Is Max Payne Coming to Xbox Originals?

It looks like Rockstar might be turning up the Max Payne heat as rumors begin to float that the original games in the series could soon reappear as an Xbox Original.

Rockstar’s 2001 action hit Max Payne and the sequel, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, may be headed to Xbox Live if the updated ratings on the ESRB website can be taken as an accurate gauge of things. The game rating board now has both games listed as being available on the Xbox 360 platform along with their original PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions.

The timing makes sense. Rockstar announced Max Payne 3 last week and since it’s been over five years since the last Max Payne game, many – possibly most – 360 owners probably know nothing about New York City’s most famous badge-carrying murder-machine and even most veteran gamers could probably stand a refresher course. What better way to build interest in the return of the character than by re-introducing his original adventures?

A Max Payne re-release would be a great start to the publicity machine as Max Payne 3 approaches, to say nothing of the fact that even on its own merits the series offers seriously good action gameplay, particularly at Xbox Original prices. At this point I’d be more surprised if it didn’t happen. We’ll let you know if it does.

via: CVG