Register

I agree with the Privacy Policy

Business Week

Microsoft Plays It Cool on Games

September 26, 2006

PLAYERS WANTED. Then there's the question of demand. Parks Associates surveyed 2,000 gamers with Internet connections, and found that only 18% of all gamers play games on consoles, portables, and cell phones. Of those, 31% would be interested in cross-platform play. "If you are an Xbox loyalist, [Xbox Live Anywhere] expands the value of the service," says Matt Rosoff, an analyst with consultancy Directions on Microsoft. "But it's an incremental thing [in terms of revenue and users]."

Adding PC-to-console playing capabilities may make more sense. Parks Associates' research shows that 40% of gamers who play both console and PC games would be interested in cross-platform play. PC gaming is a huge market, expected to grow from $3 billion worldwide to $9 billion by 2010, according to Microsoft estimates. Microsoft already has a foot in the door with Windows and MSN Games.

From the article "Microsoft Plays It Cool on Games," by Olga Kharif.

Previously In The News

Google Said to Be Working on TV Project With Intel and Sony

“It’s a sign of the legitimacy of Internet connectivity moving well beyond the PC and mobile spaces, which Google has tackled already,” said Kurt Scherf, an analyst at industry researcher Parks Asso...

Cablevision's New Wireless Bid: Wi-Fi Hotspots

Ubiquitous Wi-Fi coverage, offered for free, could cut customer turnover by 15%, Eagan estimates. What's more, Wi-Fi could help meet the growing demand for so-called converged services, says Parks A...

Paging Dr. iPhone: Tapping a Physician's Digital Reference

Diamond's deepening dependence on health-related mobile apps underscores the potential that the iPhone and other Web-enabled wireless handsets can play in overhauling the way physicians and hospital...

Economic Woe May Rain on Dad's Big Day

"That depends in part on how large a purchase households want to make, says John Barrett, director of research at market research firm Parks Associates. Consumers are holding off on certain big-tick...

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
›