Your Thoughts on Xbox LIVE and Windows Phone?
It’s been a few days since we announced that we’ll be bringing Xbox LIVE to Windows Phone 7 Series. To recap, we stated that starting this holiday you’ll be able to:
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Collect Achievements and build your Gamerscore
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View Xbox LIVE leaderboards
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See your Xbox LIVE Avatar
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Access Spotlight feeds, including the latest tips and tricks, game news, updates and more
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Add Xbox LIVE friends to your friends list while out on the go
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Play turn-based (asynchronous) multiplayer games
We’re curious what you think! Anything strike you as particularly exciting? What sorts of Xbox LIVE-enabled experiences would you like to see us enable in the future? What questions do you have?
Although I won’t be able to answer all of your questions at this point in time, we should hopefully be able to address some of them. And I can tell you the product teams who are building the product will be reviewing your feedback as well, so it’s a great opportunity to speak up! Finally, though I am happy to also discuss on Twitter (via my Ozymandias account), please be sure to leave your comment here on the blog so the product team can access your feedback!
All that said, this is a public forum, and you should assume that anything you post might be read or used by pretty much anyone on the net, including Microsoft. Short form, if you think you have a killer idea that you want to go make a business from, you should not post it here. Otherwise, we look forward to the conversation!
Related posts:
- Your Thoughts on the Future of Live?
- Where does the Future of Live Anywhere Matchmaking Lie?
- [Engadget] Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know
Want to Make Games for Windows Phone? Go to GDC!
We’ve announced Windows Phone 7 Series with Xbox LIVE, and also pointed folks to MIX10 to learn about developing applications for the platform. But what about games, those most exalted of applications? 
To cut to the chase, if you’ve got game, you’ll want to head to the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and attend these sessions:
- Developing Games for Windows Phone 7 Series*
- High Performance 3D Games on Windows Phone 7 Series*
- Development and Debugging Tools for Windows Phone 7 Series*
- Bringing the Best of Xbox LIVE to Windows Phone 7 Series*
* These sessions are repeated during the main conference Thursday March 11th through Saturday March 13th.
You can also find some more information on both GDC and MIX from Michael Klucher and Shawn Hargreaves – well worth following in the months ahead! I’ll be at the show as well – love to chat if you’re going!
Heavy Rain + Natal: The “Missed” Opportunity
I’ve been a Quantic Dream fan ever since playing Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy (at least the early part of the game, before the plot went simply insane). Anyway, I pre-ordered Heavy Rain many months ago, hoping that the game would deliver on its early promise.
Having only spent a few hours with the game so far, it’s too early for me to have a reasonable opinion on that. However, something struck me early on, and I just haven’t been able to shake it: Heavy Rain and Natal were made for each other, and it’s a shame the two will never meet.
Playing Heavy Rain is a fascinating experience. The game tries to map contextual user input onto a controller – something that, in itself, has absolutely no context in the game world. It attempts to immerse you into that world by showing you a motion which you need to duplicate on the controller – examples include having you swirl a stick to show a badge, or holding down an awkward series of buttons to simulate a difficult movement. The problem is that the controller itself simply doesn’t exist inside the game world – so the user is being asked to try and translate a motion that’s intended to suggest a real-world analog, then trigger it appropriately on a device that isn’t in that “real” game world. Unfortunately, this just isn’t that intuitive, even to a oldschool gamer like myself. And when I tried to have a non-gaming friend of mine play, he gave up in frustration saying that the controls were “just annoying.” He didn’t buy the immersiveness argument at all.
That led me to imagining what Heavy Rain might have been if time and space (and competitive interests) had allowed Natal to be the control interface. Suddenly you’d have an immersive story with digital actors that you could control by actually doing the appropriate movement. Pretend to flash that badge by swiping it from your side and holding it up. Slap the guy by literally slapping the air. It would all have to be tuned and playtested of course, but you’d have the huge advantage of every user already knowing how to play intuitively. As Natal promises, your body is the controller, and you already know how to play because the actions are the same ones you would naturally do.
It’s too bad that Natal and Heavy Rain end up being a “missed” opportunity (albeit exceedingly unlikely). I’ll be curious to see if Quantic Dream is able to anything with Sony’s motion controller… especially since no matter how good the implementation, you won’t be able to escape the fact that you’re still holding an actual controller. Guess I’ll just have to cross my fingers that the game will do really well, and we’ll have a chance to have Quantic Dream do something on the Xbox sometime in the future.
