Joystiq

PC Live Arcade: Dubbed 'Vega,' aims to roll out with 10-20 games in Nov.

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, Casual

Already mentioned at Gamefest 2007, Microsoft is planning to launch a Games For Windows variant of Xbox Live Arcade. The digital distribution service will naturally be aimed at the gamer who's more likely to be rearranging jewels on the desktop than snarling faces. A trusted source has furnished Joystiq with further details regarding the service, as well as a strange urge to refer to themselves in third person.

Internally labeled as "Vega" (possibly referring to the star and not the Street Fighter weirdo), the service is expected to launch in early November with 10-20 games. The portfolio of Live-enabled casual titles will match the taxonomy of Xbox Live Arcade and hopes to be bolstered by 2-4 new games every month following launch. Potential users will be funneled to the service from numerous Microsoft outlets, including MSN Games and the official Xbox website. Much like Live Anywhere, Vega contributes to Microsoft's goal of spreading the Live experiencing across multiple linked platforms -- and likewise aims to entice more and more people with Live subscriptions.

Developers, who will be responsible for costs associated with development, localization, rating and certification, will receive 60% of earned revenue, with Microsoft taking the remaining 40%. Game pricing will be similar to that of Xbox Live Arcade and can be set at either $5, $10, $15, $20 or $30. The 150MB size limit is also present, though developers will be allowed to exceed it when providing adequate justification.

The list of launch titles is currently unknown, a fact that will change once Microsoft's marketing machine lights up Vega come this November.

[Update: "We don't have any additional details to share at this time," said Microsoft, "but we are excited to be implementing this next phase of Games for Windows - LIVE. Please stay tuned!"]

PC Live Arcade: Dubbed 'Vega,' aims to roll out with 10-20 games in Nov. originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Live Anywhere still a bridge to be built

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:56:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, E3, Business, Mobile, Casual

During E3, Microsoft invited us to suffer through a 30-minute Xbox Live marketing spiel (we were lured by the promise of Xbox Live Arcade content -- there wasn't any), puffed with ridiculous figures like the 3 billion hours we've spent collectively on Xbox Live as a community that will soon surpass America's largest city, New York, in total population. Xbox Live general manager JJ Richards acted out these statistics with sweeping gestures and broad smiles, and an air of braggadocio. It was JJ's job to make sure we left that room knowing Microsoft commanded the leading online service for consoles. We did (though we knew it already, thank you).

JJ was there to demonstrate that Microsoft had fulfilled all of its goals and then some since the last E3, using terminology like "neighborhoods" and "districts" to imagine for us a bustling virtual metropolis catering to all types of consumers. He spoke of a "bridge" that had been erected across the ever-flowing void to Windows, connecting an untapped community of gamers to the Xbox Live vision. But further down the void, a second bridge, still under construction, has stalled. When we brought up the topic of Xbox Live for mobile, JJ became visibly peeved, as if we had just smudged the picturesque canvas he was painting aloud. He dodged the topic, firing off some jargon about "pacing" before getting back to the success story.

Microsoft has been busy expanding Xbox Live into Games for Windows Live and the apparently groundbreaking Video Marketplace. So it's not surprising that the mobile aspect, complicated by numerous variables, has been removed from the vision's foreground. But we're still curious. After all, back at that last E3, we had seen a working prototype of mobile Live Anywhere, through which PR man John Porcaro was able to browse our Gamertag profile using his phone. It's exciting technology that the community could use. No rush, but we'd appreciate an actual update. How about it, Microsoft?

Mobile Live Anywhere still a bridge to be built originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Team Fortress will not have cross-platform play, but Valve plays it that way

Ross Miller — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, Online, Competitive Gaming

Shacknews has a rather exhaustive preview of Valve's Team Fortress 2, coming to PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 as part of the Half-Life 2: Orange Box collection (also available via Steam, natch).

One interesting note at the end of the article states that the Valve offices, who are working on the Xbox 360 and PC versions (PS3 version is being done by EA UK), "regularly play cross-platform multiplayer games." However, the studio's Doug Lombardi said that the final game will not have cross-platform because it "introduces more problems than it is worth." He continued to say that if Valve were to implement cross-platform that it would be part of the initial game design.

Orange Box, which includes Half-Life 2, Episode One, Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2, is due out October 9.

Team Fortress will not have cross-platform play, but Valve plays it that way originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Call of Duty dev rejects Live Anywhere

Ross Miller — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:55:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, Online, Strategy

Infinity Ward's studio head Grant Collier, who we reported yesterday was unhappy with the overuse of sandbox gameplay and destructible environments, told IGN in an interview that there was no interest in using Live Anywhere for PC and Xbox 360 cross-play.

The Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare developer put it bluntly: "We said no and they didn't call back." Clarifying, Collier said "[it's cool] if you're playing online poker, but who wants to be playing an RTS on a console and have some guy on a PC clicking and dragging all his troops, attacking your base while you're sitting there with your thumb sticks." The keyboard/mouse vs. gamepad argument is a long-standing battle, and clearly Collier feels that they cannot be equals for fast-paced strategy or first-person shooter titles.

Live Anywhere is currently in use by ~~Halo 2~~ (update: nevermind), Shadowrun and the action-packed Uno.

Call of Duty dev rejects Live Anywhere originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infinity Ward rejects Live Anywhere

Dustin Burg — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live

In an interview with Infinity Ward's studio head Grant Collier, IGN discussed everything Call of Duty 4 and got the company's opinion on Microsoft's Live Anywhere initiative. Grant said that after Microsoft pitched the idea of incorporating Live Anywhere into their games they felt that it wouldn't work with their projects and simply said "no way". Collier says such a system is best suited for "card games or Tetris or something like that" and not the RTS or FPS genres. Microsoft didn't have a convincing argument to Infinity Ward's complaints and didn't respond to them.

Collier's take on Live Anywhere directly conflicts with Microsoft's view of bridging multiple gaming platforms like their latest gem Shadowrun, which is a FPS and incorporates the technology. So, maybe that's why phone calls weren't returned ... they hurt Microsoft's feelings. Big bullies.

Infinity Ward rejects Live Anywhere originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayStation Network to add video, advertising, and more

Christopher Grant — Mon, 14 May 2007 13:46:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Online

Gamasutra was at the Online Game Developer's Conference in Seattle last week, writing up SCEA's Michael Shorrock's session on the components of the slightly amorphous PlayStation Network. Don't think it's just the PlayStation Store and online gaming functionality -- it will also include services like video-on-demand "delivering full-length movies, music, and TV programs direct to users via PS3 and PSP." And that's not all! There will also be wireless functionality for "gaming via PSP and mobile devices," in-game / network advertising to deliver ads straight into your eyeballs and, of course, the Home service.

Shorrock discussed Home's "pavilions" -- think islands in Second Life -- citing possibilities for third-party developed pavilions which could be distributed for free or as paid content. He used an example of casinos with mini-games, although he was unsure how developers would choose to monetize the service.

We'd be remiss if we didn't point out that the scale of this new and improved PlayStation Network sounds increasingly like Microsoft's multi-pronged Xbox Live service, which not only enjoys a burgeoning video marketplace, but has potential for in-game advertsing (Microsoft purchased Massive, an in-game advertising company), while Live Anywhere promises wireless cellphone gaming. But it's not a race, right? Let's just be happy that good ideas are getting the attention they deserve.

[Thanks for the larger pic, Evan]

PlayStation Network to add video, advertising, and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2007 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowrun lands on Xbox and Windows May 29th

Christopher Grant — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, Online

Right on the heels of Halo 2's Games for Windows Live debut on May 22nd comes the announcement that Shadowrun, whose signature feature will be Live Anywhere support, will be pitting the keyboard / mouse combo against the gamepad this month when it hits North American retailers on May 29th. Shadowrun will be the first game to support cross-platform play between Windows Vista and the Xbox 360.

The Xbox 360 version will retail for $60 while the Vista version will retail for $50. Additionally, cross-platform Live Anywhere play requires an Xbox Live Gold account for both Xbox Live and G4W Live -- Shadowrun Vista users can still enjoy online multiplayer with a Silver account, but will not be able to participate in matchmaking or Live Anywhere play. Are you WASD or gamepad?

Gallery: Shadowrun

Shadowrun lands on Xbox and Windows May 29th originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 May 2007 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowrun goes gold for 360 and Vista, coming 29th

David Dreger — Wed, 09 May 2007 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live, Multiplayer

Shadowrun, the absolutely inspired first person shooter that combines contemporary weapons, magic and advanced technology has gone gold. The first cross platform PC-360 FPS will be hitting retailers on May 29th, just in time for a blogger's 22nd birthday two days prior. We can't wait to get our hands on title and play against the best keyboard and mouse has to offer. Or at least play the demo first. If you want to know what all the fuss is about, check out our above linked coverage on the game, or our most recent Fancast. Finally, should you make the right decision and pick up this game, take a look at the credits, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Shadowrun goes gold for 360 and Vista, coming 29th originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 May 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Games for Windows Live and Halo 2 hit Vista May 8th

Christopher Grant — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 03:01:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, Online

While the editors of Games for Windows' official magazine may not be ready to drink the Vista-flavored Kool-Aid just yet, Microsoft is ready to give Vista early adopters a handful of reasons to pick up the latest OS upgrade ... err, at least they're ready to announce a date when you may want to plan on doing the picking up: May 8th. Yup, in eight weeks, Microsoft's Games for Windows Live service (doesn't roll of the tongue as easily as Xbox Live, eh?) and its inaugural title, Halo 2, will be available for Vista users.

