14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft revealed on Tuesday its intention to start a classics lineup in the UK, similar to Platinum Hits in the US. More info about the US releases are expected shortly, yet, at the Tokyo Game Convention, the company already said their Platinum Hits brand will be extended to Xbox 360 titles starting October 15th. Best selling titles like Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo: Elements of Power, Project Gotham Racing 3 and Need for Speed Most Wanted will drop to $29.99. Apparently, more and more games will be added to the list next spring.
"The Platinum Hits program allows existing gamers and new gamers alike to have access to great games at a great price," said Mitch Koch, corporate vice president of Worldwide Retail Sales for the Interactive Entertainment Business. "Xbox 360 will have a ten million unit head start by the end of 2006, and there will be plenty of new console owners eager to jump in to the best-selling Xbox 360 games."
Although Call of Duty 2 is undoubtedly Xbox 360's best selling game and recently surpassed the 1 million units sold limit, it is not present on the list. Some questions can be raised about the utility of Microsoft's move too, since the price drop will actually have no effect on some games. Best Buy and Amazon already reduced Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo to roughly $29.99 each. The second wave of Platinum Hits is anticipated to arrive in spring of 2007. Titles are said to be varying by region, with lineups specifically designed to address tastes of gamers in that particular area. This way, Microsoft plans on releasing localized Platinum Hits programs for Europe, Asia, Latin America, Japan and Australia.