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Ad Viewing Required For Free Zune HD Games

Posted by Soulskill on from the read-why-in-thirty-seconds dept.

UnknowingFool writes "In releasing the Zune HD, Microsoft decided not to open up software development on the new Zune to third parties yet. Today, Microsoft released a handful of free games for the Zune HD: Texas hold 'em, Sudoku, Space Battle 3, Shell Game, Of the Future, Hexic, Goo Splat and Chess, as well as calculator and weather apps. Users, however, are required to view an ad (up to 30 seconds in length) while the game starts up. While ad-supported free games are also on other platforms, like the iPhone, the difference here is that those iPhone games are from third parties and not from Apple." Reader Rock3t notes related news that the Zune HD will be getting 3D games.

2 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Isn't "HD" High Definition? by BorgDrone · · Score: 5, Informative

    allowing it to play 720p video through the optional HDMI Zune dock on a high-definition television

    Yes, you can playback 720p if you buy a $90 dock, for a $219 player. Meanwhile, back in reality, this means that the Zune cannot play HD video (it's only 480x272) unless you spend a significant amount of additional money (40%). They should have called it the Zune HD-ready.

    The HD in the name, however, does not refer to that feature, but to the HD-radio.

  2. Re:Not really... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You pay for an iPhone/iPodTouch then pay for the apps
    You pay for a mobile phone, then pay for the apps
    You pay for a computer, then pay for the apps
    You pay for a zune, then pay....oh shit its microsoft must resist the urge to troll!

    Seriously you buy the hardware, then they charge you (in the form of adverts) for additional software, big woop!