Don't care much for Halo 2? In "June" Shadowrun -- the first Live Anywhere title enabling cross-platform multiplayer -- hits the Xbox 360 and Vista with full Live integration. The final title they're eager to talk about is UNO, which will be released on Vista "later in 2007." We're not sure why a seemingly simple title like UNO isn't making the launch of the service (or even getting a date) but Microsoft assures us there will be more news around this decision later and that it will be apparent why we're not getting a release date now. They also said cross-platform licensing decisions for titles like UNO have not been worked out yet; we're betting this is gonna get tricky.

Gallery: Games for Windows Live (old)

Continue reading Games for Windows Live and Halo 2 hit Vista May 8th

Games for Windows Live and Halo 2 hit Vista May 8th originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Shadowrun trailer impresses

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

This post was written on Wednesday, when the previously announced Shadowrun trailer was briefly available from the Shadowrun website. Lucky for us, we managed to grab it before it was mysteriously pulled. Unfortunately, the uploaded trailer disagreed with YouTube. But, now the trailer is all over the place, so, without further ado, we present you with the latest Shadowrun trailer. The trailer is actually pretty slick. We like the fact that it emphasizes tactics over pure firepower or twitch reflexes. That's a message that Microsoft is going to have to make loud and clear if they want Shadowrun to appeal to more than just the hardcore audience. Then again, we pretty much represent the hardcore audience, so we'll be plenty happy as long as the game delivers the goods. You can watch the trailer after the break.

Continue reading New Shadowrun trailer impresses

New Shadowrun trailer impresses originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowrun questions answered

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

There's a canned Shadowrun Q&A floating around that details some of the game's lauded features. First of all, the question and answer session explains Live Anywhere and how it works on a PC. Essentially, it's exactly the same as it is on Xbox 360. Playing on Vista, players will have access to voice chat, friends lists, gamerscore, acheivements, and (eventually) Marketplace. The rest of the interview reads more or less like a laundry list to propagate the game's bullet points. For example, the controller vs. mouse debate is covered, with FASA studio manager, Mitch Gitelman, who notes that the game was designed for both from the ground up. Gitelman says that approximately half the testing team are Counter-Strike players and the other half are Halo players, and none complain about unfair advantages. While mouse players may have an aiming advantage, they can still be outclassed by players with a better grasp on magic and techniques. Finally, the game supports 16 players online and should ship with 8-10 maps. Hit the "read" link for the Q&A.

In related news, the official Shadowrun website should post a new trailer some time today. We'll keep you posted.

Shadowrun questions answered originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowrun: controller vs. mouse. Fight!

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

Shadowrun, in a way, is Microsoft's great white hope. Shadowrun is poised to launch Live Anywhere, the extension of Xbox Live that allows players on PC to share game space with players on the Xbox 360. Hell, even cell phones are being thrown into the mix. VelocityGirl is thrilled. Shadowrun, in particular, raises some questions. Scratch that. It raises one question: how will controller players fare against the deadly mouse and keyboard combo? According to Joystiq's recent play test, pretty damned well. That's right, Joystiq was getting the tobacco juice beaten out of them by one of the devs, Mitch Gitelman. Gitelman was using a PC, but much to the surprise of the Joystiq team, he was using an Xbox 360 controller. Granted, Shadowrun was built from the ground up to accommodate both controllers and the KB & mouse combo, but it's a surprising result nonetheless. Joystiq notes that neither setup proved overwhelmingly advantageous -- though the controller was significantly faster at navigating the radial menus at the beginning of each match.

Long story short, if Microsoft really wants to converge the Xbox 360 and its Games for Windows brand, Shadowrun just might be the game to do it. Hit the "read" link for the full story. Be sure to check out Joystiq's gallery of images while your at it.

