Rumor: Microsoft's answer to Home? My GamerPad [Update]

by Xav de Matos { Jun 26th 2008 at 6:55PM }

Update: Joystiq received an official statement regarding this rumor, "Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation." Meanwhile at 4chan, posters are claiming the images were created as an intentional joke. While verification is difficult because of the Anonymous posting method of the site we're going to have to reiterate our feeling that My GamerPad looks too fake (and crappy) to be legit. Photoshopped image looks photoshopped.

A rumor that began on the 4chan message boards is lighting up the internet this evening. The rumor is fueled by two images of what is supposedly the Xbox 360's answer to the PS3 Home service. Utilizing the already rumored Avatars, My GamerPad appears to be a virtual home for the cartoon-like characters. While in a perfect world we'd like to think every rumor is true, this one seems a little too out of left field. Firstly, and let's be honest, it looks terrible. Secondly, Home has yet to release -- let alone establish itself as a viable online service. Why copy a concept that has seen more delays than Duke Nukem Forever (of course we're kidding)? If it happens to be true, and we assume it's a gag from the Photoshopping aficionados from 4Chan, we're going to go ahead and Opt Out now. Check out the My GamerPad logo after the jump.

Note: Just so we're clear, 4chan is not a trustworthy source hence our apprehension to believe this rumor. Nevertheless, it's our job to report these rumors.

[Thanks, Newson]

Just. Wow.

Tags: home, my-gamerpad, xbox-live

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Dwag @ Jun 26th 2008 7:03PM

Are you serious all this stuff just takes gamers out of there games i think Home won't really do much but now Microsoft trying to copy something that only takes a gamer out of his game.

kevin @ Jun 26th 2008 9:42PM

u gotta be shittin me dude fuck microsoft be original u fags.

LilTmac2003 @ Jun 26th 2008 11:23PM

Dude, I don't really tend to bash on other consoles, for all consoles are unique in there very own way...

'be original u fags.'

So, you want Microsoft to be original.

Let's see how Sony, has borrowed the idea of others. So, Wii came out first, with motion in a controller, is that not stealing an idea.

Sony continuously said, 'rumble feedback in a controller is last gen,'. yet gamers are pleased with rumble with the 360 and Wii controller, what does Sony do, releases the Dual Shock 3.

Now, All 3 consoles are special in there own way, but don't bash on one console, saying, they are fags for not being original.

DelSource @ Jun 29th 2008 7:56AM

@LilTmac2003,

Nintendo didn't invent the Wiimote. And you can't call Sony copyists about rumble - they had it for years and it was the court case which forced them to launch with SIXAXIS, bringing DS back later. You know it so quit telling bull$hit.

Back to the Wiimote. There is a complex and interesting history to the idea of the motion sensing game controller. Elliot Myers set up GameTrak in 1989 and started work on such a proposal. Then, about seven years ago a company called Gyration approached Nintendo and pitched what we now call the Wiimote to them. [Nintendo fanboys will claim an earlier project by the Japanese company but no proof has ever been presented other than their whiney protestations]. Gyration brought another company into the project, called Bridge Design. Apparently the resulting hardware looked quite different from what we now know, but Nintendo knew where to go to steal a good form factor design to cover the electronic bits......

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jakeway/Pics/GreenHillZone/DreamcastWond.jpg

Does that look familiar? That would be Sega's prototype Dreamcast motion sensing controller from..........about 1999. You know, many years before the Wii was even thought of.

Unfortunately Nintendo fans are a lot like Apple fans. Just like the LG Prada has been wiped from history and the Koreans' phones are now mocked as "iPhone ripoffs and clones", gaming fans refuse to acknowledge the genesis of Nintendo's so-called "revolutionary" Wiimote.

Now: how are those highly original Xbox Mii's and motion sensing controller coming along?

Xav de Matos @ Jun 29th 2008 2:42PM

@DelSource: If you really want to make that argument then you should remember that Microsoft created and released the motion sensitive controller, the Sidewinder Freestyle Pro controller in 1998.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1998/may98/devicepr.mspx

webster1990 @ Jun 26th 2008 7:03PM

haha, 4chan FTW!

yeah, this looks awful. I hope to god if this is true that these are pictures from early, early in development.

Aegis @ Jun 26th 2008 7:06PM

Trusting 4Chan for Xbox 360 rumors? How low can you go? I kid.

:p

xenocidic @ Jun 27th 2008 8:19AM

Anonymous never lies

Conor @ Jun 26th 2008 7:15PM

4chan ain't the most reliable place...

I wouldn't recommend checking that place out if you never heard of it.

Kamal @ Jun 26th 2008 7:15PM

The gradient of the shadow of the character is wrong.

Dwag @ Jun 26th 2008 7:17PM

Home won't be that great I mean why would I need an avatar I barely use the Miis but yet I'm gonna make an avatar for Home.

Unless I'm forced to Home will probably never get used other than once.

Sean @ Jun 26th 2008 7:18PM

Wow... that's...great.

Althought how cool would it be if they could deliver their version of home before home even released?

What I think would be cool would be a hub world like Lego Star Wars where each door leads to a cool casual or triva game or game show using the Xboxatars.

Anton @ Jun 26th 2008 9:03PM

Or... you know... XBLA games ;)

Sean @ Jun 26th 2008 10:13PM

Yeah but free... i.e. included with your xbox live gold account.

Yeah TB @ Jun 26th 2008 7:19PM

The house/"pad" in the start screen looks a little on the phallic side.

Not happening.

Etchasketchist @ Jun 26th 2008 7:20PM

Boo.

