Worms XBLA next week

By Robert Purchese Published 2 March, 2007

Wrigglers on Wednesday

Worms has finally reared its head in the Microsoft garden, and has been confirmed for release on Xbox Live Arcade next Wednesday.

It will be available from 8am GMT and will cost you 800 points, which is about 6.80 in Her Majesty's money, or 9.60 in Euro-gold.

"Obviously we're absolutely delighted about Worms finally coming out for Live Arcade," Martyn Brown, studio director at Team 17, told Eurogamer this morning. "It's an excellent platform which presents an ideal way to play the game both socially offline and also multiplayer online."

"Sat playing it wirelessly on high-def it makes a terrific party game and playing it online, with voice and ranked leaderboards will be massively competitive. We've taken the opportunity to make it nice and slick too, so it looks, sounds and feels great to play."

This arcade update of the original Team 17 classic will feature HD resolutions, multiplayer support for four players locally or on Xbox Live, leaderboards and detailed tutorials for first time players. All this is in addition to the onslaught of 22 weapons, customisable worm teams, random landscape generation, multiple graphical themes and 12 achievements.

"We're also very happy about the balanced weapon set, which gets the game back to it's strategic best. We think even the rope fanatics will be chuffed!" he added, reminding me of a friend who used to turn off time limits and bundle my entire team into one ditch, before blowing the ground away from beneath them and dispatching me in one lousy turn.

"We think it offers something very different to the majority of titles on XBLA, and at only 800 points it's got to be a steal for the hours of entertainment on offer."

Worms, in case you outrageously didn't already know, puts two or more teams of soiled-wrigglers on a quirky map to battle it out to the death. You take it in turns to murder each other, using all manner of weapons and tools, such as bazookas, dynamite, banana bombs, air-strikes, exploding sheep and blow-torches.

We suggest you buy it, it's as simple as that.

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.

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

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Comments (80) Latest comment 5 years ago

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

  • Phreez #1 5 years ago

    Hurrah

  • Caimbeul #2 5 years ago

    I hope its not the 3D version...

  • Xerx3s #3 5 years ago

    it's 2d with 3d background illusion.

  • SomaticSense #4 5 years ago

    Spadge, sorry if I'm a bit behind but are you Martyn Brown?

  • spadge #5 5 years ago

    Aye.

  • optimusprym8 #6 5 years ago

    THANK THE LORD!

  • Xerx3s #7 5 years ago

    Will it enable players to use one joypad (passing it around) like you can when you play on the pc? I've got more than 4 friends you know. ¬_¬

    (grammar, cough)

  • KineticOnline #8 5 years ago

    Worms - "Pink, hard and coming soon"

    COME ON!

  • QJ #9 5 years ago

    Wahoo!

    Excellent news. First XBLA purchase for me in ages (think last one was Doom).

    /Starts whistling Worms theme

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #10 5 years ago

    "Pink, hard and coming soon"

    :D

  • Shill #11 5 years ago

    Great news for me, not so great news for my girlfriend. :)

    Cant wait.

  • spadge #12 5 years ago

    1-4 pads supported offline.

  • jamhead #13 5 years ago

    I'm so excited, a little bit of wee just came out.

  • Keso #14 5 years ago

    This is going to be great. I hope they keep all of the diffrent accents in. I want my scouse team back!

  • Hunam #15 5 years ago

    /dances
    /keeps dances
    /dies on Tuesday

  • spadge #16 5 years ago

    We couldn't fit all the voice banks in the initial 50mb limit (we had to provide banks for all the localisations). However they will be coming as downloads, worry not. 50mb doesn't go so far these days when you've very large high-rez bitmaps flying about (all new high rez art in widescreen - none of this old ported stuff).

  • QJ #17 5 years ago

    Hoping these will be free downloads.

    Shame MS didn't allow you a larger download limit like Castlevania:SOTN.
    Edited by 2 at 02/03/07 @ 12:16

  • Xerx3s #18 5 years ago

    Localisations you say?! Please tell me that you did not translate text or voices. That will most likely put me off and result in not buying it (I'm not the only one who thinks like that over here).

    Keep English in English please.

  • Freelancepolice #19 5 years ago

    I think he knows seeing as he's a team 17 studio director :p

  • spadge #20 5 years ago

    We're currently working with Microsoft on the download packs (both content and pricing as applicable) so I'm not in a position to confirm content, price (free or otherwise) or availability.

    Microsoft control the costings and delivery of all downloadable content, not Team17 or other developers/publishers - which is fair enough given it's their marketplace & equilibrium to maintain with other games, developers and publishers.

