Xbox handheld coming...eventually
Summary
Topics
The ZuneX was purported to be a gaming handheld that integrated with Xbox Live Arcade and "ZuneX originals" and featured mobile-phone capabilities. That's a marked contrast from the current generation, which offers only a half-dozen games despite promises of titles that would be transferable from the Xbox 360.
The Xbox 360 may soon have a small, sleeker sibling.
With that rumor quickly marginalized as a phony by many industry watchers, Microsoft has now once again signaled that its portable gaming ambitions may extend beyond the struggling Zune. In an interview with gaming site Kikizo, Microsoft executive Shane Kim said that the Xbox brand is destined for the mobile platform.
"For us, it's a matter of focusing on 'when,'" said Kim, who transitioned from his role as head of Microsoft Game Studios to a strategic development position within the Interactive Entertainment and Devices division last year.
As for what's been holding up that "when," Kim said that the division has been focused on fleshing out the core Xbox 360 and Xbox Live experiences.
"If we chased after a mobile or handheld opportunity, we would not have the resources and ability to do things like instant-on 1080p HD, Facebook, Twitter, Project Natal," he said. "And so we've chosen to focus on the living room experience from a hardware standpoint, if you will, but we're building a service in Live that will...will extend to other platforms." [Emphasis in original.]
One other question facing the company is what form a mobile gaming device would take. "How do we enter into that market," pondered Kim. "Do we do our own device, do we create our own phone--that's a question for the company itself--do we continue to go down the Windows Mobile path, which is the path that we're on today, etcetera, etcetera."
Kim concluded by reemphasizing Microsoft's desire to be a player on all relevant platforms, whether that be consoles, desktops, or mobile devices.
This article was originally posted on GameSpot.com.
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I think it is about time someone gave Nintendo a run for it's money as Sony's offering just cannot compete. It might have the technical advantage but the sales figures speak volumes!
Project Natal of course looks interesting, but I wonder how much MS is going to rob from its users to get that addon.
And of course if MS does ever produce a handheld, true to MS form it will be limiting in some way in comparison to another existing device, that or they would provide lousy service like they do with the Zune. DRM anyone?
Amazon:
PS3 + 160GB HDD + 1 controller + 1 game = $479
Add one HDMI cable ($42) + 1 extra game ($40) = $561
360 Elite + 160GB HDD + 1 controller + HDMI cable + 2 games = $399
Add WiFi adapter ($79) = $479
Whether or not you choose to join XBoxLive (free) or Gold ($45) is a personal choice. Some don't, many do.
XBox is moving to offer more and more downloadable games. Sony won't be as aggressive here because they have to recoup SOME money to pay for their BluRay debacle.
Personally, I prefer the instant gratification of downloadable games, XBox' far bigger and (IMHO) better games. I prefer the future opportunities born from Natal.
FWIW, PS3 is *much* harder to develop for and because it has less RAM is much harder to fill with textures. Several PS3 ports/games suffer because of this.
And until you've tried both the XBox Live experience and the PS3 experience, you have no idea just how rudimentary Sony's live experience is. Don't knock it until you've tried it.
If you're happy with your PS3 then great, but give the whole "Microsoft is robbing its customers" crap a break: MS have completely redefined what consoles are and do and have completely out-done Sony in the 3rd-generation console market.
And your post sounds just like the posts when MS first released the XBox. And guess what, the PS3 is playing second fiddle to the 360. And they're both dusted by the Wii. In fact, combined the 360 and PS3 can't match Wii sales.
and both machines were designed by ibm... and both machines do roughly the same work.. no one has been able to porgram the ps3 to take advantage of the cells..
but i agree that ms should not get into the portable business...
When the PSP first came out, I played Twisted Metal online a lot and it worked perfectly. That was a launch title even. And that's the type of game that lag would destroy. Oh, and the PSP is 802.11b!!! I'm sure it takes some solid net code, but it proves that it's more than possible.
I used to insist on using my PS3 wired, for the optimum connection speed and reliability, but I kept moving it around and got tired of routing an Ethernet cable to it. So I've been using it over wireless for the last year and it's been just perfect.
Not sure what this has to do with anything:
"and both machines were designed by ibm... and both machines do roughly the same work.. no one has been able to porgram the ps3 to take advantage of the cells.."
But since you went there... that's completely wrong. There's been many projects that have snatched up PS3's just because of its extremely powerful processor.
Maybe you're thinking from a gaming perspective, which I agree, the visual fidelity has only been marginally better than the 360 so far. Gears of War 2 is a great example that the 360 can compete against the PS3, but it's not quite as visually impressive as Uncharted or Killzone 2. However, many developers have stated that they've hit a wall with the 360 and have barely tapped into the potential of the PS3. I'd wager that in the next couple years you'll see the PS3 noticeably ahead of the 360 in the graphics department.
My 2 cents are that graphics impressive and all, but as long as a game is fun I don't care what it looks like (as long as it doesn't look completely awful).
Who has he best graphics (for the moment) between consoles (PCs own both of them when it comes to graphics, but cost more) ? Xbox360
to at least match the iPhone. That means they are going
to have to take the Zune, the Xbox 360 and mash it
together with a mobile phone. That's what the iPhone
pretty much does.
The Fuzz
www.thefuzznetwork.com
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