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View Full Version : Gates at E3: Interoperabilty Across Platforms, Gaming For All


Jon Westfall
05-10-2006, 08:00 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/may06/05-09E32006BriefingPR.mspx' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/...BriefingPR.mspx</a><br /><br /></div><i>"A few Mobians are at E3 and are seeing this live. However, the majority of us are not and have missed one of the coolest demos for mobile phones in a very long time (I've been dying to share this one with everyone): Bill Gates just got on stage to unveil Microsoft's "Live Anywhere" initiative which integrates XBOX Live and <a href="http://zone.msn.com/en/root/default.htm">Microsoft Casual Games</a> and extends the experience across XBOX consoles, Windows Vista PCs and mobile phones. By this time next year, the mobile offering will be available on a number of major phone platforms: the full/premium experience will be on Windows Mobile (an application that will be bundled by an operator and/or available for download) leveraging some of the advanced features like IM, browser, cameras, email, Windows Media player, etc."</i><br /><br />This sounds really quite cool if implemented correctly. I'd love the ability to play the same games on different devices, or even play multiplayer games across device types. I can also see a great opprotunity for people to send IMs cross platform. After all, wouldn't you love to send to a skeptical friend <i>"Hey, login - I'm slaying the competition you doubter!"</i>. Whatever your use, this looks like it will change the way we play.

Darius Wey
05-10-2006, 09:23 AM
Live Anywhere was probably one of the biggest (if not, the biggest) announcements to come out of the Microsoft keynote at E3. Sharing gamertags, managing friends, downloading content, and sending and receiving text and voice messages across the Live services is cool, though I think the idea of cross-platform gaming is even better. XBLA games such as Hexic and Bejeweled across the Xbox 360 and Windows Mobile. Major games such as Shadowrun across the Xbox 360 and Windows Vista. These are all very sweet touches.

And, the ubiquity of the Live services allows Microsoft to do this. I really cannot see an online service from Sony or Nintendo matching it.

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/DSC_3276.JPG

Engadget was lucky enough to receive a preview of Live Anywhere running on a Windows Mobile device. Check out some of the shots. The feature set looks great, and I can only see it getting better in the years ahead.

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/10/microsoft-blends-platform-lines-with-live-anywhere/

galt
05-11-2006, 05:21 AM
I'm really looking forward to this kind of integration, and hopefully this will push some decent games to the PPC platform.