Microsoft releases some XBLA stats, teases 2009 releases

While Puzzle Arcade and a premium virtual fireplace might seem like rather listless holiday gifts, Microsoft today gave us our favorite present: numbers! Here are some statistics about Xbox Live Arcade, care of the Gamerscore blog:

Over 1.25 billion Gamerscore points spread out over 100 million Achievements earned in XBLA games this year, for an average of 12.5 points per Achievement.

More than 60 XBLA games this year scored over 75 on Metacritic, with Braid leading the pack, followed by Geometry Wars 2, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and Portal: Still Alive (this year's low point: Frogger 2 at 37%).

110 million trial games total have been downloaded on XBLA.
The Summer of Arcade series (also known as XBLAugust) contributed to a 58 percent rise in unique members purchasing titles and was also the most profitable month for XBLA, breaking the previous monthly revenue record by 67 percent.
It's as important to point out here what's not published in Microsoft's release: sales data. Our guess is, as demonstrated in 2007, we'll see the a list of the top titles sometime in January. The Gamerscore blog also teased what games would "ring in the new year": Lode Runner, The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai, South Park, Puzzle Quest: Galactrix and R-Type Dimensions. Here's hoping "ring in the new year" isn't PR speak for "anytime between January 1 and December 31, 2009."

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/22/mi...2009-releases/