Microsoft: We are digi distribution leader

By Tom Bramwell Published 22 September, 2009

Releases stats from Summer of Arcade.

Microsoft reckons that it's king of the hill when it comes to downloadable games, following a period that saw a 200 per cent boost in sales compared to last summer.

"It's clear that we've had an incredibly successful summer, and the Xbox Live community loves the innovative gaming experiences we deliver," Xbox Live digital download director Scott Austin said in a press release on Monday.

"We are the leader in digitally distributed games, have the best partners in the industry and work closely with them to offer the best in downloadable content and entertainment."

To back up his boasts, Austin's department released figures claiming that divisive quiz-show game 1 vs. 100 was downloaded three million times during its 13-week "pilot season", with simultaneous connection figures hitting 114,000 in North America and 81,000 in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Elsewhere, Shadow Complex and Trials HD both broke records for the most downloads of a single-player game during their respective first weeks on sale, according to Microsoft's statistics.

The company also reminded us that its free-to-play, Avatar-based driving game, Joy Ride, is still to come before the end of the year.

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.

You may also like...

Comments (35) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • MeBrains #1 2 years ago

    well... good on ya mate!

    I have always respected MS for the online service they developed (although IMHO it should be free) - that is their contribution to this gen. for small and simple games, I do agree with that method of distribution. For large, multi-million budget games, I prefer the ol' physical. My line is not able to handle the large download required.

  • Vice.Destroyer #2 2 years ago

    A satisfied customer? On Eurogamer? You don't belong here, Sir. You need to be far away from here. With like-minded people. Here we only welcome comments that inform us that 'Micro$oft' are the spawn of the devil, the worst thing to happen to gaming and that EG is biased.

    :)

  • Freek #3 2 years ago

    Considering sales figures of other platforms like Steam are not released, you can't claim to be the leader. Because there's no evidence to back up your claim.

  • JahB #4 2 years ago

    @Freek

    I suppose he refers to the console market, it's pretty obvious neither the PSN nor Xbox live could compete with steam in terms of numbers.

  • ybfelix #5 2 years ago

    Why do arcade games have even more exclusives than retails, I would like to play some really nice games only on PSN, and I think LIVE got quite a few good ones, too. Is there some incentive I don't know that make arcade developers stick to one platform?

  • Nephirion #6 2 years ago

    I think xbox live should be a free service the already costly DLC should easily cover the cost of maintaining the service, I personally couldn't care about Avatars and all that fluff, infact as an adult gamer in my 30's I would so far as to say they make it look childish, I prefer the streamlimed modern look of the PS3

  • Freek #7 2 years ago

    Oh ok, gotcha, MS is pretending the PC exists in some parallel dimension that does not compete with consoles. Even though allot of the games are released on both platforms, both digitally and physically.

  • siro #8 2 years ago

    Where are the stats for Summer of Arcade promised on the front page?:)

  • Peew971 #9 2 years ago

    @ Freek - Evidently he's comparing to other consoles, why who he put himself against Steam which is a download-only service? Wouldn't make any sense. XBLA has more content than PSN and Wiiware and although some might argue about the quality ratio (good enough imo) that make them indeed the leaders in digital distribution (again... for consoles).
    When the man is right he's right, not every statement has to be criticised.

  • ybfelix #10 2 years ago

    PC is MS's lifeline, they sell Windows, you know. I think it's corporate politics thing of Xbox department

  • Freek #11 2 years ago

    XBLA = digital download service , Steam = digital download service.

    One of them is bigger then the other. We really can't say wich one since there's no stats released. But you can make the speculation that it's not XBLA.

    And that's not even considering the rest of the smaller platforms.
    Edited by 2 at 22/09/09 @ 08:56

  • Arwin #12 2 years ago

    This is all very self-reflective - they only talk about breaking their own records and the stats are only relative to their own performance. From my personal perspective, I think their Summer of Arcade initiative was a clear success (I bought Trials, many of you also bought Shadow Complex or Splosion Man), but it does sort of hide the fact that outside of that initiative, there wasn't all that much, particularly in the way of meaningful exclusives? Personally, I bought a tonne more games on PSN.

