The Verge got the scoop on the games that will be available to buy for those who want to take part in the Windows 8 consume preview. The list of games are Hydro Thunder, Toy Soldiers, Reckless Racing, Angry Birds, Ilomilo, Rocket Riot, Full House Poker, Tentacles, Crash Course, Ms. Splosion Man and Wordament.

As is obvious by the list, a lot of those games are also available on Xbox Live Arcade. It remains to be seen if Microsoft will be releasing Xbox Live Arcade games on Windows 8 on a regular basis.

Classic Windows staples Pinball and Solitaire will come pre-installed with the consumer preview build. It remains to be seen if the best Windows pre-installed game, Mahjong, will be coming to Windows 8.

Microsoft’s Windows Store will allow developers to submit free apps and games, but they can also charge anywhere between $1.49 and $999. Microsoft takes 30 percent of proceeds at first, but reduces it to 20 percent after an app reaches $25,000 in sales.

Microsoft will launch the preview version of its Windows Store in late February, alongside the Windows 8 consumer preview.

With this news, I know what everybody is wondering. Is Hydro Thunder going to be the great original arcade game or the decent Xbox Live Arcade sequel? We don’t know, but it’s an awesome choice either way. Here’s a video to reacquaint yourself with what may be the greatest arcade racer ever made in anticipation of its hopeful return to the Windows 8 store:

The game in question is called, “MegaUP: Upload if you can!” and was released January 25 on the Xbox Live Indie Games service. It comes from developer Bionic-Thumbs.

For those wondering how somebody can take the closure of MegaUpload and turn it into a game, let the game’s description fill you in:

In 2012 four men owners of a known uploader web were sent to prison by the government of freedom for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from prison.Today, still wanted by the government of freedom, they survive as uploaders of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire them.

In what may be the greatest set-up for a game ever, you would expect an equally amazing game experience. Unfortunately, the game reeks of a one-week development cycle. It’s an obvious cash-in on recent events.

That being said, I’m sure there is still some fun to be had in MegaUP if you can forgive its simplistic game design and use of the “run forward and jump over things” game mechanic popularized by Canabalt.

The game is an oddity that should be appreciated more for being topical and poking fun at current events instead of a serious take on the matter. If you want to try out MegaUP, it’s available now on the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace for 80 Microsoft Points ($1).

Nintendo during their quarterly report yesterday announced their intention to create the Nintendo Network. IGN reported that Nintendo President Satoru Iwata was quick to distance their new online framework from their previous abomination.

“Unlike Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which has been focused upon specific functionalities and concepts, we are aiming to establish a platform where various services available through the network for our consumers shall be connected via Nintendo Network service so that the company can make comprehensive proposals to consumers.”

The publisher plans to first introduce personal accounts for the Wii U. This will put their next console in line with the Xbox 360 and PS3 who have allowed the same functionality since launch. Online profiles will no longer tied to your system or individual software. Iwata said that they will be able to construct and offer the personal account system by combining a multitude of different services and content.

In a more interesting direction, Nintendo also announced their plans to offer full titles over the service to both the Wii U and the 3DS. They aren’t saying when this program will start, because the 3DS is currently out and could support such full retail downloads, but they do have the framework in place to deliver such a system. Iwata said that they will have to consider retailer relations before they start offering games over digital channels. SD card limitations are also being taken into account.

The Nintendo Network will also be obviously offering paid downloadable content. The first title to take advantage of this will be Square Enix’ Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, which allows players to purchase new songs. The title launches in Japan on February 16.

“As a software maker, Nintendo believes that its packaged software should be sold to our consumers in a form so that the consumers will know in advance that they can enjoy playing the software they purchased just as it is,” Iwata said. “We believe that our consumers will be able to feel more secure if we offer our add-on content as an additional structure in which those who love the game will be able to enjoy it in a deeper way for a prolonged play time.”

Nintendo ended the online network segment of the report by promising to achieve compatibility for all the games on their platform under their new Nintendo Network.

Inside Mobile Apps is reporting that a source close to Microsoft told them that the company may soon be phasing out it’s much maligned Microsoft Points system. The move would go into effect sometime this year and affect all three branches of Microsoft’s product families – Windows Phone, Zune and Xbox Live.

