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Feb 15 / Ozymandias

Multiple Screens is the New Main Screen

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We’ve arrived at an interesting inflection point for video games. Put simply, online connectivity and features have become ubiquitous for individual games on individual devices, but that connectivity has yet to extend in a meaningful way across devices and communities. While gaming services like Xbox LIVE have done wonders to connect millions of people together, the reality is that those communities are still siloed, playing and communicating only within the boundaries of a particular service and device. Unfortunately, that current reality doesn’t reflect the trends we see of what people actually want to do.

Today people are more connected than ever, but paradoxically finding it difficult to spend time together. People are spending more time with friends, and less with strangers. Cooperative gaming has climbed in popularity partly because it satisfies that urge to spend meaningful time with people you care about. Social networks like Facebook are enabling you to connect with friends more easily; social games like Farmville draft on that desire to connect that Facebook enables. Simply put, gaming is now being seen as a worthwhile investment due to the ability to spend meaningful time with friends. In fact, let’s consider that last sentence again: people are choosing to “spend” time with friends gaming instead of “wasting” time gaming, as we were all wont to say a decade ago. Online connectivity has enabled a sea change in how people are approaching gaming; the big opportunity is for the game industry to embrace this shift by enabling cloud gaming scenarios all the more.

We just announced the Windows Phone 7 Series at World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, with some great buzz already hitting the net. While we’ve been working on aspects of enabling the “cloud” for years (via Azure, Xbox LIVE, and Games for Windows LIVE), adding mobile has finally enabled the “three screen” trinity we’ve all been seeking. We’re shifting our “online gaming” focus from the Xbox to the cloud, which will enable whole new ecosystems for game developers, publishers, and consumers to explore. And we’ve rebuilt the development platform from the ground up to enable those sorts of connected scenarios. While you shouldn’t look for any specific announcements from the diagram below (ie, “mobile” just means “not fixed”), it should give you an idea of where our center of gravity is going forward.

cloud-gaming-vision

Our vision is to bring you instant access to your entertainment, with the people you care about, wherever you are. With the announcement of Windows Phone we have all the pieces to deliver on that vision. Multiple screens is the new main screen, and Xbox LIVE is the social thread that connects all of those screens (and experiences) together.

That said, this will take time. We’ll have to work closely with game developers and publishers to figure out the best ways to enable their goals. We’ll have to work with consumers to understand the sorts of game scenarios that people most want. I’ll be spending a lot of time here writing about those scenarios, what we’re thinking, as well as seeking your input and feedback so we can incorporate into our product planning. And I hope you’ll join in the conversation.

It’s taken a while, but we’re finally delivering on that “LIVE Anywhere” vision we announced back in 2006. We’ve been getting beat up on this for years, and Tycho of Penny Arcade has been personally beating on me for years now… but for good reason, as he gets it.

Jerry – I’m glad to say we’ve finally got game. :)

 

Related posts:

  1. The Three Pillars of Xbox LIVE on Windows Phone
  2. Write Once, Optimize Anywhere
  3. How Do I Use Xbox LIVE APIs on Windows Phone?
  4. Your Thoughts on the Future of Live?
  5. Apple’s iPad: Interesting, But Not Quite Baked Yet
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  • http://www.satori.org Mark DeLoura

    Hmmmm I definitely like the spirit of the Live initiative. (Sorry I just can’t bring myself to put it in all caps. :) ) So what features are you planning to have out of the box, versus adding on over time? I can think of some great low-hanging fruit that I’d love to have… but of course I’m locked into a cell contract for awhile so it may be some time for me. I was a diehard WinMo user and finally gave in and switched to Android since WinMo tech seemed stalled out for so long. Happy to see it pushing forward again!

  • http://ozymandias.com Ozymandias

    @ Mark: that’s “Xbox LIVE” – don’t get the brand ninjas mad at you… they’re nasty. Where do you think “Games for Windows – LIVE” came from. :)

    As with many things Microsoft does, we’re in the crawl stage of a classic “crawl, walk, run” when it comes to Xbox LIVE functionality on mobile (and how we extend our cloud gaming services). So far we’ve announced Gamertag, Achievements, as well as gamer profile viewing and integration of Xbox LIVE into the home screen. There’s certainly a lot more we want to do – but aren’t talking about yet.

    What’s the low-hanging fruit you want to see? Be king for a day – define our cloud gaming strategy. Who knows, maybe we’re doing it. :)

  • SimienSparks

    I think this could be a great format for gaming. I would like to see a game that really takes advantage of all the formats available to them. If I had a game that would work on my phone, pc, and xbox. It would be huge. I could imagine a game where I micromanage building resources on my phone. Set the path of war and seeking out artifacts on the PC. When I arrive to fight a battle, search a cave, or spy on enemies, I could take on that roll as the person in FPS on the Xbox. I could then have an impact on my game, winning the battle, making it through the cave, or the option just to retrieve information or assassinate a high value target.

    Thats just an idea, just saying that it would be great if the Mobile and PC formats had effects on the Xbox format. I doubt we will ever see this.

  • http://ozymandias.com Ozymandias

    @SimienSparks: You’re absolutely right – and Microsoft Game Studios is already doing this with Toy Soldiers: http://bit.ly/bDIchU

    Now, that’s between console and PC, but there’s no reason you can’t do the same sort of thing with the LIVE integration on WP7. It’s important to remember that we just announced our mobile reboot, and the actual phones won’t be available until Holiday… so we have some time to do more of this with the phone as well. I think you’ll be quite pleased!