  • pinochet_cz #13 2 years ago

    Leaders of nonexisting market of console digital distribution? Great.
    There is some great DLC (Fallout), an some good arcades, but whole GoD and Video Marketplace sucks.

  • miiiguel #14 2 years ago

    "infact as an adult gamer in my 30's I would so far as to say they make it look childish"
    That's odd, I'm 34 and I have no prejudice towards Avatars. As a matter of fact I find them funny. I thought only teenagers and very young adults would think that's not cool because it could make them look like "kids".

    @ Arwin: I'm not very familiar with PSN portfolio, what came out this summer that was interresting ?
    Edited by 1 at 22/09/09 @ 09:19

  • Spydy #15 2 years ago

    MS CLAIM that they are market leaders yet, have no real evidence of sales?

    Not news worthy.

  • ZuluHero #16 2 years ago

    We are digi distribution leader! Disclaimer: Except when it comes to our overpriced Games on Demand!

    But we'll just omit that from our report and only include the good bits! ok? :)
    Edited by 1 at 22/09/09 @ 09:27

  • woodnotes #17 2 years ago

    "We are digi distribution leader! Disclaimer: Except when it comes to our overpriced Games on Demand!

    But we'll just omit that from our report and only include the good bits! ok? :)"

    I thought it was pretty clear by now that those prices are due to retail pressure. Anyways, by getting a 2100 points card for £7 at Littlewoods, it makes all the GoD games much cheaper!

  • miiiguel #18 2 years ago

    "We are digi distribution leader! Disclaimer: Except when it comes to our overpriced Games on Demand! "

    Well, I think they might be leaders there as well, as neither Sony or Nintendo sell retail games digitally.

  • StooMonster #19 2 years ago

    miiiguel: I thought only teenagers and very young adults would think that's not cool because it could make them look like "kids".

    That was my prejudice too, similarly anyone who describes Nintendo or its games are "kiddie" usually equals teenager or insecure young adult in my mind.

  • Skurmedel #20 2 years ago

    I bought Shadow Complex. It was amazing. I think they'll sell a bunch of games whenever there is a sale as long as they are as good as that. Kinda like the TF2/UT3 mega-sales on Steam.

  • MeBrains #21 2 years ago

    amazing. there hardly is anything donnie says which I can find myself in... it does happen though... but not today.

    donnie: I am not disputing the fact that 360 has an advantage over PS3 when it comes to online - they have, but saying that Sony underestimated it in my opinion is wrong. from before release they have been investing millions into their version of online. they knew it was important. But since Sony is not a software development corp, they do indeed play catchup.

    2) to call BluRay a stopgap because "digital 1080p download is here" is being blind to reality. You mentioned it yourself "until broadband speeds" improve. My line can hardly handle SD YouTube - how long do you think it will still take for successful, moneymaking 1080p movies-over-the-net to become reality? My guess is 5 to 10 years and it will still be for the digital elite. That is about when the next iterations of consoles is expected. Also, SHOULD it already be possible now or next year, give me 1 good reason why Sony would not be theoretically able to provide it with PS3? 1080p instant-on movies is bollocks - much like KZ2's E3 2005 showing was real-time. MS might demo with "real movies" to "real xboxes" using "real Video over IP technology", but it will be laboratory, fabricated demonstrations. Until then: BluRay's the alternative.

  • Doctor_What #22 2 years ago

    "We are digi distribution leader" except for iPhone apps and Steam. Nice one MS.

  • spudsbuckley #23 2 years ago

    This is utter nonsense from MS. Steam is much bigger. I think they forgot to add 'for consoles' to the article headline.

  • hiddenranbir #24 2 years ago

    PC exists in some parallel dimension that does not compete with consoles

    I don't think MS pretends that.

