Moore loves up Vista
Open letter says PC gaming 'renaissance' is upon us.
Microsoft's Peter Moore has issued an open letter to the press with the aim of getting us PUMPED about the impending launch of Windows Vista - and primarily emphasising just how important the company believes games will be to the operating system's success.
"When we merged the gaming team from Windows into the Interactive Entertainment Group, we did so to kick off a renaissance in PC gaming, fuelled by two factors: the release of Windows Vista and a revitalised commitment to the platform," Moore writes.
The message seems to be that Microsoft has finally realised that around 200 million people worldwide use PCs for gaming and its dalliances in Xbox land aren't going to cut it where all of them are concerned. And so the company plans a range of initiatives, some of which we've already heard about.
For a start, Vista introduces DirectX 10 - a new layer of graphical capacity that existing operating systems won't be able to reach for - with components like NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 series graphics cards helping bring Crysis, Age of Conan, Supreme Commander and Flight Simulator X to new life. The latter will see an update "later this year", Moore writes.
There's also the integration with Xbox Live. "We're calling it LIVE, and it's as simple as its name. Now, gamers on both Xbox and Windows will have one identity, one friends list, and one consistent set of experiences that will travel with them across both platforms," Moore explains. Again. Uno, Shadowrun and Halo 2 are once again name-checked as the first wave.
But Microsoft also aims to get the Minesweeper crowd more involved by expanding its Microsoft Casual Games range. "Right now Microsoft casual games reach 120 million people every month, and by 2008 the annual revenue for casual games is expected to reach $1.5 billion. To meet this rapidly rising demand, Microsoft Casual Games will roll out eight Windows Vista-optimized titles in 2007 on the MSN Games website, including Luxor 2, Bliss Island, Crystal Quest, Spinword, Jewel Quest 2, 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, Darwinia, and the runaway Xbox Live Arcade hit Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved," Moore reveals.
His conclusion is that the future looks bright. Orange's legal department probably feels the same way. "Here's to a spectacular launch," Moore finishes. Just how spectacular, we'll find out at the end of the month. You can read Moore's whole love letter on Gamerscoreblog.