Just as Microsoft Xbox Live in two flavors, the Free Silver membership which allows basic online play, or the paid Gold version at US $49.99 per year that offers enhanced online playback, and for the first time in history, the chance for PC based Windows Vista gamers to compete directly against the Xbox 360 counterparts, as well as track achievements, play against players who match your skill level and other benefits not available in the standard free Silver package.
Unfortunately, despite Halo 2 for Vista coming out on the same day, cross platform playability is not a feature, with the first Xbox 360/Vista cross gameplay title set to be Shadowrun, set for a June release, along games such as UNO to be co-console and PC playable as well. Of course, only Microsoft knows their future plans, but it seems inconceivable that a future Halo Vista 3 release wouldn't be playable against Xbox 360 Halo 3 owners, although only time will tell on that one right now.
While that’s a relatively small selection to start with, Microsoft is taking their new venture very seriously are no doubt working with developers and their own programmers to accelerate this program as much as possible.
One reason why it is so important is the number of PC gamers compared with console gamers. There are over 200 million games using a flavor of Windows on a PC, with connected console gamers garnering dramatically fewer numbers in comparison.
This development has been foreshadowed by Microsoft for some time, with their ultimate aim of letting you play almost anywhere, or at the very least access your ‘Live’ account from any device, including your cell phone, although that last particular development is still set for the future. Unsurprisingly, the initiative is called ‘Live Anywhere’.
The new Live experience for PCs is said to look very much like that enjoyed by existing Xbox 360 owners, ensuring a smooth experience for those already familiar with the system, while offering excellent simplicity so that new users can quickly learn how it all works and play games across friends, colleagues or even strangers on the other side of the planet.
Xbox 360 Live ‘Gold’ edition members are eligible to create a Games for Windows Live account without having to pay any extra, making that simple decision one to be applauded.
As with any new release, this is a version 1.0, with Microsoft promising to expand the service in the future, perhaps even adding a ‘Marketplace’ feature as seen on Xbox 360’s currently.
Games for Windows Live also supports (through Vista) the use of a wireless Xbox 360 controller, further blurring the gaming lines between games console and personal computer.
So, while Sony are offering their ‘Home’ social PS3 networking software by the 3rd quarter of the year to all PS3 owners, Microsoft has decided to go for the biggest market of all, despite their continuing Xbox 360 work and achievements: the biggest market of the PC using consumer.
It’s worked for Microsoft many times before, and it looks like it will work again this time, too!From iTWire.com
