Austin-American Stateman reports from the Silicon Valley (San Jose, California):
At the Virtual Worlds Conference and Expo in the Silicon Valley, Daniel
"By next year, you'll probably know more about why I'm up here," Schiappa, general manager of strategy for Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division, hinted that Microsoft could launch its own entry into into the virtual realm of "Second Life" or "Ultima Online" in one year. Schiappa suggested that Microsoft's virtual world would likely involve its Virtual Earth 3D service (pictured) and span across its PC, Xbox and mobile platforms...
Schiappa told attendees at the conference. "If a year from now we don't have anything, then we probably won't have anything," he added.
[Notes: Austin360.com/Statesman is the online site for the Austin American-Statesman daily newspaper in Austin, Texas; the screenshots were taken from Microsoft Virtual Earth 3D.]
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it's more than likely something that we will see from Microsoft down the track as it would be excellent for them to not only counter home on the console front but actually become the market leader in virtual worlds (non-mmorpg) because of their dominance on the PC platform as well.
Also consider that they did recently acquire an in game advertising company for a few billion earlier this year so this would be a logical step in expanding that business and promoting growth in its game advertising business.
and then again microsoft is trying their best on trying to be sony. anyways. goodluck microsoft with this as playstation home would dominate your "second life".
Just so you guys know, this will be based on the Virtual Earth 3D engine, and Microsoft has been working on the engine since even before Sony announced Home. It's been in work for years, and it seems to be in perpetuate beta. (Maybe that's why Microsoft said Sony underestimated the work involved in making Home... because Microsoft has been working on the same thing for much longer, and they know it's hard.)
Virtual Earth 3D is basically a replica of the entire planet Earth in a virtual world - in great details. So Microsoft is already halfway there... now all it needs is to add in the Avatars.
does that thing look ridiculously huge... o_o
Ohhh and TRP...
I didn't know that :o
Thanks for the info...
but making it work is really the test. I have told all my gamer friends that i think Home is pipe dream. I love the idea of having 3D trophys and all but making it work with all the games like Sony wants is really a HUGE idea
maybe the new 720xbox will try and make it happen. By then they will have had time to pick apart what Home is and is doing.
IMO i dont see Home working how I WOULD LIKE IT but maybe they will. I want to make the MEtalHead Socom lounge and launch with my clan from this room
I hope MS does try it. Just one more thing that someone else did the thinking for them on and more thing they can try and make money off.