Microsoft is beefing up its microtransaction model on Xbox Live to support free-to-play games and apps.
Given recent reports that Silverlight 5 is heading to the Xbox 360, rumors have surfaced that free-to-play games are coming to Microsoft's Xbox Live platform. The news is based on an unnamed source who claims that a more robust microtransaction system will be established on Xbox Live next year, allowing players to purchase content such as weapons, experience points, in-game currency and even perks
The news can be taken two ways. On one hand, this could mean gaming apps based on Microsoft's Silverlight 5 will incorporate the microtransaction scheme, allowing publishers to release games for free on Xbox Live while letting players choose the content they want to purchase. This would be especially true in apps similar to Smurfs Village, Pocket Legends and even Farmville.
On the other hand, rumors of a meatier free-to-play business model could mean Microsoft plans to follow Sony and release a free-to-play MMORPG like Free Realms or some other Xbox 360 exclusive MMOG title. Could EA have plans to bring Battlefield Free2Play to Xbox Live Gold members? Is one of the PC's free-to-play MMORPGs (DDO, LORTO) coming to the console?
As CVG points out, the news is surprising given Microsoft's prior refusal to make Xbox Live an "open" service for third-party developers. Typically microtransactions or upgrades purchased within games require Microsoft's approval, thus preventing EA, THQ, Activision and other companies from selling directly to gamers.
But given that the Xbox Live platform has expanded into the mobile sector, Microsoft may have no choice but to incorporate 3rd-party transactions given the popularity of many free-to-play apps. It's highly likely that Microsoft wants to add social gaming to Xbox Live so that Windows PC gamers, Xbox 360 owners and those who have a Windows Phone 7 smartphone can join the rest of the world in farming crops of corn and smurfberries. As on iOS and Android, gamers would purchase their virtual items in-game based on either stored MS Points or a stored credit card number.
Recently we caught a glimpse of Microsoft's plans for Games for Windows which heavily focused on social gaming. In one portion of the presentaton, called "Transaction," a core gamer was shown slacking off at work. He received a desktop notification from a friend currently playing Battlefield 2. To help out, the "working" gamer purchased a better weapon and sent it to the player in need. If anything, the demo showed that Microsoft's plans for expanding the microtransaction model will even infiltrate Games for Windows Live in a future update.
Silverlight 5 for the Xbox 360 is expected to be one Microsoft's major topics during its MIX 11 keynote this week. It's speculated that the Xbox 360 apps will be based on Microsoft’s new application model codenamed "Jupiter" which will reportedly allow developers to create Silverlight-based applications and publish them as AppX packages (.appx). This format will supposedly be part of a new Windows app storefront that will come pre-installed in Windows 8.
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Interesting.
Hopefully one of the apps is a web browser, it's easier to have a console that "does it all" than to have a HTPC in there to handle the stuff the console can't.
Of course you could just have the HTPC which depending on your budget could work out to be a solid performer, I have one but it's using my old hardware from previous upgrades haha.
and maybe someday they will update tf2 for consoles.
sounds like they are taking a play from playstation plus subscription service offering free games and mini's.
Microsoft is just going along with the flow.
Microsoft is just going along with the flow.
From what I perceive of them, they've been doing so for a long time already on many different areas, and failing their top goals regularly also. (counting out their mediocre results as goals)
If these games require an XBL Gold Subscription to play ($59.99 a year), then they are in fact, NOT free to play.
Micro$oft + free = lol wut?
Micro$oft + free = lol wut?
been giggling for several minutes on that,
Maybe they won't suck, or be money traps, or full of bugs, or crammed full of facebook like buttons, or maybe they might not try to invite your friends to download your free-to-play apps whilst pretending to be you. Then again I set my expectations too high.