XBL Arcade getting bigger games soon

File sizes increased

Xbox Live Arcade boss David Edery has this week told GI.biz that the file-size limit imposed on new Arcade releases will soon be boosted from 150MB to 350MB.

The limit will give game developers more opportunity for releasing large, complicated and expansive games on the service, and will also help Live do battle with rival offerings from the Wii and PS3.

"Yeah, it’s a steady progress," Edery revealed. "We’ve been listening to our partners, listening to our customers to try and get a feel for what’s right. We don’t want the size limit to hit the roof because we think there’s some value in promoting small pick and play experiences that don’t cost USD 20 million, it’s good for the ecosystem."

No date has been offered, but it will be interesting to see which games now head to the Arcade, and whether this will encourage the re-release of more recent titles, or more ambitious original developments.

By Luke Guttridge