Today at gamescom 2010, Microsoft premiered the first wave of Xbox LIVE games launching on Windows Phone 7 this holiday. Windows Phone 7 will have a Games hub featuring Xbox LIVE, and Xbox LIVE games on Windows Phone 7 will be specially selected from the top names in mobile, PC and console game development. More info:
Windows Phone 7 also will be supported by content from Microsoft Game Studios (MGS), providing strong first-party gaming titles and intellectual property for the phone. For Xbox fans, this means that Windows Phone 7 will offer companion titles to familiar names, such as ?Halo: Waypoint,? and ?Crackdown 2,? extending the experience of their favorite Xbox 360 franchises.
The first wave of launch portfolio titles for Windows Phone 7 includes Xbox LIVE games from the likes of Gameloft, Konami, Namco Bandai, PopCap and THQ. Whether you choose to play a gem of a puzzler with ?Bejeweled LIVE? (PopCap), bring down the house with ?Guitar Hero 5? (Glu Mobile), fight off a destructive alien invasion in ?The Harvest? (MGS), paint your way out of a corner with ?Max and the Magic Marker? (PressPlay) or defend your city in ?Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst? (MGS), the first wave of games announced in the launch portfolio of Xbox LIVE games on Windows Phone 7 has something for every mobile gamer:
Additional titles in the launch portfolio will be released between now and the Windows Phone 7 launch this holiday season; once the phone launches, new Xbox LIVE titles also will be added to the games portfolio every week.
Xbox LIVE on Windows Phone 7 unlocks a world of games and fun and directly connects you to a global community of more than 25 million active Xbox LIVE members. These include:
? Avatars. Connect to your Xbox LIVE profile and Avatar, or create a new one if you don?t already have an Avatar or Xbox LIVE profile; take your 3-D Avatar and props with you on the phone with full closet access. ? Friends. Bring your Xbox LIVE friends with you everywhere; compare Achievements, challenge rivals to your favorite game, and even see who?s online and what they?re doing on their consoles, PCs or phones. ? Game access. Easily view and launch your full game library from a single location; find, try and buy new games either in the Marketplace or Games hub. ? Achievements. Earn, view and track Achievements, view Xbox LIVE leaderboards and build your Gamerscore across Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7 ? every time you play an Xbox LIVE title. ? Messaging. Communicate with all of your Xbox LIVE friends, any time you want, through Xbox LIVE messages. ? Multiplayer. Invite, connect and play against friends on other Windows Phone 7 phones or the PC with turn-based (asynchronous) multiplayer gaming. ? Spotlight. Access Xbox LIVE Spotlight feeds, including the latest game titles, breaking news from Xbox LIVE, game tips and tricks, and more.