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Xbox Gaming Platform To Span Web, Console, Mobile

Posted by Soulskill on from the triple-threat dept.

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.'"

3 of 33 comments (clear)

  1. Platform? by WiiVault · · Score: 3, Interesting

    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.

    1. Re:Platform? by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Interesting

      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 that it has no reason to exist. If Android takes off it will "fucking kill" Windows Mobile.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. It's all about the $$ by WML+MUNSON · · Score: 2, Interesting

    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, game developers will be practically forced/obligated to build LIVE-ONLY multi-player into their products, including the PC versions.

    This job offering is simply the beginning of the next stage in that plan.