We already got a look at
Microsoft’s little XNA show-and-tell as relates to Windows Phone 7 Series, but our colleague Andrew Yoon over at Joystiq had a chance for longer sit-down with Xbox Live general manager Ron Pessner and XNA Game Studio manager Michael Klucher at
GDC today, and he’s been kind enough to share the interview with us. The main topic of conversation was the company’s plans regarding Xbox LIve and, specifically, how it would be integrating it into Windows Phone 7 Series. And believe us, there was plenty to discuss — including the sweet science of porting games from Zune HD to 7 Series phones (“it’s 90, 95 percent code reuse… in an hour or couple of hours, we’re taking games that were written for Zune HD and putting them on the phone”), the importance of maintaining a consistent gameplay experience amongst different hardware, and the reasoning behind limiting devices to asynchronous multiplayer. What are you waiting for? Hit the source link to embark on this miraculous journey of discovery.
Talkin’ Windows Phone 7 Series gaming with Microsoft at GDC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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• It’s heading for a year since Sony first unveiled its motion controller at E3, in what most people considered a fairly hurried demo to combat Microsoft’s Project Natal. But now the Japanese electronic giant has lifted the lid on the finished product: at the Game Developers Conference it said the device, known as PlayStation Move, will go on sale in the autumn for the US price of around $100. Is it more than the Eye? Or just another me-too attempt to cash in on the Wii trend?
• We mentioned software patents in yesterday’s briefing (courtesy of Jonathan Schwartz), but here’s a biggie: Amazon’s 1-Click patent – which has caused so much controversy over the years – has been confirmed once again after being re-examined. Looks like Amazon will be on top of that one for some time to come. Meanwhile Microsoft failed in its appeal against i4i, which accused the company of infringing its patents. That’s got to sting.
• Ever wonder whether Google would actually do anything to follow up its threat to lift censorship in China – or whether it was just posturing? You’re not alone. Talking in Abu Dhabi, Eric Schmidt said that “something will happen soon”, though it’s not clear whether that is a decision to take action – or an agreement with Beijing. Let’s see how it pans out.
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Once upon a time being alone meant you were unable to play a decent game of rock-paper-scissors, but now you can finally amuse yourself with just your own hand. Granted you’ll have to actually make a glove like this first. More »
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Sony’s finally put a name to their motion controller, and it’s called PlayStation Move. Updated with hands on. More »
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The OnLive streaming game service that takes console and PC games, renders them server-side, then streams it to your Mac or PC, will go live on June 17 in the US (lower 48). More »
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Charles Arthur, Rick Wray and Aleks Krotoski take on the BBC in this week’s podcast, picking apart the latest news on the corporation – from the director general’s strategy review to the battles with iPhone app developers. What’s behind the BBC’s contradictory new media messaging? Is digital really the future, or will they abandon a decade of investment to the archives?
Meanwhile Bobbie Johnson takes the team through the Musee Mecanique in San Francisco, the leading collection of pre-digital entertainment machines; and Mercedes Bunz speaks with Blaise Aguera y Arcas, the man behind Bing Maps.
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Turns out Steve Ballmer’s talk up at the University of Washington delivered even more saucy info than we were initially led to believe. In a transcript of the subsequent Q&A session, Steve is shown to have delivered the following statement on the topic of large-screen televisions and Microsoft’s related hardware strategy:
For that big screen device … there’s no diversity. You get exactly the Xboxes that we build for you. We may have more form factors in the future that are designed for various price points and options, but we think it’s going to [be] important.
It’s safe to assume new form factors point to a smaller rather than larger 360 chassis, though the price points and further options he mentions are wide open for speculation. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to forecast Microsoft pushing out its own slimmed-down console to match up with Sony’s PS3 Slim, but we also shouldn’t discount the idea of an Xbox 360 with Project Natal hardware integrated into its shell. In other words, we really don’t know what Steve has going on under that shiny dome of his, we just hope it’s as exciting as he makes it sound.
Steve Ballmer teases new Xbox 360 form factors, price points and options originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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• If the decision by Activision to take control of the Call of Duty franchise from its Infinity Ward subsidiary was a surprise, then the next stage of the story is anything but: Jason West and Vince Zampella, the two executives who mysteriously parted ways with the company on Monday have filed a $36m lawsuit. In it, they allege wrongful termination and breach of contract and say that they are not being paid for what they have rightfully earned (the game has brought in more than $1bn in revenue).
• Forget the idea that America is losing a cyberwar, put forward by senior former officials at the RSA security conference this week. In fact, says Obama’s cybersecurity adviser there is no cyberwar. More accurately, Howard Schmidt says it’s a bad idea to think of a ‘war’ at all. Tell that to Hillary Clinton, who dredged up a bucket load of cold war rhetoric in a recent speech laying into China.
• Meanwhile the conflict between China and Google – the thing that really kicked off this whole bag of beans – seems to be getting somewhere. Chinese officials say they’re working to alleviate Google’s concerns. Remember, though: for all of the tough talk from the Silicon Valley company, we’re now almost two months on from its threat to lift the censorship of its Chinese search engine… and there’s been nothing. All talk and no action, or clever diplomacy?
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• The confusing Digital Economy bill continues, with the Lib Dems and Tories forcing through a surprise amendment to the notorious Clause 17 – the one that had internet companies so concerned. Except it may turn out to be a pyrrhic victory because, whether well-intentioned or not, the change has certainly got up the noses of campaigners who say the new version is even more draconian.
• After yesterday’s information about Facebook’s revenue, today it’s Twitter’s turn to have its numbers examined. Nothing on money yet, but their growth continues to be explosive. In an email to users, co-founder Biz Stone said that accounts have grown 1500% in the last year, the number of staff grew by 500% and there are now 70,000 registered Twitter applications. Where next? Trying to make money out of it all, of course.
• And that’s a convenient place to segue into a quick housekeeping notice. We’ve relaunched our Games-related Twitter feed as @gdngames – an easy way to get all our stories, blogposts, reviews and commentary pinged to you – as well as contributions from the bloggers, Keith, Greg and Jack.
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• It’s been a strange few weeks at Activision, which yesterday confirmed that the two top executives at Infinity Ward – the makers of the best-selling Call of Duty franchise – had left the company. Lots of weird mentions of “insubordination” and “litigation” but very little detail, letting a string of rumours, anonymous reports and speculation to run riot. More to come, surely.
• One woman who doesn’t let people’s imaginations get away from them is Yahoo boss Carol Bartz, who made a typically bullish appearance on American business news network CNBC yesterday. Suggesting that “people don’t like negative news” she pushed the idea of Yahoo as a sleeping giant and said she would have accepted Microsoft’s takeover if she had been in charge at the time. But she may, however, end up regretting a sly dig at rival Facebook: “What’s their revenue?” she snarked. The answer, it turns out, may be more than $1bn in 2010.
• The latest episode of the Guardian’s Tech Weekly podcast is now available. Aleks hosts a smorgasbord of discussions to the table, including the rise of co-working, the trouble with YouTube – and an interview with the man who started the ball rolling on theMicrosoft’s browser ballot, Opera co-founder Jon von Tetzchner. Listen here.
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