Xbox Live Games Coming Soon To An Android Device Near You
After a developer recently leaked to Business Insider that Microsoft would soon be bringing their Xbox Live titles to other mobile OS’s outside of WP7 — specifically, iOS and Android — we now have a more fuel to throw on top of that fire and it’s a doozy. When speaking with Forbes, a Microsoft spokesperson has seemingly confirmed our initial suspicions on the “other OS rumor” after saying,
“While the Xbox Live experiences and games always work best on the Windows platform, we understand that some Xbox fans may be using other types of devices. To satisfy that need, we are working to extend a few of our Xbox experiences and titles to other platforms.”
As both a fan of multiple OS’s and multiple gaming systems, I welcome this news wholeheartedly and with open arms. Hopefully we wont have to wait too much longer before we’ll be playing titles like Twin Blades on our Android phones. Think I just got goosebumps. Anyone else excited?
Via BGR
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Xbox Live Clans Hacked, Used Data Leaked
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Is Xbox Live Coming To Android Too?
Thanks to the report that Microsoft is moving away from Microsoft Points, there’s a possibility that Microsoft will launch multiplayer Xbox LIVE games across multiple platforms, not just Microsoft-based.
Here’s what we know so far. Windows Phone can natively access Xbox Live and a number of games like Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Bug Village, BulletAsylum and more. Apple iOS 4.3 devices can access Xbox LIVE via the My Xbox LIVE app — Apple gamers can even play Kinectimals on an iPod Touch 3G or later, and an iPhone 3GS and later. The only popular OS missing from this multi-platform picture is Google’s Android.
Here’s why Xbox Live on Android makes sense: Sony.
Here in the States, anxious pocket gamers are still waiting for that mysterious PlayStation Suite to appear, a platform that will offer original titles as well as classic PlayStation favorites. Those of us who succumbed to the Xperia PLAY (guilty) PlayStation certified phone got a little taste with a pre-installed Crash Bandicoot surprise. Sony Tablet S owners now have an even larger library of Sony games to devour (you people suck). That said, based on what’s available so far, Sony has seemingly infiltrated and took command of the #1 mobile OS in America.
But Sony’s days of Android dominance are seemingly numbered.
Earlier this month, a Microsoft job listing appeared, seeking out a software development engineer “to bring the latest and greatest gaming and entertainment” to Windows Phone, iOS and other mobile platforms. “As a software development engineer on the team, you will have the opportunity to help define and design the experiences for the project, you will get to work with a team of energetic and talented developers, and you will have the luxury to work with all sorts of mobile devices to create the official Xbox LIVE mobile experiences,” the listing stated.
As Forbes points out, Xbox LIVE games — at least the mobile versions — are only available on Windows Phone — Kinectimals for iOS is a stand-alone title and merely unlocks extra cuteness on the console version. What Microsoft is supposedly working on now are games that can be installed and played together across the entire mobile spectrum.
“While the Xbox Live experiences and games always work best on the Windows platform, we understand that some Xbox fans may be using other types of devices,” a spokesperson told Forbes. “To satisfy that need, we are working to extend a few of our Xbox experiences and titles to other platforms.”
And that’s a good thing. Thanks to Microsoft handing out wads of cash to Nokia to produce flagship Windows Phone devices, Microsoft’s mobile assault is just now starting to take flight. But until saturation begins, those of us with an Xbox 360 and an Xbox LIVE account have either iOS or Android (and maybe one or two fall into the Other OS category) devices. Extending the Xbox LIVE experience to our phones would simply be kick-ass and a financial gain for the Redmond company.
But the Microsoft statement acquired by Forbes really doesn’t say “we’re working on multiplayer Xbox LIVE titles for multiple platforms,” but seemingly backs up the Kinectimals launch and any other Microsoft-developed games landing on Android and iOS. Yet there’s a lot of current buzz that iOS and Android will join the multiplayer fray — stirred up by the news of Microsoft dropping the Microsoft Points system, seemingly making in-app microtransactions easier — which would seemingly tie together Windows, Xbox, Windows Phone, Android and iOS together.
