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Microsoft to Enter Handheld Market?

Posted by Zonk on from the banner-day-for-portable-gamers dept.

eldavojohn wrote to mention that, via Joystiq, he read an article over at BusinessWeek that indicates Microsoft may be working on a portable media device. The article states that, if they are, they're not just going after the iPod. The plan would include a way to leverage a powerful part of the Microsoft empire: games. From the article: "Microsoft would probably use the Xbox brand to market the gadget. 'I think the brand is an opportunity,' Moore says. True, perhaps, but also risky. If the new device comes with the Xbox brand, most consumers will view it as a game player, like Sony's PlayStation Portable. That might limit its appeal, since the portable gaming market is much smaller than the one for digital media." A funny comment, considering the success of the DS.

5 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. A Third Portable? by Excors · · Score: 5, Informative
    This subject was on Gamasutra a short while ago: A Third Portable?

    Last week Gamasutra asked our professional audience, "What hardware capabilities and software would be needed for a third company to create a competitive rival to the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP, and which companies might be capable of doing so? Should they try?"

    [...] Of the cited companies who might possibly compete in this area, Apple and Microsoft were by far the most mentioned, with many readers citing Xbox Live and iTunes as superior distribution mediums.

  2. I can see it now. by Musteval · · Score: 5, Funny

    XBox Portable. Only two cubic feet. Weighs less than twenty pounds. A whopping megabyte of RAM.

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    Note to mods: I'm probably being sarcastic.
  3. Go for it by minginqunt · · Score: 5, Funny

    I mean, it worked out so well for Sony. They'd be mad not to go for it.

    1. Release desirable, powerful handheld games console.
    2. Subsidize it up the bottom.
    3. Fail to release any games other than pointless ports of console games I already own.
    4. ???
    5. FAIL TO PROFIT!!!

    By the way, the '???' there was caused by my playing a spot of Mario Kart DS. I really should focus more when bleating at Slashdot.

  4. It may be successful, but by szembek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    At the same time the mp3 player market and video game market are completely different. While somebody who buys a portable game system might use built in mp3 player functionality, somebody looking for an mp3 player would not be interested in the overhead of a gaming system.

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    nothing
  5. XBOX Handheld by th1ckasabr1ck · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm pretty sure it's just going to be a laptop.