Arcade goes Live

Xbox Live is easily the best way to play console games online. Halo, Doom 3 (co-op) and Pro Evo (when hosting) are just some of Live's highlights. Gamers are covered then, but what about the burgeoning casual market? Getting regularly pummelled by pre-pubescent US teenagers in Halo 2 (or is that just me?) is unlikely to appeal to people who enjoy puzzles and online board games. But they may be more tempted by Xbox Live Arcade, a collection of casual and retro titles, which launches today. Of course, having to pay for these simple games - 7-10 UKP - may be a bit of a shock to those used to equivalent titles that are free on the web. But with 360 promising even more convergence, getting a wider range of people on Live to both play and pay is a wise move by Microsoft. Whether it will be good for inter-family relationships, with all the mum-hogging-the-joypad potential for strife, remains to be seen.