What We Know: Joy Ride will mark a first on Xbox Live Arcade, as it's adopting the popular free-to-play model and bringing it to a console through a smaller downloadable game. First shown at E3, Joy Ride is an Avatar-starring open world racer (though there are more directed sequences for some game modes, like races) that heavily relies on players hopping online with friends and experiencing the different game modes and competitive options with one another.

What's New at TGS: Microsoft did show off a new map, but that wasn't the big announcement. Rather, I learned one of the methods the community will be experiencing new content in the game -- unlocking it together. In order to gain access to more content, the community will have to work together, not unlike what Namco Bandi tried with Noby Noby Boy. Though Microsoft wouldn't actually tell me what will be tracked or how the new content will be unlocked, the prospect of communal teamwork is an exciting one. I'm still not sold on the game itself -- Microsoft still wasn't letting us play the game for ourselves and the driving looked awfully floaty to be very precise -- but Microsoft is making the right steps in other areas, which hopefully bodes well for the game.

I also learned a little more about your ability to customize cars. There will be an in-game marketplace within Joy Ride with accessories that can be purchased with coins collected in the game, or directly with Microsoft Points, saving players the effort of finding the coins in the world, if they choose.

What I Want to See: A playable version of the game. Communities working together to unlock content is less exciting if the game itself isn't that great. There still isn't a solid release date for Joy Ride -- Microsoft is saying "holiday" -- but hopefully the reigns will be handed over soon.