MICROSOFT: Global ‘Games on Demand’ service heading to 360

Microsoft has revealed that it will be offering a Games on Demand service for Xbox 360 in just a matter of months.

Games on Demand launches this August and will let console owners download 360 games direct to their console.

It’s not yet clear if these ‘full retail games’ as they were described – the demo shown to journalists after the format holder’s E3 press conference showed titles like Assassin’s Creed, Burnout Paradise and BioShock – will have day and date release with physical SKUs or if the releases would be more staggered and allow titles to ‘premiere’ at retail first.

"Live has been super successful around digital distrubiton from XBLA to Originals and DLC," said Xbox Live’s Marc Whitten. "This is a natural progression."

He added that new games will be added to the service every week.

The service also ditches the MS Points payment system, and instead allows players to purchase direct with a credit card in actual currency.

Games on Demand also offers an Amazon-like user-rating system.

Whitten confirmed to MCV that the service will launch worldwide.

"We ‘ve talked lcosely with our retail partners on this – it is not a zero sum or win-lose situation," he said when asked about retail reaction to the service, saying that it just added a new way to purchase games.

Retail is "not going away – it’s still really important" he added.