Gamerzines

Just Add Water has accused Microsoft of 'cock blocking' the Xbox Live Arcade release of Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD.

Speaking on Twitter last week, the developer said "they (Microsoft) turned us down again :( time to get the big guns out!

"MS do NOT want it at all via first party. MS do not want to publish it, so third party here we come!"

Just Add Water's CEO Stewart Gilray later added "yet again they have cock blocked us".

JAW has often stated publicly that it wishes to release its HD version of Stranger's Wrath's on Xbox Live Arcade, but that a release has always been rejected by Microsoft.

It was believed that Microsoft had initially turned down Stranger's Wrath HD due to the title exceeding the file size limit placed on XBLA games.

But according to JAW, that issue is "pretty much sorted".

Now the developer claims that Microsoft has outright refused to publish the game, and dismissed it for eligibility for release via Xbox Live Games on Demand on the grounds of the original having sold fewer than 1 million copies.

JAW also stated that another reason given for its refusal was - bizarrely - because "the game needs to score a metacritic of at least 80".

The original Xbox version holds a Metacritic rating of 88, while the PSN release of Stranger's Wrath HD currently stands at 82.

"They FAIL," the developer added.

According to tweets from the company, JAW is now looking for a third-party willing to publish the title. The developer is also working on other Oddworld titles, including a new Abe project.

The original Stranger's Wrath launched as an original Xbox exclusive back in 2005. The game was originally published by EA.

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD launched on PlayStation Network in December.

http://www.gamerzines.com/xbox-360/news/strangers-wrath-xbla-ms-block.html

Isnt the XBLA policy stated that any arcade or indie games that released on other platforms earlier will not be accept ted to Xbox Live?

I dont know but I read it some months ago when MS tightened the XBLA policy and a playstation representative called Xbox an inferior technology. (Which was a stupid claim that caused many fanboy wars to erupt once again)

"Cockblock"? Lol, nice.. uhh... expression there.. 

Good game. Played it on the original xbox. Don't really want to pay for it again, though.

I've never heard that one before, but if that's their actual policy, that's gotta be one of the dumbest moves ever.  So if a 3rd party or indie company releases a game on PSN or Steam or even iPhone first that turns out to be a mega hit, and then they want to port it to other platforms such as XBLA to reach an even bigger audience, M$ will tell them to fuck off?

And if that's the case.... how do they explain games like Bejeweled 3 and Plants Vs Zombies coming to XBLA?

I dont know, cuz im a noob lol. But isnt there a XBLA policy that enraged a PS representative to a point that he said to MS "Protecting their inferior technology"?

Not a clue.  Probably just Sony being Sony, but I highly doubt M$ would turn down any developer wanting to bring a successful IP to XBLA just because they released it on a different platform first.

Ahh found it!....

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-24-why-microsoft-wont-publish-psn-firsts

People don't spread bullshit. So Joe Danger didn't come to XBLA ?

Microsoft don't want to be a publisher of a game that is published first by Sony. But the game developer can publish the game with a third party publisher like EA, THQ etc. That's all.

On XBLA Microsoft acts as a publisher only for games that are exclusive or timed exclusive for XBLA. For example - Sine Mora, was multiplatform but when the developer decided that Microsoft will be a publisher for the game, the PSS one was canned and Sine More will be at least timed exclusive for XBLA like LIMBO, Castle Crasher etc.

SW developers are just stupid that they don't understand it after 6 years of X360 on the market.

 Joe Danger:yes?

You beat me to it.