Shane Kim talks mobile-izing Xbox 360, Xbox Live brands

Though it's been quite some time since we last heard anything about a portable gaming device from Microsoft, corporate VP Shane Kim recently reconfirmed to Kikizo that the company is still very interested in the idea. "We're building a service in Live that will... will extend to other platforms ... no question about it," Kim told them in an interview earlier this week.

He stresses that, with development for Project Natal underway, Microsoft isn't exactly ponying up for extra resources to make portable Xbox gaming a reality. "If we chased after a mobile or handheld opportunity, we would not have the resources and ability to do things like ... Project Natal." Surprisingly, Kim even touches on the always touchy (and often not even mentioned) Live Anywhere initiative, saying, "We talked about Live Anywhere a few years ago ... Live is the connective tissue." From the sounds of things, though Microsoft may very well be thinking about the idea of a gaming handheld in the future, it's not exactly right around the corner.

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Reader Comments (80)

While i'll admit these fake mock-ups are nice why do most of them insist of putting the guide button where basically the D-Pad is.

Wouldn't that be more annoying than anything?

The whole unit looks like an ergonomic nightmare, at least to my humble eyes.

I like how they just used the wheel from an iPod and even tacked on a Memory Stick logo. This mockup needs a little work.

My eyes, my beautiful eyes!

that's not a memory stick logo, that's a magicgate logo. but still...

The thing that got me was why do they have the led around the guide button.

Does xbox portable have three other controllers that slide out of it?

It's just a Milo repainted and with new buttons. Lazy work...

@atx1980

It's so it can have three of them light up and flash red...

They're keeping with the tradition of giving their Xbox brand stuff terrible, terrible D-Pads.

Hopefully the Zune HD won't suck and Microsoft can evolve that into a real mobile platform. Still waiting for that Live Anywhere initiative!

The Zune HD shouldn't suck, based on my experiences with the previous Zunes.

I think I speak for true gamers everywhere when I say, "Drop Natal and pursue portable gaming."

And I'm speaking at least for myself when I say , "Drop Natal."

What the hell is a "true gamer"?

A man, nay, a beast, cloaked not in the miasma of cursory audio-visual stimulation, who is aglow of his superior...

Fuck it, I've no idea.

Definition on Mavipedia

True Gamer - A true gamer is born into, lives and dies a gaming addict. The term True Gamer derived from gaming language and means 'Game Nerd'. A true gamer could be considered an individual who spends 70% or higher of the time in thier lives gaming, they are highly unlikely to have seen sunlight, it is rumoured that sunlight actually has a detrimental effect on them. Symptoms consist of severe temper tantrums when loosing, the inability to look anywhere else but the screen, sore-thumbalitis, slobalitis and various other symptoms .

Yeah what is the definition of a ''true'' gamer, that is the second time today i have heard that, some retard named doofg saying anyone that is a halo fan is not a true gamer.

Nintendo has proved that you can make boat loads of money selling gaming systems to non-"true gamers"

Dont count on Natal to be dropped and if you think that the interface won't be good then we're all thankful your not a game dev. Natal while looks like a novelty could turn out to become very cool interface. I personally would love to see Natal being implemented with RTS games and the voice system used in RPGs. There is no reason that Natal cannot be used with a controller.

@ Maverick Saturn (Igor)

Funny, that's the same description for a virgin.

Robert Loggia (Doom) wins the internets for the day. +1

I like your style Jung Guns.

Speaking of which, where has sprinkles been lately, hes a true gamer :D

THIS JUST IN:

FANBOYS LOVE CAP LOCK!

true gamer = virgin

hahahaha

Xbox Live on my Iphone will tide me over till later Microsoft. Make it so, Engage

Live on the Iphone? Would MS let that happen since they compete with Apple on several fronts??

Probably not, but it makes a decent set up for some Picarding. Which is always welcome.

They let their other software be made for Apple computers so why not allow such a app for the iPhone

That's one fugly mockup. this one's a little better: http://smartech.blogetery.com/files/2008/07/xbox360-portable-concept.jpg

...but again with the 'guide button' in the center of the d-pad?

That's essentially putting the pause button in the middle of the d-pad! Doesn't anybody notice this? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

Why would an xbox portable even have a guide button, probably more like a home button.

That is a better mock-up but I agree with everyone else annoyed with the guide button placement.

still looks like shit

http://www.thegamereviews.com/userfiles/image/psp2-mockup.jpg

Replace Sony logos with Microsoft, done.

I would love a way to play my arcade games like Braid, Castle Crashers, and Yaris whenever I want.

I was with ya until you said "yaris"

whats that supposed to mean?

Even in fantasy internet mock-up land, putting the 'Xbox Guide' button in the middle of the d-pad and using a Sony 'memory stick' for storage is funny!

I'm sure whatever they do, it's never going to look like that!

hopefully its as hackable as the psp

It would be nice to see a strong competitor to the PSP, just like how the Xbox 360 has been a strong competitor to the PS3. Competition is good!

Yeah they can all fight for distant second place behind Nintendo.

So the DS doesn't exist or isn't competing with the PSP? Sure...

Sorry, I mean like the 360 and PS3 compete against each other on a different front than against the Wii, similar to what I'd like to see in the PSP and an Xbox portable.
Sorry, I haven't been a Nintendo person since the N64. : )

what is nintendo on top of exactly? making toys?

Making money

now tell me what nintendo making money means to me...

...no wait I don't care

On top of the handheld market maybe?

Will ti feature "over-hyper-performance", aka, "over-heating"?

Hand warmer.

That's what she said.

wireless sold separately.

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Shane Kim talks mobile-izing Xbox 360, Xbox Live brands

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Posted: Jul 17th 2009 1:06PM Jawmuncher said

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