Psychonauts Removed From Returned To Xbox Live By Microsoft in North America

27 Feb, 2012, 23:02 | Posted by: Jennifer

Double Fine's Psychonauts was one of the first games in Microsoft's short lived Xbox Originals line for the Xbox 360. But while the other games in the line are still available to purchase through the Xbox Live Marketplace, Psychonauts was removed last August without notice.

Tim Schafer explained that the reason it was removed was due to the rights to Psychonauts transferring from Majesco to Double Fine. Microsoft policy is that games without licensed publishers aren't allowed on the Xbox 360 (outside of the Indie Games), so it was removed.

Double Fine is working on getting the game back up, but as of this month they've still been having problems since Double Fine doesn't technically meet the requirements to be an Xbox 360 publisher (most notably due to a lack of disposable cash). So even though the game was one of Microsoft's flagship products in the Xbox Originals line, it's no longer available (and likely won't be available again any time soon) due to bureaucracy and red tape.

Update: Psychonauts is back on Xbox Live Marketplace. I also checked on my Xbox 360 to be double sure, and it is indeed back.

Update 2: It seems the game is only available on the Xbox Live Marketplace in North America (thanks Pedgey). Double Fine is aware of this and is working on getting Microsoft to re-add the game in other territories as well.

Comments: 8

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Comment by: pfranzen | Posted 24 Feb, 2012, 09:30 | Quote
@AlfredJ

Now that it's back up I guess the point is moot, but my understanding is that there's a way to access all previous downloads, and get the game from there, rather than through the XBL marketplace.
Comment by: Pedgey | Posted 24 Feb, 2012, 09:30 | Quote
Not available in UK
Comment by: Jennifer | Posted 24 Feb, 2012, 08:26 | Quote
A later post stated "Microsoft is a very large organization, and I honestly have no idea what may or may not be stalling the process unfortunately."

That's why I put both words in this news post. I don't think it's redundant in this case, because it's not just the excessive and rigid regulation of rules, but the organization itself that is holding things up.
Comment by: valkian | Posted 23 Feb, 2012, 19:41 | Quote
Jennifer
Bureaucracy is an organization that makes rules. Red tape is the excessive and rigid regulation of those rules.

I see, yet it isn't it redundant to include both? Since red tape is always referring to bureaucracy.
Very important discussion this is.
Comment by: Thrik | Posted 23 Feb, 2012, 09:58 | Quote
Highlights quite nicely the issue with digital distribution, AlfredJ. It's all well and good until some little publishing issue like this comes along and causes the game to be withdrawn.
Comment by: AlfredJ | Posted 23 Feb, 2012, 08:52 | Quote
A friend of mine bought this game on Xbox live but can't download it again. I guess he lost his money.
Comment by: Jennifer | Posted 23 Feb, 2012, 02:10 | Quote
Bureaucracy is an organization that makes rules. Red tape is the excessive and rigid regulation of those rules.
Comment by: valkian | Posted 22 Feb, 2012, 23:24 | Quote
Isn't red tape a synonym for bureaucracy? That's all I have to add.

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