Vapourware Microsoft want to get into PC gaming again

[Boleskine]

Hey MS, put your classic games on GOG first. Then we'll talk.

 

[balmorar]

Asphalt 8 and Kinectimals Unleashed are really good games on Windows 8.

(with Cheat Engine)

Is that a mod?

http://www.cheatengine.org/index.php

This is the way to play with microtransaction fest games on Windows 8.

 

[DragoFireheart]

Asphalt 8 and Kinectimals Unleashed are really good games on Windows 8.

(with Cheat Engine)

Is that a mod?

http://www.cheatengine.org/index.php

This is the way to play with microtransaction fest games on Windows 8.

As usual, mods will fix it.

 

[Dexter]

http://venturebeat.com/2014/07/09/m...mes-to-return-under-deal-with-dovetail-games/

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...o-announce-job-cuts-as-soon-as-this-week.html

MS is going to un-create at least 6000 jobs!

Negative growth!

 

[deuxhero]

Don't worry, this saves 7000 jobs so we're actually GROWING!

 

[G a R M]

So basically what this article is saying is that MS wants to get into shitty mobile/tablet games and wants to make their on HoN/Dota/LoL clone.

 

[Daemongar]

My impression was that Microsoft is pushing for cloud based computing to become the IT Department for the world. That is, they sell the software and manage the hosting. However, that programming and managing will be done in countries where costs are lower *cough* India *cough*... While the number of employees employed by MS may level out, I expect the footprint in the US to keep shrinking into the future.

 

[sea]

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2014/jul14/07-17announcement1.aspx

Turns out it's 18,000. Woe to the vanquished.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the company will cut 18,000 positions in the next year, with former Nokia employees expected to account for around 12,500 jobs.

Good job Elop! Hope you get a nice bonus for this outstanding achievement!

 

[Haba]

Hope somebody shanks the fat cunt.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

http://recode.net/2014/07/17/microsoft-to-shut-down-xbox-entertainment-studios/

 

[G a R M]

Absent was any mention of Xbox Entertainment Studios, a division it created when it hired longtime CBS entertainment president Nancy Tellem in September 2012. Her mandate at the time was to make entertainment content that could only be found on the Xbox Live online platform.

Does she have any concept of what an install base is? How the hell could she think creating TV shows for a system with not even 10 million users would be successful? Prime-time TV shows are lucky to get 10 million viewers....and that's with user base at least 20 times that of Xbox's.

 

[Infinitron]

Microsoft: “It’s Time To Talk About Gaming On Windows”

Yes, it jolly well is, you lot. For years and years you’ve been promising to pay attention again, but it’s never quite happened, has it? All you did was squeeze Games For Windows Live onto our lawn from some unspeakable orifice, then disappear back to your Xboxes and not-quite-right phones. Our Graham even ran a history of all the times you’ve made these claims in the past, and look where we are now: in exactly the same place. Or are we?

Today’s claim comes in the form of a twitter reply from Xbox and Microsoft Studios boss Phil Spencer*, but the simple line “I’ll be focusing more on what we are doing on Win10 in January, it’s time for us to talk about gaming on Windows” is backed up by a couple of things. Maybe.

Number one, the forthcoming DirectX 12 – bundled with Windows 10, and we don’t yet have a definitive answer on whether or not it’ll come to other versions of the operating system – sounds as though it could be a pretty significant update. After five years of only minor tinkering with DirectX 11, it is perhaps past time.

Excited whispers grow around the gaming API’s improved support for multiple cores and ‘closer to the metal’ access – akin to AMD’s Mantle, but in theory manufacturer agnostic. As I understand it DirectX 12 is also coming to Xbox One, which would mean more platform commonality there too. Perhaps the PC will be simply the second-hand beneficiary of this, and perhaps there’ll be a huge schism between the DX12s and the DX12nots, but, well, something is happening.

