Zune homebrew games: One small step in the evolution of mobile gaming
While it’s not a big surprise that games are coming to Microsoft’s Zune MP3 player, the release of XNA software 3.0 has enabled homebrew games to be developed and added to the Zune with relative ease.
As an adopter of Microsoft’s underdog media player I must honestly say I’m surprised with the new opportunities for mobile gaming. Yes, I know the iPod has had games for a while now but the availability of homemade games for free on my Zune has me more than tickled pink. In fact, this has given me a small revelation.
I’ll admit it, I’m more of a casual user of my Zune; no intense device modding or partitioning, but I’m an avid user nonetheless. What impresses me is that MP3 players have evolved from just songs, to songs and pictures, then video, and now they’ve made the logical jump to casual mobile gaming. Hell, I was thrilled when I was able to watch video in the lavatory. Now I can waste even more time trying out homemade games for the Zune, but this new release has got me thinking.
This development, though small, is a step in the direction of what I like to call the “media super-device.” What is a “media super-device” you ask? Generally speaking, it is the unification of all forms of digital entertainment media into one super-powerful device, like Nietzsche ’s ubermensch, only for media devices and much less philosophical.
Sure, all that’s really happened is the release of homebrew games for the Zune, but the hypothetical applications are what surprised me. Zune, with it’s Wi-Fi capabilities, limited as they are, can possibly enable local or even online multiplayer with these new games. Other Wi-Fi enabled gaming handhelds will soon be able to use their Internet access for in-game and casual VoIP calls. We are steadily approaching the era where the line between our cell phones, MP3 players, and gaming handhelds will be erased.
While it’s still a long way off, I can see there’s a bright future in store for mobile gaming. Well… as long as we can forget the N-Gage and let bygones be bygones.
Via Gizmodo
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Homebrew games for the zune? This is pretty cool, ive always hated iPods and ive been thinking of getting a Zune and this is a really cool improvement. Because they allow homebrew people can not only release games, but cool apps like calculators and stuff.