Earlier this month we reported that Pinball FX2 from Zen Studios would be coming to Xbox One at the end of July as part of the ID@Xbox program. This heralded much rejoicing from pinball fans such as your friendly neighborhood Games Editor and even head honcho Daniel Rubino. But at the same time, we all lamented the inability to transfer purchased tables from the Xbox 360 version of Pinball FX2 to the Xbox One version. Microsoft had not allowed the developers to implement such a transfer.
As Xbox Windows Phone fans well know, sometimes Microsoft listens to user feedback and sometimes it does not. The Xbox One and ID@Xbox sections certainly have been extremely responsive for the last year or so. Case in point, Zen announced this week that users will be able to transfer their Pinball FX2 tables from the 360 to Xbox One right when the Xbox One version launches! Now that's what I call a win for consumers. Xbox One players will have to wait a little longer for the game though, as the new version has been delayed until August.
Last minute delay
Pinball FX2 is less an individual game and more a pinball game platform. On Xbox 360, downloading the main game itself won't get you full access to any tables. But players can pick and choose from a huge variety of individual tables and table packs. These tables are all original creations from Zen Studios, not adaptations of real-life pinball machines. They vary in subject matter from original themes to licensed properties such as Marvel Superheroes and Star Wars.
Since Pinball FX2 launched on Xbox 360 in 2010, many players have accrued upwards of forty tables for that version of the game. As originally announced, existing players would have had to repurchase the same tables in order to access them on the Xbox One. Many would have refused to do so, limiting the potential reach and enthusiasm for the new version of the game.
By default, there are no universal apps or content purchases shared between Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Some games have allowed one way content transfers from the 360 to the One in the past though, such as Assassin's Creed IV and Call of Duty Ghosts. The same type of content/profile transfer will apply to upcoming downloadable titles Minecraft: Xbox One Edition and Happy Wars.
Even though Microsoft has no ecosystem-wide transfer policy in place (unfortunately), the big MS does at least grant exceptions now and then. The exception for Pinball FX2 came very late in the game, considering literally within two weeks of the release date announcement and the original planned release. It's no surprise that the launch had to be pushed back a bit in order to accommodate the transfer feature.
Note that transfers between the Windows 8 version of Pinball FX2 and the Xbox One version are extremely unlikely to happen. A transfer system for Windows 8-to-Xbox One versions simply does not exist yet. Maybe someday!
Pinball FX2 for Xbox One will arrive sometime in August. It will include the "Sorcerer's Lair" table for free.
Guardians of the Galaxy
In more Pinball FX2 news, Zen has just released the "Guardians of the Galaxy" table for Xbox 360. The new table is based on the Marvel Studios film of the same name that debuts in US theaters this week. I can't wait to see it!
The table features all five Guardians team members from the film: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot. Players will also encounter some of the film's antagonists, including Yondu and the Ravagers, Nebula, and Ronan the Accuser. The table starts out with four-ball multiball, promising a high-intensity experience just like the movie.
The "Guardians of the Galaxy" table will also be coming to Xbox One next month. This one won't be making its way to Windows 8, unfortunately.
- "Guardians of the Galaxy" for Pinball FX2 – Xbox 360 – 62 MB - $2.99 – Xbox.com Store Link
