Xbox Gaming Platform To Span Web, Console, Mobile

An anonymous reader writes with this excerpt from Ars Technica: "According to a job posting from August 10, 2009, Microsoft is looking for a LIVE Community Director in the Entertainment & Devices Division. The job posting seems to suggest that Microsoft is looking to bring the Xbox Live, Windows Mobile, and other similar properties closer together. More specifically, there's talk of a 'casual and social gaming platform' that would be available via more than just one device: 'The LIVE Engagement Team is looking for a LIVE Community Director to manage its LIVE community strategy and execution across a range of properties, from Xbox LIVE to Windows Mobile. This senior position will play a vital role in the community space as the LIVE Engagement team builds and program's Microsoft's next-generation, LIVE-enabled casual and social gaming platform across the Web, the console, mobile and beyond.' The first key responsibility listed in the job posting is to '[d]evelop a community strategy that leverages all parts of the LIVE Services team to deliver scenarios and engagement across three screens.'"

Platform?

[WiiVault]

How could things as different as mobile, web, and console gaming ever be part of the same platform? Unless by platform they mean made by MS.

Re:

[bloodhawk]

by platform they are referring to "Live" as the platform, platform does not have to mean OS. So having Xbox live available on everything.

Re:

[Locutus]

yes and finding a reason for Windows Mobile to exist since it is really starting to lose share and they really can't dump more $$$ into paying vendors to use it. It sounds like what they would like to have is a Facebook kind of social network phenomenon but with a gaming tie-in. Think mining for gold in common areas of the game and while you are typing, you're not only mining but also conversing with other miners.

It's and interesting concept but can Windows Mobile hold up to the resource demands of such in

Re:

[drinkypoo]

Windows Mobile is a perfectly capable operating system for small devices. Where it falls down is in stability, which makes it marginally acceptable on a PDA (although long boot times are unbearable IMO - Ubuntu netbook remix boots faster than WinCE on many modern devices!) But it's not acceptable on a phone. And if it's not good for phones, then it doesn't have the scope to be worth supporting.

Windows Mobile is a clear winner in terms of what you're able to do with currently-released phones. Other than tha

Re:

[tepples]

And if it's not good for phones, then it doesn't have the scope to be worth supporting.

Yet the operating systems on Sony's PSP and Nintendo DSi don't have GSM/UMTS telephony. I read the summary and the first thing I thought of was "Xboy".

If Android takes off it will "fucking kill" Windows Mobile.

As far as I know, Windows Mobile still has more professionally made apps than Android.

Re:

[tepples]

patience young grasshopper, after all windows mobile has had wayyyy more time on the market to improve itself. Time will tell if Android can pick up sales and more apps.

Likewise: "patience young grasshopper, after all desktop windows has had wayyyy more time on the market to improve itself. Time will tell if desktop Linux can pick up sales and more apps." Well, over the past decade, desktop Linux hasn't picked up enough sales in Slashdot's home market of the United States to challenge Mac OS X, let alone Windows. So I wouldn't necessarily bet the farm on Android.

Re:

[drinkypoo]

Yet the operating systems on Sony's PSP and Nintendo DSi don't have GSM/UMTS telephony. I read the summary and the first thing I thought of was "Xboy".

3D support on Windows Mobile is essentially a joke. It has never had to be serious and it never will have to be since Microsoft has an NT-based 'embedded' product. The operating system in the Xbox 360 is heavily based on Windows NT, just as that in the Xbox is based on Windows 95 (though Microsoft representatives have denied both of these things repeatedly, prior to the release of each system other reps were crowing about leveraging Windows for game consoles) and it would be a far more logical choice going

Re:

[Goldberg's Pants]

Don't you mean LIVE, since it appears every usage of the word LIVE must be in capital letLIVEters...

Re:

[alexborges]

Well, I think they have in mind more the PSP + PSIII or mac + iPhone type of thing in mind, but with windows with some directX with a ÂmobileÂversion, very much like the .net framework separates the stuff not supported on mobile os's and clearly mark them for you.

Its not perfect and Im not sure the mass for winCE/WinMob is really there to make it as big as their competitors. I do think that XBox got the colaborative gaming idea very well in the first place and that this is going to be interesting

They've tried this and failed already

[thetoadwarrior]

the Games for Windows BS was all about bring live to the PC and there were talks about bringing it to Win Mobile devices too. As far as I know, no Win mobile device is live capable and Games for Windows failed and I don't expect that to change.

