Microsoft To Launch Alternate Xbox Live Arcade Browser This Month

Later this month, Microsoft will launch a new Xbox 360 Dashboard-based game browser for its Xbox Live Arcade service, allowing users to sort games by a variety of properties including price and user rating as well as to find games similar to those they have already enjoyed. Dubbed Destination Arcade, the so-called "recommendation engine and visual browser app" was likely developed in response to complaints that the existing Xbox Live Interface is ill suited to finding new games that individual users may not already know about. The Xbox 360 incarnation of the service, which went live alongside the system's launch in late 2005, has grown to encompass more than 250 games, including notable titles such as Trials HD, Castle Crashers and Braid. As shown in a series of screenshots released this week by Microsoft employee Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, the software includes a sortable database of games as well as a new arrivals section, a news feed showing release dates and special deals, and the option to display games similar to any other specified game. Users will also be able to see what games their friends have enjoyed and recommended. Destination Arcade is set to launch July 14, at which point it will be offered for free through the Xbox Live Marketplace. It is likely to exist in parallel to the existing Xbox Live Arcade interface, rather than replacing it.