Microsoft Might License Xbox Software

[Varsity]

Forget the video game console — your TV could already have the brains to play those games. A coy Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates hinted Thursday that his company might license the software underlying its Xbox gaming machine to a variety of outside companies in a bid to expand the market share for the Xbox machine — a platform that trails the sector's No. 1 Sony PlayStation.Read the rest here. (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/games/2005-06-30-microsoftxbox_x.htm?csp=34)

Limited 360 functionality built into a TV? Live messages on your mobile or PDA? Official emulators? Only time will tell.

[Steve_Erhardt]

blah blah blah, yak yak yak, brag brag brag...

Enough, MS and Sony! Just make the damn consoles and quit jockeying the extraneous bullshit, Jeebus!

[emperordahc]

*Cradles face in hands* THIS is why I switched back to consoles. Closed arcitecture and knowing that X game will work perfectly with X console and with X accessories. And now they're trying to turn it back into a computer. EEERRRAGGGGHHH!!!!

Glad I still have my old NES (top loader version)!

[if76]

*Cradles face in hands* THIS is why I switched back to consoles. Closed arcitecture and knowing that X game will work perfectly with X console and with X accessories. And now they're trying to turn it back into a computer. EEERRRAGGGGHHH!!!!

Glad I still have my old NES (top loader version)!

cry me a river. Even the best looking PC games can be played at 800x600 with the details turned down on a 4 year old machine. They still look better than most console games.

[XenonCJ]

*Cradles face in hands* THIS is why I switched back to consoles. Closed arcitecture and knowing that X game will work perfectly with X console and with X accessories. And now they're trying to turn it back into a computer. EEERRRAGGGGHHH!!!!

Glad I still have my old NES (top loader version)!Haha, yeah it will be some good times when Sony uses "Microsoft Game Console 2009(tm)" for the PS4.

[DeadPixel]

PS 360 Box

[bobbler]

Well... I suppose this makes sense. Microsoft is a software company -- they do like to sell their software (especially when it means they have another outlet into your house), imagine that!

If they can do it, more power to 'em.

[CaptStu]

Here's an idea ... Maybe MS is willing to drop the console by lincensing the gameplay software to other electronics makers. That's straight profit, and they're still a gamemaker but without a console to cause them a loss.

[netcraazzy]

Even the best looking PC games can be played at 800x600 with the details turned down on a 4 year old machine. They still look better than most console games.

Except BF2 that is :D

[Borys]

So Dell and the others will be able to make their own Xboxes now or what? Somebody smarter explain this to me, please.

[thecrazyd]

So TVs with 360 functionality? Thats just more shit that can break. Hah. PC Gaming will be more convienent that console gaming.

[bobbler]

So Dell and the others will be able to make their own Xboxes now or what? Somebody smarter explain this to me, please.

I think it is just a small embedded OS archetecture that is online capable that they are trying to sell. Nothing inherently special, but if it is already made, why not use it to its fullest? Efficient and online aware -- built for media tasks in mind. Seems like a TV with a built in OS similar to this would be kinda neat -- sure would beat those crappy menus that are on normal TVs ;)

[Grimgrock]

I wouldn't mind buying a Dell HDTV with an Xbox built into the front of it. One less box in my media cabinet (the carpet).

[Bushido]

One less box in my media cabinet (the carpet)

Hahaha, get a milkcrate buddy

[Furious Wang]

This is going to be pretty big. Let's do the analogy here. Microsoft = IBM. Sony = Apple.

Microsoft licenses 360 tech out to HD-DVD player manufacturers. You buy a HD-DVD player from any of dozens of companies and you get a 360 built right in. Microsoft pushes the system, gets licensing fees, doesn't have to eat hardware costs, ensures that HD-DVD will beat out Sony's Blueray and basically runs rampant over the home gaming scene.

Sony, however, will be the only company offering a PS3, ensuring that the price for their system stays high far longer than the price of a 360 player, limiting their market share for next-gen dvd and basically running them into a niche market.

Looks like we could have a winner.

[Stryfe01]

So TVs with 360 functionality? Thats just more shit that can break. Hah. PC Gaming will be more convienent that console gaming.

until u have to "install" a full console game, pc gaming will never be more convenient than console gaming.

[H.M._Murdock]

"Software giant denies reports that external manufacturers will license its next-gen console OS any time soon."

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/06/30/news_6128428.html

[thecrazyd]

Installing is convienent. Once a game is installed, load times go down and software generally works better.

[Kagger]

Oh sweet...maybe we'll get some Phillips CDI Halo!

[mister_slim]

Microsoft licenses 360 tech out to HD-DVD player manufacturers. You buy a HD-DVD player from any of dozens of companies and you get a 360 built right in. Microsoft pushes the system, gets licensing fees, doesn't have to eat hardware costs, ensures that HD-DVD will beat out Sony's Blueray and basically runs rampant over the home gaming scene.
So why would all those HD-DVD manufacturers want to eat that hardware cost, without software royalties to make the money back?

[H.Bogard]

Except BF2 that is :D

bf2 is next gen!!! its due for x360 i think....correct me if i am wrong i`m not sure about my info

[netcraazzy]

bf2 is next gen!!! its due for x360 i think....correct me if i am wrong i`m not sure about my info

I was referring to if76's previous comment about being able to run even the best PC games on 4 year old hardware and still have it look better than a console game. BF2 unfortunately refuses to even load on anything but the most recent video hardware. (has to be pixelshader 1.5 compatable hardware)

As for it coming out on the 360, yeah I think I read something about that too. I'm still skeptical though because they were originally supposed to release BF1942 for Xbox as well and the plug got pulled on that at the last minute.