Live provides alternative way to market for smaller games, says Schappert

Speaking to MCV, Xbox Live boss John Schappert has said that New Xbox Experience will offer up a retail space that traditional brick and mortar sellers can't provide.

“There are games coming that would not get the space at retail, and that’s a big part of why we’re refreshing the system," he said.

"We want to widen the content to make it more accessible for different users. It’s pretty hard to get retail distribution these days, and shelf space continues to be a challenge and people are opting for that – Penny Arcade is a great example of that.

"Look at Geometry Wars 2, Castle Crasher and Braid.

“They’re seeing tremendous success. That’s exactly what we want on our service – when retail gets pressured, you can go online.”

He added: “We’re going to continue to see a great mix. At retail, you can find casual games, RPGs, action games. We are like an online retailer in essence with our Arcade, and you are seeing those titles.”

Just a hunch, but we suspect the phrase "retail gets pressured" may take on a slightly different meaning in the next few years.

There's a full interview here.