Wired on Microsoft’s Challenge for Windows Phone 7: Wooing Developers
Wanted to pass along a realistic take from Brian X Chen of Wired on both the challenges and opportunity Microsoft has with wooing developers to support the Windows Phone 7 Series. On the pessimistic side, we have some folks who wrote off Windows Mobile years ago:
Kai Yu, CEO of BeeJive, was pessimistic. He said his independent company, which makes apps for the iPhone and BlackBerry, wrote off Windows Mobile years ago because of “incomplete, half-assed” developer tools and a lack of support from Microsoft, and he doesn’t see those problems changing with a new operating system.
And while I wasn’t developer on Windows Mobile back in the day, I can say the overall quality of earlier phones using Microsoft’s phone OS was definitely lacking IMO. I’ve never been shy about the fact that I bought an iPhone the day it came out. With it, Apple took a huge step forward around creating a user-focused experience that paved the way for a “new” type of consumer: real people, living real lives.
On the positive side, I loved this quote from Jim Scheinman, COO of Pageonce:
“My speculation is that Microsoft has some incredible platforms they can tie all together with the new mobile platform,” Scheinman said. “If one developer can write across all the other platforms, that would be easier for us and all the developers…. If you want to attract hundreds of thousands of developers, it would behoove Microsoft to try to make that happen. That would be a very, very exciting opportunity for all of us.”
We’re not talking about details around our development platform until MIX10 in March. But I’ll highlight a recent quote from our Mobile Group chief Andy Lees from a recent conference call:
“You’re also right to point out that a marketplace is included, and the marketplace will work for applications but also for games, so the gaming marketplace for the first time will utilize Xbox Live, and that enables you to create multiplayer, multiscreen games, and the marketplace will facilitate that, so that it will actually work across screens.”
The opportunity is ours to lose in enabling developers to quickly and easily create applications and experiences (and games!) across multiple screens and devices. As Wired points out, we have a lot of work ahead of us… but I can also say that I think we’ve lined up all the dots such that when we actually draw the line, people will be very excited. If you have any interest at all in developing for Windows Phone 7, definitely hit MIX10. I’ll be there, and I’d love to chat with you! And yes, I am planning to replace my iPhone with a Windows Phone 7. Sorry Steve; it’s been a great ride, but I can’t resist being connected to my LIVE community and games… and I can hardly wait to see what the next year brings!
Multiple Screens is the New Main Screen
We’ve arrived at an interesting inflection point for video games. Put simply, online connectivity and features have become ubiquitous for individual games on individual devices, but that connectivity has yet to extend in a meaningful way across devices and communities. While gaming services like Xbox LIVE have done wonders to connect millions of people together, the reality is that those communities are still siloed, playing and communicating only within the boundaries of a particular service and device. Unfortunately, that current reality doesn’t reflect the trends we see of what people actually want to do.
Today people are more connected than ever, but paradoxically finding it difficult to spend time together. People are spending more time with friends, and less with strangers. Cooperative gaming has climbed in popularity partly because it satisfies that urge to spend meaningful time with people you care about. Social networks like Facebook are enabling you to connect with friends more easily; social games like Farmville draft on that desire to connect that Facebook enables. Simply put, gaming is now being seen as a worthwhile investment due to the ability to spend meaningful time with friends. In fact, let’s consider that last sentence again: people are choosing to “spend” time with friends gaming instead of “wasting” time gaming, as we were all wont to say a decade ago. Online connectivity has enabled a sea change in how people are approaching gaming; the big opportunity is for the game industry to embrace this shift by enabling cloud gaming scenarios all the more.
We just announced the Windows Phone 7 Series at World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, with some great buzz already hitting the net. While we’ve been working on aspects of enabling the “cloud” for years (via Azure, Xbox LIVE, and Games for Windows LIVE), adding mobile has finally enabled the “three screen” trinity we’ve all been seeking. We’re shifting our “online gaming” focus from the Xbox to the cloud, which will enable whole new ecosystems for game developers, publishers, and consumers to explore. And we’ve rebuilt the development platform from the ground up to enable those sorts of connected scenarios. While you shouldn’t look for any specific announcements from the diagram below (ie, “mobile” just means “not fixed”), it should give you an idea of where our center of gravity is going forward.
Our vision is to bring you instant access to your entertainment, with the people you care about, wherever you are. With the announcement of Windows Phone we have all the pieces to deliver on that vision. Multiple screens is the new main screen, and Xbox LIVE is the social thread that connects all of those screens (and experiences) together.
That said, this will take time. We’ll have to work closely with game developers and publishers to figure out the best ways to enable their goals. We’ll have to work with consumers to understand the sorts of game scenarios that people most want. I’ll be spending a lot of time here writing about those scenarios, what we’re thinking, as well as seeking your input and feedback so we can incorporate into our product planning. And I hope you’ll join in the conversation.