Shadowrun: controller vs. mouse. Fight! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Crossing confirmed for Xbox 360

David Dreger — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live, Multiplayer, Game announcements

Arkane Studios, developer of the upcoming PC game, The Crossing put out a notice on its site for a new job offer for a "Xbox 360 programmer". The job description explicitly states they'll be bringing The Crossing over to the 360 and need someone to help optimize it for the console. Given the way that this FPS blurs the line between single player and multiplayer, where enemy AI in the campaign can be replaced with human player, Xbox Live seems like a perfect fit. Moreover, if they can pull a Shadowrun and make it cross-platform compatible with Xbox 360 and PC it could be very promising. Have you been watching this title for PC, and do the possibilities with Xbox Live intrigue you?

[Via QJ.net, Thanks, gaetge]

The Crossing confirmed for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowrun: Dean Takahashi is unimpressed

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

Dean Takahashi of the Mercury News has posted his impressions of Shadowrun, the upcoming Live Anywhere launch title from FASA Studio. He takes some time to discuss the game's story and then gets down to the nitty-gritty. He briefly mentions many of the things we've covered before: magical powers, gliding, etc. In the end though, Takahashi seems less than impressed. He notes that the graphics "aren't anything special," adding that they are more or less on par with Halo 2. He also cites the game's multiplayer focus as a risky maneuver by Microsoft, as it may only appeal to the hardcore gamer set.

Our own impressions of the game (listen to our podcast for more) were much more favorable. Then again, we are the hardcore gamer set, so we may not be the best judges. What do you think? Based on what you've seen and read, are you looking forward to Shadowrun?

See Also:
Shadowrun: CTF with a magical twist (Video)

Shadowrun: Dean Takahashi is unimpressed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Jan 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MS wants simultaneous Vista & 360 releases

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: News

According to a recent article on GamesIndustry.biz, Microsoft is pushing its third party publishers to release games simultaneously for both Windows Vista and the Xbox 360. The move is designed to facilitate bringing the two platforms together, and no doubt to encourage more developers to make games that are playable across both platforms over Live. According to Rick Wickham, director for Windows Gaming, several titles are expected to debut simultaneously for both platforms this year (we imagine Shadowrun will be the first). He adds that the final decision to make a simultaneous release is left to the publishers.

Of course, the big question: is Live more appealing if it allows matches against PC gamers? More players is always better, but there are concerns. For instance, there are already worries that mouse players will dominate controller players at FPS games. What do you think? Are you excited, disinterested, a little verklempt?

[Via Tech Digest]

MS wants simultaneous Vista & 360 releases originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The future of Xbox Live, you decide

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:34:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, Business

Looks like Microsoft is attempting to exploit Time's 'Person of the Year.' That's right, the Live Anywhere developer has chosen 'You' to decide its online service's fate. On his blog, Microsoft platform strategist Andre Vrignaud has called on readers to post their ideas about Xbox Live. Specifically, Vrignaud is interested in long term strategies involving the Live Anywhere initiative. What's your five-year plan?

Vrignaud does warn than any thoughts posted on his site will become public domain, adding, "If you have some ideas that you want to keep private because you think you might do something with them yourself one day, you should not post them here." Assuming you aren't harboring such grand designs, this is a great opportunity to let Microsoft know what Live is lacking. Have at it.

The future of Xbox Live, you decide originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES: UNO is Live Anywhere!

Ross Miller — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 22:25:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online

There's no need to skim through Microsoft's CES press release any longer, we have the only piece of information you need to know right here:

"And for casual gamers, the company demonstrated a cross-platform game of "UNO!," with some players joining from their Windows Vista-based PCs and others joining from their Xbox 360 consoles."

That's right, folks, UNO! (note the exclamation point for added awesomeness) is Live Anywhere. Why bother with a gun-toting space marine when you can inflict massive damage with the ego-shattering Wild Draw 4 ... anywhere. Sure, IPTV is cool if you're into that thing. We'll take UNO Anywhere.

CES: UNO is Live Anywhere! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 07 Jan 2007 22:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowrun beta responsible for Live outage? [update 1]

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Xbox Live, Fan stuff, Rumors

So, we all know about the Live outage last night. If you didn't know about it, perhaps you heard the collective shriek of millions of fanboys screaming simultaneously. That's usually a pretty good indicator that something has gone wrong. Officially, we don't know why the outage occurred. All we know right now is that Major Nelson is sniffing around for answers. Of course, we wouldn't be fanboys if we didn't concoct a theory of our own. 360 Fanboy reader, Eric, noticed that the Shadowrun beta officially began last night. A post on the Shadowrun community forums presents and interesting twist on the outage theories:

"There are currently some issues propping the beta build to the production servers. We are trying to get the beta out tonight but it may be delayed somewhat. More information will go here as soon as it is available."