    We are planning a mixture of both free and some (premium) chargeable content - and are concious that anything premium (i.e. charged) will represent very good value - we believe that going out at 800pts is also a fair indication of our belief in good value - note that since we're self publishing, this allows us to set our price. It has to be said that in the initial 800pts release, you'll get everything you need to play - nothing will be missing (i.e. modes, single player levels, features and options).

    Packs will contain gamerpics, dashboard themes, voice-packs (localised and dialects/comedy), additional landscape themes & audio, music and more. More information later when we can confirm them.

  • Xerx3s #21 5 years ago

    Btw, bitmaps? Surely you use some advanced lossless compression?

  • Hunam #22 5 years ago

    MS haven't ditched it just yet, only in special cases, and i guess Team 17 dont have enough clout with ms to be a special case.... :(

  • Xerx3s #23 5 years ago

    Oh and while we are at it ( ;) ), will we see some new IP from you? With the likes of psstore, vc and xbla?

  • QJ #24 5 years ago

    I do think it is a fair price, especially in comparison with other titles such as Lumines. And as long as there is a reasonable selection of voices I'll be happy, doubt I'd be too bothered to pay for additional ones. :-)

  • BBIAJ #25 5 years ago

    Something tells me it won't be up at 8am though, if Alien Hominid was anything to go by.

    More like 10am 'praps... ;o)

  • spadge #26 5 years ago

    Xerxs. The game is localised in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean and Japanese. Localisation is not an option these days when working with global corporations and closed video-game markets! :-)

    I believe it will default to English if your system is either English or none of the above.

    Fruit_Salad: Castlevania is currently an exception. There was no option for us at the time of development (middle of last year, as it happens). As far as I'm aware there has been no formal announcement from the folks at Microsoft on this subject and obviously I can't speak on behalf of them. All the additional material we'll be providing isn't 100% necessary to really enjoy the game, which is perhaps why we didn't push for an extension. People get the choice to decide if they want it, which is nice.

  • Xerx3s #27 5 years ago

    Xerxs. The game is localised in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean and Japanese. Localisation is not an option these days when working with global corporations and closed video-game markets! :-)

    I believe it will default to English if your system is either English or none of the above.

    Cheers! That means I will get it in English. VP had Dutch localisation and it was absolutely horrible. Horrible enough to dive for the console and press the power button in less than 60 secs after booting. It was fortunately linked to the system setting.

  • spadge #28 5 years ago

    Xerxs, sure they're compressed - they're still not small though. It's not like they're tiled repeated textures. Lemmings on PS3 was sizeable too, high def pixels are costly :-)

    New IP.. Well, the digital platforms do allow us to experiment a lot given some chance. Our only limitation has been so busy with other projects of late - but yeah, it's just the beginning really.

    Hunam - No real need and besides, we'd already gone code & content complete by the time exceptions were being discussed.

  • Brogan #29 5 years ago

    Personally, I would be more than happy to pay 1,600 points for Worms (as I think many other people would), it's a classic game.

    Sssshhhh you'll start to give them ideas. ture as it maybe

  • spadge #30 5 years ago

    Heh, well it's a great opportunity for us to introduce the game to a new audience at a great price (again, the benefits of us self-publishing). We'd rather have 10's/100's of thousands playing than a few thousand prepared to pay more. It's a bit more easier to dive in and out of than the PC iterations and the more focused weapon set really makes it easier for others to get into it - but at the same time, veterans will be eyeing up devilish rope moves no doubt.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/07 @ 12:54

  • gizmo #31 5 years ago

    Good for you, I'll defintately be buying at that price. Gawd only knows how many times I've bought worms :p

  • spadge #32 5 years ago

    Yeah, we're aware of that too, hence 800pts.

  • Graymalkin #33 5 years ago

    This is really good news. I've played Armageddon with my girlfriend a couple of years ago and am looking forward to playing Worms with her again on the 360.
    Hope I can still find the notes with the team / worm names we made up :)

    By the way, is the Super-Sheep included in the weapon set?

  • Caimbeul #34 5 years ago

    Just had a look at some screens on IGN and I think I'll be buying this on Weds. Means I will have to buy more points than i need though! :-(

    I hope you can still edit the names of your worms!!??

  • DDevil #35 5 years ago

    Spadge - Alien Breed SE. PLEASE. That, Assassin and Worms are the only games I saved up pocket money for rather than waiting for birthdays/Xmas.

  • Caimbeul #36 5 years ago

    @ Graymalkin - if you look at the vid on IGN it looks like the super sheep are in there but no Granny or Holy Hand-granade :-( - That was one of my fave's! "Haleluliah! BOOM!"
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/07 @ 13:09

  • Graymalkin #37 5 years ago

    Ah, thanks, Caimbeul!
    I don't consider the Super-Sheep easy to handle but it is an effective and hilarous weapon :)

    Finally the 'Reinforcements have arrived' !

