MS's Online Gaming Service [May 09, 2006, 7:04 pm ET] – Share – Viewing Comments
Microsoft Announces Online Gaming Service announces plans for a gaming
service that will offer cross-platform support for Windows Vista, Xbox Live, as
well as cell phones:
LOS ANGELES - Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates on Tuesday announced a new cross-platform gaming service that integrates games played on cell phones, Xbox 360 consoles and the upcoming Windows Vista operating system.
The "Live Anywhere" service will be available as part of Windows Vista, Microsoft's next-generation PC operating system. The consumer version is scheduled for release early next year.
"It means that you have one online community," Bill Gates said in a news conference. "This platform can really unleash developers to do amazing new things."
The system would extend the company's existing Xbox Live service for the Xbox 360 console into millions of Internet-enabled PCs and cellular phones. No pricing information on the new service was announced.
"The vision here is each platform plays its own role. We really think we're in a unique position," Gates said. "Microsoft is probably the only company that can pull this off."
In a demonstration, an Xbox 360 gamer using Live Anywhere was able to send an invitation to a friend on a PC. After the PC user agreed, the two connected for a cross-platform online gun battle.
In another example, a race car's stats were modified on a cellular phone, its appearance was edited in a paint program on the PC and then it was raced on a track on the Xbox 360.
For one, users are used to things being free on PCs. They aren't on consoles. So no one will bother buying the pay games on the PC.People will buy the game anyway because they want to play the game. Half-Life 2 proved that with Steam. Plus, the average game buyer won't look at the price of Microsoft's service as part of the game's price because it is a separate fee and applies to more than just the one game.
Microsoft can create a pay service if they like (they won't), PC gamers will find ways around it. They always have. Won and Steam haven't fully prevented people from playing the Half Life games in the way they see best.There are also ways to play an XBOX online for free as well, but they are dwarfed by the numbers of players on XBOX Live. And, yes, the last time I checked months ago, you could still play Half-Life on WON if you hacked the game, but how many other people are going to be there to join you? Damn few if any.
This comment was edited on May 10, 12:10.
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