While on CEO the other day I happened to play with Peter Olotka and ask about how the Xbox Live version of Cosmic was going. Apparently there was someone who was a fan that was on Xbox's devo team that proposed it as a possible game. Alas, Peter said that the Xbox version was DOA. Microsoft deemed it unmarketable (?!).

Unmarketable-- really? I guess I can understand that...sorta. But how many people here who play boardgames also have an Xbox (me) or other gaming system?

Well, it has been out of print for a while and the last version met with very mixed reactions from the old school fans.

Maybe this new edition will raise the profile for this game a bit?

I would think so, particularly since this edition seems to be distilling the best of all previous generations. CE is just such an easy game to get, particularly since FFG is doing a wonderful job in sorting out the timing effects, making power useage clear and providing a way to judge which aliens are appropriate.

Actual screenshot of the Xbox version in action:

http://ce.typepad.com/cosmic/2008/07/spy-shot-cosmic-encounter-on-the-xbox.html

Are you for real? CE would have made a great Live game.

Are there plans for any other FF game to be released on XBL?

Melonball said:

give it time. hopefully the fantasy flight version will spur enough interest again.

Melonball said:

Just to be clear: this is not a deal between FF and Microsoft. The original creators of Cosmic Encounter, Eon, had a separate deal with an XBox 360 developer. As far as we know, FF hasn't been involved with Microsoft, but they could be.