The question is, did the beta cause the Live crash, or is it just a coincidence? This is the first ~~time a public beta has been put on Xbox Live~~ Microsoft run beta on Xbox Live-- and Shadowrun is the first game to utilize Live Anywhere -- so it is conceivable that it could cause unforeseen problems. Hopefully Major Nelson will clear it up next week.

Speaking of the Shadowrun beta, did anyone make it into the first round?

[Thanks, Eric]

Update: Okay, so it's not the first beta, but, to be fair, PSU was hardly a beta at all, and FFXI runs on its own servers.

Shadowrun beta responsible for Live outage? [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Dec 2006 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Games for Windows Vista: how the new brand & OS will change PC gaming [update 1]

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Features, PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, Peripherals, Business

We recently sat down with Games for Windows (GFW) Marketing Director Kevin Unangst and PR Manager Michael Wolf for a brief pre-launch tour of gaming on Vista. Admittedly, the implementation hasn't changed much since we first previewed Vista nearly a year ago. Even so, from a GUI-perspective, Vista features a user-friendly central location for cataloging, accessing, and tweaking (settings, parental controls, updating, etc.) GFW-branded games -- non-GFW games won't necessarily be excluded, but they won't feature many of the required functionalities built into the branded titles.

Games for Windows is still very much a vision. The first priority, a retail initiative, is currently underway. By employing marketing strategies used by console makers, namely platform-branding, Microsoft hopes that PC gaming (under the 'Games for Windows' banner) will become less intimidating to mainstream consumers -- no longer will the PC games isle be a cluttered mess of disparate titles. Computer Gaming World was also renamed as Games For Windows to help drive Microsoft's new brand. Aside from retail consolidation, this branding will ensure certain requirements are met by games' publishers. To earn the GFW brand, a title must comply with certain Microsoft-tested specifications, including widescreen support, compatibility with the Xbox 360 controller, parental control features, and simple installation. GFW games will also begin to carry a system rating, based on a 5-point scale. Vista will assess the value of your PC's gaming abilities and assign a rating (or "WinSAT"), say 4.5. You can then weigh that rating against a game's recommended rating (example: 5.0) and its required rating (example: 3.5) before purchasing. Update: The scale will begin at five points, but is designed to grow as newer technologies enter the market.

Continue reading Games for Windows Vista: how the new brand & OS will change PC gaming [update 1]

Games for Windows Vista: how the new brand & OS will change PC gaming [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Dec 2006 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowrun public beta: testers wanted

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, Online, RPGs

FASA has begun registering participants for a public beta testing of its eventual cross-platform ('Live Anywhere') FPS Shadowrun. The beta is scheduled to begin by mid-December and will run through March 2007. Testing applies to the Xbox 360 version only (sorry, no early access to Vista for you). You have to be a US-based Xbox Live Gold member to participate. Anyone still interested, read on for registration details...

[Via Press Release]

Continue reading Shadowrun public beta: testers wanted

Shadowrun public beta: testers wanted originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sign up for the Shadowrun beta

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live

Microsoft and FASA Studio have officially announced the Shadowrun beta program. Shadowrun, you may recall, is the launch vehicle for Microsoft's Live Anywhere service, allowing gamers on both PC and Xbox 360 to compete with each other. An FPS that combines both technology and magic, Shadowrun looks to bring something different to the shooter genre -- and answer the age old keyboard and mouse/gamepad question once and for all. Find instructions on how to participate in the beta after the break.

Continue reading Sign up for the Shadowrun beta

Sign up for the Shadowrun beta originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Nov 2006 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More evidence Live Anywhere reaching Zune?

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:55:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, Business

Digging through the source code of Zune.net a curious mole stumbled upon an intriguing line of code that referenced the production domain: "gamercard.zune.net."

Perhaps it's just lazy (copy/paste) coding, as a Generation Zune commenter points out -- Xbox.com's source has the same line of code, with "xbox" instead of "zune" -- but why wouldn't Zune feature Gamercard compatibility? That Zune will be part of the Live Anywhere network has been rumored before, and there's no good reason to believe it won't.

We already know (see 2old2play) that MS Passport-associated Gamertag's will become your Zunetag. In fact, Microsoft has already reserved said Gamertags so that if you ever decide to go Zune, you're proper handle will be waiting. We're not convinced that Live Anywhere is a critical selling point for Zune, but tossing the feature in for Xbox Livies is a no-brainer.

