Video Game Buttons Blog

May 11, 2007

Microsoft’s GM of Xbox Live, JJ Richards, further discussed the recently announced Xbox 360 mini-keyboard controller, revealing that the keys can be used for gameplay purposes.

 

During a panel on new opportunities in console technology, Richards showed a slide picturing the recently announced QWERTY thumb-keyboard, which will debut later this summer and is to be used with existing Xbox 360 controllers.

 

Richards stated “I can have chat in my games; now that it’s a proper keyboard.” OGDC moderator, Jeff Pobst of Hidden Path Entertainment, interjected, “Are those buttons available for gameplay?”  Richards confirmed that they would be.  “All of the sudden, I can have a controller with mini-buttons, if I want,” said Pobst. “It’ll be very interesting to see how developers take advantage of that innovation,” commented Microsoft’s Richards.

 

Later in the panel, Richards spoke about Live as the same service across platforms - the 360, and the PC - adding, “I want to kill the word ‘ports.’ Halo will be the first one to do that.  Next month, Shadowrun will be the first one that does cross-platform play.”

 

With Live, Richards hopes that developers will “focus on the story, focus on a great game, everything else will be taken care of.”  He concluded with “you build the content, we’ll allow you to ship it on the biggest platform you can.”

April 10, 2007

Microsoft and developer Bungie have announced that the public beta test period for Halo 3’s multiplayer component will begin on May 16 (5am PDT) and continue until June 6 (11:59pm PDT).

 

Access to the multiplayer public beta was heavily advertised as a feature in the initial run of Realtime Worlds’ Crackdown, with access to the eventual download only being possible if customers retained the game disc. Admission to the beta was also offered through the “Rule of Three” promotion which required users to register on Halo3.com, play three hours of Halo 2 between February 1st and February 3rd, 2007 and be one of the first 13,333 players to do so.

 

Although access to public beta testing is common for many PC games, this is one of the first times it has been made available for a console game, and the first time that it has been used as a major marketing tool for any game. Access to earlier closed beta testing was less well advertised and largely limited to North America.

 

The public beta testing download will feature three maps (Snowbound, High Ground and Valhalla), as well as the new all-terrain vehicle, the Mongoose. New weapons such as the redesigned assault rifle, Brute spiker, Spartan laser and spike grenades will also feature. A new behind the scenes video of the game has also been launched today at the Bungie website and on Xbox Live.

 

“Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 changed the face of console gaming forever,” said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “Gamers from around the world have logged more than 800 million hours on Xbox Live playing Halo 2, and years after its launch it remains the No. 1 title on our Xbox Live network. Bringing an early look at the multiplayer elements of Halo 3 to our passionate fan base is tremendously exciting for us.”