Number two, Microsoft have just announced a a Windows 10 event at MS HQ in Redmond on January 21st, dubbed ‘The Next Chapter’, and at which Phil Spencer will be speaking. What we’ve seen of Win 10 so far (my own impressions here), while more coherent than Win 8 and with some neat new features, was merely the technical preview; still to be unveiled are the new consumer bells and whistles. After Windows 8 proved broadly unpopular, MS seems determined to make 10 a big deal. Games, increasingly a daily part of modern life, would be one way of attempting that. My suspicion is something of substance will be revealed on the 21st.

Another attempt at something GFWLy? Simply an update to the rather poorly-stocked Windows Store? Simply more DirectX 12 detail? Some strange Xbox/PC compatibility? While not without massive practical/technical issues, the latter wouldn’t be totally insane, given the Xbone One by and large has struggled to keep up with PS4 – somehow bringing in PCs would be a way to expand the Xbox game userbase in one fell swoop.

I’m probably writing crazy things, I realise. Imagining things is fun!

What do want to hear Microsoft say about PC gaming anyway? What can they do? Or have ships sailed (and turned too fully to Steam power?)

* No, not him from that nauseating property show.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Microsoft and PC gaming...

 

[Astral Rag]

Windows 10 leak reveals new Xbox app for PC

As Phil Spencer declares: "It's time for us to talk about gaming on Windows."

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 15/12/2014

An early version of Windows 10, Microsoft's new operating system, has leaked onto the internet, and in the process revealed plans for a new Xbox app for PC.

The Verge, which played around with the leaked consumer build, said the new Xbox app acts as a gateway to the Xbox ecosystem. Achievements, a friends list, activity feeds and the Xbox Store are all available.

Elsewhere, the build reveals support for Cortana, a Siri-like program already available for Windows Phone. The Cortana character is lifted from the Halo universe.

The leak comes as Xbox boss Phil Spencer said Microsoft was now ready to divulge its plans for gaming on PC.

"It's time for us to talk about gaming on Windows," he said in a tweet discussing a Windows 10 event set to take place at Microsoft's Redmond headquarters in January 2015.

PC gamers will be keen to see what Spencer has up his sleeve following the winding down of the divisive Games for Windows Live platform. In recent years Microsoft has been more open to launching its PC games on Steam, with the likes of Age of Empires, Fable and even Halo spin-offs finding their way onto Valve's platform.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-12-15-windows-10-leak-reveals-new-xbox-app

 

[Astral Rag]

2005 - We care about PC gaming, Longhorn (Vista) to usher in modern PC gaming with "Tray and Play"
Vista launches with none of the stuff MS promised, Vista itself sucks the ass of a thousand camels.

2006 - MS: Don't Count PC Games Out
MS announces GFWL and how utterly amazing it will be, suckers everywhere rejoice in the eventual ass reaming they don't know is coming yet.

2007 - MS continues PC push
MS launches GFWL...and it has a $50 a year fee, and they announce a whole slew of games to include Shadowrun with cross platform play and Gears of War 1! What are you paying for you ask? Jank ass software that crashes and has the most unintuitive updating system known to man. Load a game, game says you need update. Signs you out, downloads update, you jump back in...oh GFWL client has a update too! signs you out, downloads up date and you log back in...

MS will shortly thereafter disband Ensemble because MS feels that they're (MS) moving in a different direction! But don't worry we tots <3 you PC gamers.

2008 - MS: PC gaming is A-okay
Yea we've looked at some money pie charts and can see that PC gaming brings in billions in revenue. Here is our open letter to how awesome PC gaming is and our promise to support it! We finally put some new titles up on GFWL! Oh and we got rid of the $50 a year fee for GFWL, see we're serious about PC gaming! If that's not a sign of commitment, I don't know what is!

2008 - MS: PC gaming is not dead!
Look at this event we're throwing for PC gaming, you think we'd throw this if we didn't truly care about it?! Look at these games that will be on GFWL. We <3 PC gaming. You want fixes for GFWL issues? We'll look into that.

