despite any market resistance it's never going to get anywhere at all.

    Also one thing that would massively help the situation on Xbox is if Microsoft were to make that 250 gig drive available separately, so people actually have the space to download full games and keep them around. No point making games available to download if people don't have the space for them.

  • M_of_the_sys #21 2 years ago

    @mfnick

    I've never used XBLA so I'm not sure what the layout is. I would imagine people like yourself will still search for the indie games but I see what you mean. It'll be harder to stumble across them.
    Personally, I'd like the option for both. Perhaps two seperate filters in XBLA? One for retail games and one for indie games?

  • ckyman2 #22 2 years ago

    Would be nice to see a Steam Lite on XBL, but some how I don't see it happening :(

  • tancredo #23 2 years ago

    They should release the multiplayer component of games via xboxlive.

    Have multi online downlable for the exclusive maps to this mode. And rree up space in the disk for the single player / local coop.

    Add a "Multiplayer online" section to Games on Demand

  • Sunyavadin #24 2 years ago


    I've never used XBLA so I'm not sure what the layout is. I would imagine people like yourself will still search for the indie games but I see what you mean. It'll be harder to stumble across them.
    Personally, I'd like the option for both. Perhaps two seperate filters in XBLA? One for retail games and one for indie games?

    See, this is why it's clear you've never used it. Because what you suggest is exactly what it has.
    Edited by 1 at 18/02/10 @ 11:07

  • M_of_the_sys #25 2 years ago

    @Sunyavadin

    What also makes it clear is the part where I said: "I've never used XBLA". Anyway, if it already has this, then I don't see what the problem is with having retail games on XBLA. Same goes for PSN.

  • gandhimaster #26 2 years ago

    even if they were priced competitively, it'd take ages to download (like GOD) and the issue of not owning the disc would put alot of people off.

    the problem now is we are all aware of the issues and as such have not taken to downloading full retail games fully yet.

    give me a 1TB internet connection with virtually unlimited HDD with prices that can be competitive from retailers who can have sales etc and i'll think about it.

  • Mox #27 2 years ago

    I see what his issue is, which is that he's got the wrong perspective. "That's no different to how games have to fight for space in shops or when you go to buy a new car" is a spectacular misunderstanding of the value of the virtual retail space. Infinite shelf space, and infinite stock! That's the main bonus of downloadable!

  • crazyhorse174 #28 2 years ago

    give me a 1TB internet connection with virtually unlimited HDD with prices that can be competitive from retailers who can have sales etc and i'll think about it.

    While I'm at it, would you like world peace and a winning Euromillions ticket as well??

  • Golgo #29 2 years ago

    Why did Jaffe give up making games in exchange of a career as a professional swearist when he's proper rubbish at swearing and quite good at making games? Go back, man...!

  • Sunyavadin #30 2 years ago

    What also makes it clear is the part where I said: "I've never used XBLA".
    My point was that saying that was redundant - his ignorance of it made that abundantly clear.

  • Gastrian #31 2 years ago

    On the flip side having more commercial games on the service might create more traffic which in turn could mean more potential customers for indie games. Also if they start using the system for the commercial games the consumer will become more familiar with the system and more confident in exploring the other aspects of the service.

  • octavedoctor #32 2 years ago

    David Giraffe



  • gandhimaster #33 2 years ago

    @crazyhorse174

    that'd be lovely, thank you! :p

  • menschenfracht #34 2 years ago

    Well, Burnout on PSN was nice.
    can't remember any non-EA-or-Sony big titles though (ratchet and clank & wipeout HD)

  • monkeywithnoeyes #35 2 years ago

    to be honest..rather than "commercial titles" hitting xbla, i'd prefer them to keep focusing on new imaginative ip's..that removes from the tired and tested, and offer some creativity in style and substance. Games like Braid, shadow complex, and more resently P.B winter bottom.

    Though i appreciate Battlefield being made into a live arcade game.. i do not want to see mini arcade versions of fifa, MW, halo, on there.. neither do i want to see arcade titles stop taking risks

  • kangarootoo #36 2 years ago

    @Mox

    Um.

    He doesn't mean a fight for physical space, he means a fight for space in the view and consiousness of the gamers looking to spend their limited funds.

    More games on XBLA means it is harder for any given game to stand out - metaphorically the same as more aisles in your supermarket making it harder for any given can of beans to stand out from the competition.

  • darleysam #37 2 years ago

    David Jaffe: so edgey, he's been sued by Tim Langdell on at least 4 separate occasions.
    Edited by 1 at 18/02/10 @ 18:00

  • Dizzy #38 2 years ago

    Who is this guy?

  • BabyJesus #39 2 years ago

    A valid point, but I prefer the different offerings I can get on XBLA and PSN versus normal boxed releases. I don't know if he wants to see more sort of 'lite' versions of full games like 1943 and NFL, NHL etc arcade. In which case i'm all for it.

    Depends on what you want from DD though.

  • Murton #40 2 years ago

    "Jaffa Cake" as people have been calling him obviously has no idea what's it's like in the real world. The digital distribution market isn't being passed up by consumers due to a lack of content, nor is it being skipped because the price isn't competitive. The reason people are buying retail in the face of downloaded content is because most broadband is shit. If I was to have the sudden urge to buy a game I'd be able to take a train into town, buy it and get back much faster than I could ever hope to download it.

    You can urge publishers to make content available all you want, but until the ISPs get their act together start delivering decent broadband service a lot of people simply aren't going to bother.

  • MizzouGaming #41 2 years ago

    The guy makes one overhyped TURD of a downloadable game and now knows it all in regards to downloadable content.

  • M_of_the_sys #42 2 years ago

    @Murton

    Sometimes I have the sudden urge to have a game and if it was available to download (a la Burnout) then I'd be more likely to buy it there and then. If I were to walk into town, by the time I get their common sense hits me and I realise that I'm wasting my money. So in that respect, digital distribution could work. Expecially on XBLA where people have got points just waiting to be used.
    That said, my internet connection is pretty good so that might be why I'm more open to digital distribution.

  • kangarootoo #43 2 years ago

    @Murton

    "If I was to have the sudden urge to buy a game I'd be able to take a train into town, buy it and get back much faster than I could ever hope to download it"

    I'm not sure everyone's broadband is as slow as yours... unless you live really close to town :)

    What country are you in incidentally? I always sort of assumed that the UK had the worst broadband network in europe, so I'm wondering if you maybe live elsewhere?

  • Murton #44 2 years ago

    I live in the UK, but if you run the numbers a full commerical game these days will be 6-8gb, that's several hours downloading even if UKs broadband providers actually provided anywhere close to the speeds they advertised/didn't throttle the hell out of your service.

    I buy quite a few downloaded games from the PSN, but most of those simply aren't available at retail, once our broadband infrastructure catches up with consumer demand we might see services like this become viable but right now, it's quicker to go out and buy it, unless it's daft o'clock and your really need that game now.

  • kangarootoo #45 2 years ago

    "but if you run the numbers a full commerical game these days will be 6-8gb"

    Ah this is true. I was thinking of the usual large downloads, which are a gig or 2. But you are right, an 8GB download would take a fair chunk of a day on my BB too.

    On a related note, Mass Effect 2 on 2 discs. My 20GB 360 HDD has finally met its match. No amount of uninstalling Assassin's Creed 2 is going to free enough space for 2 discs worth of ME2 :(

    Of course, is MS didn't insist on their annoyingly overpriced proprietory peripherals, I would just upgrade the bugger and be done as I did with my PS3 (320GB for £40, compared to £50+ for 60GB in a 360. Grrrrrrrr).