Microsoft considering licensing Xbox to other companies

Looks like Microsoft’s still a software company at heart after all. Despite the success of the Xbox and its aggressive pre-launch campaign for the upcoming Xbox 360, the company has begun hinting that it might license the Xbox’s basic software to other companies, which could incorporate Xbox functionality in devices such as cable boxes and TVs. The move could bolster the Xbox in its battle against Sony’s Playstation, and could establish it as a Windows-like platform, rather than a hardware console. It could also get Microsoft out of the low-margin hardware business, letting it focus on the more lucrative software market.

Source: Engadget

If Sony does not follow suit, the Playstation is done.

Windows vs. OSX

I think it's a great idea.

Apple computers are a niche market while Windows-based PC's are ubiquitous.

gates is trying to make it to a trillion before he dies.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Busyman

If Sony does not follow suit, the Playstation is done.

Windows vs. OSX

I think it's a great idea.

Apple computers are a niche market while Windows-based PC's are ubiquitous.

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just had a terrible mental image of nintendo revolution shrink-wrapped next to the counter at walmart :fear:

Yup another reason why 360 will overcome ps3. By microsoft allowing other companies to make to licence it , this will definetely allow the system itself to do a whole lot more. WTF ps3 is using an osx operating system? GAY. I wanna be able to use my console with my pc... let's just hope the article is true..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Formula1

Yup another reason why 360 will overcome ps3. By microsoft allowing other companies to make to licence it , this will definetely allow the system itself to do a whole lot more. WTF ps3 is using an osx operating system? GAY. I wanna be able to use my console with my pc... let's just hope the article is true..

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No silly.

Xbox doesn't use Windows either. Get it?

why would anyone want to license it..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Formula1

Yup another reason why 360 will overcome ps3. By microsoft allowing other companies to make to licence it , this will definetely allow the system itself to do a whole lot more. WTF ps3 is using an osx operating system? GAY. I wanna be able to use my console with my pc... let's just hope the article is true..

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what Busyman meant: the marketing strategy described in the article vs the traditional console strategy? it's like the difference between Windows and OSX.

with Windows, Microsoft is just the software company and then you can plunk Windows into any cheap PC. you don't need to buy a whole COMPUTER from Microsoft. if you want to use OSX (with any degree of speed or functionality) then you have to buy an expensive Mac from Apple, because Apple is really a computer company rather than a software company.

at least on paper, this is a good theory for grabbing a larger market share away from Sony. if MS lets people have the option of buying cheaper Xbox360 "clones" from other companies (while Sony makes people buy the one & only Sony-model PS3 for a higher price)... a significant number of shoppers will choose Xbox360 just based on the lower price. or like the article suggests "hey my cable company offers a cable box which can play Xbox360 games... i can kill two birds with one stone, instead of buying an Xbox360 separately!" remember MS's end-goal is not to sell Xboxes, it's to get Xbox360 into people's houses so they'll buy games to play on it.

nope, there not doing it:ohmy::(:cry:

FROM ENGADGET

Microsoft says they’re actually not licensing Xbox software to other manufacturers



Oh, uh, you can scratch that story from yesterday about how Microsoft was supposedly thinking about licensing the Xbox 360’s software to other hardware makers. Despite what Bill G. reportedly said in a Japanese newspaper, Microsoft has come out and said straight up that this ain’t happening—at least not right now.


source

oh well. in case anyone missed the "Tray And Play" story a few months ago, this might help keep up your boners for Microsoft:

Quote:

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In the meantime, Lester reaffirmed his group's commitment to making Windows gaming "a simple, straightforward, and robust experience" that isn't marked by long game-install times, driver conflicts, and downloading patches. To this end, we were shown a demonstration of "Tray and Play" with the PC version of Need For Speed Underground 2. "Tray and Play" is exactly what it sounds like--dropping a game disc into an optical drive and loading it up immediately, rather than having to install it to a hard drive. True to form, the game itself cut straight to a start-up screen in less than a minute (including the game's own built-in load time). Lester suggested that this functionality will take advantage of the generally faster optical drives that most consumers have, and that some games might be able to run directly off the disc, or use minimal caching.

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from: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03...s_6120176.html

in short: "Tray And Play" = running PC games from your DVD-Rom drive with no installation necessary. just like a game console! neato.

Their smart it's the games that make money. Tell me I'm wrong but do you not see that in video cards ? Made by ATI , Powered by Ati ? Whars the difference . More studios making games for Xbox , We win again .

It isn't that the basic Xbox firmware they need to port to other hardware - It's the fact that they need to change how they licence the bloody dev kit.

For a while, Sony have freely made available a PS2 Community Dev Kit for ~£100 and built a development community around it. Although based mainly on PC technologies Microsoft only licence their dev kits, and Nintendo's dev kit you'd might as well saw your arm off if you aren't a developer.

And now (through gritted teeth I say this), the PS2 seems to have the more original games, then the Xbox then GC. Notice a pattern? :no:

If Microsoft really want dominance, they can be more liberal with their dev kit and let more than the major companies create more games that aren't FPSs or sports/racing games. :dry:

You can get the dev kits or the SKD in warez :lol:

I mean officially.

You think any developer who gets the dev kits would happily sell their games on without the manufacturers thinking about the lack of their "official" dev kit? :P