Windows Mobile and Xbox Live coming together, according to Microsoft job ad
By Vlad Savov 
posted December 30th 2009 4:11AM
posted December 30th 2009 4:11AM
The hints were already pretty strong on this one, but now Microsoft has come right out and said it, albeit in a job posting -- the Xbox Live gaming platform is extending beyond the console and specifically onto WinMo phones. Seeking a Principal Program Manager who would be responsible for bringing "Xbox Live enabled games to Windows Mobile," Redmond is particularly interested in "avatar integration, social interaction, and multi-screen experiences." That leaves an awful lot of room for imagination as to how the two modes of gaming will complement each other, but at least we now (sort of) know that it's going to happen.[Thanks, Jessy]
Sounds cool, but at the same time it sounds like it'll be crippled. It reminds me of the VMU or PocketStation. We'll see what happens.
@roflcopters
HTC provided a great opportunity for WinMo to make a striking comeback with HD2, now they have just wasted it.
This was a great idea back when they tied it the first time in 2004.
@jordanbiffle
Its almost 2010, MS is just NOW trying to hire people to do this?
ah...no thanks, i'll take the 50,000 games on the iPhone instead,
Have fun with your mutant incest marriage Microsoft, I'm sure the children will be just...handsome.
@jordanbiffle
Seriously this just pisses me off to hear this. I've been waiting for this since the first Zune. I can't believe they don't already have hundreds of Xbox Live Arcade title running on the Zune HD already. It's not encouraging at all for the Zune platform. Such wasted potential. It has always been great for music, but man Microsoft has blown it with games on the entire line of Zune's.
Ooooh wee that HD2 looks oh so damn sexy!
My reaction is 'meh' to 'interesting'. Meh if it's going to be on 6.x, interesting if we're talking WM7.
@cyclepipe
My thoughts exactly. Trying to hack this into 6.x would be a mistake. But integrating this into 7 would be awesome.
It wouldn't be that difficult even. Just link your phone to your gamertag, and the games you download from their marketplace have achievements. Give the phone the ability to do account management and communicate with your friends who are on traditional XBL. That would be a service most people couldn't complain about (if done properly) and would be a cool feature exclusive to WinMo devices that may move a few units.
@cyclepipe Probably more like WM8 if they are hiring now.
@Gadgety Just because they're hiring at the moment doesn't mean there was no one in the position before now.
I swear, if this doesnt include Zune, im gunna kill...
@kraamerXmich
I agree. I hope they include Zune HD on this one. Otherwise it will be a huge letdown for us Zune fans.
@kraamerXmich
I'm at least hoping that we will get some new apps for the Zune in the meantime... There's only so much bowling, racing, space invading, and blob squishing I can do before I get bored and start regretting this purchase.
It would also be nice if we could play the games on the TV using the Zune as a controller. As nice as PGR looks on the Zune, it would be pretty sweet to play it on my TV...
@kraamerXmich By the time this comes out, the Zune HD will be defunct.
Using my phone as my HUD while the screen stays uncluttered!! Or using a tilt 2 as my mini map while shooting Nazis?
Drool
And the Zune/WM integration?
@joshl
@joshl
Zune services will be part of WM7. The other interesting bit at the source of this news is the LG-Microsoft team working on futur WM7 devices:
http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2009/12/30/confirmation-xbox-live-coming-to-windows-mobile-lg-still-on-board/
I can see the job description: "Your role will be to coordinate the grafting of a semi-dried turd onto a barely twitching corpse whilst failing to engage the rest of the world".
Not much chance for career progression here, no?
@clovis Wow, which one is XBOX Live in your analogy? I wouldn't consider a multi-billion dollar platform either of those.
HOLY SHIT! WinMon has just become a HUGE contender of my next phone. oh god, i'ma jizz i'm so excited to see what microsoft will do!
@danielbello92
I'm assuming you're being sarcastic...
*points daniel to iPhone
@Wesscoast Ohh god no he isn't. *Steps on the crappy iphone and points to any other phone*
Microsoft ought to keep at what it is that made them great and then figure out ways to make it better. I'm a Windows PC and Windows Mobile guy but still scratching my head and trying to figure out why I can't record a show on my Media Center PC and then easily transfer it to my Windows Mobile device or a Zune for that matter.
@DaveBach You have to ask "big media" that question.
