360°

Microsoft showing off their Azure-based cloud game streaming at annual company meeting

Apparently Microsoft showed Halo 4 running on a Windows Phone at their annual company meeting. It is safe to conclude that the game was ‘streamed’ using the cloud based technology called Azure.

With Sony acquiring “Gaikai” cloud service to stream PS3 games to PS4 so that some form of backwards compatibility remains, there were rumours that Microsoft may buy “OnLive”, Gaikai’s competitor, for similar purpose on Xbox One.

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gearnuke.com
georgeenoob3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

WindowsAzure

It's become a namebrand for Windows, that's how you know they aren't playing around.

iamnsuperman3902d ago

I would have preferred a name like Micro-Cloud. I can never say Azure properly. I think if they are going to brand it they might want to think about changing the name. Azure to the random person on the street means nothing but the term cloud is getting more known. I think they need to slip cloud somewhere in there

P0werVR3902d ago

Wow!

I wonder if it's Azure or OnLive doing the streaming.

IDK, streaming? I've tried it a couple times already, and it's not as good than just playing the game. But convenient for other uses I guess.

Eonjay3902d ago

I don't see Microsoft wanting to use Azure to enable backwards compatibility. It doesn't seem to be on the radar for them. I could be wrong. I believe that they may Use it in the same way that Sony suggested; as a means of pushing games to other devices, or even to process games completely on servers and push the video to devices like Xbox One. Thats basically what Gaikai does so its completely possible.

The part that creates confusion is the idea that Azure could be used to modify the graphics of a game running on an Xbox. The demo they used in this article describes a 45ms delay. That is about 45ms too long for remote hardware so this seems alot more realistic.

Still, playing Halo 4 on a phone isn't the answer most gamers are looking for.

Freedomland3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

@georgeenoob

Mostly console gamers don't like to be connected all the time, they like portability and that's why they are console gamers otherwise Pc is a better choice. What is this Cloud Computation? it means if you don't have internet for some reason, you can't be able to play a game or may be play a game but without AI or water downed graphics, this is future, no this is the hurdle in future for the console gamers because they would lose the portability.

Microsoft is nervous with less capable box and that's why they are following the lead of Sony next gen.

http://www.polygon.com/2013...

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3902d ago
come_bom3901d ago

Well... good news for Microsoft. Not every day Microsoft gets good news (gaming related).

Stuntz3902d ago

talk about frickin cool. GO MICROSOFT!

XboxFun3902d ago

Would love to see this happen and bring over your 360 profile and digital games bought.

whoyouwit043902d ago

So you work for microsoft

ShwankyShpanky3902d ago

"Reported for trolling"

Dude, this is the substance of like a third of your posts. And the other two thirds have no substance at all.

"Reported for 'not a reply.' Have a nice day."

Docknoss3902d ago

Your just another cliche jackhoffnmouth, trolling xbox articles to give yourself a warm fuzzy about your choice of console. With every argument being based on hear say instead of actual facts. Your just helping prove that fanboys of both biases our idiots. Idiots like yourself

JackStraw3902d ago

how am i trolling xbox by stating a very simple opinion? you kids whine too much on this site. i'm sorry, they're not going to bring over games you bought digitally lol. neither will sony. is that "trolling"? no. it's stating an opinion that most of you morons will disagree with. but on this site, when people disagree, it's "he's trolling he's a fanboy blah blah blah". sad lol.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 3902d ago
corvusmd3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

What? If they bought "OnLive" that would be insane overkill and PSN would have NO chance of catching up. Current XBL is PSN/Gaikai's competitor...once the new XBL hits, PSN will already be destroyed. Buying a whole separate service just to stream old games would already be unnecessary...but way cool. Leave all those Azure servers for dedicated game servers and cloud computing.

I'll treat this like a rumor for now, but if these hints become true....goodbye Gaikai and PSN...you stand no chance with your P2P online games and old weak free games.