  • SimienSparks

    Well, I am already quite surprised. I had not even seen that info about Toy Soldiers. Even though I’m not really into Facebook, I might have to check it out when this game comes out.

    Now I did have a great idea today, I could think of a particular game where they could really use this technique. Any game where it involves mini games could involve the phone. For example, Bioshock could have it for hacking the machines. Fable 3 could have it for money building, much like they did the pub games for Fable 2. Now if they ever tried to make a REAL Shadowrun game, they could use the phone as a way to hack into the Matrix, and you could have it as a side thing. Where game developers can separate the mini games from the real game. This way the player has the option of concentrating on the Main game, or they can really immerse themselves into all content available for that game.

    Ha, another idea I just thought of. Say your getting a call in game like GTA, what if the game called your cell phone and told you to do something in game. I don’t know if that would be possible, but it would be interesting.

    Enough rambling…

  • http://twitter.com/willl Will

    Or even “mini games” on the mobile, that link-in with bigger games on consoles/PCs.

    So if you win those mini games/challenges you get bonuses in your console game. And all that is linked via xbox live.

  • http://zune60.net f. george

    I think it’s very important that Microsoft does not take a one-size fits all metaphor with mobile gaming on WP7.

    I think the most appropriate experience for the current 360 gamer is to extend the XBOX 360 experience. In other words, mobile extensions to games like Forza, Halo, Fable, Gears of War and others are necessary, where you should be able to influence your 360 game save by doing small mini-games on your mobile device. I want to tune my forza car on my WP7 device and have that car in the game when I get home. Microsoft, make it happen.

    The next experience should obviously be small, multiplayer-enabled games. Think 3D iphone games, but with the ability to play multiplayer using XBOX live. This will open up the door to a more immersive mobile game experience and will take these games out of the box and open them up to the cloud. Achievements, multiplayer gaming, and game-chat should be obvious inclusions here.

    Third, you need some sort of social, turn-based gaming a la scrable and facebook games. These sorts of small games could be augmented by the presence of an always on connection device and the social features of xbox live. The mobile phone is even more connected than the xbox 360 because it is always on and always has a connection. You actually turn your xbox 360 on and off whereas most phones stay on 24 hours a day. Turn-based games where you make a move, and your friend can make their move at their leisure could take off. If you do this on a bigger scale, with turn-based, simple MMO type of games where all of your friends can play at once, you’ll have something that no one else has, and you can say that it’s the epitome of a live-enabled experience.

  • http://blogs.technet.com/chrisavis Chris Avis

    Maybe I am old or maybe I just can’t keep up, but I don’t understand games on a small (mobile) form factor. I am much more of a “play it on the biggest screen and the highest resolution possible” person.

    I do like the idea of multiple screens though and see the future of games that make use of the mobile platform (for portability and quick access), touch screens (for interactivity), and large screen formats (for greater immersion). Eventually this will all bridge into full immersion into virtual worlds on a massive scale.

    Think of using a mobile, GPS enabled device that is used to find something in the real world then using a touch interface to manipulate things and then a large screen for detail and immersion.

  • http://ozymandias.com Ozymandias

    @ Chris Avis: I think what’s changing is that the sorts of “games” you’ll play on your mobile difference will be different. While I think there will be a few games that just “shrink” down to fit a mobile screen, I believe the more compelling experiences will be those that extend and enhance other game experiences, wherever they are.

    Imagine a productivity application that allows you to better prep for your “real” gametime on your preferred large screen device.

    Or a related mini-game on your phone that grants you (or your team) buffs or benefits.

    And of course, there are games that are suited to the “mobile minute”, where you can connect with a friend in those short downtimes you have when waiting in line at the store.

    The key thing to consider is all these devices can be connected by a common backend and social network, meaning whole new classes of connected entertainment can be developed. I’m personally really excited to see what developers come up with!

  • http://ozymandias.com Ozymandias

    Ah – that’s better. Looks like a plug-in was breaking the formatting of the comments page – looked really ugly! Your bleeding eyes may rest easy now. :)

  • rwb

    Thanks to PCS Metro & now also Walmart

    US Mobile phone customers now get everything but the content for one low price:

    Unlimited mobile broadband
    Unlimited local & long distance
    Unlimited texting/email
    Unlimited web
    Voice mail.
    No contract
    Cheap good quality unrestricted mobile phones with keyboards.
    Good coverage.

    For $45 a month.

    PCS Metro’s CEO said he would use the increased bandwidth of G4 & LTE to drive mobile voice to 5$ per month and eat the bread and butter of the telecoms and he would do it with his %3 share and there was nothing that the big Telcos could do to stop him from using this strategy to take share. As he does this he is going to create margin in that $45 dollars.

    So very soon that $45 will include all of the above &:
    Unlimited instant content (including gaming,) ad free (including ad free search) with excellent privacy- anywhere anytime on any screen. After that, basic PC functionally apps and storage will have to fit in that price. From the start the service is going to have to be instantly responsive because most of the processor/gpu/memory in mobile devices will drop out to give more operating time and a lower device price.

    After that I can see firms like MS providing free hosting and development tools and not attaching IP or even trying to contract content in exchange for the right to host endlessly, of course what ever a firm pays out on hosting will be subject to its overhead for the content.

    We want a pure buyers market where publishers have no price control and no ability restrict information or channel what users interact with or look at- users will pay attention to products, services or content based solely on its merits and usually as a result of user initiated search. No more sponsorship either. Some people are going to cry about this but if we use real standard of living as a basis for calculating GDP/GNP it works perfectly and many many firms will be providing the same service globally so there is good competition too. I’d count on robust neutrality too.