When Microsoft was asked to comment, they gave the usual, “we do not comment on rumors or speculation” throwaway comment.

With that being said, the source went on to say that mobile developers are being warned to plan their upcoming DLC and in-app purchases around the move to real money. Customers who have unspent Microsoft Points will have them converted into their region’s currency.

For those who don’t know, Microsoft Points are Microsoft’s proprietary system of handling online transactions. They were first introduced with Xbox Live in 2005 and have been a staple of the platform ever since.

The problem comes from the fact that unlike Nintendo’s point system, Microsoft Points don’t translate to actual currency in a way that makes sense. Eighty points equates to one dollar under Microsoft’s system. This led to a feeling that the company was cheating people out of money due to users spending $10 to buy 800 points for DLC that only costs 600 points. This led to 200 points that the user already paid for just sitting there with no purpose.

This move would come as a welcome move to many users, myself included, who have felt the sting of 20 points sitting in their Xbox Live account for the past two years.

Currently, XBL subscribers use personal credit cards to buy points, which, in turn allows them to purchase items from the Xbox marketplace. Points can also be acquired through gift cards, but these are the primary methods for acquiring goods on XBL. That, however, is about to change once the latest dashboard update is in place. Thanks to a mailing received by Joystiq.com, courtesy of a member of the Microsoft team, it has been revealed that PayPal will be soon be available as a method of payment for XBL members.

A screenshot of the mailing in question reveals the details:

While the PayPal inclusion is the “only user facing feature” of the May 19th update — which will actually take place with six separate updates, going from May 19th to May 30th — the mailing also details upcoming support for the Xbox Game Disc Format (XGD3). According to text, XGD3 “allows for additional storage space on a game disc, and provides additional layers of copy protection.”

Considering how the technological world works, it wouldn’t be a bit surprising if these “additional layers of copy protection” were already circumvented.

Hackers-versus-copyright battles aside, the upcoming addition of PayPal to the XBL experience provides at least one option for subscribers: the ability to protecting personal credit card numbers just in case XBL is ever hacked. Granted, the PayPal information would be available, but one little change of the PayPal password eliminates this information from being useful.

Now, when you start up the Netflix app you will be prompted to install a free update.  This update will allow Kinect owners to operate the app with hand gestures and by voice.  Browse through films by waving your hand across the screen or play, pause, fast-forward and rewind using your voice.

There is a catch, however.  Joystiq has spoken to a Microsoft representative and confirmed that the integration is not 100%.

Although all movies on the Netflix instant app are controllable using voice and motion, only the ones on the specific recommendation channel are accessible in that fashion.  Basically, that means that you still will have to use the controller to select most of the movies you watch, but once you start them, let the voice and motion control begin!

“By integrating Kinect into the Netflix experience on Xbox LIVE, we’re continuing to transform the way people enjoy their favorite entertainment in the living room,” said Pete Thompson, General Manager, Xbox LIVE. “Since its launch, Netflix has always been one of the most popular services on Xbox LIVE, so we are excited to deliver a brand new way to control this experience in a way that can’t be found anywhere else.”

Until users can fully operate Netflix and other Xbox Live applications without ever having to touch their controller, the innovation is not over-the-top cool.  It is fun, however, that the Kinect can provide at least some level of control to Netflix and if you already have one sitting around, might as well use it.

Xbox Live users in the U.S. are now able to make mobile movie ticket purchases through a text-in or a Microsoft Tag viewed in movie studio advertisements.  By clicking on a film’s advertisement on Xbox Live, a user can download and interact with movie content.

In addition, they can activate a Microsoft Tag via their mobile phone which will point the user to a co-branded website to purchase tickets through all domestic MovieTickets theater partners.

"Working with Microsoft and the Xbox brand exposes MovieTickets.com to an entertainment-driven audience, providing the perfect opportunity to engage like-minded users with our online movie ticketing solutions," said Joel Cohen, CEO, MovieTickets.com.

"We’re excited to be the first company allowing users the opportunity to interact with a movie advertising experience on Xbox Live and easily convert it into an online ticket purchase via their mobile device."