On a side note, I do love how Sony fanboys hear the words "Azure Cloud" and they instantly get defensive...like they KNOW it's a FAR superior online service, but they don't want to admit that it's the one area where either console gets absolutely dominated...because it's not PS4 dominating. None of these kids have used it, but yet they swear that it's nothing and that cloud computing won't work cause you can't do computations online....genius, have you ever wondered how you communicate with other players online? Or did you think of this when you praise Gaikai for streaming full PS3 games? You're right...you can't use online to compute anything or provide any sort of information...

majiebeast3902d ago ShowReplies(2)
Deadpoolio3902d ago

Wow someone is exceptionally delusional.....First off Azure cloud servers are for ALL Microsoft products not just One80 live....So you need to get that notion our of your head that they are all for Xbox.....B IT IS NOT let me repeat that IT IS NOT going to do anything for graphics, Azure is not designed to work with the GPU of anything......

Secondly SONY has their own dedicated servers has since PS2, problem has been not enough servers and morons who don't have a clue how to set up their router.....Oh and BTW currently XBL servers are P2P, your paying $60 per year for P2P matchmaking....

Oh also BTW those Azure cloud servers your jizzing all over A ) they are virtual which isn't the same as a physical server and B ) will be limited by the POWER OF YOUR INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER....So all you Xbots with wal-mart internet your screwed

buynit3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

Well i have great cable internet and since when did walmart give internet Service?!

Lmfao " problem is they don't have enough" yea that's a big problem considering it goes back to the flicking Ps2! But thenyou want to downplay ms for at the very least trying to make cloud more then what it Is? And wtf is everyone so damn concerned with other ppls internet Services like technology has to stop till the whole dam world catches up.. Ppl with that kind of argument must have "walmart internet" cause i know im ready for it and couldn't give a ship if youre not cause you decided to live in the woods or an area with bs monopoly service.

At least we have something to jizz over at least ms is trying to push the envelope then when it happens some how you idiots will be like well Sony did that way back when..

AceBlazer133902d ago

the government should just triple the price of everything while were at it who gives a damn if the average man would be left without.you sure as hell don't do you buynit?

buynit3902d ago

Aceblazer.

Slow down you are reacting off emotion so you are not thinking clearly... What would the government have to do with it other then Taxes?

Its clearly a service that needs to grow and its a service that is suited to be used for the masses, in other words its not going to be used just for the top secret government stuff, eventual it will trickle down to everyone in a affordable price.

I just don't want to wait another 10-20yrs when a lot of the east and west coast is ready. I don't see anyone waiting for me to be able to afford a lambo or a mansion, jet, yacht, shark tank, and they sure as hell not stopping production cause everyone in the world can't afford it...

DoubleM703902d ago

You mad! It's ok they are both working on delivering the same product in the end.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3902d ago
abusador3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

Idiot nonsense as usual, Get a life dude u wish our console of cjphoice was even half as gd as ps4. Keep that theoretical cloud boosting crap over there Lol no one believes ecpxceot then same idiots that got duped by kinect and believed the pr hype lol

Sony has been talking about cloud and streaming games rotor over a year now and here comes Microsoft Lol riding that copying wave, You must love being the cheerleader to the copy cat

Omegasyde3902d ago

You are delusional.

Gaikai is way ahead of Onlive and MS would destroy OnLive if they ever competed. If MS bought Onlive, it would be because it wants to buy it's patents.

OnLive was garbage, as the input lag was horrible. Playing Homefront was absolutely unbearable.
~+1-3 seconds for a button press to respond on screen.

kingPoS3902d ago

The key to cloud based gaming is software. As someone who enjoys both old & new video games, the future looks bright... for both sides.

I don't know why you see it as winner take all. I'd rather Sony Nintendo & Microsoft compete as rivals.

Who'd want to see a monopoly anyway. You must've not have been around 16bit days huh. Sega Genesis & Super Nintendo... those two consoles pushed each other be creative. I doubt Sonic 3 or Starfox would've come about otherwise.

I don't want either of the current three to fail. To have that happen again would be like another Dreamcast tragedy.

DigitalRaptor3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

The words "defensive", "scared" and "blind". You use these, but you're the first here to really try and defend Microsoft and use insecurity as your motive. Fear doesn't even factor into logic. Blind is every word of your defense speech for Microsoft. And you claim anything that posts against your mindset is non-factual - yet nothing you say is actually factual. It's all unsupported fanboy gibberish.
-

"P2P online games and old weak free games."

