Actually, Microsoft can, any game wanting to released on their system has to meet certain requirements, with exceptions like MMORPGs. Epic games (creators of Gears of War and Unreal Tournament) won't release UT3 on the X360 because Microsoft won't allow users to 'cook' mods from the PC version to the 360 version.

Bethesda have probably considered it several times (since people have been asking for ports ever since Morrowind), but there are obviously lots of issues with porting it, else they both would've been ported already. It's been a nice discussion, very civilized.

I can almost see why Microsoft won't support mods (some can have harmful effects, especially if they're hiding viruses) but there's still no reason why they shouldn't support keyboards and mice. Especially for ports of older games like Classic Doom (best set-up I ever heard of it was mouse and keyboard), and the afore mentioned Arena and Daggerfall. But in all honesty, I don't think gamesas is particularly concered about Console users. Otherwise we'd have more support than we actually do.

Perhaps they'll prove me wrong, I certainly hope so.

:Edit:
Awwwwwwww, crap. I ment to not reply.

Microsoft are very protective over their console, mods couldn't do anything harmful to the console, Microsoft just doesn't want mods on it for some reason, which is why Epic is pissed since they can have mods on the PS3 version. Believe me, Microsoft doesn't want KB&M in 360 games for a reason (whether it's the level playfield balancing or Microsoft simply wants people to buy their controller) else all the 360 games will be KB&M compatible and the controller would be mostly obsolete. Also, the 360 doesn't support any mouse to my knowledge, only USB keyboards which aren't used ingame, only to chat with the messenger.

The porting of Arena or Daggerfall is almost impossible, people have been bugging Bethesda for it ever since Morrowind came out for the Xbox, and you can bet there are many good reasons stopping it from happening.

I really don't know if I want to even think about how many threads we've had on this very subject.

It's not going to happen.

Even if there's any remaining source code for these games, do you really think they'd get back the time and money they'd invest into porting them? How many bugs would they have to fix? How would they change the interface? Parts of Daggerfall's sound code are owned by a separate company, so how would they work that out without paying some sort of licensing fee?

Is there some sort of magical port fairy that I don't know about that can just wave her wand and crap out Xbox Live Arcade ports?

Edit: Kextra - mods are probably a security liability. If a mod was made to cause a buffer overflow or some other sort of vulnerability, that could be used to run other code (e.g. Linux). This is similar to what happened with the first Xbox and I doubt Microsoft wants to go through that again. I doubt it's as much an issue with the PS3 since Sony seems to be pushing that as a media computer as well. Microsoft wants the Xbox 360 strictly as a game console with media capabilities.

iirc the original xbox exploit code was from (poorly written?) games that had passed ms quality control. specifically splinter cell and mechwarrior or mechsomethingorother, nothing to do with mods at all. MS just doesn't want you to have any fun

Imagine playing daggerfall on a big giant plasma screen. The pixels would be like ginormous. It would be a waste of time and money to port them, not as many people as you think would buy them.

It wouldnt be that hard to make the graphics a bit better.All xbla games have upgraded graphics

Apparently Microsoft wants to view all content that goes onto XBL and X360 games themselves and with mods this will be impossible. So the easiest way to deal with this is not allow mods at all, according to Microsoft.

You have got to be some sort of joke account.

In order to change anything with the game at all, Bethesda would have to have access to the source code. Even if they have the source code (which is debatable but not likely), do you have any idea how much money it would cost to simply port it and fix its bugs? To make the graphics "a bit better" that involves more time and money, and if you're talking about things like textures and models, that involves hiring/paying artists.

If you have a few million you want to throw at the company, though, have at it.

i think it would be great to see arena and daggarfall im only 13 and never got to play the old games oblivion is the only TES game i have played but i know i would love the rest of the series. so putting arena and daggerfall on live arcade and buying an old comp. when they put older arcade games on live who cares about arena and daggerfall i think if you really think you should buy a new comp ur retarded.

Wow, so you decided to insult me because you dont agree with me? How immature.

Microsoft has been really droping the ball lately, as far as I'm concerned. I only got the 360 (orginally) so I could play Oblivion. Now I can't expand upon it because I can't add mods onto it (I feel really svckered here), I don't get console commands because Microsoft doesn't want to support keyboards and for that very same reason we probably won't ever see Daggerfall on Xbox live (truthfully, I've played Arena and it feels like a game that could benifit from a controler). More than once I've considered selling my xbox and getting a computer or a PS3... and I hate PS with a passion! That's how far its be getting lately.

I still feel like I would like to see Arena and Daggerfall on XBLA, but by the time that comes (if at all) I doubt I'll still be on the 360.

I never said I agreed or disagreed with you. What you are proposing is not feasible. I don't know how many different ways I'm supposed to say it. You don't seem to get it though, so I'll just leave the thread.

That was hardly an insult. Either you can't be serious, or you haven't really though about this, or you simply don't know much what you're talking about. Whatever it is, you've been making some pretty silly claims of how easy you say this would be. You think it'd be easy to remap the controls and interface (even if you could do it, the entire basis of the combat system is lost without a mouse), you think it's be easy to improve the graphics (laughable), etc.

It's a nice fantasy, but as had been pointed out numerous times in numerous threads (you didn't think you were the first or even in the first 100 people to have proposed this idea, did you?), it just isn't feasible and won't happen.

Closed before this becomes a larger flamewar.

"Whatever you want, the answer is no." (Master Neloth)

You may desire to see it with all your heart, but for good cruel reasons already given, it's not going to happen.