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Xbox Live Summer of Arcade Titles Have Prices, Dates

Time to get out the old Google calendar and plan your summer accordingly.

We learned what titles would compose 2011's Xbox Live Summer of Arcade lineup, but dates and prices were previously unavailable. Now Major Nelson, Xbox's resident mouthpiece, has let slip the dates and points pricing for each of the five available titles. Thanks, Larry.

"Yo! It's like Limbo and shit! But you got a spaceship, dawg! It's trippy!" -- Some guy at PAX East who resembled Seth Rogen in a do-rag.

Supergiant Games' stylish action RPG Bastion will lead off the pack on July 20th, followed by Ubisoft's peculiar-looking god game, From Dust, on July 27th. August begins with Michel Gagne's kitchen sink side-scroller, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, dropping on the 3rd, followed by the Kinect-enabled version of Fruit Ninja on the 10th. Finally, rounding out the pack is Toy Soldiers: Cold War, which closes out the summer on August 17th.

All of the titles under the Summer of Arcade banner will retail for 1200 points ($15), with the sole exception of Fruit Ninja Kinect, which will go for 800 points ($10).

As an added bonus for those who really like spending Microsoft points, anyone who buys all five of the Summer of Arcade titles will get free access to Microsoft Game Studios and Certain Affinity's action RPG Crimson Alliance when it releases on September 7th. That game will retail for 1200 points when it launches.

So, which among these are you planning to pick up? I'm sure Microsoft is banking on you just buying all of them all willy-nilly, but c'mon. Let's be realistic here.

Alex Navarro on Google+

188 Comments

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Cybexx

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Edited By Cybexx

That is a pretty sweet line-up, I was unsure about the Toy Soliders sequel but the trailer looks pretty sweet. Even the "free" game Crimson Alliance looks pretty good. There is no Castlevania: Harmony of Despair equivalent this year so I'm likely to grab all these games.

On another note its pretty cool that Fruit Ninja exists, which marks the first time Microsoft has allowed a downloadable Kinect game. I almost thought that with Gunslinger MS was mandating every Kinect experience needs to be retail only. Guess Fruit Ninja is way too small for a $50 box. Though I bet if this was released a few years ago it would have been $5, ah well.

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Romination

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Edited By Romination

Summer of Arcade looks pretty good this year. Man. There's always the clunker, though, and this time it's probably gonna be Fruit Ninja because of the fact you need a kinect.

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NegativeCero

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Edited By NegativeCero

Bastion, ITSP, and From Dust are my picks. Still weird that Ms. Splosion Man isn't on that list.

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CastroCasper

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Edited By CastroCasper

Bastion and From Dust

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Dixperiken

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Edited By Dixperiken

Yay for Bastion! That's the only one i'm really interested in.

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RedRocketWestie

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Edited By RedRocketWestie

Bastion, ITSP, and From Dust have me interested. I'd like to make more use of my Kinect, but I can't fathom how Fruit Ninja could translate well from touch controls (how do you avoid bombs, for example?)

Also, shame on Microsoft for making the "deal" a free game instead of money back. Kind of kills my interest in this as a promotion. Crimson Alliance looks okay, but not even close to as good as 1200 points I could spend however I want.

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xpgamer7

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Edited By xpgamer7

I'll be buying all but fruit ninja. I really don't see the point of a non portable edition.

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andrewf87462

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Edited By andrewf87462

i'm definitely gonna be getting Bastion.
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Vorbis

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Edited By Vorbis

Really, Fruit Ninja made the summer of arcade but not Trenched? Is Kinect really that important now?

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Metric_Outlaw

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Edited By Metric_Outlaw

Toy Soldiers was a terrible game. I'm super disappointed that's the last big thing to be released.

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LiquidSwords

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Edited By LiquidSwords

Bastion seems like my only pick.

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mracoon

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Edited By mracoon

I'm definitely getting Bastion and Toy Soldier: Cold War and I'm very interested in seeing more from From Dust and ITSP before I make decisions on getting them.

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ComradeKhan

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Edited By ComradeKhan

BASTION!

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deactivated-589cf9e3c287e

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I'll be buying Bastion...
 
...on PC.