So much tragic irony on here.

1) Sony has been using dedicated servers on their first and second party games for years, since the PS3's beginnings. Third party publishers have started using dedicated servers and many have also been doing it for years. So for you to state "P2P online", when Microsoft has been charging you for P2P connectivity and features that are free elsewhere with XBL for a decade, is such wonderful irony. Truly laughable. Try and keep up, mate.

2) We've covered this "old, weak" games of PS+ fanboy excuse before. I'm just going to dig up that list I posted a while ago... here it is:

Sleeping Dogs, Hitman Absolution, Spec Ops: The Line, Uncharted 3, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Lego Lord of the Rings, Battlefield 3, Gravity Rush, Xcom: Enemy Unknown, Catherine, LittleBigPlanet 2, LittleBigPlanet Karting, Saints Row: The Third, Assassin's Creed III, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, inFamous 2, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, Jak & Daxter Trilogy, PayDay: The Heist, Demon's Souls, Mortal Kombat, ICO, Shadow of the Colossus, Kingdoms of Amalur – Reckoning, Lord of the Rings War in the North, Okami HD, Rayman Origins, Dead or Alive 5, Mass Effect 3, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection.

This is not even the entire list of what's been made available. Here's October's content: Far Cry 3, Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen, Street Fighter X Tekken, Touch My Katamari, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams.

FAIL EXPOSED. You are just tragic mate, tragic. The epitome of a blind loyalist.

xRedline3902d ago

@DigitalRaptor

It's funny you call the guy out for being defensive and a loyalist, yet you use the majority of your comment to defend Sony in the process.

You went so fast you passed even yourself, mate. How was he supposed to keep up?

DigitalRaptor3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

When did I say I'm not defending? Do you see me try and hide it?

I comment against gross misinformation and fanboy stupidity. And what he said contained both. I posted facts. He posted a "pre-emptive strike" using nothing but conjecture.

mcgrottys3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

@DigitalRaptor

No, you know where you fail? You obviously have no clue as to how much you underestimate the power of azure.

You see how much Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo spend on their consoles? Well part of what Sony spends on Playstation is put towards Gaikia servers. Well Microsoft is spending just as much if not more on the xbox to compete with the Playstation. But not only that but in terms of their Azure division, their fighting a whole other war against Google, and Amazon cloud services things that all three of those and more including Nvidia and intel think are the future.

In 2010 Gaikai had 300 data centers in the U.S. by then Azure had 6000. Azure is already a major threat to amazon and google. With much faster growth from multi million dollar contracts from major companies including apple who even were using azure at one point to power iCloud. Besides if you think cpu power doesn't do much for visuals then the last of us most look so amazing because of that nice radeon 7800 GPU, not the fancy Cell Processor designed by IBM the same people using their architecture for servers which they make the most of their living off of.

Sure the xbox one might be a pit slower than the PlayStation 4 in term of whats in the boxes but once you go into the cloud you step in Azure's domain. Azure can take the same load as Gaikai and still be starving for more work.

Heck the article even says they are running Halo 4 at 45ms latency its unnoticeable. When gaikai usually has about 80-150ms on a good day.

Well, I wasted my time because I didn't have to bother telling you because you'll see how naive you in just a few months. Maybe we'll even have a proper demo of it's true power in just a few weeks.

Don't believe me? Check out this http://www.brianhprince.com...

Angels37853902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

@mcgrottys

Just want to say that the cell processor is not a typical cpu in the slightest...it doesn't even have cores.....it has SPE's and is specifically designed to offload gpu processes and handle some gpu processes itself. It does gpu calculations for the gpu, but renders nothing. and standard cpu's would render nothing either. The last of us GTA V and uncharted (just to name a few) are games that stream textures through the console rather than putting weight on the internals (which is why games are pushing what people thought possible for current generation). Back to the point IBM wouldn't use cell technology in servers...thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard...and since Azura IS multi purpose...having a gpu based or cell like structure for graphics would serve a strange purpose since most of the other services would never utilize the gpu...and the servers cannot just switch their purpose....its all or nothing. Either gpu based servers or processing based servers and storage..since you say apple utilized it for iCloud..it seems to be processes and storage...as apple isn't exactly using and gpu based items.

and btw..streaming games like what was talked about above^^^ requires no gpu only cpu based servers.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3902d ago
christocolus3902d ago

what they doing here again?...never tire of following xbx articles i see

Sarobi3902d ago (Edited 3902d ago )

Good god.. with this much delusion I question how you get through every day life. Sony is not going the route of P2P. If you were informed you would know that they will be doing dedicated servers via cloud (OpenStack). While I do believe you have every right to believe that your preferred system is the next coming of christ, please refrain from spewing nonsense to others.

