Imagine being able to play any Xbox Game on your PC while your siblings fight for the remote control of the only one in the house… that would be a dream, wouldn’t it? Well, according to popular gaming site Gamespot, your dream may come true if the rumor is true.
The rumor initially came from a site called Insideris that also claimed that Windows 8 will have a subscription service similar to Xbox Live, however with only ‘according to our sources’ to back them up, there isn’t much substance in the rumor.
On first impression of the rumor, some could say that the idea – if true – is absurd because people would no longer need Xboxes to play video games and would thus skip out on it. The argument makes sense, but if Microsoft takes a similar route to merge seam the services of the Windows Phone with the Windows operating system, then this idea may not be so far fetched.
It starts with Windows looking like Windows Phone to appease the demands of a tablet. It then goes on to HTML5 based apps that run in this cover and probably will run on the phone as well. Microsoft has already linked the phone, tablet and computer, why not link the TV?
Microsoft took Windows 7 the extra mile to allow you to stream content to your Xbox and synchronize certain aspects as well. Windows has all of the features needed for entertainment. It can play DVDs, it can watch any video format – as of Windows 7 – it can play video games, high graphics ones too. Now if Windows is the same on the phone and computer, why wouldn’t it be the same on the TV?
If Microsoft syncs the Xbox and brings it into the new Windows network, that would mean that regardless where you are – your office, on the go, or in your living room, you would have the same Windows experience that you are familiar with and love – or love to hate.
Therefore it would only make sense from a marketing perspective that Microsoft would do this. One Windows experience that is compatible all over your house. An experience that would be seamlessly integrated no matter where you are r what you do. If Microsoft does take that route – which it seems to be – it may re-innovate the way people live their daily lives with Windows – or drive a massive exodus to Apple, time will tell.
If they are successful, having an Xbox game work on a PC would be part of that unified experience. Windows Phone 7 has access to Xbox Live, why wouldn’t that be extended further if they have the basis to do so and have already taken a step in that direction?
So now, to get back to where we started: the Xbox would become irrelevant and not sell as a result, so it makes no sense.
Given the unified experience, one could say that Xboxes would sell more in this marketing scheme as no matter where you go, you can be connected to everything in one place. Your entertainment HUB that is easily connected to your TV would be able to access the apps from your smart phone. The smart phone would be able to access your office apps – which it already can. The computer would become the centerpiece of the setup. In that case, for those who want a simple set up with their HD TV and want to have all of the benefits of a computer, the Xbox would become the #1 device and for all of the hardcore gamers who want to play Xbox games on their computers, there would be added support for that making Windows the most versatile and adaptable platform in the world.
It would mean that no matter where you are, you can do anything with the power of Windows which would be a powerful way to boost the brand and likely boost sales in all departments as consumers want to enjoy the multi-device experience that Windows has to offer.
However, there are risks with this. There are reasons why Apple made each device run its own set of tweaked code and OS structure.
Microsoft is making a gamble on Windows 8, but if they play their cards right, they will win the jackpot.
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