Xbox Live Game Pricing Compared to iPhone, Results Not Good

Title	Windows Phone	iPhone
Fruit Ninja	$2.99	$0.99
iBlast Moki	$2.99	$2.99
Max & the Magic Marker	$4.99	$0.99
geoDefense	$2.99	$1.99
Doodle Jump	$2.99	$0.99
Harbor Master	$2.99	$1.99
Super Monkey Ball	$2.99	$2.99
I Love Katamari	$4.99	$4.99
Deer Hunter 3D	$4.99	$0.99
PES 2011	$4.99	$2.99
Tiki Towers	$2.99	$0.99
I Dig It	$2.99	$0.99
Puzzle Quest 2	$6.99	$4.99
Parachute Panic	$2.99	$1.99
Pocket god	$2.99	$0.99
3D Brick Breaker Revolution	$2.99	$0.99
Oregon Trail	$4.99	$0.99
Bubble Town 2	$2.99	$1.99
de Blob	$2.99	$0.99
Sims 3	$6.99	$6.99
Frogger	$2.99	$0.99
Flight Control	$2.99	$0.99
Need for Speed Undercover	$4.99	$0.99
Monopoly	$4.99	$0.99
Tetris	$4.99	$0.99
UNO	$4.99	$0.99
Earthworm Jim	$4.99	$4.99

There has been a lot of controversy within the Windows Phone community about Microsoft's approach to Xbox Live games in the Marketplace. Not only is the process for games to be applicable completely shrouded in mystery, but those games are huge sources of revenue that smaller developers so far cannot plug into. Also there has been an odd and unfair 'tax' placed on every Xbox Live game released thus far, with prices only dipping below the $2.99 threshold for their Deal of the Week promotions.

Windows Phone Metro has done a little investigation into Xbox Live games on Windows Phone and their apparent inflation of price. Comparing the prices of 27 games found on both Windows Phone and iOS, their final result is not good especially when you see it in the table form above. The majority of games are at least one to two dollars more expensive, while games like Max and the Magic Marker, Deer Hunter 3D, Tetris, and Uno cost four dollars more than their iOS counterparts. As you can see none of the Xbox Live games are $0.99 either, and when Angry Birds launches two weeks from now it will debut at $2.99 which is three times as much as its iOS version.

We agree on the point Windows Phone Metro raised in their article: most of the Xbox Live titles so far are casual games meant to a appeal to a wide audience. For games like The Harvest the more expensive price is understandable because it is exclusive to the platform and it is a 'hardcore' game that takes hours to complete. Compare that game's $6.99 price to the $4.99 Tetris is asking, and it is clear to see there is a discrepancy in Microsoft's Xbox Live strategy.

What do you think: should Microsoft lower the price of Xbox Live games (below the current $2.99 minimum) or should the privilege of Xbox Live status be more selective and less towards casual games? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Source: Windows Phone Metro