Microsoft showcases the Xbox Arcade Roster

Microsoft showcases the Xbox Arcade Roster

As the launch date of the upcoming next generation gaming console Xbox 360 comes near, Microsoft is working hard on getting the interest growing on it. The company has just unveiled their Xbox Arcade Roster, which works nicely to give a treat to the old school, casual, and hardcore gamers when they get their own Xbox 360 later this year. This helps the company revive the near-dead arcade market with its next-generation console in a spectacular fashion.

The company disclosed the entire range of games they plan to launch in the market for their gaming console. This consists of 21 games, and the support of 40-plus publishers for this launch window, which starts on November 22 and goes on till the end of the year. The lineup is huge and pretty impressive:

Astropop (Astropop Games)
Bankshot Billiards 2 (pixelStorm)
Bejeweled 2 (Popcap Games)
Crystal Quest (Stainless Games)
Feeding Frenzy (Popcap Games)
Gauntlet (Midway)
Geometry Wars 2 (Bizarre Creations)
Hardwood Backgammon (Silver Creek Entertainment)
Hardwood Hearts (Silver Creek Entertainment)
Hardwood Spades (Silver Creek Entertainment)
Hexic (Microsoft Games Studio)
Hoopworld (Streamline Studios)
Jewel Quest (iWin.com)
Joust (Midway)
Marble Blast Ultra (GarageGames)
Mutant Storm Reloaded (PomPom Games)
Outpost Kaloki (Wahoo Games)
Robotron 2084 (Midway)
SmashTV (Midway)
Wik: Fable of Souls (Reflexive Entertainment)
Zuma (Popcap Games)

Microsoft plans to launch around 35 arcade games available by summer 2006 for their Xbox 360 gaming machine. This would help them target the non-serious and casual gamers, which was not exactly their targeted market with the original Xbox.