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Aegis Wing (XBLA) – Microsoft ignores the rest of the world

XBLA-LogoThis potential gem of a shoot-em-up rears its little head on Xbox Live Arcade on the 16th May 07. Developed by 3 students whilst interning at Microsoft last summer under the guidance of Carbonated Games, it’s going available as a FREE download for a limited time only.

It sounds like a great little game with up to 4 players locally or via Xbox Live all blasting away at that alien scum. Full orchestral soundtrack, 6 levels with boss encounters and super-mega weapons. Great, I can play it tomorrow. Yipee.


AegisWing-BangBang

But I can’t, as I don’t live in America. Aegis Wing is only for North American gamers. I don’t know if Microsoft have noticed this but an awful lot of people don’t live in North America and have XBOX 360s (except Japan, which hates the 360). And we like to play games too, especially if they are free.

Personally I’m getting a little bit sick of being excluded from functionality and/or content available just to North America. For example the UK Playstation Store is a complete joke when compared to the North America version. North Americans actually get access to lots of demos and PSOne games in its store, whereas we don’t. I like to play a little game when I’m browsing our store, it’s called “spot the content.” It’s bloody hard, I tell you. Pull your finger out Sony. Oh, and while you’re at it release some decent films on Blu-ray unlike the flaming turds available at the moment.

As for Xbox Live Marketplace, well it’s a different kind of marketplace in Europe than in America. In Europe we aren’t allowed to download our favourite tv programs/films from the Marketplace for some reason. Microsoft gives with one hand to North America and takes with the other when it sees Europe. And now we are being prevented from playing Aegis Wing. It may get released in Europe at some point, but I bet it won’t be free we it finally sees these shores.

If Microsoft is going to release games on Live Arcade then it should release them globally and let the consumer decide if he/she is going to buy/play it. Heck, it might sell more games that way.