October 9th, 2008

Microlies From Microsoft Games

Before anything else, I must repeat one thing - there are games coming from Microsoft Game Studios, especially those belonging to the Age of Empires franchise, that I am crazy about. I don't have anything against Microsoft and their involvement in the games world, but I am always extremely amused by their declarations inflating the contribution to the gaming world. I usually call them "microlies," and today I'll tell you about their latest occurrence.

Right after his keynote presentation at the Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft's John Schappert said "The innovation criticism is almost ironic to me. You've got the Xbox, which is the console that pioneered hard drives, broadband gaming, online gaming, Achievements and gamercards. It's the console that arguably pioneered first-person shooters in your living room, wireless controllers...

I could go on." To top it all with a nice cherry, he even said Microsoft games "shaped the industry forever." Oh, really? Good to know that!

While saying that Nintendo's Miis are "wonderful," Mr. Schappert claims Microsoft's introduction of avatars is far from a copycat move, being simply an extension of the 360 gamercard. "With respect to Avatars - Miis are wonderful. Nintendo has done great things. But avatars are just a logical extension of what we've had already. We've had a gamercard and a gamer pic; I want to take that to the next level. Now we've got Live parties, we launched the first video store... "

Sure - nobody denies the contribution Microsoft had to home gaming, especially by introducing the "gamer's delight" that is Windows Vista... but other than that, it's more about having the manpower and the financial resources to take something that already exists and make it larger, not necessarily better.

That's what I think, and I'm not claiming to be right, but before pushing me to the wall, take a look at the interview with Microsoft Games' John Schappert, and then get back here to tell me what is wrong and what is right. What do you think the gaming world would lose if Microsoft Games would simply vanish from the gaming history books?