An internal Microsoft video showing the company’s dark, horrific vision for the future of the “Windows Gaming Experience” has found its way onto YouTube. [Caution: not for the faint of heart.]
That which is seen cannot be unseen, which is a real shame when it comes to things like this video created by Microsoft that details the company’s plan for a connected, social, casual gaming experience characterized by bright colors, microtransactions and ceaseless interaction with online “friends.” The importance of Avatars, representing the “style, attitude and character” of each person’s online identity, is a big point of emphasis, as is the ability to easily search for, find and share new games and media across multiple platforms.
The focus here is clearly on the casual market. The video kicks off with FarmVille before switching over to an American Idol contest being held by the “Idol Mom’s Group.” Next up is another woman shopping for a new virtual dress for her Avatar, followed by a different woman who jumps in to play some online Bejeweled. The core gamer demographic gets a bit of a nod at the very end, when a guy decides to slack off at work to help out a buddy playing some Battlefield 2 by buying him a better gun and then immediately misspells “pwn3d.”
I don’t even know what to say here. Maybe I’m being overly harsh, or maybe I’m bitter because I’m feeling left out, but if this is what Microsoft means when it talks about taking the PC seriously as a gaming platform, I think I’ll just go back to watching television.
via: PC Gamer
