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.'"
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.
"If all the world's a stage, I want to operate the trap door." - Paul Beatty
Burnout Paradise (The Ultimate Box), and Warhammer 40k Dawn of War II for the PC require a Windows LIVE account to play online. In fact, Warhammer is especially annoying in that *requires* both Steam and Windows LIVE just so I can play a local campaign by myself.
Life is not for the lazy.
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.