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Microsoft demos cross-platform game on Xbox, Windows, and Windows Phone 7

Microsoft has long hinted at somehow unifying games across its multiple platforms. Now it appears the company is ready to deliver. A recent demonstration at TechEd Middle East shows a single Indiana Jones game that can run on Windows Phone 7 Series, Windows, and the Xbox 360. We have the full video below (via Engadget).

Cross-platform game releases aren’t anything new, but this demonstration differs by showing us a single game that’s developed in Visual Studio, and can share 90 percent of its code across the three platforms. The remaining 10 percent of code concerns the unique changes that need to be made for each platform: Touch-screen and accelerometer support on Windows Phone, gamepad support on the Xbox, and keyboard and mouse support on Windows.

Also significant is the ability to save the game on one platform and resume your progress in the exact spot on another.

In more ways than one, Microsoft is showing off the holy grail of cross-platform game development. Instead of picking and choosing individual platforms, game developers will be able to work on a single project that will work on all of Microsoft’s current platforms. It’s also a major feature that Microsoft will be able to lord over Apple and Google’s development platforms.

Tags: Windows Phone 7 Series, xbox 360

Companies: microsoft

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Microsoft shows off single game running on Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox

Guess we don’t have to wait until MIX to have all our Windows Phone 7 Series questions answered! Microsoft’s Eric Rudder, speaking at TechEd Middle East, showed off a game developed in Visual Studio as a singular project (with 90% shared code) that plays on Windows with a keyboard, a Windows Phone 7 Series prototype device with accelerometer and touch controls, and the Xbox 360 with the Xbox gamepad. Interestingly, not only is the development cross-platform friendly, but the game itself (a simple Indiana Jones platformer was demoed) saves its place and lets you resume from that spot on whichever platform you happen to pick up. Pretty impressive stuff, and while the words “Windows Phone 7 Series” weren’t spoken by Eric, the use of the prototype ASUS device and the clear emphasis that this would place on Xbox Live for making the magic happen make it obvious that this is the “wave of the future” for all three platforms — at least for casual gaming. Check out the demo on video below the fold.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Microsoft shows off single game running on Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft to discontinue Xbox Live for original Xbox

It has had long run, but Microsoft announced today that it will discontinue the online game service Xbox Live for the original Xbox game console that it launched in 2001.

Xbox Live for the original console debuted in November, 2002. But by April 15, Microsoft is going to discontinue that service, according to an open letter posted by Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten. That’s likely going to enrage the fans of multiplayer Halo 2, which has persisted as a fan favorite since the game launched in 2004.

No doubt the fans who didn’t upgrade to the Xbox 360 — which debuted in 2005 — are going to be steamed at Microsoft. The Halo 2 fans can at least migrate to Halo 3 multiplayer on the Xbox 360.

On the one hand, Microsoft is turning its back on loyal customers who paid good money assuming that their consoles would have a long lifespan. Sony, by contrast, has supported the PlayStation 2 console since 2000. But I suppose you can’t expect Microsoft to support its older products forever, given the costs of doing so. On the operating system side, for instance, Microsoft has been moving to cut its costs by ending tech support for obsolete operating systems. Microsoft appears to be justifying the shutdown by offering more features in the future for its online fans. The company says that future changes, which will bring new features, are going to be incompatible with the original Xbox.

“We did not make this decision lightly, but after careful consideration and review we realize that this decision will allow us unprecedented flexibility for future features,” Whitten said.

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Datel sues Microsoft, wants its Xbox 360 market back
Seems like we just can’t go a week without some corporate power plays or mudslinging making our pages. Back in October, Datel promised it would “remedy” the situation created by Microsoft’s forthcoming (now present) Dashboard update locking out its higher capacity memory modules. The accessory company was the first (and only) third-party supplier of memory cards for the Xbox 360, but it seems that MS took a dislike to the MicroSD-expandable Max Memory units and has since taken the unusual step of downgrading the console to being able to read only chips up to 512MB, essentially taking Datel’s 2GB+ wares out of commission. Yeah, classy. Datel’s retaliation is in the finest Anglo-Saxon legal tradition, namely to assert antitrust concerns and to claim its right to act as a competitor to Microsoft in the memory market for Redmond’s own console. It all sounds rather silly to us too, and could probably have been avoided by a rational compromise, but what’s the fun in that?

Datel sues Microsoft, wants its Xbox 360 market back originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft temporarily suspends Sky Player for Xbox 360

“Very fast,” “a dream,” “fantastic.” It looks like you can add “on hiatus” to the list of superlatives — at least for the time being. That boffo Sky Player that Microsoft debuted for the Xbox 360? “Suspended.” Why, you ask? “Due to an unforeseen technical issue.” Luckily for Britons and ex-pats, the £15 monthly service should resume tomorrow, barring any further technical issues. In the meantime, it looks like the poor avatar above will be stuck watching Benny Hill on Netflix like the rest of us. Statement after the break.

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Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment

Microsoft temporarily suspends Sky Player for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CE-Oh no he didn’t! Part LXIV: Microsoft’s Greenberg says Xbox will outsell PS3 for ‘entire generation’
Didn’t think Microsoft exec Aaron Greenberg could top himself after saying that Hulu on 360 was like “asking out a really hot chick on a date?” Well, think again, ’cause Greenberg recently sat down with GameInformer for a fairly wide ranging interview, and he took the opportunity to toss a few bombs in Sony’s direction. The biggest of those is that he’s “confident” that the Xbox 360 will “not only outsell PS3 for the full calendar year, but for this entire generation” — adding that it’s “similar to a game of baseball, it is not about just winning one inning, but instead being able to win the game by consistently delivering across all nine innings.” Greenberg also went on to say that Sony’s expected good showing in the September sales numbers is merely a “short term bump,” and that “it is not a real concern to us.” Hit up the link below for the complete interview, which also includes talk of the Zune HD, Xbox Live, and Microsoft’s plans for the holiday season.

[Via PC World]

Filed under: Gaming

CE-Oh no he didn’t! Part LXIV: Microsoft’s Greenberg says Xbox will outsell PS3 for ‘entire generation’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft kicks out $50 rebate for $299 Xbox 360 Elite

Didn’t Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Elite just drop to $299, like, three weeks ago? Yes, yes it did. Evidently that cut just wasn’t deep enough for Microsoft (or else it had a change of heart following the release of Sony’s $299 PS3 Slim), as the Redmond mega-corp has today lit up a new mail-in rebate program to bring the cost down to $249. Consoles purchased between today (sorry, Monday shoppers!) and October 5th are eligible, and it’s anyone’s guess as to what’ll happen to the 360 lineup come October 6th. So, is Santa coming early for anyone this year, or what?

[Via Major Nelson, thanks Logan]

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Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment

Microsoft kicks out $50 rebate for $299 Xbox 360 Elite originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft fesses up to 802.11n Xbox 360 adapter, short on details

In a startlingly new twist on the standard non-denial denial of the incredibly obvious existence of an upcoming product, Microsoft has done the world a favor in confirming the 802.11n adapter it has in the works for the Xbox 360. Unfortunately, the company stopped there, failing to mention price, launch date or the all important HOT or NOT score of the upcoming unit. As Joystiq points out, Microsoft did say that the adapter will offer “another choice to consumers,” which means the original adapter might be sticking around for a bit — at hopefully a cheaper pricepoint — but that’s about all we’ve got to go on at the moment. So… we’re pretty much back where we started from, but now we’re officially in the dark.

Filed under: Gaming, Networking

Microsoft fesses up to 802.11n Xbox 360 adapter, short on details originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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