Microsoft Doubling XBLA Achievement Cap

Update: Xbox Live Director of Programming Larry Hryb (Major
Nelson) has confirmed that Xbox Live Arcade games will be increased to a
400 Gamerscore base. Hryb wrote the following in a blog post:

"Starting next month (April 2012) all new Xbox LIVE
Arcade games will have the option to increase from 200 to 400 Gamerscore
points, with the addition of up to 30 Achievements. Even better, this
Gamerscore increase will be required in all new Xbox LIVE Arcade games
starting in June 2012."

Original story follows:

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Microsoft may be doubling the base amount of Achievement points in Xbox Live Arcade titles.


According to a report from Xbox 360 Achievements,
Microsoft will soon increase the base amount of Achievement points in
Xbox Live Arcade titles to 400 points from their current base of 200.



Currently, XBLA games are released with a base score of 200 Gamerpoints
and a maximum of 20 Achievements. Developers can add up to five
Achievements for 50 additional points via downloadable content. The
report claims that the new base will be 400 points, with up to 100
points able to be added via DLC. In addition, up to eight Achievements
may be added per quarter for up to one year, leading to a new maximum of
800 points.


The shift will allegedly take place on June 1st. Publishers who release a
game between April 1st and May 31st "have an option of which policy
they would like to use," leading up to the new policy becoming mandatory
in June.


This is only a rumor for now, but we've reached out to Microsoft for
comment. Would you like to see Achievement scores double for XBLA games?
Let us know in the comments below.


For our thoughts on how else XBLA might evolve, be sure to see our feature about what we think the next generation of the service might look like.