CES 2011: Torchlight, Beyond Good And Evil Hitting Xbox Live This Winter

At CES 2011, Microsoft revealed some of their software plans for the year. Rather than talk about big 360 retail releases like Forza Motorsport 3 or Gears of War 3, they focused on Xbox Live Arcade, the PC, and Windows Phone 7.

In February 16th, Xbox Live will be hosting its second annual Xbox Live Arcade House Party. Over the course of five weeks, XBLA will receive the following titles:

• “Full House Poker” (Microsoft Game Studios – Xbox/Krome Studios – Windows Phone 7): In the world’s capital for card playing, Microsoft is unveiling “Full House Poker.” Compete against your Xbox LIVE friends on Xbox 360 and build your bank roll on the go with a companion game on Windows Phone 7. Play a quick two-player game for some lightning action, join a big 30-player tournament, or play a round of Texas Heat, our live poker game show where you play with thousands of players worldwide and have 30 minutes to bluff, bet, and raise your way to the final table!
• “Bejeweled Blitz Live” (PopCap Games): Take on friends in the brilliant gem-matching action of Bejeweled® Blitz Live! Choose your favorite playing style – Classic or Twist – and rocket up the leaderboards! Battle your way to the top in the all-new 16-player Party mode over Xbox LIVE.
• “Beyond Good & Evil” (Ubisoft): Now you can experience the thrill of the fan-favorite “Beyond Good & Evil ®” on Xbox LIVE in full HD. Enter the futuristic world of year 2435, a world full of deception, where nothing is as it seems and exposing the truth is the only hope of restoring freedom. Play as action-reporter Jade and capture the truth using stealth, force, and wits against a government that deceived you in this action-adventure game with elements of puzzle-solving and stealth-based games.
• “Hard Corps Uprising” (KONAMI): Thrilling retro run-and-gun action is back with a vengeance in “Hard Corps: Uprising," a new 2D side scroller developed by ARC System Works that pays homage to classic Konami action series. Play as the soldier Bahamut as he begins to write his legend in this prequel to “Contra: Hard Corps.”
• “Torchlight” (Runic Games/Microsoft): A highly-regarded PC game with over 800,000 units sold to date, “Torchlight” is now coming to Xbox LIVE! Combat is more exciting with revamped controls and mechanics, new armor and quests! There's even an exclusive new pet for your character. Send a select goodie or two to your friends on LIVE to share the fun for the first time.

These games will presumably be released on a weekly basis. The list above isn't sorted chronologically. The only release date Microsoft announced was for Hard Corp Uprising, which arrives on February 16th and will be the first House Party game to hit Xbox Live.

Microsoft confirmed that both Age of Empires Online and Fable III will hit the PC in 2011. AoE Online, announced at GamesCom last summer, is a multiplayer-focused real-time strategy game. It's due this spring. The release window for Fable III wasn't narrowed down.

Windows Phone 7, meanwhile, will be getting first- and third-party support throughout the year. Microsoft highlighted the following games, which are playable on the CES show floor:

• “Fable III: Coin Golf” (Microsoft Game Studios): The best-selling “Fable” franchise is coming exclusively to Windows Phone 7. “Fable: Coin Golf” combines the fun of traditional British pub games with the logic of modern puzzle games to create a rich and entertaining “Fable III” companion experience, allowing players to earn gold and unlock new skills and abilities that can be transferred back to “Fable III” for Xbox 360 and the PC.
• “Game Room” (Microsoft Game Studios): Relive the glory days of the arcade with six classic coin-op games in “Game Room” – “Centipede,” “Asteroids Deluxe,” “Shao-Lin’s Road,” “Time Pilot,” “Lunar Lander” and “Pitfall.” A shared “Game Room” profile and global leaderboards let you track your medals and top scores across the phone, PC and Xbox 360.
• “Full House Poker” (Microsoft Game Studios): The mobile companion to the Xbox LIVE Arcade game, “Full House Poker” on Windows Phone 7 lets you build your bankroll and unlock awards on the go. Enjoy Single Player Pro takedown, standard and tournament-style single player games against up to five virtual opponents in the first Windows Phone 7 title to let you play as your actual Avatar.
• “PAC-MAN” (NAMCO Bandai Games Inc.): The world famous arcade classic returns in this faithful rendition for Windows Phone 7! Direct PAC-MAN using the standard flick-to-change-directions method, or try out the virtual-analog “PAC-PAD” controls, new for Windows Phone 7. Munch fruits, chomp dots, and earn Achievements while avoiding capture by Blinky and his fellow ghosts.
• “Pro Evolution Soccer” (KONAMI): The unrivalled and award-winning soccer simulation is entering its first season on Windows Phone 7! Experience incredible gameplay, stunning graphics and the most advanced team and player AI on the market, all while comparing your skills with friends and rivals around the world on Xbox LIVE leaderboards.
• “Pocket God” (ngmoco): In this absolutely adorable and slightly twisted game, you rule a small island nation inhabited by itty bitty pygmies. Now, you can let the little pygmies live happily ever after, OR you can kill them in a countless number of hysterical and entertaining ways, boosting your Gamerscore with exclusive Achievements along the way.