Microsoft has a tough battle ahead of it with Windows Phone 7, but it believes that one of its mobile OS’s key selling points is Xbox Live. With Apple iOS’s robust app store for iPhone and Google Android’s super tight integration with numerous Google products, is Xbox Live enough of a hook to attract customers? Microsoft general manager of developer and platform evangelism Matt Thompson believes so. VentureBeat quoted him as saying:
Clearly the phone is you, so the most unique thing we’re trying to do is bring Xbox Live so you can carry the online ‘you’ into the rest of the world.
While I agree that Xbox Live on a phone is a unique feature, I don’t think it’s as social as Thompson is making it out to be. Services like Facebook, Foursquare, and Twitter have a much broader reach. Way more people use those services as an “online you” than Xbox Live.
What do you think? Is Xbox Live functionality on Windows Phone 7 enough of a hook for you to consider changing mobile platforms?
No. Gaming isn't in the top 5 criteria of my smartphone decision. A nice perk for sure though.
I think Gamecenter is totally useless on iOS. In fact I put the ugly app icon in a folder just to be rid of it.
This is one of the issues that I am trying to figure out with phones. I really really want that option, but I don't like the actual phones that I have seen so far. I would like to wait and reserve my opinions for after I can actually use one of the phones, but that will be a while for me since I am sticking with Verizon.
I think if people are willing to buy other phones and services based on similar connection possibilities like facebook, foursquare, twitter, etc. Then this is just as legitimate of a reason to a hardcore video gamer. Not only can you get interaction, but all the games count towards your total gamerscore…that's a huge incentive. I just can't decide if it's big enough for me or not. I feel like I would really be missing out if I don't get it, but idk…
@bsukenyan That's a huge incentive to a comparatively small audience.
Also, of course you don't like any WP7 phones. You like the BlackBerry and dislike all Android hardware. :P
To answer your question not at all. I'm sticking with the privacy invaders and Android Os.
Not really a grabber for me. I already have an Xbox live client app on my iphone. I can send messages (which is way faster than typing them on my controller) check achievements, and all that good stuff.
Also, I don't look at Xbox live as a social platform, at least, not in the way that I look at facebook and twitter that way. My Xbox live ID almost hides my identity by nature. In fact, I have more friends on Xbox live that I haven't met than people I actually know.
@Shockwave;
What's the name of that XBL client app you're talking about? I'd like to have something like that on my iPhone. How much does it cost?
-M
@Ray
Absolutely, it is a huge incentive but the target audience to whom that is a huge incentive is very miniscule.
I don't hate all of that hardware…I just haven't found anything out of it all that I am completely sure of yet (stress on yet)…I am staying optimistic for the future! lol.