Wednesday, March 14, 2007

On Wednesday, Microsoft announced its rollout plans for the Windows version of the Xbox Live service, which will be named Games for Windows Live. Concurrently with the launch of the new service on May 8, 2007, Microsoft will also ship the long-awaited Windows Vista version of "Halo 2," the best-selling Xbox game title.

What Microsoft is doing is actually pretty revolutionary: The company is extending the Xbox Live online gaming service to Windows users. So if you've already got an Xbox Live membership, with its associated gamertag (name), rating, achievements, and other associated information, that will come across on the Windows side, and you'll be able to earn achievements and other accolades in both Windows and Xbox 360 games going forward. The first such Windows game, Halo 2 for Windows Vista, will allow Vista-based gamers to play against other Vista-based players, but future titles will allow Vista and Xbox 360-based gamers to compete together in online battles, the first time a cross-platform unification of this magnitude has ever been attempted.

Labels: Video games, Vista, Xbox 360