Microsoft creating a gaming portable?
by Adams Briscoe 
{ Mar 20th 2006 at 11:00AM }
Just when you thought Microsoft was getting used to this whole home console thing with the Xbox franchise, they go and try to rock the socks off gamers in the handheld department. That's the word on the streets anyway. According to a writer named Dean Takahashi, the software giant will be going head-to-head-to-head with major portable makers like Nintendo and Sony.
The idea here is obviously to take on the Powers That Be like the DS, PSP and the iPod even (because who can resist doing that). On the team is Greg Gibson who was also on the 360 crew. So let's cut to the chase then: will this device be able to interface with the Xbox 360? All indications point to "Yes." We could see some pretty sweet interactivity here between the two. What with it being able to play video and music (did we already mention games?) we might even see it integrate with Xbox Live via the 360 to take advantage of trailers and other media.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to see it benefit from Xbox Live Arcade either (Geometry Wars to-go). Of course we still have to wait for some official word before we let all the speculation hit the fan. But at any rate, what other benefits could you see a portable gaming device use in conjunction with the Xbox 360?
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
djphatjive @ Mar 20th 2006 11:10AM
How about a "Portable gaming devise" That acually played games. F*** the psp, Its a movie machine. There are like 10 games for that thing. Nintendo DS, Well I think there are 11 for that. So come on. Just make a portable game machine that plays ONLY GAMES!!!!!!!!! SCREW MOVIES AND MUSIC!!!!!!
Paul @ Mar 20th 2006 11:53AM
This would be my dream machine. Primarily a hard drive based portable audio/video player with the added ability to play Live arcade games. Don't try to make it a media based gaming device like the PSP, that market would be tough to crack. However, if they pitch the device as more of a casual games device and make it look pretty it would be a serious iPod killer!
pennywise969 @ Mar 20th 2006 1:22PM
Deja Vu? This is funny because it seems like we were talking about this a month or 2 ago, and then the Oragami stuff started to leak and we thought Oragami was a gaming device, now its back to rumors. I hope they make a great handheld and knock it out of the park. Hopefully they learn a lession from the current handheld arena. Gamers want innovation and gameplay more then they want to watch movies and listen to music. Its great if it can do both, but if I have to pick one, games and innovation all the way.
Sense @ Mar 20th 2006 1:47PM
I wasn't too excited about this until someone mentioned the possibility of XBLA games hitting the portable. That would be incredible. If they can make this with an attractive price, they might just pull me away from my DS.
And, for Godssakes, learn a lesson from Sony and put some onboard memory on it. I hated the PSP because it was crippled right out of the box, no media software and no storage (32 MB does not count.)
jaemz @ Mar 20th 2006 2:02PM
I am not much of a fan for portable game machines, but if they could make it usable with my X360... I may be interested.
an idea: remove the HUD from games and put them on my controller (I would like to try the controller above). Including my HUD, XBL friends list and media menu on the controller would rock.
wizard @ Mar 20th 2006 3:46PM
That's not a bad idea jaemz. I like the way you think man!
I'm not a big fan of portable gaming - but I'll wait and see how this (if at all) turns out.
Dave @ Mar 20th 2006 4:20PM
I could see things like friends list on controller and messages, but not anything like health, ammo or any other piece of info, because when you are playing a fast paced rpg you dont have time to look at your controller and if u do, your dead.
Dave @ Mar 20th 2006 4:22PM
rpg?!?!? I meant FPS...
Don Wilson @ Mar 20th 2006 5:02PM
If it plays Xbox Live Arcade games I'll be in heaven. I love those little games.
BTW, the image above if from a magazine called 'Mobile' that designed their own Xbox portable (not exactly sure if that's the right one, but it should be).
Raymond "Rayeh" Dubisky @ Mar 20th 2006 7:09PM
Moving the HUD to the controller is a bad idea. The HUD is for displaying information that you need to be able to check with a quick glance, not down at your controller.
Anyone remember the Visual Memory Units on the Dreamcast? They were incredibly neat at the time, but how many times did you ACTUALLY look down at it? When you're playing the game, looking away is not the best idea.