Microsoft to allow 1 bln players in a unifed networked platform

Microsoft unveiled its new online game platform at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) inaugurated on May 9, with more than 400 companies launching thousands of new games and technologies.

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates unveiled the company's new idea for online gaming market, the "Live Anywhere" service. With this service, players can play or chat in a unified network platform whether they are using computer, cell phones, or Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console, told a press briefing at the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard by Gates.

Gates estimated that there are 6 million users on the company's Xbox Live online gaming service by next year and 230 million on Windows Live Messenger, and 1 billion game-ready cell phones all over the world. And the "Live Anywhere" service will connect these, allowing game or entertainment anywhere.

In the past twenty years, each progress of IT would have promoted more complicated and interesting game, and the game in turn would have the players upgrade their computers or gaming consoles. Nowadays, besides the teenagers, the adults' fondness of games boosted computer game industry to become a huge market.

It is reported that the sales volume of computer game products exceeded 11 billion US dolor last year in the US and there are increasingly fierce competition among traditional IT enterprises. With over one third of the market share, Microsoft has exceeded two competitors, Sony and Nintendo since it launched its first Xbox console in 2001. Experts think Microsoft's new generation game console will further enhance the interactive development between IT and computer game technology.

By People's Daily Online