Eat that, Sony.
Can Microsoft pull it off? Google’s “Ice Cream Sandwich” will likely help make it happen on the Android front given its “One OS To Run Them All” design. Still, if Spacetime Studios can develop an MMOG that runs on iOS, Android, and within Google’s Chrome web browser, Microsoft can do it too. Threefold.
Who bets that Microsoft will make a big mobile reveal at E3?
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Xbox 720 ethics and game resale security
Since rumors first began regarding the next Xbox, which has been dubbed the 720 amongst others we have heard a great deal of things; knowing which of these will come to fruition is a tough one to predict, as some seem more plausible than others. However, in order for Microsoft to stay ahead of the game they need to go with some radical changes, which could mean coming up with new ethics in order to secure its future.
Since the Xbox 360 and PS3 first launched they have been in a constant battle with each other, both sets of fans believe their system has the better technology. For many gamers it’s hard to separate the two, as they both have their good and bad points. While some may argue the Blu-ray player in the PlayStation 3 was far better than the optical reader in the current Xbox; a recent article suggests the 720 may get the Blu-ray drive.
This one addition alone could open Microsoft’s next-gen console to a much wider market, as those with the current Xbox could finally throw away their Blu-ray players; however, there will still be some gamers opposed to the idea – unless a much improved reader is used rather than the aging one we see n the PS3 today.
However, this subject seems to be far less important after reading something from the article above, which suggests Microsoft could implement a new feature to help extend the life of the games used on the next-gen console. They have said they do not want to comment on rumor, but it could suggest this could mean an “anti-used game system”. Maybe used games will not play on the new Xbox; as you could imagine this will anger many gamers.
It’s all very well Microsoft trying new ways to force us to purchase a new game to keep publishers happy, but what about those who have already paid hundreds of dollars for a new games console, only to be forced into paying around $60 at a time for a new game instead of hunting down a deal for a used one instead?
Do you feel this is one step too far, or if this rumor is true do you understand why Microsoft might feel the need to take such action?
The power behind the next-gen Xbox has also come into question; it’s been suggested it could be six times as powerful as the current system thanks to the use of the rumored AMD HD 6670 GPU. There are some gamers who believe this is not powerful enough and shows Microsoft are rushing things to beat the PS4 to market. None of this has been confirmed, and we have to remember the Xbox 720 or whatever it will be called might not be announced during E3 this year, and is looking more like a late 2013 release.
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Dates and prices for the Xbox Live House Party line-up
Dates and prices for the Xbox Live House Party line-up
23 Jan 2012 at 22:58:58 by Peter Parrish
Xbox Live’s increasingly bizarre definition of what a House Party is (apparently it’s a steady release of four Xbox Live Arcade titles) continues unabated, with the release of dates and prices for all of the games in the line-up. The party is set to last from 15 February to 7 March, which to me sounds quite exhausting.
Those dates and prices are as follows:
- February 15 – Warp (800 Microsoft Points)
- February 22 – Alan Wake’s American Nightmare (1,200 MSP)
- February 29 – Nexuiz (800 MSP)
- March 7 – I Am Alive (1,200 MSP)
Not a bad looking line-up at all, with Ubisoft’s I Am Alive and the next installment in Alan Wake’s writerly adventures leading the way.
Microsoft has stated that if you grab all four games in the set between 15 February and 13 March, you’ll net yourself a free 800 MS Points.
In case you missed it, here’s a video showing some combat from I Am Alive.
Image taken from I Am Alive
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Tomb Raider Reboot Won’t Be Coming To Wii U
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Both the Wii U and the Tomb Raider reboot from Crystal Dynamics were revealed at E3 last year. The thing about the Nintendo console is that it’s finally going to be able to compete on the level of the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 in terms of raw power. With Lara Croft returning later this year, some of you might be hoping that her next adventure comes to the Wii U as well.
Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. A newly posted FAQ from Crystal Dynamics confirms it (via CVG). “When we started developing the game we made a conscious decision that it was all about building the game for a platform and making sure the game was specific to that platform,” studio community manager Meagan Marie writes.
“Given that we’ve been working on the game quite a while before Wii U was announced I think it would not be right to try and port it across. If we started building a game for the Wii U we would build it very differently and we would build it with unique functionality.” It’s certainly likely that Lara Croft will eventually have a Wii U-based adventure of her own, but this upcoming game will not be it.
Source: Crystal Dynamics
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Alan Wake and I Am Alive coming to XBLA
Microsoft has announced the exact dates on which its so-called ‘House Party’ games are coming to Xbox Live.
The Xbox Live House Party 2012 is another collection of bundled games being released over February and March onto XBLA, and punters who buy all four titles will receive a bonus 800 MS Points (in other words, one of the cheaper games for free).
The party kicks off with Warp, a puzzle based action-adventure, on February 15th priced at 800 MS Points.
Next up is the one we’ve been waiting for, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, a standalone adventure in the spooky horror series which apparently runs to three or four hours in length. It’s out on February 22nd, costing 1200 MS Points.
Then NEXUIZ is released on February 29th, an arena style first-person shooter which allows players to best each other not just with guns, but by switching the laws of physics. The game will cost 800 MS Points.
Finally, the much anticipated I Am Alive emerges for 1200 MS Points on March 7th. This Ubisoft effort was originally announced back in 2008 and many people thought the title had died, but fortunately that’s not the case.
The post-apocalyptic survival game presents a new take on the genre, with clever thinking and resource management required rather than just blasting a load of mutants with your big gun.
And that’s your lot, party over. Exactly how good the two 800 point titles are, we’re not sure, but if you buy one of them you’ll effectively get the other free, as we’ve already mentioned.
Alan Wake and I Am Alive are definitely worth checking out, that’s for sure.
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Aussie emulation mash-up Jan 27
Konami may be best known for its Metal Gear and Pro Evolution Soccer franchises, but this week the Japanese gaming giant is publishing a quirky puzzle game called Puddle. As the name suggests, liquid plays a big role in this game, as players have to guide a body of liquid around various levels. Similar to LocoRoco, players tilt the world in different directions to manipulate their blobs around the map. Puddle arrived simultaneously on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network Store this week.
Also arriving on Xbox Live Arcade this week is Quarrel, a words-based party game that blends together elements from Risk and Scrabble into one package.
As for Nintendo users, Balloon Kid from the early ‘90s was released on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. Not to be confused with the Colorado scandal from a few years back, Balloon Kid is a simple side-scrolling game that has players raising and lowering the altitude of the avatar onscreen to collect floating balloons.
For the full list of downloadable games, check out the list below:
Xbox Live Arcade:
Quarrel – 400 Microsoft Points
Puddle – 800 Microsoft Points
PlayStation Network Store
Puddle – A$15.95
Mecho Wars (PSP Mini) – A$8.45
UFC Undisputed 3 Demo
Darkness II demo
Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console:
Balloon Kid – A$4.50
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‘The Witcher 2′ coming to Xbox 360 in April with 4 hours of additional content
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Xbox 720 to be at least ‘six times more powerful that the current Xbox’
@kris_stapley@…
I don’t kow where you get your stats? Perhaps from yourself?
Well, myself, I have (2) Xbox360, (2) PS3, and a overclocked i7 16GB DDR3 RAM with (2) EVGA GTX580 FTW Overclocked and watercooled with distinct radiators/pumps for the CPU and GPU…
Most gamers I know have at least a Gaming PC + one console of some sort. Consoles are cheap, mere disposable blades in a razor…
Great LAN parties BTW…
Just my $0.02.
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It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive.
~ C. W. Leadbeater
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