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Even Windows Mobile's most militant admirer will find it difficult to rate the mobile OS as a competent gaming platform. Microsoft is hoping that it will soon be able to restore parity between WinMo and other contemporary smartphones. For WinMo to compete with the Androids and the iPhones, it will need to provide a vastly improved gaming experience than it currently offers. Two new job postings suggest that Microsoft has finally made up its mind to touch upon an untouched aspect of Windows Mobile: gaming.
“We need a Principle Program Manager who can help drive the platform and bring Xbox LIVE enabled games to Windows Mobile. This person will focus specifically on what makes gaming experiences 'LIVE Enabled' through aspects such as avatar integration, social interactions, and multi-screen experiences,” Microsoft announced in one of the listings.
The company is also on the lookout for a Software Test Engineer to join its Windows Mobile division. The person chosen for the job “will report to the Gaming Test Lead in the Windows Mobile Entertainment team and have the opportunity to make a critical impact the next release of Windows Mobile.” The company clearly wants to offer a unified gaming experience across various device platforms. It will be interesting to see how exactly Microsoft integrates Windows Mobile 7 and Xbox Live.
Image Credit: Int13
Comments are closed on this article
cyber75sax
December 31, 2009 at 6:34am
Um...MS guys, aren't you putting the cart about 7 months in front of the horse? Mobile 7 better materialize first and quick if they want to even have a viable platform, let alone a gaming platform.
Seriously, the only news that beleaguered Mobile users want to hear is that 7 is coming out. Yesterday.
JMG760
December 30, 2009 at 11:28am
They better start putting more juice on those phones to run those apps smooth.
praetor_alpha
December 30, 2009 at 11:05am
I can only wonder how much of a joke this will be compared to Games for Windows Live. Might make GFW actually look successful by comparison.
Nikronus
December 30, 2009 at 9:05am
Now that would have been an article to grab my attention. I am not an MSFT hater, but Windows Mobile needs some serious help before it can ever hope to expand its scope.
TechJunkie
December 30, 2009 at 8:55am
To Microshaft:
I know mobile gaming has become popular with the..ahem..Iphoners and androiders but in all seriousness, a phone needs to be a phone first and the extras built around it. Not all smartphone users care or even wish to have mobile gaming as an option especially when you can't even get your own Winmo to run smoothly. Taking on to much at one time seems to be your downfall so I suggest you work on one project at a time and get it right. Then move on to something else. So instead of putting resources into mobile gaming, how about you first make an OS that works, then add apps that work correctly with that OS. Then if that goes as planned, add a gaming platform that might suit the masses. But I'm just a dumb hick in central Florida and have no experience using cell phones anyways.
Sincerely yours,
Techjunkie
Ashton2091
December 30, 2009 at 10:34am
I agree with you TechJunkie. The only prob is, that for Microsoft to compete in the "consumer" phone industry, they have to somehow manage to get it together and actually fit gaming, general phone use, and pro features into WinMo. They waited too long. Although they still have a chance. Microsoft is no stranger to Mobile platforms. Windows Mobile was introduced in 97 or 98 i think. They have ignored features that make it a serious competitor. I myself don't care so much for games and such. I could care less, but again...if they plan to stay in the game, they need to get in the game. I love WinMO. But I would love to see it with the same functionality of a consumer grade phone and advanced features. WinMO is the only mobile OS i will use. So i hope the best for em.
