Maybe you want in future add a new game mode, refine some assets, or fix a bug that reviewers didn't see at review (because it is hard to find it).

Will it be possible?.

From what we know, you will be able to take the game down, and put it up again, but:

•  There won't be "auto-update" for the end users
• You'll have to go through peer review again
• we don't know how this affects users who already bought the game (if they have to pay again, or not)

I'd suggest not releasing the game until you're really satisfied with it (so your customers can be really satisfied with it), so TEST TEST TEST.

Then I must encourage to suggest a system:

• I suppose that any project has a code as ID (Xbox Live marketplace ID system to identify any user downloads).
• The product version SHOULD be included in game description.
• Pass again the review process, but when uploaded it is the same project (remember the ID code before?), this can be easily managed by XNA Club, using the same 'SLOT' to upload the new project overwriting the old one (maybe an 'update' button?). So you could re-upload the project ready for new review (the same when you overwrite a file in your HDD). It should use the old code ID in any case.
• Users should periodically view their downloaded games to see if there is a new version (I have 1.0.0.0 and now there is the 1.0.0.1!).
• The user update process is 1st delete the old one (I think you can't download again a downloaded product in Xbox unless you delete it) and 2nd download it again (the new version). As the product has the same code ID the user doesn't need to pay again for product, you don't need to pay again for bought products in Xbox Live marketplace, and as it is the same one (code ID again) the user can download it again for free.

What do you think about this system?. I think is easily possible and doens't requires auto-update, it is all work made by the community (developers and reviewers) and only needs some additions like add the product version to product information and be sure that updates use the same Xbox Live marketplace code ID so users can update for free simply by (delete -> re-download).

at Gamefest microsoft stressed that any update mechanism would be for sparing bug fixes only. NOT adding game modes, NOT changing assets and certainly NOT to allow people to uploade buggy games and have twice daily updates to fix them.

We've also been told that while your game can have updates, the system will not have the standard "The game has been updated, do you want to update?" prompt. The only way users will get the update is to go back into the marketplace and re-download your game.

Nick Gravelyn:

We've also been told that while your game can have updates, the system will not have the standard "The game has been updated, do you want to update?" prompt. The only way users will get the update is to go back into the marketplace and re-download your game.

Yes, but for that is important that user doesn't need to pay again for it. I think a simple solution is adding the product version to description (so users know when it is updated) to the "same" product (as it is the same there is no need to pay again for it).

I think a bad product will not pass the review process so in my opinion that problem "making a game in 5 minutes and have weeks to fix it" is not possible, so updates would be only to fix some real bugs hard to find (that requires many players using it); it is not new that commercial games need sometimes patches (and they have large testing teams), because some bugs are not trivial. I test very depthly my products and find some bugs really rares that you not expect at all, like crashing when I move the gamepad in a menu screen with no selectable menus (like the credits one).

Maybe a good system to control it is with a limited number of updates, about 1-3, so you can wait for know all the bugs, repair them, and update it for the last fixed product after player testing. If your product have bugs after spending your limited updates, bad for you.

The user doesn't have to purchase it again. Much like XBLA where you can delete and redownload anything you've purchased, users of XBLCG will get the same experience. So your update will be a free download to them.

You could definitely put the version number in the description of your game. That is an open text box for you to fill out so you could use that to display the version number if you would like.

Dark Schneider:

Maybe a good system to control it is with a limited number of updates, about 1-3, so you can wait for know all the bugs, repair them, and update it for the last fixed product after player testing. If your product have bugs after spending your limited updates, bad for you.

No. There's no need for adding an random artificial limitation. If you keep updating your game, I and many others, as reviewers, will get sick of reviewing your game, and will just ignore it, which will leave you with the game off the service (since it can't go back on the service until it passes peer review)

As with every other limitation suggested by users in this forum, I feel it would be unnecessary. MS gives us, the community, the power to control this together and don't want to interfere in this by setting all sorts of limitations. So the limitations should be common sense.

Dark Schneider:

update it for the last fixed product after player testing

Again... you should not leave the testing to XBLCG users. You should do the testing by yourself, and provide the users with as good an experience as possible.

That's right, I was worried about unexperienced creators, we must admit that at beginning is difficult, but then what unexperienced creators should do is create games at 200 points cost, so if it has failures users don't be much angry.

Dark Schneider:

That's right, I was worried about unexperienced creators, we must admit that at beginning is difficult, but then what unexperienced creators should do is create games at 200 points cost, so if it has failures users don't be much angry.

What those people should do is test their games properly before releasing them for any price. There are lots of people on these forums who'd gladly download and test out a game. Lots of us here can play them, offer advice, answer questions, and help creators make solid games that way all of Xbox LIVE Community Games can benefit. There really is no reason to release a game that is going to break or crash besides pure laziness.

Nick Gravelyn:

What those people should do is test their games properly before releasing them for any price. There are lots of people on these forums who'd gladly download and test out a game. Lots of us here can play them, offer advice, answer questions, and help creators make solid games that way all of Xbox LIVE Community Games can benefit. There really is no reason to release a game that is going to break or crash besides pure laziness.

That is cruel XD but it is true, I suppose that for noobs communities like Game Maker one is more appropiated. Once more experienced they can join to this community and try.

Dark Schneider:

Nick Gravelyn:

What those people should do is test their games properly before releasing them for any price. There are lots of people on these forums who'd gladly download and test out a game. Lots of us here can play them, offer advice, answer questions, and help creators make solid games that way all of Xbox LIVE Community Games can benefit. There really is no reason to release a game that is going to break or crash besides pure laziness.

That is cruel XD but it is true, I suppose that for noobs communities like Game Maker one is more appropiated. Once more experienced they can join to this community and try.

It's not cruel and I don't think they have to start with something like Game Maker. I'm saying that if they are having trouble, we have a great community full of people who would absolutely love to help them make their game better. If they can't figure out what's making the game crash, they can post it up and someone will surely help them fix it.

I'm not discouraging anyone from trying their hand at XNA nor am I saying that beginners should stay away from XBLCG. I'm just saying that they should work hard to make their game not crash and if they need help, the community is right here and willing.