The moment that finally spurred us to take on even more credit card debt in the name of scoring an HDTV was when the menu text in Dead Rising was illegible on our old, boxy 25-inch standard-def set. 

Playing HD games on SDTVs is tough enough without developers finding new ways to humiliate you and further degrade your purchase. But the devils behind the Xbox Live Arcade version of Minecraft have found a new way to dole out electronic wedgies to those sorry souls.

Released yesterday, the game withholds split-screen multiplayer for SDTVs, reserving the ability to get in on the game’s couch co-op action.

The rough thing about the holding back of the feature is that no one discovered it until after the surprisingly expensive download ($20) was put on sale.

Microsoft gives this excuse to Kotaku:

“In order to deliver the best consumer experience, and to support the text needs of the inventory and crafting system, split-screen multiplayer in Minecraft does require an HD screen. Currently, in game prompts alert players of the HD requirements for split-screen multiplayer.”

Way to rub it in, Microsoft.

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