It’s taken a while, but we’re finally delivering on that “LIVE Anywhere” vision we announced back in 2006. We’ve been getting beat up on this for years, and Tycho of Penny Arcade has been personally beating on me for years now… but for good reason, as he gets it.
Jerry – I’m glad to say we’ve finally got game. 
Toy Soldiers on Facebook
Some folks have been curious what we’re doing around cross-platform games. One recent effort out of MGS is Toy Soldiers, with both an Xbox Arcade and Facebook version. Team Xbox had a quick interview with Ken Lobb at X10, and I thought you’d find a couple of quotes interesting:
Lobb said that the Facebook and XBLA versions of Toy Soldiers will be standalone games, which will both center on the “meta war” at the center of the Toy Soldiers story. There are a number of connection points in the XBLA version, such as the appearance of a pointer to the Facebook game from the XBLA game’s title screen. Additionally, Lobb said that you’ll be able to “monitor the war”—and how the Facebook game influences it—from the XBLA game, while being able to see XBLA scores from the Facebook app.
Even more exciting, though, is Lobb’s statement that you’ll be able to “earn a buff” in Toy Soldiers if you’re active in both games. Much like how owning the Wolfenstein XBLA added gold to your coffers in the Wolfenstein boxed release, it’s interesting that you’ll be able to receive a benefit in the XBLA title for playing on Facebook.
I’m also at an offsite today, and happen to be sitting next to Chris Novak, a design architect in MGS. I asked him to describe Match Defense: Toy Soldiers (the Facebook version) in his own words:
Really, we just wanted to keep you in touch with the game, from wherever you are. Win the war from home or from work (or school!) Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, your efforts always count. The “war contribution” you earn on either platform all goes into the same push to win. We also wanted an experience that fit Facebook well – something you could jump in and out of.
You can check out the game on Facebook here. Let us know what you think!
[Engadget] Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know
Just wanted to point you to a great post by Engadget’s Joshua Topolsky that summarizes known information around our Windows Phone 7 Series announcement. Being the Xbox LIVE/cloud gaming guy, I of course loved this quote:
Games hub: Integrates with Xbox LIVE, including the housing of a miniature version of your avatar (in 3D and everything), Xbox LIVE games and achievements, Spotlight feeds, and the ability to browse gamer profiles. Microsoft hasn’t shown any games yet, but has made mention of Facebook-style turn-based casual games being part of the equation. It’s our impression that these devices have the horsepower to push pretty decent gaming experiences, and the integration with Xbox and its ecosystem is being taken very seriously by the folks in Redmond. We hope the fruit of this union will focus on more than just users hoping to play Sudoku on their phone. This should be an easy one to not screw up.
![eea44_games-hub-every-1-300x139 [Engadget] Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know](http://www.ozymandias.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/games-hub-every-1.jpg "[Engadget] Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know")
Indeed – and I’m really looking forward to the next year as we start making more announcements around our Windows Phone 7 games and Xbox LIVE integration. Tip of the iceberg baby!
![moz-screenshot-1 [Engadget] Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know](/Users/andrevr/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png "[Engadget] Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know")
![[Engadget] Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know](http://pc.wowgoldur.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/06fd5_5WSO8MXgYjU "[Engadget] Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know"){kind=small}
Toy Soldiers on Facebook
Some folks have been curious what we’re doing around cross-platform games. One recent effort out of MGS is Toy Soldiers, with both an Xbox Arcade and Facebook version. Team Xbox had a quick interview with Ken Lobb at X10, and I thought you’d find a couple of quotes interesting:
Lobb said that the Facebook and XBLA versions of Toy Soldiers will be standalone games, which will both center on the “meta war” at the center of the Toy Soldiers story. There are a number of connection points in the XBLA version, such as the appearance of a pointer to the Facebook game from the XBLA game’s title screen. Additionally, Lobb said that you’ll be able to “monitor the war”—and how the Facebook game influences it—from the XBLA game, while being able to see XBLA scores from the Facebook app.
Even more exciting, though, is Lobb’s statement that you’ll be able to “earn a buff” in Toy Soldiers if you’re active in both games. Much like how owning the Wolfenstein XBLA added gold to your coffers in the Wolfenstein boxed release, it’s interesting that you’ll be able to receive a benefit in the XBLA title for playing on Facebook.