  • Giz #38 5 years ago

    Spadge - I don't want to start an internet spreading rumour, and I know all the stories and quotes have stated the game has passed Certification and is in next week's Arcade slot for release, but . . . .

    Is the game 100% definitely through the Certification stage, or is there any testing due to take place early next week that could affect release???

    Just want to be totally sure that it'll be out on Wednesday so I can arrange a LIVE league ;)

    Cheers,

    Giz

  • Aurifex. #39 5 years ago

    I had the orignal PSX1 version and loved it, still got it. But, (always a but), it had ugly black borders. I take it this version will be full screen, hope so. I also still have the N64 version too as well as xbox one too. Look forward to seeing it. Will there be a demo of it first?

  • dsmx #40 5 years ago

    I'm sorry but worms without the concrete donkey isn't worms, this game sounds almost the same as worms on the psp....

  • Fozzie_bear #41 5 years ago

    Spadge - do us all a favour and get on with a 2D Alien Breed.

    Now.

    Go on. Off you go.

  • trevd72 #42 5 years ago

    i just got my refurb 360 back yesterday so M$ are giving me all my points back cos of their daft DRM so i know where some of them are going.

    sorry if this has been said but is this going to have like a ELO system to work out your rank and have ranked matches or is it just blind matches with no feedback as to how good you are?

  • technofranki #43 5 years ago

    This will be the first XBLA game I buy this year. It's been month since the last.

  • Xerx3s #44 5 years ago

    New IP.. Well, the digital platforms do allow us to experiment a lot given some chance. Our only limitation has been so busy with other projects of late - but yeah, it's just the beginning really.

    Good! \0/ It's been so long since I saw something fresh & new from you guys while you used to do all the funny new things.

    Now gimme worms! I WANT WORMS DEMMIT! ;p

    /eats dirt

  • Xerx3s #45 5 years ago

    Oh yes, now that you are here: I beg you to give us Alien Breed stuff with 4p coop. Please? Pretty please with a cherry on top? ;)

  • septimus #46 5 years ago

    Great news.

    Now we just need Alien Breed :)

    Anyone remember Full Contact? Used to love the music from that.

  • BraveArse #47 5 years ago

    will it be possible for multiple people on one console to play against other friends online? Not very well worded but I hope you get me...
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/07 @ 14:36

  • gizmo #48 5 years ago

    "This will be the first XBLA game I buy this year. It's been month since the last. "

    /Checks watch.

    Yep.

  • Dark_Stranger #49 5 years ago

    Gizmo - Ditto, but will now have to teach the misses how to play with my worm, sorry worms. But also the saying teaching an old dog comes to mind (lets just hope she never visits this site).

  • spadge #50 5 years ago

    Phew... a few questions; here we go;

    Editing names - yes, of course

    Super Sheep - Sorry, no, just normal sheep

    Alien Breed - We'd love to do that, there's a ton of interest - depends if we get the chance really, it's not as simple as saying "oh bugger it, today we'll do alien breed" :)

    Yes it's 100% through cert. Microsoft have made an official press release, that wouldn't happen otherwise, I can assure you. The last few months were mainly very minor issues that cropped up, but failing a cert and restarting that process takes a while. Relax, it's through!

    Yes, it's full screen, full-palette, widescreen, high definition.

    Yes, there will be a demo/trial (this is heavily clamped and features basic play, no online, no random levels and less weapons). Most of the feature restrictions are suggested by the platform holder and there are a lot of nags for you to buy the full game, as you'd expect.

    It's correct that there's no donkey, but that only ever appeared in very few crates - so hardly drove the gameplay. 3million+ players of the original (donkey-less) worms didn't miss it.

    Bravearse, no, unless you play 1 worm each or 2 worms, we've tried to keep the options reasonably casual.

    Ranks/Leaderboards: We calculate a score based on games played, won, your winning ratio, kills and damage. You can highlight a player and see their stats used to calculate the score. These are ranked weekly, monthly and overall. There's also ranks for each of the 20 single player challenges, recording the record time!
    Edited by 3 at 02/03/07 @ 15:00

  • chiz #51 5 years ago

    got my money :)

  • Xerx3s #52 5 years ago

    "oh bugger it, today we'll do alien breed"

    Not even just a little? ;)

    /drools at the thought of 4p SS coop
    /wanders off to find ab

    sorry, can't help myself. My brother and me played this for ages.

  • quantumsheep #53 5 years ago

    "Super Sheep - Sorry, no, just normal sheep"

    I'm appalled :o






    ;)

  • bivith #54 5 years ago

    800 points=sold

  • Shill #55 5 years ago

    I tell you what other developers can take a leaf out of Spadges book. Thankyou very much for taking the time out to answer the questions put here.

    I personally cant wait and im sure it will be the best 800 points i've spent since I got my 360.