@DaveBach
I have 3 Windows Mobile devices and never had a problem transfering any video file of any formate or codec below 1000x1000 resolution with no converting files when transfering, or slow downs when paying them
ADD the TCPMP then add as many file formates as you want from various websites
on my 2 windows mobile devices i have all these formates
H.264 (AVC), AVCHD, MKV, MPEG-1, MPEG-4 part 2 (ASP), DivX, XviD, WMV*, Theora*, Dirac*, MJPEG, MSVIDEO1, MPEG-2, H.264, Flash/FLV, Matroska, ASF, ASX, AVI, PS, M2TS, TS, 3GPP, MOV, MPEG-4, OGM, NSV*, MP3, MP2, AAC, MKA, WMA, Midi*, WAV, OGG, Speex, WAVPACK, TTA, FLAC, MPC, AMR, ADPCM, ALaw, MuLaw, G.729, GSM
HTTP, UDP, UDP Multicast, UDP Unicast, RDP, RTP. RTSP, RTCP (keep alive), ASX, ASF, Multicast, HTTP Tunneling, FLASH
JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, TIFF, MJPEG
Not even the iPhone, iPod touch, have that many formates
@DaveBach
the zune software should automatically convert recorded TV files to wmv for your zune.
@dooglehead
Perhaps things have changed but my experiences are based on the way things were when I was running Windows XP Media Center Edition and Vista and looking to transfer files I recorded on those computers to Windows Mobile 6.0 and also the original Zune. I still wonder how smooth things really are or solutions like Orb wouldn't be so popular. Does Microsoft actually expect us to check back every couple of months to see if they finally got it right?
microsoft is really pushing to get WinMo up to current standards, its great news
msft is well aware of their shortcomings. winmo7 will have either solid zune integration or be based on the zune's UI entirely. and i'm really happy with the direction they are going trying to make the content i do buy/rent available on multiple devices without having to sync them all to one another. as an iphone owner i can say this is not something possible on the itunes platform and something becoming more and more annoying and limiting.
I rather see MS focus the gaming thing on the Zune OS instead while it's still new so the experience can be a lot better.
@pika2000
and that .00000005834% marketshare is sure to draw all the developers
@Wesscoast Funny.Not.
This should nicely fill the gap left by the nonexistent Engadget windows mobile application. It will probably be a lot more fun, too.
Tegra(2) powered WinMo anyone?
Well its about damned time, this stuff was touted at E3 a few years ago, along with Forza 2 (not 3, 2.) before it released.
Logging onto an Xbox Live account, painting up & tuning up or just buy & sell Forza 2 cars etc via your mobile when your on the bus.
ofc it was something we never saw light of again after that conference, but eh looks like Microsoft are finally combining Xbox Live & WinMo, some how i dont think we'll be tuning cars while on the bus but atleast we'll be able to see our xbox friends list (maybe)
This isn't really such a big surprise, seeing as the XNA framework, technically, should work on WinMo... thats HALO on WinMo baby!
But seeing that they are tying the XBOX Live in to the platform kinda confirms that they want to compete with the iphone, psp and DS, on WinMo, which is nice...
Now the only thing i need is an integration with the Windows Live Essentials, and im good to go :D
@Herlev I'm pretty sure Halo is not written using XNA.
@Herlev Not to mention the 5000 other things wrong with you thinking Halo on a phone is at all easy. I wouldn't be surprised if they ported it, but it wouldn't be the same Halo you played on the Xbox.
i was never interested in winmo, but love my 360. but now i'm think i'll get one as soon as the service is up and running. the touch pro 2 might be in the cards.
we ought see the results by what.. 2015? right
I haven't been following it much but when in WinMo 7 set to release?
@Certifiedfryguy
well, no one listens to MS's line of BS... try... Autumn 2010?
a few onths ago, i heard that M$ was offering a job for a guy who could port Halo.............. may be the XBOX will be packed into a winmo phone.
its funny that M$ owns a game studio and still hasn't offered good games for WinMo. they need to wake up and smell the coffee.
@thegreatskywalker
WinMo isn't a consumer OS, the WinMo guys need to wake up and smell the iPhone.
@Wesscoast they are awake but their heads are in a very dark place..
@(Unverified)
can they port natal to the winmo??? it's not even out yet...
This is great! Let's hope for some decent games, not the 10000 stupid ones the iphone has. I want some decent FPS or RPGs, not monkey ball or some stupid motion sensor bullshit that looks like it was designed for a 2 year old.
Um, Microsoft already discussed this about a year or so ago. This is news?
This should have been happened. What is Microsoft doing? Sleeping?
We should have had a Phone with built in Live integration, XBL games, Streaming Netflix???, and Zune.
Microsoft has been doing some great things with the Xbox and Windows Platform but they still don't have enough integration between their products.
Take your time MS, make your 3 screens and the cloud a reality. Don't piecemeal it, out of the box, everything works with great features. But set some standards for WinMo 7 hardware. HD2 and Zune are great reference.