On Thursday, Microsoft released a Premium Theme for Braid on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. The theme went up for your basic price of 250 Microsoft Points (about $3.10), however, that’s not what Braid creator, Jonathan Blow, intended the price for the theme to cost.
Jonathan Blow stated that “We want to make it free, but Microsoft doesn’t like giving things out for free. But if you do buy it, you can be secure in the knowledge that you own one of the few Premium Themes that is not an advertisement — there is no text in the Braid theme anywhere.”
I would have loved a free premium theme, but sadly that’s not the case. Hit the link to see some screens of the Braid theme.
There’s now a Braid dashboard theme on the Xbox 360 Game Marketplace. [Braid]
Let’s face it, MS doesn’t have to give anything away. They’re in the driver’s seat right now and it’s probably how they’re able to sell the console for $199: by making their money on the back end. Makes perfect sense and why give away things for free when people are paying for them?
Similar to Sony saying that they’ve made over $1 million on DLC items in Home after only a few weeks of being in business. That sounds like a perfect way to make back the money they’re spending to promote a free service.
For ANYONE to talk smack about MS and the 360 is just crazy since they basically dictate the entire industry right now.
Not sure how long that will last but paying for stuff on Xbox Live should come as no surprise to anyone.