Microsoft prepares to launch totally new Xbox Live service
By Triston McIntyre
As if the rumors that Microsoft has a brand spanking new Blu-ray drive add-on ready for release by May aren’t enough to get your 360-addicted blood flowing, try this on for size: Microsoft has begun assembling a team to develop and release a completely new Xbox Live service that is intended to hook “mainstream audiences.”
I’m surprised it has taken this long for the job listing to get posted, as it has been available since early January; perhaps that says something about the industry’s faith in Microsoft nowadays. Regardless, in this job posting over at Microsoft’s job board, you’ll find a very exciting set of positions that are open for those interested in being a part of the next Xbox Live team.
Here’s a snippet of the most exciting bits of the listing:
Join the server-backed games team, part of the Xbox LIVE team that’s responsible for creating a completely new way for mainstream audiences to enjoy the Xbox and LIVE.
We’re building the games, the console interface and logic, and the server support for a totally new LIVE experience. Both the games and the dashboard experience will be deeply paired with dynamic server support to create a compelling, fresh scenario each time.
Though the job listing is obviously very vague (for good reasons), it does elude to something that fans and non-fans of Xbox Live should look forward to.
My guess is that, like the Blu-ray player add-on that is rumored to hit shelves come May, Microsoft is doing what it can to make its console as competitive with the PS3 as possible. As it stands, Sony’s PS3 online community and interface have a lot of fans.
The biggest reason for the popularity of the PS3 interface is its completely free nature; Xbox Live is still a pay service, and many customers are quite sour about paying for a service that, at least within the last couple months, experience more outages and issues than not.
If you were to ask me, I’d say that mainstream audiences want an online service that is free, not one that requires money. Whether that is what Microsoft has in mind is something completely different.
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February 19th, 2008
I’d definitely be interested in getting a blu-ray addon if i get a HDTV. The new live service will be interesting. Free Xbox live Gold would be great, but I doubt that will ever happen. I don’t mind paying the $50 a week, I can’t say that I am that tight to complain about that.
February 20th, 2008
Xbox Live will die when Sony’s PLAYSTATION 3 service HOME comes out this fall.
February 20th, 2008
That’s right Ivan. 18 million people will simultaneously stop using Xbox Live because a system that they don’t have will be launching a new online service…..
February 20th, 2008
you think 18 mill are using Live Bigfella? better rethink that one
February 20th, 2008
Yeah, its hardly 18 million. And no, it won’t just go away, but I could see there being quite a few defectors.
February 20th, 2008
BTW bigfella, you don’t mind paying $50 a WEEK? That seems awefully expensive to me.
February 20th, 2008
uh…I meant awfully expensive. Sorry.
February 20th, 2008
It’s $50 dollars for a year. The blu-ray will be a nice add on but netflix would be huge for microsoft.
February 20th, 2008
Oops, $50 a year. And 1`million…. damn alcohol and tv, ruins my ability to ..ummm…. look, a bird!
But seriously, Xbox live is definitely not going to die. I am not sold on Home, and won’t be until I see it.
I will consider picking up a PS3 if Home, MGS4 and FF are as good as they are being hyped. Buying a PS3 now, before these games are even out, is as pointless as buying a brand new car when the fuel that runs the car hasn’t been invented yet. Also, there is a better chance of another price cut the longer you wait.