Microsoft says game over for Xbox 360

Microsoft Corp. said on Wednesday it would stop production of its popular Xbox 360 video game console, which helped the company gain a firm foothold in the market.

More than 80 million units of the console have been sold since it was launched in 2005.

Xbox 360 also introduced Microsoft's Kinect motion-sensing game device. It was the company's primary gaming console, until it launched the Xbox One in 2013.

The Xbox 360 launched with a number of popular video games including Activision Blizzard Inc's "Call of Duty 2" and Electronic Arts Inc's "Need for Speed: Most Wanted".

Microsoft said in a blog post it would continue to sell existing inventory of the consoles, and that it would continue to provide customer support.

The company's Xbox Live network, which allows online multi-player gaming, will continue to be available for the Xbox 360.

Sales of older-generation consoles, such as the Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, have been declining as consumers shift to newer versions of the consoles from the companies.

"While we've had an amazing run, the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us," said Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft's Xbox division.

The company has also introduced the ability for users to play games launched for the Xbox 360 on its latest console. Microsoft currently offers over 100 video game titles as a part of its "backward compatibility" feature.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Phones, tablets transform handheld game market

LOS ANGELES — Smartphones and tablet computers are expanding the market for handheld video games and challenging traditional devices, forcing game developers to adapt to a rapidly changing landscape.

Executives at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) held this week in Los Angeles said the industry — long focused on generating blockbuster titles for PlayStation, Wii or Xbox 360 — are taking a new look at portable platforms.

The new market includes not only die-hard gamers but more casual players, the kind who tap the touchscreens of their iPhones or Android devices while riding the train or waiting for the dentist.

Olivier Pierre, of the game publisher BulkyPix, said there is room for both segments to grow.

“Mobile is a new platform, as is Facebook. And these new platforms do not cover the same audience as console games,” he said.

“I don’t see a real competition between smartphones and consoles so far. Maybe in the future, but that’s not the case right now.”

But some analysts say the rise of smartphones and tablets is threatening to crowd out handheld consoles like Nintendo’s 3DS and the Sony Vita.

A survey by ABI Research shows some 38 million handheld gaming devices from Sony and Nintendo are expected to ship in 2013, down from a peak of 47 million in 2008.

The report said smartphone and tablet use for gaming continues to expand, providing increased competition in the handheld market.

“Mobile devices will compete with dedicated handheld gaming devices, but select consumer segments like core gamers and those individuals who do not want or have a smartphone or tablet will still provide some demand,” ABI analyst Michael Inouye said.

Jack Buser, senior director of PlayStation Digital Platforms for Sony, said growth in mobile games is good for the market.

“Because of the prevalence of digital devices, (users) are discovering that, yes, they are gamers,” he told AFP.

“This is a trend that is extremely healthy for the industry, and we will embrace it. We are all for the evangelization of electronic games to the broadest audience possible.”

Mobile gaming is a unique market, with games that are either free — financed by advertising — or costing just a few dollars.

This represents a change for classic developers, which invest millions of dollars in major franchises and sell games for around $60 apiece.

“The game should be designed for mobile,” said Eiji Araki, head of the social games studio GREE.

“The mobile player is different from the console game player. They are always online and they can play games all the time… so the game should be designed for three-minute sessions, for minimum times.”

Mobile is a hot topic at E3, a major gathering for the gaming industry.

New mobile game releases are coming from GREE, social games maker Zynga, and industry heavyweights like Electronic Arts.

A mobile version of the auto racing game “Need for Speed,” the arcade game “Tiny Troopers” and the romantic comedy “The Act” are all on display at E3.

Araki, whose company has seen rapid growth in recent years, said the mobile space is special: “The games are getting simpler and easier as the casual audience grows.”

source: interaksyon.com

Microsoft adds voice search to Xbox Live December 10, 2011 6:00pm

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Microsoft on Monday began adding voice search to Xbox Live as it continues to transform its videogame consoles into hubs for online entertainment in digital age living rooms.

The software update for the Xbox 360 lets users ask Internet search engine Bing to find what they are looking for by taking advantage of voice capability in the Kinect accessory for Microsoft's popular game console.

Xbox Live is an online network connecting the videogame console to games, music, films, television shows and other digital content.

"A new era in entertainment begins where all your entertainment is together in one place -- your games, movies, TV shows, music and sports," said Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business president Don Mattrick.

"With this update, Xbox 360 system owners will experience Kinect voice control integrated with Bing search, making your TV and entertainment experiences more social and personal than ever," he said.

Hulu, Netflix and other entertainment services already on Xbox Live are adapting software applications to allow people to speak commands to be heard by Kinect for the Xbox 360, according to Microsoft.

Kinect devices also recognize gestures, promising ways for online services to be commanded by body movements.

"Every fancy interactive TV promise you've ever heard now has an easy platform through which it can be delivered -- with no hardware upgrade required on anyone's part," Forrester analyst James McQuivey said in a blog post.

"Microsoft has just built and delivered it: a single box that ties together all the content you want, made easily accessible through a universal, natural, voice-directed search," the analyst said.

Xbox Live has become a benchmark against which rivals such as Apple TV and Google TV will be measured, according to McQuivey.

Apple, Google, and Sony are among the companies vying with Microsoft to be at the heart of digital entertainment in people's living rooms.

YouTube last week unveiled a major redesign that showcases television-style channels and promises slicker integration with other Google online properties and Google TV.

"We are trying hard to marry the best of TV and the best of online," YouTube vice president of product development Shishir Mehrotra said while providing an early glimpse of the changes at the company's offices in San Bruno.

To demonstrate the point, group product manager Shiva Rajaraman demonstrated a YouTube application that makes the website's videos viewable at Xbox Live.

Sony in recent months revamped search at its Sony Entertainment Network for PlayStation 3 videogame consoles as it worked to create synergy with the Japanese company's gadgets, televisions, music, films and videogames. — AFP

source: gmanetwork.com