Microsoft announces Xbox Live for mobile phones

[sambo]

Microsoft has announced a new version of its phone software with built-in support for Xbox Live, arriving this autumn.
"For the first time ever, Microsoft will bring together Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience on a mobile phone, exclusively on Windows Phone 7 Series," the company said in an announcement. "Partners have already started building phones; customers will be able to purchase the first phones in stores by holiday 2010."

"This hub delivers the first and only official Xbox LIVE experience on a phone, including Xbox LIVE games, Spotlight feed and the ability to see a gamer's avatar, Achievements and gamer profile."

You'll be able to earn Achievements using games on the handset itself, and Microsoft is standardizing the development environment so that games developers can write games that work both on the phone and other platforms - including, presumably, Xbox 360. "A big part of our strategy here is to make it so that it's easy to author software that runs in multiple places, knowing that you want to really optimize for the places where it runs," Microsoft's Andy Lees told CNET.



How Xbox Live will appear on the new Windows Phones.
There's only one shot of how this will look, which shows how you can view your Avatar and Gamercard on one screen, the latest Spotlight items in another, and your games collection in another. There's also a Facebook-style pane of 'nudges' and 'requests' which will show when people want to play games with you.

This, finally, is the vision promised by Bill Gates when Live Anywhere was announced at E3 all those years ago. But it's only on Windows-powered phones, not iPhones or anything else. Will you buy one?

[nCogNeato]

...
This, finally, is the vision promised by Bill Gates when Live Anywhere was announced at E3 all those years ago. But it's only on Windows-powered phones, not iPhones or anything else. Will you buy one?

My phone runs on Windows 6.1.  When it comes time to upgrade to a new phone, this will definitely be a big factor in my decision.  But I'm not going to run out and buy a new phone simply to play a few Mobile XBLA games.

Fortunately, it looks like the timing will be perfect.  I'll probably need to upgrade to a new phone by the end of this year.   

[Failed]

You'll be able to earn Achievements using games on the handset itself

OH NOES!!! I'm off to buy one now!

[NeuroticSarge]

You'll be able to earn Achievements using games on the handset itself

OH NOES!!! I'm off to buy one now!

Well,that's the biggest shock of the year so far!

[RedMaster11]

You'll be able to earn Achievements using games on the handset itself

OH NOES!!! I'm off to buy one now!

Achievements on your mobile?! Failed just jizzed in his pants!

so did i....

[sambo]

You'll be able to earn Achievements using games on the handset itself

OH NOES!!! I'm off to buy one now!

Achievements on your mobile?! Failed just jizzed in his pants!

so did i....

Failed has the phone down his pants!!!

[Failed]

... on vibrate

[NeuroticSarge]

Must be a birds phone then.....

[TaraJayne]

Well I plan on using my phone to text and call people

[Jaynestown]

Same here! Don't even understand why they put cameras on phones... use a bloody camera if you want to take a picture, the quality will be infinitely superior!!!

[TaraJayne]

Same here! Don't even understand why they put cameras on phones... use a bloody camera if you want to take a picture, the quality will be infinitely superior!!!

I am with JT.

[Lukehi]

Same here! Don't even understand why they put cameras on phones... use a bloody camera if you want to take a picture, the quality will be infinitely superior!!!

I am with JT.

I use mine as a scanner, scans any document into a .pdf which I can then transfer to my PC...awesome.

[Jaynestown]

How big's you phone Luke, must be HUGE!!!

[Lukehi]

Well I dont like to brag...

[TaraJayne]

Well I dont like to brag...

Which is why hes put the stud back in bible study

Are you taking the piss or can you really do that with your phone