Microsoft to bring Xbox and PC games to Apple, Android phones: report

Microsoft Corp will offer its console and computer games for Apple Inc's iPhone and other smartphone platforms this fiscal year, through a tie-up with Japanese smartphone game maker Klab Inc, the Nikkei said on Monday.

[MASTER_RAIDEN]

i can safely say i did not see that one coming. dont they have windows phone to announce this to?

[NewMonday]

Microsoft are hedging their bets, the DRM reversal made them re-think their financial model because now the XB1 will not work out like they dreamed.

[justiceot]

I applaud you for your vivid imagination.

[andibandit]

@newmonday

so the DRM that would've benefitted Publishers/Developers, has changed and is forcing MS to work with their main rival Apple?

Someone explain this for me please.

[BattleAxe]

You'd think they would want to bring their PC and Xbox games to PC first....

[bicfitness]

@ newmonday Don't know why you're getting disagrees when that is exactly what MS is doing. As someone below mentioned MS are a software and services providers first and foremost. Hardware was only ever a secondary means of establishing their brand and ecosystem. Heck, half of their X1 exclusives are going to be on PC - Quantum Break, Project Spark, Titanfall. Halo 3 (possibly 4 too) is headed to steam. The X1 Is just another method if content delivery, and if it doesn't light the world on fire they need to have a backup plan.

[GameCents]

This is something that has been in the pipelines for a while, or at least the rumours surrounding this suggest so.
Is everything really going to be spun into a negative as far as MS is concerned?

Also, Xbox isn't exactly bleeding money right now, Live makes a billion dollars per year in revenue and last holiday season EDD made $650 million in profit vs another games department that made only 60. . .

[NewMonday]

@andibandit

I explained this before, MS had a very different financial model based on:

- increased royalties from rising digital sales($24 profit from every 3rd party digital game vs $12 from retail share)

- no used games multiples retail sales and drives digital adoption.

- 3rd party platform preference because of system DRM leads to more exclusives.

- "always on" would increase XBL gold subscriptions.

- a large connected and monitored install base would give MS a great platform to sell targeted advertising

now all these charts and $$$ dreams have fallen apart, they did not plan for the 360 financial model but that is all what they will get, this news is a first sign of the re-evaluation

[awi5951]

Apple isnt a rival at all if you look at total computer sales numbers. Apple is like OUYA comPared to xbox and playstation. Mac users are very loud but they are a very small in number. They dont even reach 10 percent of the market. Lynx is more of a threat to microsoft than apple is and lynx numbers suck as well.

[RedHawkX]

ms are getting out of the console buisness soon. thats why people should think twice about getting an xbox one. get a ps4 and the worst case scenario you have is MS will put its games on the ps4 eventually. dont see why anyone at this point would risk spending cash on MS hardware.

i say they are getting out of consoles because all there games are coming to pc, cell phones, tv services and other crap. dont bet on the xbox one horse because its a loser.

[GameCents]

Xbox 360 made an overall profit this gen. PS3 still has not.
From a business point of view, your scenario is unlikely.

[DeadlyFire]

You can't simply put your games on one phone. There are too many phones out there from other providers. They have two options for their games on other phones. one is Cloud service with those games and the other is just release multiple versions of the games on all phone OSes.

[humbleopinion]

Microsoft always does that. They only see home consoles compete with their own console, and in the mobile space they understand that their Windows Phone share is too small.
It makes more business sense to allow development for other mobile platforms, in increases exposure to their games so they hope it will increase sales of the same franchises their own platforms, and they also benefit the customers who can experience some of these games without having to buy their console first.

It's not really news. Even Viva Pinata was released on the Nintendo DS back in the day.

[baodeus]

i think people keep forgetting that MS is a software companies. You make money by selling your software to as many people as you can and on as many devices that you can. Why do you think MS would put their windows or offices software on their rival devices (including Sony)?

[FragMnTagM]

Bubble for intelligence.

[killalot100]

I still want them to release halo games on pc.

[Narutone66]

Before satisfying the consumers, they have to satisfy their stock holders first. Putting Xbox games on any available platform will earn MS a lot of cash, which in turns satisfy their stock holders. Well, time to buy MS stocks.

[BattleAxe]

I think MS should release all of their games on all platforms, including the PS4...in the spirit of being a software company.

If Microsoft were to do this, they could make Windows 8, Outlook, Skype and Microsoft Office a console exclusive to the Xbox One. On top of that, they can offer all kinds of TV stuff too!

:D

[MASTER_RAIDEN]

just out of curiosity, why is your username battleaxe?

[Soldierone]

This makes no sense. Why offer one of your major assets on all competing platforms? What makes Windows Phone so special if I can get the one thing that makes it "good" on any device out there?

Thats like Sony randomly going "Hey, we are putting Uncharted on 360."

[RedHawkX]

nothing makes windows phones special because they suck and thats why ms is putting its games on everything else.

also guess what else sucks the xbox one! th smartest things all gamers can do at this point is buy the ps4 as its the better hardware with better policiys and then wait for ms to put its game on it as well. its called long term plan and what smart people do. you dont buy ms hardware ever. you guys should of learned from the zune.

its like why would you people buy that pile of crap when you got iphones and other better devices. this the problem with some people though they dont buy the best options. instead get used to a crap brand like xbox, or windows phone and stick with it knowing other stuff is just better.

[Narutone66]

Isn't it that Sony are putting their playstaion games on playstation-certified android phone? I know I read that somewhere that Sony phones and other Android phones will be able to play playstation games.

[Soldierone]

PlayStation Suit will be available on PlayStation Certified phones, but its only for Android. Sony doesn't make an OS, so its not like they are tossing a bone to competing companies.

If I'm not mistaken, PS1 games were taken out of that and were only going to be available for Vita and Sony products. PS Suit was just going to be a program that tells you "hey all these devices support these games." However the mobile market is a pain in the arse and doesn't want to keep "older" devices up to date....

[latincooker214]

i dont get what's going on does this mean we going to see all the xbox games on PC like halo 5? forza 5? dead rising 3? titan fall? and whatever other games microsoft have under there belt???

[JOHN_DOH]

Looks like a bunch of cellphone type games.
http://majornelson.com/2012...

[Grown Folks Talk]

They are bringing Age of Empires. That's it. Not Xbox games.

[Soldierone]

Halo and Forza are also hinted at coming, among other titles.

[latincooker214]

REALLY. Hmmmmmmmmmm so if and its a big If the Big Guns of Xbox goes to PC what's the point for XboxOne again ???

[Deep-throat]

source?

[latincooker214]

thanks for the info Grown Folks.

[Grown Folks Talk]

The link http://majornelson.com/2013...

[latincooker214]

and again thanks for the info Grown Folks. heres a bubble:)

[Grown Folks Talk]

No problem. Always could change, but for now that's it.

[SIRHC13]

This goes hand-in-hand with the rumor of Halo 2 coming to iOS. Which MAY also mean Halo trilogy on Steam.

[PositiveEmotions]

Is this a good thing or bad thing for xb1?