Microsoft consider launching a virtual world
Daniel Schiappa, general manager of strategy for MS’s entertainment and devices division was at the virtual worlds conference and hinted that Microsoft is considering launching some sort of virtual world. He said that any launch into the realm of avatars or social networking would begin with PCs, then move across to Xbox and finally into its mobile phone business. However he also said that unless they have anything in a year, they are unlikely to launch one.
quote:
Don’t think that Microsoft, the purveyor of lowly Word and Excel can compete against the super-hip companies behind virtual worlds like Second Life and Kaneva?
Remember that many thought that Microsoft didn’t stand a chance in the video game business - back before its Xbox 360 and titles like Halo 3 became top-sellers.
Schiappa declined to give more specifics about Microsoft’s virtual world plans, but hinted that anything Microsoft does will likely involve its Virtual Earth mapping platform and probably its robust video game business.
Microsoft rival Google Inc. is also inching closer to virtual worlds, most recently by letting virtual world creators tap into its Google Maps and Google Earth programs. Many who watch the industry say Google may jump in with a bigger virtual worlds offering in coming months.
Schiappa acknowledges that Microsoft might be late to business, which today is dominated by the likes of Second Life and Atlanta-based Kaneva and massively multiplayer games like World of Warcraft, Ultima Online and Lineage.
“It’s definitely a concern,” he said.
“But I think we’ve got a good understanding now of the landscape, we have a strategic plan in mind … now we have to decide how we follow-through,” Schiappa said.
“If a year from now we don’t have anything, then we probably won’t have anything,” in the virtual worlds space, he added.
http://www.austin360.com/blogs/cont...007/10/11/is_microsoft_headed_toward_a_v.html
Daniel Schiappa, general manager of strategy for MS’s entertainment and devices division was at the virtual worlds conference and hinted that Microsoft is considering launching some sort of virtual world. He said that any launch into the realm of avatars or social networking would begin with PCs, then move across to Xbox and finally into its mobile phone business. However he also said that unless they have anything in a year, they are unlikely to launch one.
quote:
Don’t think that Microsoft, the purveyor of lowly Word and Excel can compete against the super-hip companies behind virtual worlds like Second Life and Kaneva?
Remember that many thought that Microsoft didn’t stand a chance in the video game business - back before its Xbox 360 and titles like Halo 3 became top-sellers.
Schiappa declined to give more specifics about Microsoft’s virtual world plans, but hinted that anything Microsoft does will likely involve its Virtual Earth mapping platform and probably its robust video game business.
Microsoft rival Google Inc. is also inching closer to virtual worlds, most recently by letting virtual world creators tap into its Google Maps and Google Earth programs. Many who watch the industry say Google may jump in with a bigger virtual worlds offering in coming months.
Schiappa acknowledges that Microsoft might be late to business, which today is dominated by the likes of Second Life and Atlanta-based Kaneva and massively multiplayer games like World of Warcraft, Ultima Online and Lineage.
“It’s definitely a concern,” he said.
“But I think we’ve got a good understanding now of the landscape, we have a strategic plan in mind … now we have to decide how we follow-through,” Schiappa said.
“If a year from now we don’t have anything, then we probably won’t have anything,” in the virtual worlds space, he added.
http://www.austin360.com/blogs/cont...007/10/11/is_microsoft_headed_toward_a_v.html