I’m also at an offsite today, and happen to be sitting next to Chris Novak, a design architect in MGS. I asked him to describe Match Defense: Toy Soldiers (the Facebook version) in his own words:
Really, we just wanted to keep you in touch with the game, from wherever you are. Win the war from home or from work (or school!) Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, your efforts always count. The “war contribution” you earn on either platform all goes into the same push to win. We also wanted an experience that fit Facebook well – something you could jump in and out of.
You can check out the game on Facebook here. Let us know what you think!
Multiple Screens is the New Main Screen
We’ve arrived at an interesting inflection point for video games. Put simply, online connectivity and features have become ubiquitous for individual games on individual devices, but that connectivity has yet to extend in a meaningful way across devices and communities. While gaming services like Xbox LIVE have done wonders to connect millions of people together, the reality is that those communities are still siloed, playing and communicating only within the boundaries of a particular service and device. Unfortunately, that current reality doesn’t reflect the trends we see of what people actually want to do.
Today people are more connected than ever, but paradoxically finding it difficult to spend time together. People are spending more time with friends, and less with strangers. Cooperative gaming has climbed in popularity partly because it satisfies that urge to spend meaningful time with people you care about. Social networks like Facebook are enabling you to connect with friends more easily; social games like Farmville draft on that desire to connect that Facebook enables. Simply put, gaming is now being seen as a worthwhile investment due to the ability to spend meaningful time with friends. In fact, let’s consider that last sentence again: people are choosing to “spend” time with friends gaming instead of “wasting” time gaming, as we were all wont to say a decade ago. Online connectivity has enabled a sea change in how people are approaching gaming; the big opportunity is for the game industry to embrace this shift by enabling cloud gaming scenarios all the more.
We just announced the Windows Phone 7 Series at World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, with some great buzz already hitting the net. While we’ve been working on aspects of enabling the “cloud” for years (via Azure, Xbox LIVE, and Games for Windows LIVE), adding mobile has finally enabled the “three screen” trinity we’ve all been seeking. We’re shifting our “online gaming” focus from the Xbox to the cloud, which will enable whole new ecosystems for game developers, publishers, and consumers to explore. And we’ve rebuilt the development platform from the ground up to enable those sorts of connected scenarios. While you shouldn’t look for any specific announcements from the diagram below (ie, “mobile” just means “not fixed”), it should give you an idea of where our center of gravity is going forward.
Our vision is to bring you instant access to your entertainment, with the people you care about, wherever you are. With the announcement of Windows Phone we have all the pieces to deliver on that vision. Multiple screens is the new main screen, and Xbox LIVE is the social thread that connects all of those screens (and experiences) together.
That said, this will take time. We’ll have to work closely with game developers and publishers to figure out the best ways to enable their goals. We’ll have to work with consumers to understand the sorts of game scenarios that people most want. I’ll be spending a lot of time here writing about those scenarios, what we’re thinking, as well as seeking your input and feedback so we can incorporate into our product planning. And I hope you’ll join in the conversation.
It’s taken a while, but we’re finally delivering on that “LIVE Anywhere” vision we announced back in 2006. We’ve been getting beat up on this for years, and Tycho of Penny Arcade has been personally beating on me for years now… but for good reason, as he gets it.
Jerry – I’m glad to say we’ve finally got game. 
TechCrunch: The Future of Web Content – HTML5, Flash & Mobile Apps
Came across a guest post on TechCrunch today written by Michael Allaire, one of the creators of Flash. It summarizes the evolution of the web as an application platform (ie, all of those programs you use within browsers), and also gives a good sense on what’s driving all of the competition you see amongst relevent companies in this space. Here’s a nice quote:
Each of these companies seeks to create unique runtimes and APIs that provide a strategic wedge that can drive other aspects of their business. At one level this is a battle for the hearts and minds of developers and ISVs, but these developers are merely a means to an end. Gaining broad adoption for their runtime platforms translates into their ability to create massive derivative value through downstream products and services. For Apple, this is hardware and paid media (content and apps) sales. For Google, this is about creating massive reach for their advertising platforms and products. For Adobe, this about creating major new applications businesses based on their platform. For Microsoft, it is about driving unit sales of their core OS and business applications.
I won’t get drawn into deep discussion on Microsoft’s plans vs. other competitors in this space, but I do think the next few years are going to be very interesting to watch as we all work through what the optimal development environments should be across a new breed of connected devices. We’ve entered a world where being “online” is just table stakes to be in the game; the real competition will be driven by how you enable developers and publishers to easily create and sell their content across all of these connected devices, as well as enable them to take advantage of a new breed of web services.
As a gadget-encrusted geek gamer, the future is looking mighty bright to me!
