Gaming aficionados who intend to pick up the Windows Phone 7 now have an even better reason to procure it. At the gamescom 2010, Microsoft Corporation has enunciated the first wave of Xbox Live games coming to the Windows Phone 7. With the Xbox Live launching this holiday on the smartphone, the mobile gaming experience appears to have been augmented to new heights.
The Xbox Live brings out a myriad of features for gamers such as the ability to check out games before purchasing them with the help of try-before-you-buy demos. They can create and access their Avatars with an entire closet at their disposal on the device. The games selected for this Microsoft service will be specially chosen with care from the most prominent titles in mobile, PC and console game development.
“We believe that no matter where life takes you, the best in gaming and entertainment should follow,” stated Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox Live at Microsoft. “Windows Phone 7 takes a different approach to handheld gaming, utilizing Xbox Live, Microsoft Game Studios, leading game publishers, and innovative indie developers, to create powerful, shared experiences for everyone.”
Additionally, the content for the Windows Phone 7 will also be pooled in from the Microsoft Game Studios also known as MGS. This will bring enticing first-party games and intellectual property to the phone. The handset will feature companion titles of popular games for players to enjoy. It loads up the device with games including Halo: Waypoint, Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst, The Harvest and Game Chest-Logic developed by MGS. The service’s first wave portfolio will contain titles from Namco Bandai, Gameloft, PopCap, Konami Digital Entertainment, and THQ.
“Windows Phone 7 is the launch of a major gaming platform for Microsoft,” commented Matt Booty, general manager of mobile gaming for MGS. “Just like we’ve done with Xbox 360, our charter is to push the envelope and deliver definitive games that maximize the platform. We will have an incredible lineup of MGS titles, and that’s just the beginning.”
The games from THQ include addictive and popular game like Star Wars: Battle for Hoth and Star Wars: Cantina, to name a few. Bejeweled Live from Pop Cap, PressPlay’s Max and the Magic Marker and Guitar Hero 5 from Glu Mobile for music enthusiasts are also included in the plethora of titles that Xbox Live offers. The portfolio is loaded with Gameloft titles including Asphalt 5 and Brain Challenge, as well as Bubble Town 2 from i-Play. Konami Digital Entertainment pools in major games like Castlevania and Frogger.
With the Xbox Live, gamers can check out its leaderboards and even earn, view and keep a track of their achievements. Plus, they can build their own Gamescore every time they play their favorite title on either the Xbox 360 or the Windows Phone 7. Players can reach their Xbox Live friends, challenge them, compare achievements or even message them through this service. It enables users to play with their friends through turn-based multiplayer titles. The entire gaming library can be accessed and launched from one location. Gaming enthusiasts can search, try out or purchase games from Games hub or the Marketplace.
These are just a few of the games in the long list of exciting titles. Gaming buffs who are still thirsty for more, will have to wait a while for the launch of Windows Phone 7 in the upcoming holiday season. After the release of the phone, more Xbox Live games will be added on a weekly basis.