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View Full Version : Microsoft Announces XNA Game Studio 4.0 for Windows Phone


Darius Wey
03-10-2010, 12:00 PM
<p><em>"As I was sitting on the plane heading to GDC 2010, I started reminiscing about the explosive growth we've seen in developing for the mobile gaming industry over the last few years. It wasn't long ago when we had to show up early to learn about anything related to game development on portable devices. This year, however, developers are already lined up to learn more, as mobile gaming commands several summits at GDC and is woven in throughout the conference. At GDC this week we're giving everyone a first look at the latest and greatest, XNA Game Studio 4.0, which provides a powerful, productive, and portable technology for game development on Windows Phone 7 Series, Xbox 360, and Windows PC."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1268217470.usr2.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Image courtesy of Engadget.</em></p><p>If there's anything about Windows Phone 7 Series that you should be excited about, it's definitely the gaming potential. Microsoft has <a href="http://klucher.com/blog/achievement-unlocked-xna-game-studio-4-0-for-windows-phone/" target="_blank">just announced XNA Game Studio 4.0</a>, which will give developers the opportunity to deliver highly immersive and highly integrated gaming experiences on the Xbox 360, PC, and Windows Phone 7 Series. <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/microsoft-shows-off-xna-games-running-on-windows-phone-full-3d/" target="_blank">Engadget</a> has a deluge of screenshots, a video, and some details on achievements and upcoming titles for your perusal, so scoot over there and check them out. As an avid gamer, I'm pretty excited with where this is heading and look forward to jumping into Xbox LIVE not just on the Xbox 360, but on the Windows Phone, too.</p>

Craig Horlacher
03-10-2010, 02:36 PM
They're finally getting good graphics but, in my opionion, you need physical buttons for a good gaming device!!! The last WinMo (PocketPC) device that had that, at least in the US was the Casio E125. Now everyone wants analog sticks as well as a dpad and some other buttons. I do miss playing great action games Turjah II and MetaLion on my E125! That was truly a gameboy killer!!!

I don't think any of these mobile phone makers get that. Sure, they'll sell a ton of games at first because the graphics are good. After that, people will start going back to their DS's and PSP's or buy them if they don't have them. There are very few touch based games that are really good and the control is best for them that way. The only one's that I can think of are Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Snails.

Oh well, bring the games!!! Maybe I'm totally wrong.

Jason Dunn
03-10-2010, 05:31 PM
This is the kind of synergy we've been waiting for....it's taken YEARS longer than it should have, but Microsoft is FINALLY putting all the pieces of its ecosystem together in a smart way. For too long it's been Apple that has combined the desktop + iTunes + mobile experience together into one coherent offering, but now that Microsoft is headed down the path with something that no one else has - Xbox - this could be really, really good. :D

I also agree with Vector though that control pads and physical buttons are really great for gaming - I've bought maybe six games for my iPod Touch, and they're all based around one silly touch-based control or another...and none are very good. I'm a physical button guy, so that's one thing I don't much like about Windows phone 7...

JonnoB
03-10-2010, 05:51 PM
Having two analog thumbsticks on a device much like the PSP (which has only 1) would make this a great portab le gaming platform. I see that perhaps there will be a growing aftermarket for bluetooth addon controllers. I don't think anyone wiill put those on a phone by default.