[Via Gamertag Radio]

More evidence Live Anywhere reaching Zune? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBL downtime scheduled for Oct. 17th [update 1]

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Marketplace

Major Nelson has sent us word that there will be a day scheduled downtime for Xbox Live and Xbox.com on October 17th. October 17th ... hmmm. Why does that sound familiar. Wait a minute! That's when we get Double Agent. What the hell, man! And not only that, October 17th is the second to last day of the PSU beta -- which is already delayed to begin with. So what the hell do we do now Microsoft? What the hell do we do now?!

Ah well, guess we all gotta deal right? The boys at Xbox.com even suggest 10 things you can do without Live. And Major Nelson reminds us all that this is not the Fall dashboard update, though apparently "cool stuff" is being added. What that means is anyone's guess. Now we just figure out what to do. Anybody want to go bowling or something?

[Thanks, Larry, AKA Major Nelson]

Update: It's Xbox.com, not Box.com. Give me a break. I'm jet-lagged here.

XBL downtime scheduled for Oct. 17th [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Oct 2006 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Win a Zune from Engadget [update 1]

Ken Weeks — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 03:00:00 EST

Our heavily connected blog cousin Engadget is celebrating their relaunch by giving away five "vertically integrated portable media players" -- aka Zunes -- courteously provided by Microsoft for hype purposes. All you have to do is leave a comment on this thread naming your favorite song (and the artist that sings it) and pray that the gadget gods smile on your entry. We're still not sure exactly when this device ships (Holiday Season), how much it costs ($300?), or exacty how it will incorporate Mr. Allard's mysterious Live Anywhere service (not much at first) but we do know the Zune Marketplace will accept the same MS points we 360 fanboys use to buy over-priced horse armour.

Update: To clarify, posting a comment here on 360 Fanboy will win you a lot of nothing. Click over to Engadget if you'd like to win a Zune.

Win a Zune from Engadget [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Magic, science, and fun, Shadowrun preview

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live

Evil Avatar scored a sneak preview of FASA's upcoming Shadowrun, the debut game of Microsoft's new Live Anywhere platform which will allow both 360 and PC players to hash it out online. Some of you may remember that FASA was involved with the debut title for Xbox Live -- MechAssault -- way back in 2002. The preview pretty much covers everything you need to know about Microsoft's would be multiplayer king. The game plays out like Counter-Strike. Each match is divided into six rounds. At the beginning of each round, players purchase magic, technology, and, of course, weapons. The interesting factor here is that magic and technology remain with players even if they are killed during a round -- weapons must be purchased again, however. Essentially this causes the match to intensify with each new round. Adding another layer of strategy to the game is the ability to resurrect dead players. As the author notes, there's nothing quite like resurrecting your entire team and fighting your way back to victory.

The preview is full of other details about the game. For instance, PC and 360 players may not be able to answer the age old mouse vs. controller question after all. See, you won't be able to tell if your playing against 360 or PC players. As far as the game is concerned, they're one and the same. The game also has another way of leveling the playing field. The faster you move the targeting reticle, the less accurate your shots. The idea is to moderate the massive speed advantage that mouse players have over console players. According to the author the experience on both the PC and 360 versions is nearly identical. We're always excited by fresh multiplayer so, here's hoping Shadowrun really shapes up. Anyone looking forward to this cross-platform frag fest?

Magic, science, and fun, Shadowrun preview originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Anywhere on a cell phone: First pics

Ken Weeks — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Xbox Live

Mobility Today scored the first photos of the Live Anywhere platform in action on a mobile phone. Xboxic does a good job deciphering the blurry pics:

The first picture is pretty blurry, but it shows Major Nelson's gamertag and three selections, two of which are "Games" and "View Gamercard". The middle is too blurry to make out, may have something to do with his online status. In the second picture, Live Anywhere has the same game comparison function as Xbox Live, just in case you needed to see if your buddy just beat your Small Arms score while, say, in the supermarket.

What do you expect Live Anywhere to grace your cell phone with beyond this basic stuff?

Live Anywhere on a cell phone: First pics originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Sep 2006 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MS talks Live Anywhere achievments

Ken Weeks — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 02:30:00 EST

Filed under: Xbox Live, Multiplayer

Are you and your Xbox 360 itching frag your obnoxious PC-loving cousin and his competition weighted mouse? Microsoft UK Third-Party Account Manager Steven Blackburn told a Leipzig crowd that MS will lure you to the blood feud with special online-only achievements designed to hype the Live Anywhere service. Start talking smack now because the the first truly cross-platform title, Shadowrun, hits early next year with plenty more to follow.

[Via Xboxic]

MS talks Live Anywhere achievments originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Aug 2006 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live numbers just keep rising

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace

At the Develop Conference in Brighton, England, Microsoft's Jeff Sullivan dropped the news that 60% of 360 users are connected to Xbox Live. The long and short of it: things look good for Live.

