The Unofficial Microsoft Weblog

Microsoft to bring life to PC games?

Ryan Carter — 2006-06-06T21:26:00+00:00

Filed under: XP, Vista, Trends and Buzz, News and Info, XBOX, XBOX 360, PC, Windows - General

For a long time now, Microsoft hasn't been focusing on PC games, and even us PC gamers can't blame them. Going from zero to 360 in a few years, not bad at all. Now though, Microsoft is going to begin focusing on PC games again. Many think Microsoft will develop, or have developed a gaming platform for the PC that rivals the ease and simplicity of the XBOX brand. Hopefully this is true. A little birdie told me that Microsoft may even be planning to integrate XBOX and PC based gaming platforms via a service like the wildy popular LIVE. This would certainly give them the advantage over Nintendo and Sony, who don't have anything close to a viable PC link to them systems. In fact, most consoles far thus far kept PC gaming out of their respective portfolios, because PC's have been the enemy. Microsoft knows that there are millions of PC gamers who would love to gank their snoody console-based buddies and prove once and for all what PC gamers have known for ages: the PC is the best gaming platform ever. How can you beat a customizable 101-key controller or the ability to upgrade any part of your gaming system? You obviously can't do that with a console.

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Microsoft glues hackers

Ryan Carter — 2006-06-06T13:17:00+00:00

Filed under: Trends and Buzz, News and Info, XBOX, XBOX 360

Microsoft is fixing a mod-chip vulnerability in the DVD firmware on the XBOX 360, making it nearly impossible for a mod-chip to be installed. I can just see the ad campaign now, "Epoxy for firmware chips, it is hacker-deterrent in a tube. Buy some today." Apparently, Microsoft just glued the edges of the chip under a layer of epoxy, that makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible to mod-chip the DVD firmware in the XBOX 360. While I am amazed at how non-complicated and innovative this idea is, and how seemingly effective it will be, I have to say that I doubt the modding is over. With such a hot product, this will only make more "hackers" more determined to crack it again. So you could say Microsoft 1, hackers 1, and we have more periods left to play folks. Bill, back to you.

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Sony launching 'PlayStation' branded luxury goods

Jason Clarke — 2006-05-30T14:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Competition, XBOX 360

The always entertaining Mike Elgan points to a Japanese site that purportedly has news of Sony launching a new 'PlayStation' brand of luxury goods, such as wine glasses, corkscrews, photo frames and even sweaters. While we haven't been able to confirm this, it's a rumor that's not all that difficult to believe given some of the crazy messages that have been coming out of Sony about the premium price point of the upcoming PlayStation 3 console.

But PlayStation as a luxury brand? To be honest, even Xbox is a better brand name for that type of product line. Xbox implies something mysterious, something new. PlayStation implies a toy my one-year-old would play with.

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