The software giant released Kinect for Windows, a $250 motion sensor marketed toward businesses, not gamers.
It was a year of crippling -- and creative -- hacks, a year of blockbuster sequels and (yet again) a year of slinging vengeful birds at corpulent pigs.
Microsoft released an Xbox Live app for iOS devices on Wednesday, bringing features of Microsoft's gaming service to Apple devices for the first time.
An update rolling out Tuesday for the Xbox Live network aims to do what Microsoft has been teasing for a while -- turn a platform designed primarily for video games into one that will be the major hub for all television viewing.
Live TV on the Xbox and a more mature second generation of games for the Kinect were among the promises at a Microsoft briefing Monday in advance of the E3 video-game expo.
Microsoft announces new Kinect features, live TV and an exciting new game for XBox 360 at E3 2011.
Spring has officially sprung for the video game industry, with new systems such as Nintendo's glasses-free, handheld 3DS and new titles such as "Crysis 2" and "Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars" leading the charge.
Classic movies, music and books all enjoy healthy reprints and ardent fan followings. But given ever-changing technology and fans' limited attention spans, classic video games are often left to molder in obscurity, cosigned to download from dubiously legal "abandonware" sites.
From the Nintendo 3DS's ability to grab titles on demand to the increasing popularity of retail sites like Steam and Direct2Drive.com, downloadable games will be everywhere in 2011.
My heels are bleeding, I haven't eaten a real meal in four days, and I can't fit all my swag in my suitcase -- but such is a typical end to the Consumer Electronics Show.
Microsoft on Wednesday announced plans to redefine television as a medium that viewers can control by waving their hands and talking rather than clicking on remotes.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's CES kick-off speech unveiled new sales stats on the company's big holiday hit: its Kinect motion-sensor gaming platform, which sold 8 million units in its first 60 days.
With hundreds of titles available in dozens of genres, choosing a holiday gift for the gamer on your list is never simple. It's even harder in 2010, with thousands of downloadable games, social games and iPhone apps competing for gamers' attention, as well.
If there's one fundamental truth about video games, it's that smash hits tend to leave a lasting impression.
Not far away, there's a town called Selah that has become something of a rallying cry for the 15 or so people gathered in a windowless conference room on Microsoft's sprawling corporate campus here.
Atari is hoping that taking an iconic 30-year-old title and adding up-to-date graphics and new enemies while retaining the classic feel and playability will produce a game for parents and kids alike.
From the ultraviolent side-scrolling brawler "Shank" to the tomb-raiding adventure "Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light" or the trigger-mashing blaster "Monday Night Combat," there's been no shortage of enticing video games lately.
Microsoft will be offering up a new Xbox 360 wireless controller starting this fall that features an adjustable directional-control pad (D-pad).
The more things change, the more they play the same.
Downloading games straight to your favorite handheld or set-top video game system has quickly emerged as one of the simplest, most wallet-friendly ways to get the most from your gaming dollar.
Summer is a great time to barbecue, hit the beach or get out and explore the town. But for gamers it's often a huge disappointment, as the flow of new releases generally slows to a trickle.
Even as gaming begins to challenge television as a leading mass entertainment medium, the industry continues to struggle with the serialized model that's made broadcast programming a nightly must-see for many.
For video gamers, the fall season is both a blessing and a curse. While many high-quality titles debut around this time each year, there are only so many dollars to go around.
It's oh-so enticing: you find a copy of a brand new game like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on a pirate site and the temptation to download it is too strong.
Two new sci-fi video games cast you in the futuristic role of a space marine who must face off against deadly creatures.
Not all presents are available in retail stores. Many are only accessible via digital download, including a handful of excellent titles on GameTap, Nintendo's Virtual Console, the PlayStation Network, and Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade.
The FCC dismissed a proposal to build a system that would provide free high-speed Internet service across the nation.
Not only is Microsoft Game Studios' "Halo 3" the most eagerly anticipated video game of the year -- it achieved a milestone of a million preorders two months ago -- but this action sci-fi series has become a cultural phenomenon, spawning novels, comics, action figures and a top-secret project with Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson ("The Lord of the Rings. The Return of the King").
Sports video games are like birthdays: You more or less know what to expect when they roll around each year, but some are simply better than others.
Cadillac tried a novel approach last year to get young male car buyers excited about its tricked-out V-Series Collection luxury vehicles. Rather than make its pitch through magazines, TV commercials, or online display ads, the automaker took its campaign to the Xbox 360.
If you listen closely, you might just be able to hear a confused video gamer struggling to find the single-player story mode in "Shadowrun," the latest video game published by Microsoft Game Studios.
Racing fans, listen up. If you think you've got what it takes to drive competitively, you can put your clutch where your mouth is with Microsoft Game Studios' "Forza Motorsport 2," a high-definition sequel to the hit 2005 racing simulator.
Sony is giving PlayStation 3 owners the chance to mingle and share.
Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are making significant progress in the battle for the living room. A new study by Nielsen finds more than 41 percent of U.S. homes have a gaming system - an 18.5 percent increase from 2004.
Whether it's a future conflict on city streets or a 60-year-old war by sea and air, Microsoft Xbox 360 owners have two new action games to fight through with "Crackdown" and "Battlestations: Midway."
Despite all the media attention surrounding the two new gaming consoles -- Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii -- the hottest action game of the holidays is a Microsoft Xbox 360 exclusive.