"'Every time I do this presentation I have to check what the new figures are,' Sullivan said, before rattling off up-to-date stats such as Xbox Live has hosted over two billion hours of gaming, including over 500 million games of Halo 2. It also handles over 900,000 voice and text messages per day. But there's plenty more where that came from, with Microsoft on-track to hit its target of six million Xbox Live accounts in 2007.

On Xbox Live Arcade:

". . .on Arcade (which is used by 65 percent of connected users), over five million games have been downloaded. Conversion rates between free content and paid for downloads currently averages around 21 percent, with top games such as Geometry Wars and Uno up at 50 percent, while the lowest conversion rate is around 10 percent."

It should be noted that even %10 percent is a substantial improvement over casual PC games, which average 2%. Sullivan also covered many other topics including Live Anywhere, in-game ads, and XLSP -- a tool that allows third party developers to integrate their own servers with Xbox Live.

I think this Xbox Live thing might be going somewhere.

[Via Xbox-Scene]

Xbox Live numbers just keep rising originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jul 2006 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Allard's iPod killer to use Live Anywhere?

Ken Weeks — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live, Peripherals, Xbox Live Marketplace

Earlier this week, Microsoft finally revealed the not-so-secret project that kept J Allard and Robbie Bach away from E3: A wi-fi enabled portable music player (see horribly blurred image above) designed to take a chunk out of Apple's iMonopoly in the PMP business. While not the portable 360 of our dreams, the device, due this Christmas, will presumably feature some sort of limited gaming capability -- and it's own version of Xbox Live. From Engadget:

Microsoft's new portable audio and video player will have a screen that's "bigger than that of the iPod video" (which isn't really saying much) and built-in WiFi so you can not only download content directly to the player (sort of like with the MusicGremlin), but actually participate in an Xbox Live-like social network that will help you connect with other people with similar taste and interests. Whether that's going to be the Live Anywhere service they introduced at E3 we don't yet know. But we do know the tag line they're pitching for the device combined with this new network is "Connected Entertainment."

Since this is an Xbox 360 blog, naturally we're most concerned with how this new product relates to our favorite console. If the device is indeed apart of Allard's Live Anywhere concept, will it offer some special benefit for 360 owners? Will it allow you to communicate with your XBL friends list? Will Marketplace media content be available for download? Since we don't know much, the climate is ripe for rampant speculation. What kind of Xbox Live integration would you like to see in a Microsoft PMP, and would such features convince you to toss your iPod?

Allard's iPod killer to use Live Anywhere? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 08 Jul 2006 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget & Joystiq Interview: Microsoft's Shane Kim [update 1]

Christopher Grant — Tue, 16 May 2006 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360, Interviews, E3

If you haven't already watched the video, now you can read the transcription of our interview with Shane Kim, General Manager of Microsoft Game Studios. On Wednesday (in the middle of E3), Vlad Cole and I got some time to sit down and ask him about some of the biggest questions facing Microsoft's early entrant into the next-gen console wars, like whether there are any more developer acquisitions lined up, which Xbox Live Arcade titles will show up on Vista with Live Anywhere, what are the plans for ad-supported gaming, and just how many paid subscribers does Xbox Live has.

We're corroborating with several sources: is Peter Moore's [Grand Theft Auto 4] tattoo real?

You know, I wasn't there when it was put on there, it's a very personal thing so I can neither confirm nor deny.

Okay... so it's real. Prior to E3, people were really looking forward to actual demonstrations of the Wii controller. That was the big buzz coming into the show and, after they unveiled it, I think people were more or less satisfied with it. So how do you think you fared versus that intense excitement towards that controller?

I think we fared extremely well. One of the big things we talked about yesterday was all the momentum we're going to have this next generation. We're going to have 10 million units in consumers' hands before the competitor even ships unit one. We're well on our way to 6 million connected members on Xbox Live and we're going to have 160 games in the market by the end of the year. We've got great momentum. We had Bill Gates attend E3 for the first time ever to announce the vision of Live anywhere. Again, demonstrating leadership in the online space isn't just about what we've achieved to date, but also about how we're going to take that forward across multiple platforms and devices. And finally, first and foremost, it's about the games and the content. Yesterday we started with Gears of War and ended with Halo 3, and we sprinkled in a little bit of Fable 2, Forza 2, Alan Wake, and, oh by the way, the Grand Theft Auto 4 announcement as well. So I think from the content standpoint we're definitely doing great there. So, better online, better content, and better pricing than some of the competition; we feel good about where we're at.
Do you think it's important to win E3? I think most people say you have, at least in terms of the keynotes.

