GCAP 2010: Windows Phone 7's gaming shot in the foot

Mike Bantick
Thursday, 14 October 2010 17:48

Opinion and Analysis

I thought integration with Xbox LIVE would be a strong selling point for the new Microsoft attempt at taking on the iPhone and Android with Windows Phone 7.  But alas there are just too many restrictions that will hold it back.

Microsoft's Jean-Francois Prevost has spoken about developing games for Windows Phone 7 at Game Connect Asia Pacific today on Australia's Gold Coast.

Whilst the talk itself went well, with Prevost running through the important points of interest when it comes to using Silverlight or XNA to produce fun content for the platform, as you will see, there was some resistance to the idea from the predominantly game developer audience.

Prevost ran through the attractions of the new operating system.  In particular the mostly consistent hardware developers will be working with was proffered up as a positive.  

For me however this seemed to miss the mark.  The fact that each phone running Windows Phone 7 will be meeting stringent requirements on resolution, RAM, CPU/GPU and touch screen standards, with hardware keyboards optional, is nice on the surface, but why not instead provide an interface to the programmer so that the hardware requirements are not as stringent?   Take that worry away from the programmer.  

The answer of course is that by putting in these hardware guidelines Microsoft is ensuring the performance and look of each and every piece of software that appears under the Windows Phone 7 guise.  In the same way they can do when controlling the hardware in console gaming on the Xbox 360, and in the same way Apple does on its platforms.   

T o get started on providing content for Microsoft's new mobile platform there are a couple of ways to go.  Work for an established Publisher or pitch straight to Microsoft, and you could get an Xbox LIVE branded title up and running.  

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