I've always taken great pride in finding just the right holiday gift for people, but it's proving to be a challenge with those darn video game executives I've got on my list. I mean, these are the people who are in charge of the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii. They know from good gifts!
As Americans go to the polls in one of the most fiercely fought and closely watched mid-term elections Tuesday, investors looked poised to give a mixed vote for stocks in the early going.
Microsoft is getting into the movie business. The company will announce plans Tuesday for Xbox 360 owners to buy or rent films and television shows via its online Xbox Live Marketplace.
The days of the Saturday matinee may have long faded from the local cinema, but they could be rising again in the world of video games like "Half-Life 2" and "Halo."
Three years ago, Force 10 networks faced a bleak future. Telecoms, the major customers for its high-speed data switches, were collapsing. Then Google ordered a batch of switches for a major expansion of its data centers - and has been buying ever since. "It put the company on the path to the big time," says Gary Morgenthaler, general partner at Morgenthaler Ventures, an investor in Force 10. The startup is reported to have hit $60 million in revenue in 2005 and is expected to file for an IPO soon.
You didn't buy your Xbox 360 to play table tennis.
THREE YEARS AGO, FORCE 10 NETWORKS FACED A bleak future. Telecoms, the major customers for its high-speed data switches, were collapsing. Then Google ordered a batch of switches for a major expansi...
Grand Theft Auto is coming to the Xbox 360 - and Halo 3's not far behind it.
Ray Ozzie spent most of his career competing with Microsoft. Now, as one of its top executives, he's trying to jolt the company out of complacency and help it figure out how to compete with the likes of Google.
Business 2.0: Lighting Up Microsoftupdated: Mon May 01 2006 00:01:00
Ray Ozzie spent most of his career competing with Microsoft. Now, as one of its top executives, he's trying to jolt the company out of complacency and help it figure out how to compete with the lik...
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - While there's no denying the horsepower underneath the hood of the Xbox 360, technological superiority doesn't mean much if there aren't any great games to capitalize on it.
CNNMoney: Playing for keepsupdated: Thu Nov 17 2005 14:33:00
Microsoft's got game. After plunging an estimated $4 billion into the development and marketing of its Xbox videogame console, the centerpiece of its strategy to expand from the office to the living room, Microsoft has taken the wraps off its next-generation game box, the Xbox 360. And judging from the features Microsoft has packed into the new box, it's clear the company is playing for keeps.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - For gaming's most enthusiastic fans, the question of whether to get an Xbox 360 was answered long ago. It would be the first entry in the next generation and a status symbol amongst their friends. But is there a reason for the rest of the world - gaming or otherwise - to rush stores?
It's tough to say which is worse: spending $50 on a dull racing game or finding that it exploits a "gangsta" lifestyle with its insulting racial stereotypes and excessive language.
Don't be fooled by the cute little squirrel that stars in Microsoft Game Studios' "Conker: Live & Reloaded" -- this is not a game for the kids.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The video game industry loves to compare itself to Hollywood.
I must admit that for a long time I thought the idea of online gaming on my computer was pointless. Why would I want to chat with other gamers in these virtual worlds when I could have as much fun playing solo offline?
Gaming behemoths Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo took the wraps off their respective next-generation gaming machines on the eve of the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3.
LOS ANGELES (CNN/Money) - When Microsoft launches the Xbox 360 later this year, it's going to have a lot of games to go with it.
After months of teases, hints and leaks, Microsoft has finally --officially -- unveiled its next generation video game machine.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Dear Bill,
Combine a military action shooter such as "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon" with the most coveted sci-fi universe this side of Tatooine and you'll end up with LucasArts "Star Wars: Republic Commando," a new squad-based adventure that drops you into the middle of an intergalactic conflict of good versus evil.
After more than a year of teases and false starts, Microsoft is finally starting to talk about its next generation game machine.
If you are looking to spice up your gaming console or Windows-based PC, pick up an accessory for your system.
CNNMoney: Up next: Xbox 2updated: Thu Jan 06 2005 11:51:00
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - New year, new hardware. Welcome to 2005 - when things should get really interesting for the gaming industry.
"Halo 2," which went on sale in November, shattered video game sales records, but does it live up to the hype? Yes. And in spades.
Here's the problem if you've got an avid gamer on your holiday shopping list: They probably have all the hot holiday games already.
CNNMoney: Xbox hugs Ms. Pac Manupdated: Wed Oct 13 2004 16:10:00
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Since it hit streets three years ago, Microsoft's Xbox has been a machine that has catered to the hard-core gamer.
It's the bottom of the ninth and the bases are loaded. The Yankees and Red Sox are tied 4-4 when New York's Alex Rodriguez steps up to the plate -- literally engulfed in flames as a result of his "hot" performance -- and sends a ball out of the stadium and into the scoreboard, smashing it to pieces. The crowd goes wild.
LOS ANGELES (CNN/Money) - I was a Pac Man baby.
More than a year after launching the online component of the Xbox, Microsoft has finally brought the gaming industry's largest publisher on board.
There may be some truth to the old saying "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." But you have to copy carefully when it comes to the world of video game emulating.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - When you're a small business and you overlook a detail, it often goes unnoticed. When you're a multimillion or multibillion dollar business, it opens up the opportunity for someone to make you look foolish.
ELECTRONICS Palm OS Handhelds With ARM Chips
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