First we should know what Microsoft itself tells about it right?
“We believe that no matter where life takes you, the best in gaming and entertainment should follow,†said Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox LIVE at Microsoft. “Windows Phone 7 takes a different approach to handheld gaming, utilizing Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Game Studios, leading game publishers, and innovative indie developers, to create powerful, shared experiences for everyone.â€
All in all, it’s a promising picture for Microsoft. The company has the clout, the community, and most importantly the cash to pull this off, but as with all modern smartphone platforms, success can’t be judged on one aspect alone. To make Windows Phone 7 really work, the folks in Redmond will have to hit the right note on not just gaming, but the basic user experience, hardware, applications, and carrier partnerships. Based on what we’ve seen of Xbox Live on these devices, we think the company can check at least one of those boxes off.
So yes, it makes all kinds of sense that Microsoft is pushing Xbox Live so hard on Windows Phone 7. Based on first impressions, it looks like while they haven’t evolved mobile gaming, they may have gotten it to level up.
I’m waiting to get my turn at reviewing the games on Windows Phone 7 as well. But it’s good to see Microsoft finally focusing its phones on the content that it is good at: games.
It’s tough to say how well the Windows Phone 7 will work as just a phone or personal information management tool when it ships in October, but when it comes to gaming, Microsoft’s already well ahead of Apple in terms of focusing, laser-like, on the platform’s gaming possibilities. With Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst and Halo: Waypoint in the mix, it’s clear Microsoft’s (wisely) planning to leverage its existing console IPs to at the very least make the phone immediately appealing to anyone with an Xbox 360.
Microsoft’s Xbox chops may help sway some phone buyers who are already into video games. The company is also hoping that Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 devices might get a boost from the upcoming launch of Kinect, a motion-sensing game controller for the Xbox 360. Like the Nintendo Wii, Kinect is expected to lure people who haven’t traditionally been interested in video games.
I love that EVERY game will be able to be tried out on WP7 with none of this dual downloading of a lite or trial version or lack of any kind of trial we see so often on today’s other smartphone platforms.
Its good to see that Microsoft is starting to get positive reviews for its efforts after long time.. 