I think it's always great to be recognized for what you're doing, whether it's at E3 or any other point. Sometimes I worry there's too much importance placed on that but since people are saying we won this year, I'll say it's a great thing we won E3.

Continue reading The Engadget & Joystiq Interview: Microsoft's Shane Kim [update 1]

The Engadget & Joystiq Interview: Microsoft's Shane Kim [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 May 2006 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Was Microsoft's vision for Vanguard Vista exclusive? [Update 1]

Conrad Quilty-Harper — Tue, 16 May 2006 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online

Sigil Games, developers of the upcoming MMORPG Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, shocked quite a few people by announcing that they were buying the publishing rights from Microsoft so that they could co-publish the title with Sony Online Entertainment. We've already provided some speculation about what the "varying visions and direction for the title's development" between Microsoft and Sigil were, but a tipster (who asked to remain unnamed) from E3 provides another possible reason for the split.

Our tipster claims to have spoken to several developers working at Sigil and at another development company that has Microsoft as a publisher -- we'd say the meat of the tip is on the same level of credibility as someone saying that the Government is tapping your phone (yes, I made a political joke -- the first comment to judge my political affiliation wins my apathy!).

According to our tipster, Microsoft intended to make Vanguard a Vista-exclusive title and Sigil didn't like it. The fact that XP users wouldn't have been able to play the game (limiting the user base quite drastically) and Windows Vista's notoriously slippery release date being the obvious disadvantages of such a move on the part of Sigil. If true, the motivation for Microsoft would have been that the title would be the first MMO to take advantage of Live Anywhere, Microsoft's online games platform which blends Xbox 360, PC and mobile phone devices: more Vista sales = profit!

It's credible that Microsoft wanted to use Vanguard as the first MMO to work with Live Anywhere but that Sigil didn't want its game to be Microsoft's guinea pig and therefore bought the publishing rights. With Vista around the corner, Microsoft wants to provide as much incentive for gamers to upgrade and by making big name games playable exclusively on Vista it can gain that incentive. At the very least we get a kick out of discussing the vague PR explanations of the reasons behind leaving a game's publisher during the beta stage. It's impossible for us to believe that simple, meaningless "varying visions" caused this massive, late in the game move.

Update 1: Brad McQuaid (Sigil CEO, creator of MMORPG Everquest) responds by saying "false rumor", but Joystiq commentator Jack Slater cleverly rebukes: "personally I would just deny everything if I was him, as there is no legal obligation for me to tell the truth on the forums but there is likely a legal obligation to keep the reason for leaving Microsoft undisclosed." Meanwhile, Ctrl+Alt+Del daydreams about how the meeting between McQuiad, Microsoft and Sony went. Funny stuff.

Was Microsoft's vision for Vanguard Vista exclusive? [Update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 May 2006 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 impressions: Shadowrun

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 12 May 2006 18:20:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, First Person Shooters, Online, E3

Shadowrun is Microsoft's launch pad for Live Anywhere, the game that the company hopes will unite (in comradery and competition) Xbox 360 and PC gamers. It's an online-based game similar to Counter-Strike, only with magic and tech enhancements (e.g. the ability to glide).

Since Shadowrun can't be released until Vista is deployed, developer FASA has clearly had -- and will have -- a lot of time to fine tune this title. The weapons, magic, and tech abilities are well balanced, and players will have to pick and choose wisely.

Mechanics aside, the demo map we previewed was extremely bland. It did however, highlight some of the unique tactics that must be employed to win, including teleporting through walls and floors, planting health replenishing trees, and using extra-sensory vision. It was a lot to handle in a 10-minute session, which is a sign that Shadowrun has the depth to support Microsoft's vision.

Xbox 360 impressions: Shadowrun originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 May 2006 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Anywhere bad news for gaming IM

Jennie Lees — Wed, 10 May 2006 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, E3, Business

Being able to seamlessly connect with your friends while playing games is becoming increasingly important, both to gamers and to games companies. Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony all emphasised the importance of online as well as offline play, but Microsoft's announcement of Live Anywhere must surely have struck a nerve with a few niche companies.

Niche up till now, that is. Companies like Viacom and Verizon who are heavily investing in the gaming IM space -- bringing social networking and gaming closer together -- are now in direct competition with a company that can reach multiple platforms easily. By connecting Xbox Live, Windows Vista, MSN Messenger and mobile phones together, Microsoft will make it hard for others to encroach on their territory.

Continue reading Live Anywhere bad news for gaming IM

Live Anywhere bad news for gaming IM originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 May 2006 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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