Hi,

I searched the forum and the website but I didn't find any updated info. I see that I can remove the game from the marketplace: how this works exactly? I wish to know:

1. WIll this allow to free a game slot?
2. What happens to the games already sold?

I'm asking because I'm about to release a major update to my game which actually changes a lot the game itself (60 more info screens, 50 new level schemes, and so on) so IMO it really doesn't qualify as an upgrade this being a full game replacement.

Thanks,
Pino

I'm not on the IDN team but as far I know;

If you pull a game from the Marketplace it will no longer be available to new purchasers.
Anyone who had already purchased the game will still be able to re-download the game.
This will not open a new slot.  Once a game has been approved, that slot is permanently used up.

-Dave

1. No Once a game has been put into playtest or peer review it counts as a slot forever. This means if you upload a game for playtest and then change you rmind on the name than that game took up 2 slots.

2. The game will live forever in the xbox archives. Anyone who owns the game will always be able to download it from the download history. It just won't appear for purchase in xbox marketplace.


The new game will be a total new game, even if you give it the same name. That means previous buyers won't get a free upgrade, network games won't connect. This might confuse and/or annoy people who already bought your game.


Personally I don't think adding levels is enough to justify a new game, but that depends on the game and its not a fail point of course.

However pulling a game called X, then resubmitting another game called X with just a more levels would seem to me, any many others I'm sure, like gaming the 'new releases' list. I expect new gameplay, improved graphics etc. Something to seriously justify a v2.0 label.

Hi Andy,

Thank you for your answer. I knew that already, but it isn't a match with my direct experience: My game was in playtest as "Astro Match - Lite Edition", then I changed my mind, deleted it to change the name to Astro Match3. I see only 1 project, the current one, so the previous has been deleted without taking a slot. I gather that something has been changed in the system and I really wish to have some updated information.

Cheers,
Pino

My understanding is that even if you don't see it the previous one takes up a slot.. there was a post by Pheel or Sean. If you continued to add games you would find that you can only get up to 7 now.


I'll see if I can get one of them to clarify becuase I can't find the relevant post so maybe I misunderstood.

As far as I remember the rule was that a slot was occupied for eternity once it hit the marketplace. But I can't find exact quotes either. We'll just have to wait for an answer.

The ZMan:

1. No Once a game has been put into playtest or peer review it counts as a slot forever. This means if you upload a game for playtest and then change you rmind on the name than that game took up 2 slots.

Really??? Even if just into Peer Review? I want to change the name of a game I've never had on the marketplace, but there is not good way to do that without simply adding a new one and deleting the old one. The fact that a game that has never been submitted to the marketplace and would be available to no one yet taking up one of my eight slots seems wrong.

I guess if I want to rename, I should start by contacting Microsoft if this is truely the case.

There is no way to change the name of a game and you need to be very wary of doing so becuase it looks like you are gaming the new releases AND has the potential to piss off your customers as its effectly a totally new game.


Microsoft have no way to rename any games.

The ZMan:

My understanding is that even if you don't see it the previous one takes up a slot.. there was a post by Pheel or Sean. If you continued to add games you would find that you can only get up to 7 now.


I'll see if I can get one of them to clarify becuase I can't find the relevant post so maybe I misunderstood.

I hope they clarify soon. It's almost time to put in playtest my new stuff but I'm not sure about the name. Would be a pity waste a slot (or more).

Sean is checking to make sure but he thinks that its only released games... he will post soon. Now I wonder where I got the wrogn end of the stick on this one...

A slot is only permenantly used once a game is approved and placed on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Once a slot is permanently used, you will always see it in your project list. So if you can delete a project, the slot will be available for reuse.

That said, deleting projects to get around the imposed peer review failure lockout is against the rules. Don't do it. :)

The ZMan:

Sean is checking to make sure but he thinks that its only released games... he will post soon. Now I wonder where I got the wrogn end of the stick on this one...

ZMan - you're probably thinking of editing a project/game name. Once you've added the metadata to a game (description, box art etc.), then the name can't be changed without deleting the project first.

Why are you worried about using a slot? Are you planning on releasing that many games quickly? I would imagine the team has considered the need to expand the number of slots available.

Thanks Sean for clarifying.

@Jim: I'm not worried, I'm just carefully planning. I've already seen that in 10 months I've to open a new account, that's not an issue at all. I just want to be sure to plan all properly: plans already have a strong tendency to take twice the time without me overlooking things :)