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150°

10 Biggest Xbox Mistakes of All Time (So Far)

The Xbox brand has done a lot of good over the years, but their various blunders are pretty wild to look back on in their magnitude.

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culturedvultures.com
piroh9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

Ironically number 9 can save them at this point (releasing games on multiple platforms)

ChasterMies8d ago

By “save them” you mean make more profit for Microsoft. Xbox will still be a dying hardware platform.

OtterX9d ago

You could add the naming scheme for the consoles, it just confuses customers. I know they wanted to avoid traditional numbering bc it would always be lower than their competitor, but this whole 360 then One then Series thing is confusing af. Imagine a Soccer Mom trying to figure this stuff out. I still mistakenly call the Series X the One from time to time on accident.

RNTody9d ago

Don't forget about the Xbox One, Xbox One X and Xbox Series X! Good luck to Soccer moms around the world.

S2Killinit8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

They did that on purpose to confuse and direct attention away from the generational numbering.

MS doesn’t like reminding people that they joined the industry after others had already been involved in gaming.

For instance, they called the xbox “360” to combat PlayStation “3” because they wanted to seem like “more” than “3”, so instead of xbox 2, they opted for xbox 360. Also this had the additional benefit of selling consoles to uninformed parents who might purchase a “360” instead of a “3” by mistake, or because they thought 360 was more than 3. Kind of a disingenuous move.

They have been continuing with their confusing naming patterns for pretty much the same reasons. Frankly, it fits with who and what they are as a brand.

FinalFantasyFanatic8d ago

I can understand their reasoning, but whoever came up with that naming scheme should be fired, bad naming schemes have killed consoles (I'm pretty sure it was the major reason for the downfall of the WiiU). They should have had unqiue names like Nintendo and Sega have had for their consoles, far less confusing for the consumer.

rob-GP4d ago

@FinalFantasyFanatic "They should have had unqiue names like Nintendo..."

lol, you mean:

NES, SNES
GameBoy, GameBoy Advanced, GameBoy Colour, GameBoy SP
DS, DSi, DSXL
3DS, 3DS XL, New 3DS, New 3DS XL
Wii, Wii U
Switch, Switch OLED

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4d ago
Cacabunga9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

Phil Spencer is the worst that has happened to Xbox.
They built a respectable brand up to Xbox one. Then this guy took over and things became a joke

Reaper22_9d ago

He still has his job. Something you can't say about Jim Ryan.

Cacabunga8d ago

Both bad execs. One is on job and one thankfully retired.

FinalFantasyFanatic8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

I didn't like either person, both people damaged their respective brands and produced worse outcomes, but Phil did save the Xbox brand from being retired by Microsoft. Although in hindsight, he should have just let it die, rather than languish in limbo like it is now.

Rainbowcookie7d ago

Yeah but the one that was "bad" didn't even affect sales.

bunt-custardly8d ago

Phil Spencer was also on the team back when 360 was around, alongside Shane Kim, Peter Moore etc. I think the damage that did the most harm was the Don Mattrick "Always Online" console (ahead of its time basically). They handed Sony and Nintendo a free-pass when that was revealed. It went downhill from there. Then the corporate machine went into full swing to try and recover. They have to a degree as a games company for the masses, and less so for the core gamer. Outside USA, the Xbox brand does not sell as well as Japanese based consoles (citation needed).

Cacabunga8d ago

Want a decision maker. The always online and TV plans was a disaster yes, but they caught up by announcing 1st party games that gamers actually kept the hype going.. until this moron took over and introduced the PC day one release.. e all know where that ended..