2008 - MS bolsters PC gaming with all new Games for Windows Live!
Hey gaiz remember those GFWL client issues you were having...well we didn't fix those per say but....here is the same shit in a slightly newer skin! PROGRESS

2009 - MS: PC gaming still a priority for us!
Okay gaiz look, this time we're serious about our upcoming push in PC gaming. It's so vital to us at MS that we give the PC our love and support!

2010 - MS: "We're doubling down on PC gaming
By doubling down we mean we're keeping this shittastic GFWL client around because! We might even throw an update at it to fix the problem of game saves being randomly deleted or rendered worthless...maybe.

2010 - MS Launches Games for Windows Marketplace
Hey gaiz, we're making GFWL even better because it's now called Games for Windows Marketplace. Everything is brand new and easy to use, anonymous journalists have even said it's better than Steam. We had 3 interns and a janitor work on this, so you know we're committed!

2010 - MS: Windows 8 is going to relaunch gaming!
Hey gaiz, MS again. With Windows 8 we're totally going to put our full weight behind PC gaming just like we promised back in 2006! Pls be excite.

2012 - MS: We won't ditch GFWL!
We're committed to PC gaming and we absolutely think GFWL is the best play to get PC games and play with others. Our client is awesome....ly bloated and deletes shit randomly, but that's really one of the charms of PC gaming that we captured! It's a balanced experience! Hope you rike!

2013 - MS to discontinue GFWL
Hey gaiz new manager here, so like a bunch of your games might stop working come 2014...but that's okay! We expect there to be transitions as we build out new investments, but we remain committed to bringing first party gaming services and games to Windows for years to come. We will share more details in the future!

2013 - MS promises core first party games coming to PC
We're so committed we swear!

copy/ pasted from neogaf

 

[Angthoron]

Can someone explain the reason behind MS having their own "currency" on the marketplace? I mean, not like they have anything worth buying anyway, but why can't a person with severe Alzheimer's just pay normal human moneys?

 

[Ulminati]

Can someone explain the reason behind MS having their own "currency" on the marketplace? I mean, not like they have anything worth buying anyway, but why can't a person with severe Alzheimer's just pay normal human moneys?

The two main reasons:
1) By forcing you to buy currency in bundles, they can make sure you'll always have a little of their currency (not enough to buy something without adding more currency of course) available. SO when you see Bowel Movement Simulator 2015 for only 20000 Micro$hekels, you'll already have 3000 Micro$hekels towards it. Sadly, you can only buy 10000 Micro$hekels at a time. So you'll still have to pay for the full 20k. But now you have 7k left over for that 10k DLC. O joy....

2) By adding an arbitrary number instead of a $/£/€ price, it's harder for the customer to connect stuff they buy with spending money. They're just subtracting a few points from their account which has thousands of them. It's been proven time and again that "currency bundles" are one of the most efficient ways to get people to use microtransactions regularly.

 

[Outlander]

Can someone explain the reason behind MS having their own "currency" on the marketplace?

For the same reason you have to change cash into chips in a casino. It gives the illusion (to retards) that they're not losing real money, hence they spend more.

 

[Infinitron]

Microsoft About To Announce Something About PC Games

Update: Windows 10 will be free to users of Win 7, Win 8 and Win 8.1 for a year. Fables Legends coming to PC Xbox One cross-platform multiplayer.

What is it? We don’t know. It could be some crazy Xbox/PC crossover. It could be simply more about DirectX 12 and its straight-to-the-metal performance boost promises. It could be a new-gen GFWL (ick). It could just be a Steam rival, seeing as everyone else has one these days. It could be Minesweeper 2 (that’d be great, actually). Alls we knows is that, uncharacteristically, they’re making a bit of a song and dance about it. In fact, we have a correspondent out at the Windows 10 event due to begin at 5pm UK/9AM PST (i.e any minute now), and RPS doesn’t traditionally get invited to Microsoft briefings, so something relevant to our neck of the woods is clearly on the cards.

