We now take a break from your regularly scheduled gaming news for a little bit of good, old-fashioned technology speculation. In a recent article from gamesindustry.biz, Director of Digital Foundry Richard Leadbetter published his own personal thoughts regarding Microsoft’s next operating system and the potential convergence it could have with the Xbox 360 and other devices. While it will be some time until Microsoft itself unveils the details of Windows 8, Leadbetter is fully focused on both the possible utilities of the new OS as well as the obstacles in the way of its integration.
“There have been plenty of rumours about current generation Xbox 360 integration into Windows 8 – even down to a suggested leak of a subscription-based service that would allow 360 titles to run on Windows 8-equipped PCs,” says Richard Leadbetter.
The article goes on to discuss that there are a number of hurtles for Microsoft to overcome should this bit of internet gossip bear fruit. For one thing, the CPU chipset for the Xbox 360 is so powerful that the hardware to run 360 games on a home computer would require a pretty hefty investment – one that would definitely deter the more casual gamers out there. There is also the concern of whether or not Microsoft would stand to lose more money by allowing those interested in the 360 gaming library to bypass purchasing a 360 system altogether. Again, a lot of this does hinge on those web rumblings of cross-platform play being true.
Beyond that rumor, there is also the potential convergence of the various media services that Microsoft offers its customers across its devices. Between popular internet sites and services such as Facebook and Netflix, there are a number of programs and up-and-coming streaming sites such as Turntable.fm which could really help separate 360 from its competitors should Windows 8 perform the sort of functions that speculators are expecting. The article itself is a lengthy one, but certainly a fascinating read.
[Source: Games Industry Biz]