Re:

[tlhIngan]

the Games for Windows BS was all about bring live to the PC and there were talks about bringing it to Win Mobile devices too. As far as I know, no Win mobile device is live capable and Games for Windows failed and I don't expect that to change.

Originally, the intent of LIVE was to bring together a way for people to get together for multiplayer games. Sure you have the solution that people used until then (one of the million "server browsers" and OOB communications to arrange a server/time to meet up), but L

Marketing rant

[girlintraining]

Can we please stop using BiCapitalization, using ALL CAPS for a name, and prefacing everything with either e, i, or x?

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

XcusE mE iDon't know what you mEan.

Re:

[girlintraining]

XcusE mE iDon't know what you mEan.

iDie.

dasterbin

[dasterbin]

What the difference between Xbox Live, Windows Mobile, and other similar properties? Dazzle White Pro [healthstepsarticles.com]

I thought this was already in the process...

[Rhoon]

With Microsoft's XNA programming wrappers for the DirectX SDK, I thought this was already in the process of happening. XNA games already run on the XBox 360, Windows and Zune. The next logical step is to take it into the mobile community much like iPod apps work on the iPhone. In reality this shouldn't be that big of a surprise to anyone.

Re:I thought this was already in the process...

[bloodhawk]

I think you have misinterpreted their goal. They are trying to create one platform that all "MS" Devices can access, not one code base that can run on all devices which as you correctly summized already exists to some extent. The intent is shared content, friends, contacts, movies, games etc all accessible from your live "platform" regardless of what device you happy to be using at the time.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Correction

[supernes]

Well, I know for certain that Burnout doesn't. It requires an EA online account and is not a GFWL game, at least in Europe. The worst offender by far is GTA IV, which requires a useless Rockstar Social Club account, a Xbox Live account, and then there's the process of linking those together.

Re:

[Fumus]

And if you were unfortunate enough to buy GTA IV via Steam then you need that as well.

Re:

[Turiko]

yes, and because of the windows live bullshit, i never buy any game that has it, except a few rare exceptions. One before i knew what it was and the other, gears of war, being too good a game. Basically, my money has been going to any corporation that know how to decently make a game (like gaspowered games, blizzard,...) that hasn't given in to MS' "sponsoring".

First step...

[s0litaire]

...Oddly enough Microsoft announced a deal with Nokia to produce a mobile version of Office for the Symbian OS

Might this deal be a dipping of the toe for MS and Nokia?

Will they collaborate to produce a Symbian based phone for Windows xBox mobile gaming?

Might MS tie into Nokia's NGage platform...

Might an unholy alliance between MS and Nokia topple the Jesus phone?

Re:

[CodeInspired]

My guess is that Silverlight Mobile might be the key. (http://silverlight.net/learn/mobile.aspx [silverlight.net]) They actually mention the Nokia S60 right on their FAQ.

Q: Will Silverlight for mobile plug-in on Windows Mobile be any different from the one on Nokia S60?
A: Silverlight provides a consistent experience across the Web and mobile devices. The same Silverlight applications should work on both Windows Mobile and Nokia S60 devices.

The reality is......

[wernox1987]

I have an Xbox and I'm going to pay my $50/yr to use live. It would be nice if that experience, games like the online version of 1vs100, the facebook integration that's coming, and just the general messaging services of Live itself, could be extended more thouroughly to my PC and mobile device. The trick is, I won't pay any extra, or for seperate access to all three platforms. I also won't pay $5 for a lightsaber for my avatar.

It's all about the $$

[WML MUNSON]

Microsoft is trying to monetize all multi-player gaming (and eliminate piracy) by creating an extremely large pay-to-access community for multi-player gaming software -- which also acts as a central authentication hub.

They began with a captive console audience and forced them to pay for multi-player gaming on their Xbox consoles, because PC users wouldn't pay. They now wish to expand on this user-base with people on other platforms. The idea is that once their user-base reaches a certain critical mass,

Achievement Points and Gamerscore

[Crock23A]

If I could boost my gamerscore by playing some bejewelled knockoff on my windows mobile phone, I'll be a happy camper. Those achievements are like a crack addiction and all video game companies know it.