Clearly, Microsoft have promised to get back in bed with PC gaming loads of times in the past, and it’s never amounted to a hill of beans. Unless you count GFWL, which you really shouldn’t. Maybe this will be more of the same empty promises. Maybe it won’t. Maybe it’ll even be a scarily big attempt to land-grab a gaming platform which others have been caretaking for years. We’ll find out in a few minutes.

We’ll bring you the main facts asap, and a detailed follow-up feature tomorrow all being well, but in the meantime you can watch the event and whatever wonders or horrors it reveals about Windows 10, right here, as live as Redmond’s internet connection allows.

Do keep an eye on this here post for updates if you don’t want to or can’t watch some dudes talking on a livestream. We haven’t set up any fancy tech for it, so, er, refresh! Refresh! Refresh! Hammer that F5 key into the ground!

Over to Adam who is following a choppy livestream:

Windows 10 will be free to users of Win 7, Win 8 and Wn 8.1 for a year. Microsoft are pushing the idea of Windows “as a service” and are spending a lot of time talking about live tiles and touchscreen UIs for tablets (and phablets, if you had that word on your Bingo card). However, there will be a “core experience” available with taskbars and a full desktop mode. That will work on tablets as well as PCs. Side note – PCs must now be referred to as MPCs because Microsoft are ushering in an age of “More Personal Computing”. Side not ends.

The Cortana interface, which is Microsoft’s voice activated Siri-like personal assistant, is coming to Windows. It can draw data from the crowd to become more knowledgeable over time. Nothing could possib-ly go wrong.

The presenter is emphasising the importance of security and protection of personal data – ClippyCortana is a digital personal assistant who will learn about your interests, but will only have access to information that you flag up as permitted. Demonstration shows tracking of a relative’s flight, the owner’s precise location and emotional state at all times and information about favourite sports teams.

The Cortana talk has gone on for a while and there have been several mentions of “Windows-specific tasks”. Along with voice activated programmes – now to be referred to as apps at all times apparently – we’ve seen a sort of scrapbook that collects details about Windows users and built-in search functionality. We’re then shown how the PC-specific apps will work on phones and tablets.

As far as gaming goes, so far we’ve had the image below, but that’s about it. I think it represents gaming.

RAD! I guess the image shows connectivity, or connectedness, or The Kinected Family if there’s some branding going on. Most of the presentation has been about Windows 10’s ability to move from one type of device to another without hassle. The guy is showing Powerpoint presentations on his phone, for crying out loud. We might not have jetpacks but this might well be the next best thing.

For games proper, there’s yet more interconnectedness and “more incredible viralness”. Some of this doesn’t interest me in the slightest – streaming Xbox One games to any Windows 10 tablet or PC in the home, and Xbox One notifications popping up EVERYWHERE – but smuggled in the middle is the announcement that Fables Legends will be coming to Windows 10 and will have cross-platform play with Xbox One.

Steam support is mentioned live on stage but it’s not clear (because of my choppy stream rather than the actual presentation) if Steam libraries will be integrated in the My Games section of the Xbox app.

“We will treat gaming on Windows 10 with as much passion as we have on the Xbox One console.” So says Phil Spencer in closing and I do not have it in me to do a joke about that. I’ll let it lie.

We’ll have thoughts and analysis tomorrow, which should be a pleasant follow-up to my bewilderment in the face of infinite buzzwords.

 

[SCO]

one more walled garden to piss on

 

[AngryKobold]

So that's how the end of days for PC gamers will look like. Couldn't see it so clearly until now. Superconnectivity and dumb games for casuals.

 

[Infinitron]

They named their voice activation thingie after a videogame character haha

 

[tuluse]

I think this is the announcement: http://www.pcgamer.com/microsoft-announces-xbox-one-game-streaming-to-windows-pc-and-tablets/

Also, they've call their version of Siri "Cortana" for a while now on their phones, and their "new" browser is called Spartan.

Edit: I see rps covered the streaming thing, but hid near the bottom.