    Why do you think they stagger releases so it is out on 360 first? So PC doesn't cannibalise the console sales.

  • Arwin #25 2 years ago

    @miiguel: well, I didn't actually say summer, but here's a list of all games I bought (so not the full list of what came out) this year for both systems (because you asked, I also separated this by summer):

    Summer
    - Trails HD (Live)
    - Trine (PSN)
    - Fat Princess (PSN)
    - Wipeout HD Fury (PSN)
    - Numblast (PSN) (though not quite PSN standards this one, but I still had fun)

    Before Summer
    - Peggle (Live)
    - Trash Panic (PSN)
    - Zen Pinball (PSN - note, there's a version on Live from a year ago or so, but this PSN version is much better, upgraded presentation, better graphics, great use of the touch senstive buttons on the DS3)
    - Rag Doll Kung Fu
    - Noby Noby Boy (didn't really like this one too much, but dead cheap)
    - Flower
    - Lumines Supernova (I'm a sucker for Lumines, bought the Live version of this last year and have all the achievements - trophies here are crazy hard though)

    Even disregarding the few games that were 'catchup' for PSN over Live, I think you get what I mean.

  • influenceuk #26 2 years ago

    "It's clear that we've had an incredibly successful summer, and the Xbox Live community loves the innovative gaming experiences we deliver," Xbox Live digital download director Scott Austin said

    - I suppose they are ignoring iTunes and the App Store then?! I am not putting down Live, i agree there are quite a few good games on there.

  • JensonJet #27 2 years ago

    I hope this doesn't mean another nail in the coffin for games on discs. I still continue to refuse to pay for any downloads as it this will only encourage the gaming cartels and speed up the inevitable. One day when a console comes along that only allows download games I'll be sure to thank everyone of you who's brought on this potentially more expensive gaming future.

  • miiiguel #28 2 years ago

    @Arwin : Fair enough, though it sounded like you said PSN is more prolific (exclusives or not) than XBLA, which it isn't true, imo. Anyway, of those games you bought, I'd love to have Trine, it really seems to be my kind of game - too bad I don't do PC gaming, and I don't have a PS3.

  • Spekingur #29 2 years ago

    Okay, so they can't say they are digi dist leaders because no one else has provided numbers? Than themselves, naturally. So until someone else provides download numbers they are automagically number one. Very simple.

  • sneetch #30 2 years ago

    @miiiguel
    @Arwin : Fair enough, though it sounded like you said PSN is more prolific (exclusives or not) than XBLA, which it isn't true, imo. Anyway, of those games you bought, I'd love to have Trine, it really seems to be my kind of game - too bad I don't do PC gaming, and I don't have a PS3.

    No worries there, miiiguel: apparently Atlus are bringing out a version for XBLA. I don't know when though.

    http://ww w.siliconera.com/2009/06/08/tri...

  • makeamazing #31 2 years ago

    That was my prejudice too, similarly anyone who describes Nintendo or its games are "kiddie" usually equals teenager or insecure young adult in my mind.

    You have to agree that most of Nintendos games are not aimed at the older (30+) gamer though right? Animal crossing, Pokemon and Wii Music. Now Im not saying that adults cant enjoy these games, but its less likely.

    PC is leader of digital download, and of consoles then yes I would say MS sell more.

  • monkeywithnoeyes #32 2 years ago

    i dont know how or why when they insist on not offering a harddrive as standard. Surely all that marketing in pushing/investing in dlc would reap more benefits if all your install base had the ability to download them? But hey what do i know? i'm just the customer...and when has microsoft ever listened to the customer?

  • Nephirion #33 2 years ago

    Just wait till porn hits PSN

  • monkeywithnoeyes #34 2 years ago

    do people still buy porn? i hear the nets a good place for it

  • Arwin #35 2 years ago

    It's definitely true that the PS3's webbrowser works with certain ... sources.