    Cheers

  • symmetry #56 5 years ago

    \o/

  • spadge #57 5 years ago

    Quite a lot of devs read and contribute to EG, I can assure you. It's probably more prominent this time since we're self-publishing, it's our IP and we care a great deal about what's said.

  • Xerx3s #58 5 years ago

    We also have that git from that halo killer fps that is due next year. Can't remember the name though. ;p

    Self pimpage by gd is something I'd like to see rather than some staged pimpage by pr people.

  • lennon #59 5 years ago

    Consider this purchased. One of my favourite games off all time.

  • samuraipimp #60 5 years ago

    GET IN!!!
    Mr. Spadge sir, I heard the Holy Hand Grenade will not be included. Will this be added later?

  • spadge #61 5 years ago

    We don't currently plan to add weapon packs as it'll make for a very confused game-space (ie. some will have it, some will not). For better or worse we've made the decision to keep the weapon set tight and strategic - and balanced. I'm sure you haven't seen the last of the HHG though - but for now, you can get all wobbly and nostalgic about it.

  • Graymalkin #62 5 years ago

    "Super Sheep - Sorry, no, just normal sheep"

    Boowoo :(

    Aaah, I'll get over it!

    Wouldn't it be possible to add a weapons add-on later and make it so that people without the add-on aren't able to find servers hosting weapon-add-on games?

  • spadge #63 5 years ago

    See the comment above yours. We'd rather avoid a fragmented approach to the game's online side, really - it'll handle any downloadable stuff fairly eloquently and not disturb people (i.e. it won't filter you out if choosing a particular level/theme you may have and another player doesn't have).

  • Graymalkin #64 5 years ago

    I understand.
    I am looking forward to the game, Super Sheep included or not.

  • Poorandugly #65 5 years ago

    I plan to do a Cartman and freeze myself until next wednesday. Worms just can't come fast enough!

  • suicida #66 5 years ago

    w00t! Have had MS points waiting for this for months...

  • Xerx3s #67 5 years ago

    Hey spadge; You probably are in the loop about this but NDA'd by ms but I'm going to ask it anyway as I'm quite curious about it. How much money does ms take on a sold xbla game? I'm having a guess that ms take a large chunk out of the earnings.

  • spadge #68 5 years ago

    Yeah, I can't answer that. However I can say that it's a much better deal for us than a traditional publishing deal. Given the infrastructure that MS provide in Live and all that 360 live entails, I reckon it's very fair actually.

  • bonker #69 5 years ago

    Guys, gals, might I suggest that this is the first truly Triple-A XBLA title?

    Oh and thanks for contributing to the thread Spadge, great to hear something from the horse's mouth for once.

  • McBradders #70 5 years ago

    Wow, my entire household is psyched for this game... I hope it supports the old "pass the controller around" for one Xbox multiplayer.

  • spadge #71 5 years ago

    Yep, 1-4 controllers are supported. People used to whine about not being able to use all 4 controllers since the console requirements asked us to just use 1 since it was turn based (yeah, crazy I know). But each player can select which controller to use - or just just one! Being wireless on 360 makes this dead easy.

  • captainrentboy #72 5 years ago

    My god I can't wait, everyone in work is buying this too with a big battle planned for Wednesday night, we've been brushing up on the DS version whenever it's been quiet enough :) And 800 pts is a freakin bargain, good stuff. And like a few of you this is the first xbla title I'd have bought in months,infact the last one was that marble rolling game...

  • effinwooly #73 5 years ago

    brill news !! and thanks spadge for the feedback !

  • the_dudefather #74 5 years ago

    looking forward to having ninja rope only games, with the aim being to show off tricks :p

    used to do it in worms Armageddon (back in ye olde modem days)

    edit: oh yeah, is there a system to discourage players dropping out when they are losing, like it registering as a 'lost game' on the leaderboards for them?
    Edited by 1 at 03/03/07 @ 22:05

  • spadge #75 5 years ago

    We've worked with MS on the leaderboard stuff, we'll just have to see how it all pans out really.

    Due to gamertags, there's no way to Ally teams right now but there's nothing stopping you doing that with friends socially I guess (i.e. players share worms on a 1 v 1 game)

  • Xerx3s #76 5 years ago

    Is T17 going to do some PR matches btw? Would be nice. :)

    BTW, a fake gamertag in your profile to throw people off guard? ;p

  • Tiel #77 5 years ago

    800 pts+Another sale to me.

    This, geometry wars, marble blast ultra and zuma are my only other xbla games.

  • optimusprym8 #78 5 years ago

    wHeRe Is It?!? Must_have_Worms..!

  • optimusprym8 #79 5 years ago

    WAHEY!

  • McBradders #80 5 years ago

    So... how is it?!