Fix the D-Pad

Forget the GamerPad

Xav de Matos @ Jun 26th 2008 7:22PM

I see what you did there.

john paul @ Jun 26th 2008 9:44PM

Funny... :)

muffinmanlan @ Jun 26th 2008 7:21PM

no,just no

Leatherface @ Jun 26th 2008 7:23PM

facepalm.jpg.

Xav de Matos @ Jun 26th 2008 8:28PM

epic_facepalm.gif

qbix @ Jun 26th 2008 7:23PM

Looks like somebody doesn't know how to use photoshop. I mean, brush stoke legs, horrible shading on the shirt, the shadow projecting a silhouette as if the character is being lit from the back even though it's being cast to the left. Also the pot's shadow is conforming to the ground shapes, something the character's shadow isn't doing. The title image also needs work. It's a poor attempt in my opinion.

If MS is working on something like home and Miis, I'd advise them to let Rare handle this task.

Dwag @ Jun 26th 2008 7:25PM

Oh I forgot to say M$ has money but yet this is the best they can produce.

I like the name but wouldn't it just be better to buy second life and intergrate it into the 360.

My GamerPad sound better than Home.

Arnon @ Jun 26th 2008 11:12PM

It's freakin' photoshop..

Arno @ Jun 26th 2008 7:27PM

What do you say to this Mr. Schwarzenegger?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QBBoGMLMJxA

Hmmm, yes, that's interesting.

ZenGaijin @ Jun 26th 2008 7:32PM

Ok, can we just make one console now? They are doing the same fucking thing and its really getting silly. There is no need to have 3 consoles that do the same thing.

Imagine if you had to have 3 DVDs players in order to play the DVD you purchased.

Xav de Matos @ Jun 26th 2008 7:33PM

Kind of the point of this week's Would You Rather.

Perno @ Jun 26th 2008 7:42PM

The only reason this might be real would be to bring in little gamers. Young ones, not midgets.

Boff @ Jun 27th 2008 4:37AM

What have you got against midgets?? They're allowed to game too!!

Muffin_man @ Jun 26th 2008 7:43PM

You honestly think 4chan has secret pictures? It's an obvious fake.

Please only report news from reliable sources, not some site that talks about child pornography and porn all day.

Xav de Matos @ Jun 26th 2008 7:46PM

Chill. We report news as well as rumors. It was lighting up NeoGaf and before even more tips poured it we reported it. Also, we also call it fake due to the source.

todd @ Jun 26th 2008 8:07PM

hahaha nice one, looks horrible bout this is real at all.

High-Brow Mouse @ Jun 26th 2008 8:23PM

Pics or it didn't happen.

Muffin_man @ Jun 26th 2008 8:23PM

I didn't mean for it to sound like a flame but please, rumours are fine but rumours from 4chan makes me mad. If you are even a semi-regular visitor to that site you should know that everyone posted their is fake unless it is backed up with a credible source (yes some rumours have been broken on 4chan but they always had some form of proof)

I have no problem with rumours, just not rumours from 4chan, please.

Xav de Matos @ Jun 26th 2008 8:29PM

To be honest I wouldn't have really paid any attention to it if it wasn't for the tips and the massive threads @ neogaf.

I don't like 4chan. Everything we hated on during the Fancast begins its miserable life there.

erico316 @ Jun 26th 2008 8:47PM

home is a great idea.Tis mygamerpad is a bad idea and doesnt go well for a next gen system.If mircosoft want to counter sony home they neeed to come out with a idea.it whatever a new idea is what we want not a rip off.

alliekins @ Jun 26th 2008 9:04PM

RULES 1 & 2

AoE @ Jun 26th 2008 9:07PM

Lol... outside of the source of the rumor making the chances of this being fake very, very high... Honestly a crayon-style title-screen? I somehow doubt MS would do that when their core group of owners lean heavily toward dark and violent games like Gears of War and Halo. Crayon seems a much better fit for the wii than the 360.

MolotovMan1263 @ Jun 26th 2008 9:35PM

what exactly is that avatar doing in the pic on the main page....?

KampfVerein @ Jun 26th 2008 10:20PM

It appears to be the Nazi salute. Sieg heil!

YoRone22 @ Jun 26th 2008 10:05PM

Everyone at 4chan is laughing their asses off.

BananaBoat @ Jun 26th 2008 10:46PM

This has Lulzget written all over it.

Delirium @ Jun 26th 2008 11:11PM

Uh, 'collectibles' is spelled wrong. Think Microsoft is that dumb?

Fail.

Morgon @ Jun 26th 2008 11:31PM

Actually, both spellings are accepted as correct.

However, it's interesting to note that -able is typically a British English spelling, and -ible the American spelling...

One could argue that since Microsoft is an American company, they would almost certainly use the American spelling; however, these leaked screens could have come from a British version. :P

All in all, there are bigger issues with the image than this word. :)

Dwag @ Jun 26th 2008 11:15PM

Hows Home a great idea?

It takes you out the gaming world and puts you into a world that mimicks real life if I wanted that I'd either go outside and play ball or go on the computer and go to some real life simulation thing.

Tony @ Jun 26th 2008 11:27PM

The "collectables" and shadow thing are just too much for me to even remotely think this is a real deal. That and it's just so hideous that I can't imagine MS showing it off.

Go and look at that image that was being sent around for the Avatars again. They might be cartoony, but they're certainly nicely rendered. This thing looks like it's made out of silly putty lol.

I think someone just sat and said "MS is copying Wii, what if they copied PSN too!?!?". Here's the result.

iFester @ Jun 26th 2008 11:43PM

Over at PS3Fanboy Sony will be doing something similar to the Wii Weather Channel. I do agree all consoles are unique in their own way, but Nintendo has the ideas for the global market while Sony and Microsoft have the HD and Hard Core market. Now it feels like immulation is the key to success this generation so we'll see a lot of similar features with all consoles. Everybody Wins!