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Cday

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Edited By Cday

From Dust is the only one I'm interested in, but I am not about to spend 1200 points on an XBLA game. Maybe I would if they sold 1200/2400 point cards instead of making you buy $40 worth of points in order to get $30 worth of games. Having 800 points just sitting there lends itself awfully well to wasting it on something dumb that you would not otherwise buy. In the age of Steam sales where you can get not just a full retail game, but an entire collection of retail games for $10 it's hard to turn around and spend $15 on 1 XBLA game. I know they're not exactly directly comparable since these are new releases and Steam sales are usually 1+ year old games, but my attitude on it is the same regardless.

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MetalBaofu

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Edited By MetalBaofu
@NegativeCero said:

Bastion, ITSP, and From Dust are my picks. Still weird that Ms. Splosion Man isn't on that list.

Agreed.  Bastion, ITSP, and From Dust are the only ones of those I might actually get.   About Ms. Splosion Man, I'm assuming it would be in there if they didn't want/need to promote Kinect.   I'm sure they decided that at least one of them HAD to be a Kinect game.   Also, they probably figure Ms. Splosion Man will do fine without the extra "Summer of Arcade" advertising.
 

@cday130 said:

From Dust is the only one I'm interested in, but I am not about to spend 1200 points on an XBLA game. Maybe I would if they sold 1200/2400 point cards instead of making you buy $40 worth of points in order to get $30 worth of games. Having 800 points just sitting there lends itself awfully well to wasting it on something dumb that you would not otherwise buy. In the age of Steam sales where you can get not just a full retail game, but an entire collection of retail games for $10 it's hard to turn around and spend $15 on 1 XBLA game. I know they're not exactly directly comparable since these are new releases and Steam sales are usually 1+ year old games, but my attitude on it is the same regardless.

I can understand that.  I hate having left over points.  I stopped buying points cards because you can get the exact amount you need usually by buying straight from the Xbox or from the Zune website.  I get that that's not an option for everyone, though.  Although, having left over points led to me buying Miner Dig Deep, which is the best dollar I've ever spent on anything.  If you are willing to wait you'd be able to get them all on sale eventually, or as part of some on disc collection like they did with Limbo, Trials HD, and Splosion Man. 
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Krakn3Dfx

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Edited By Krakn3Dfx

Weak Summer lineup, especially compared to the last few years. Bastion might be alright, but even it seems simplistic and repetitive.

More like the Bummer of Arcade!

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tactis

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Edited By tactis

Probably gonna get ITSP, Bastion, and From Dust, not sure about Toy Soldiers, but if that is good I will probably get all 5 to get Crimson Alliance for free, that game looks sweet btw.

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I_smell

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Edited By I_smell

From Dust is Summer of Arcade??

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rndmtask

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Edited By rndmtask

Bastion!

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sensory

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Edited By sensory

From Dust and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, for sure.

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geirr

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Edited By geirr

Some of these titles are interesting, like Bastion and Pixelpon Patajunk, and I'll consider giving them a spin if they're released in an online store that doesn't charge money for me browsing their catalogue.

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vortextk

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Edited By vortextk

Xbox charges you for browsing the marketplace?....?

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WinterSnowblind

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Edited By WinterSnowblind

@cday130 said:

From Dust is the only one I'm interested in, but I am not about to spend 1200 points on an XBLA game. Maybe I would if they sold 1200/2400 point cards instead of making you buy $40 worth of points in order to get $30 worth of games. Having 800 points just sitting there lends itself awfully well to wasting it on something dumb that you would not otherwise buy. In the age of Steam sales where you can get not just a full retail game, but an entire collection of retail games for $10 it's hard to turn around and spend $15 on 1 XBLA game. I know they're not exactly directly comparable since these are new releases and Steam sales are usually 1+ year old games, but my attitude on it is the same regardless.

Then wait a year or two and buy these when they're on sale for 400 points.

Comparing them to Steam sales is hardly fair. The same way I could argue that Skyrim isn't worth £40, because I got Morrowind for £2.50 on sale.. with expansions!

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Thoseposers

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Edited By Thoseposers

Bastion for sure :D

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Floppypants

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Edited By Floppypants

I have a mild interest in Bastion due to the coverage here on GB, but I couldn't care less about the other offerings. If Bastion doesn't get glowing universal praise, I'll probably skip it.