S2Killinit8d ago

I dont think they were ever a respectable brand, not since the beginning, when their goal was never to be involved and share in the gaming space. I think the OG xbox was an exception because MS as a brand was still getting its foot in and so the people behind that were people of the gaming industry.

FinalFantasyFanatic8d ago

The 360 was the brand in its prime though, everything went downhill towards the end of that generation. Its staple games like Halo, Forza and Gears are what kept the console relevant and afloat for so long.

MaximusPrime_9d ago

Really good video.

I remember the days with RRoD was big news on here, N4G.

Microsoft had it turbulence number of years.

Looking at the success of Sea of Thieves despite being 6 years old, time to release Halo, Forza horizon 4 & 5 on PS5. It'll help their revenue

shinoff21839d ago (Edited 9d ago )

2 of the 4 games they did already sold really well. So it's definitely going down. Idk about halo or forza but I feel those studios they've bought in the last 5 years, their coming

ChasterMies8d ago

I found this video painful to watch. Can someone list them out?

Top 10 for me from are:
1. 2013 reveal presentation
2. Bundling Kinect 2 with Xbox One
3. RRoD or why rushing to market with hardware is always a bad idea.
4. Buying studios only to close them.
5. Ads on the Home Screen
6. Letting Halo die.
7. Letting Geard of War die.
8. Every console name
9. Charging for Xbox Live on Xbox 360 when Sony let PS3 players play online for free.
10. Cancelling release of OG Xbox games after the Xbox 360 launched.

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150°

Microsoft to Add Copilot AI to Video Games

Microsoft recently revealed its plans to incorporate Copilot directly into video games, with Minecraft being the first showcased example.

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xpgained.co.uk
Fishy Fingers13d ago (Edited 13d ago )

F*** AI

"Hey Copilot, what's a good meme to prove I dislike AI".... https://giphy.com/clips/sou...

Einhander197213d ago

Two trillion dollar company that just can't wait to put as many people possible out of work as fast as possible.

It feels like every single thing they do is making gaming worse and destroying the industry.

13d ago
13d ago
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darthv7212d ago

....you know it takes people to program the AI.... right? It isnt like it is sentient. We haven't reach skynet level of situation or anywhere close to the matrix just yet.

That's next Thursday.

Einhander197212d ago (Edited 12d ago )

It takes a people to program the AI then that AI is used for who knows how many games eliminating countless jobs which only grows as AI is used for more and more game creation functions.

What you're saying is so ridiculously short sighted and truly larking any kind of understanding and foresight.

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CaptainFaisal13d ago

Why all the hate? Im actually excited about this! Always wanted this kind of immersion, and an AI companion with me all the time helping me out knowing the status of my skills/inventory/progress and giving me tips on the best approach or how to craft something specific is game changing for the industry.

Hate all you want about AI, but this is just the start and I can see the potential already. You wont be complaining in the next 5-10 years about this, but rather complain if a game hasn’t implemented it.

MrDead13d ago

Yes we can't wait for the work of others to be used without the need to pay them so that MS can profit even more from the people they fire.

I_am_Batman13d ago (Edited 13d ago )

There is no chance I'd ever use something like this, especially if it's not part of the core game design, but a layer on top of it. It's way too much handholding. Many games already feel like busy work, because they don't let the player figure things out on their own. Having a real-time interactive guide defeats the purpose of playing the game in the first place in my opinion.

If this were to become the standard like you predict, we'll see more and more video games get away with bad design, because people will just be used to ask for help from the AI companion anyway.

Number1TailzFan13d ago

Well Nintendo don't need this with some of their games these days, with invincible characters, items, easy bosses etc.. they do the hand holding built in

helicoptergirl13d ago

Takes "hand holding" in games to a whole new level.

BlackDoomAx11d ago

Because human nature xD Almost every new technology had these kind of comments.

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70°

Activision team is opening a new game studio in Poland 'Elsewhere Entertainment' to build new AAA IP

Microsoft's Activision subsidiary announced today that it is opening a new game development studio to take advantage of the huge talent pool growing in Poland. It'll be the second Activision studio based in the region, joining Infinity Ward Krakow, although this studio is, in fact, not working on Call of Duty.

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windowscentral.com
Psychonaut8516d ago

They’re not working on Call of Duty? Give it time.