Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten revealed to Next-Gen that Microsoft is going to give its Xbox Live Arcade service a makeover by "delisting" unpopular XBLA titles (6+ months old, less than 6% sell through, less than 65% score average). On top of the recent size limit hike, Microsoft will also tackle the DRM issue (couldn't move over purchased titles when the X360 died) by releasing a tool that will let people consolidate their titles to a new unit. Last, but not least, the software giant will also start up a first-party studio that will solely develop Xbox Live Arcade titles. Unfortunately, this means there will be no Spring dashboard update.

Treasure Co.'s Ikaruga is a quick-paced Xbox Live Arcade shooter with strong strategy elements featuring a slow-motion training mode and co-op play for two, combining of beautiful, manga-style storytelling and refined, ultra-challenging arcade heroics.

Xbox Live Arcade's worldwide games portfolio planner David Edery revealed that Microsoft is planning on raising the limit for XBLA titles to 350mb, saying "We've been listening to our partners, listening to our customers to try and get a feel for what's right. We don't want the size limit to hit the roof because we think there's some value in promoting small pick and play experiences that don't cost USD 20 million, it's good for the ecosystem."

Poker Smash is an action packed puzzler with a poker twist where players rush to clear rows of cards by arranging them into poker hands. To keep things interesting Poker Smash offers card-blasting bombs and a super slow-motion trigger for players caught in a bind.

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is Namco Bandai's next title in the DBZ franchise. Burst Limit will be similar to the DBZ: Budokai Tenkaichi series (published by Atari in Europe and North America) and have online multiplayer, be cut-scene driven and support 16/9. Play through two battles from the Saiyan Saga in this demo.

In a few weeks the railway adventure game, Ticket to Ride, pulls into Xbox Live Arcade. Based on the internationally renowned board game, Ticket to Ride features simple rules, fast play and is expected to be a great offering for the growing casual games market.

Re-imagined for an even more intense arcade shooter experience, Assault Heroes 2 expands its horizons into outer space, featuring hijackable enemy vehicles, many more levels and an enhanced co-operative gameplay mode.

Based on the popular cartoon series of the 1960s, Rocky and Bullwinkle on Xbox Live Arcade is a fast and fun party experience packed with more than 100 micro games. Eight playable characters from Frostbite Falls are back in the living room, including Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, Natasha, Dudley Do-Right and many more.

WARASHI Inc's upgraded vertical scrolling shooter Triggerheart Exelica is a unique spin on a classic shooter, players can capture enemies with anchors and fling them away

Wits & Wagers is the trivia party game where you don’t need to know the right answers to win, bringing an inventive and accessible party experience to Xbox Live Arcade this Wed., May 7, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (1:00 a.m. PDT).

The Bourne Conspiracy is a 3rd person espionage action game where players move from fistfights to firefights to experience sequences that seamlessly blend Bourne's signature hand-to-hand combat with intense shooting and the ability to escape and evade deadly situations. A 1.2Gb demo is now available on Xbox Live, later this week on PSN, and next week in Europe.

Based on Dreamworks' upcoming CG-animated comedy about a lazy, irreverent slacker panda, Po (voiced by Jack Black), who must somehow become a Kung Fu Master in order to save the Valley of Peace from a villainous snow leopard, Tai Lung.

Q Entertainment's E4 is a unique, action-packed puzzle shooter where the goal is to self-destruct, create large chain reactions of explosions by defeating your enemies, which will ultimately extend the life of the game.

1942: Joint Strike takes inspiration and influence from the 194X series of WWII-themed vertical shooters, but will stand out as its own unique entry in the series. Gameplay will resemble the classic 2-D style that gamers expect, but the game utilizes a full 3-D engine.

Valve's physics-focused puzzle game Portal has been denied access to Xbox Live Arcade according to Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi. Currently part of the Orange Box, Microsoft was approached to have Portal downloadable through XBLA but turned it down due to "size limit and all kinds of other things," although Doug did say it might be possible somewhere down the line, "I think it's a trade-off, we'll see it one day."

Operation Darkness is an epic fantasy WWII turn-based strategy game from Metal Saga developers Success. Set during WW2 you are part of an special ops team tasked with tracking down Hitler, featuring multiple scenarios, mixing historical events with fiction.

Risk it all on the expeditions of a lifetime in the card based game Lost Cities as it comes to life on Xbox Live Arcade. Draw from a pool of cards to amass the most points, play your cards wisely, take chances with your money, and create the best strategy to outwit your opponent on the road to victory.

The basic gameplay is straightforward, familiar, and addictive — just spin a trio of hexes to create a group of three or more matching colors, or build a formation of hexes to create more advanced pieces. Whether you want a relaxing puzzle break or a frantic race against the clock, Hexic 2 has you covered!

Activision announced that Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Variety Map Pack has set a new record for the number of paid downloads on Xbox LIVE Marketplace, surpassing one million downloads in the first nine days since its release and logging in more than 30 million sessions and more than 32 million hours of gameplay.

Iron Man, an explosive third-person action shooter game that pits one of the world’s most renowned Super Heroes against unspeakable odds, draws its story from the upcoming movie while incorporating story elements from original Iron Man comic books. Iron Man will be downloadable on Xbox Live tomorrow and up on the PlayStation Network soon!

Experience the authentic gameplay of “Super Contra” with an updated look and feel by battling through several risky missions either solo or in two player co-op mode, just like in the original.

Yesterday Namco Bandai held its annual Gamer's Day and apart from revealing SoulCalibur IV's release date, it also announced that the original Dreamcast title is coming exclusively to Xbox Live Arcade. As with most XBLA title SoulCalibur will get upgraded graphics, and leaderboards spanning every character and mode, but unfortunately no multiplayer over Live, only local-play Versus mode, as well as standard Arcade, Training, and Survival modes. Currently scheduled for summer 2008 release.

GripShift combines automotive and puzzle solving skills across 120 challenging levels, 25 rubber burning race tracks and 20 deadly deathmatch arenas across four themed worlds.

Microsoft and Bungie once more continue the fight as it has just released the next wave of Halo 3 downloadable content on Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points. The 410mb Legendary Map Pack introduces three new maps to the title’s multiplayer experience, Ghost Town, Avalanche, and Blackout!

SEGA's Universe at War: Earth Assault, developed by Petroglyph, is a combat-intensive RTS game enlisting players in an epic struggle to prevent total alien domination of planet Earth. SEGA has released a 545 mb demo that features Novus and the Hierarchy, two of the three factions you can play as in Universe at War: Earth Assault!