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crusader8463

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Edited By crusader8463

The only one of them that interested me is From Dust. Anyone know if they are delaying the PC release so the 360 has it as an exclusive for this? That would really suck, but that sounds like something Ubisoft would do given their track record with PC. Been wanting to play this for some time.

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doonee63

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Edited By doonee63

from dust! color me eagerly anticipated. 

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PLWolf

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Edited By PLWolf

Bastion, and that's pretty much it.

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Peacefulpaul108

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Edited By Peacefulpaul108

I love that Fruit Ninja is cheaper. I think I may well pick that up for ridiculous nonsense fun.  
 
All I want for Summer is Trenched though. #StoopidEu

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taybinator

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Edited By taybinator

@Vortextk: No. Not sure where you got that idea from.

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Dan_CiTi

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masternater27

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Edited By masternater27

Bastion and maybe Insanely Twisted etc.

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the_hiro_abides

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bslayer

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Edited By bslayer

bastion is a definite buy. from dust has me interested and i will decide after i play the trial. insanely twisted shadow planet looks ok, but i don't know. and i don't really give a shit about fruit ninja.

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Kyreo

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Edited By Kyreo

Will buy, day one!

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CharAznable

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Edited By CharAznable

Man, these Summer of Arcade lineups are going downhill fast. Bastion is the only one I'm interested in. We need Shadow Complex 2 for next year or something.

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Getz

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Edited By Getz

10 bucks for fruit ninja seems a bit much

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Scigrex14

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Edited By Scigrex14

Bastion and From Dust are the ones I know I'm getting. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet looks cool, but want to hear a little more about it before I decide one way or the other.

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YOUNGLINK

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Edited By YOUNGLINK

WORST summer of arcade lineup EVER. There are better xbla games that come out before and after this promotion. waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah except Bastion, that looks good ;)

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MetalBaofu

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Edited By MetalBaofu
@pepsimaxofborg said:

Some of these titles are interesting, like Bastion and Pixelpon Patajunk, and I'll consider giving them a spin if they're released in an online store that doesn't charge money for me browsing their catalogue.

If you mean a gold account, you don't need one of those to browse the marketplace.  People with a free account can browse and buy stuff just fine.  If you are not referring to a gold account, then I have no idea what you are talking about.
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DystopiaX

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Edited By DystopiaX

@YOUNGLINK said:

WORST summer of arcade lineup EVER. There are better xbla games that come out before and after this promotion. waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah except Bastion, that looks good ;)

idk, From Dust looks cool, I liked the first Toy Soldiers. TBH the last Summer of Arcade didn't do much for me, I'm at least looking at if not buying those three.

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spilledmilkfactory

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Bastion and Shadow Planet both look great, but the rest are pretty meh. Not as good as the last 2 years of SoC promotions

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Pop

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Edited By Pop

I'll get Bastion on the PC, weird that they started the show with a show stopper, is toy soldiers actually that good all I saw was that trailer of it which looked ok, idk I kind of can't get excited for shooting games anymore.

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deactivated-5c7ea8553cb72

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I'll get Bastion and I'll look into Toy Soldiers since they nailed a very interesting era.

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Kyle

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Edited By Kyle

I think I'll grab From Dust, Bastion, and Shadow Planet.

Am I the only one who feels like the summer of arcade release dates are always way late? Like, not only do you have to wait through a good portion of the actual summer before you can play them, there is also barely any July retail releases of note at all. It would be the perfect time for a deluge of quality downloadable titles. What's up with this?

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Kyle

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Edited By Kyle

@Vortextk said:

Xbox charges you for browsing the marketplace?....?

Uh, no? Not sure what you mean.

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Arrested_Developer

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It's a pretty good line up.

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zaphoduk

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Edited By zaphoduk

@Pop said:

I'll get Bastion on the PC, weird that they started the show with a show stopper, is toy soldiers actually that good all I saw was that trailer of it which looked ok, idk I kind of can't get excited for shooting games anymore.

Toy Soldiers isn't a shooting game, it's a tower defense game in a similar vein to Trenched, Sanctum etc.

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ghostchant

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Edited By ghostchant

I only want Bastion of these. Weakest Summer of Arcade lineup so far