Moore: Zune will game by '08

Microsoft's portable music player will be able to play games within the next 18 months, says Xbox vice president.

Nintendo and Sony are currently going head-to-head in the portable gaming business, but they'll have company down the road. Microsoft, which has long been rumored to be entering the portable gaming market, is adding gaming features to its new portable media device, the Zune.

Microsoft vice president Peter Moore revealed to reporters at CES that the company is planning to add games to the Zune within 18 months, according to a Bloomberg report.

"I love the interface, I love the screen," Moore said of the Zune.

Currently, the Zune functions mainly as a portable music player, like Apple's iPod. However, the iPod remains the dominant music player in the business and recently expanded its functions to include video playback and gaming.

Before the Zune was officially announced, many suspected the device was going to play games. But when the veil was officially pulled off the portable, Microsoft simply said it will offer "great music and entertainment experiences."

It's unclear how complex the games for the machine will be. Games for the iPod, which include more casual titles like Tetris, Pac-Man, and Bejeweled, aren't currently up to par technologically with those of the Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable.

Microsoft was unavailable for comment as of press time.

298 Comments

  • Mam00th

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 8:08 pm GMT

    I'm eager to play crysis on my zune hehehe

    No frankly for casual games that is cool

  • sonicboy2

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:58 pm GMT

    com on guys all that have to do is make a thing that go's with your zune and bam good gameing you know so go more and Microsoft woot com on halo on a zune to cooooooooooooooool

  • sheik026

    Posted May 20, 2007 7:41 pm GMT

    I think it could work. The screen is a perfectly suitable size, not too small like an iPod's and as faras I can tell it can produce graphics at least as good as a Nintendo DS. However, the games will be more simple or at least have a simpler control scheme. An old school RPG could work though, all you really need for that is a D-pad and one button and the Zune had D-pad capabilities and 3 buttons. I could see a dumbed down version of Geometry Wars working on it. A 2D vertically scrolling version of Crimson Skies, maybe a 2D or isometric version of Halo. Plus, your standard Bejeweled, Tetris, Solitaire, and jubilee of card and pinball games. Plus, thanks to Wi-Fi, you could have local multiplayer and possibly even online play. How about playing Uno on your Zune with Xbox 360 owners. Yes, I see plenty of potential.

  • xTheExploited

    Posted May 20, 2007 7:32 am GMT

    They shouldn't have made anything to do with portable gaming. Nintendo controlls this area of gaming and Sony have also sold a lot of PSPs. They would have come in too late anyways. Most people have already got the DS or PSP.

  • CrazyKung-Fu

    Posted Mar 5, 2007 2:52 pm GMT

    woot! ma zune got game!

  • thenedinator

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 11:57 am GMT

    I agree w/ trd_matrix000... If they really want boost up profit in that area, then they better release sth. that is capable of handling "handheld power"... I'd say that Microsoft has become an opportunist corporation, "thinking" that they can do "it" (like the PSP for example) with a partly successful MP3 player... By the way, haven't they gotten a little cocky after their Best Sofware Presentation Award at the CES????

    *Still, we use their OS*

  • trd_matrix000

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 11:36 am GMT

    horrible... why? if the really want to break into the market release a "real" handheld.. the zune is dead.. Better luck next time! get over it!!!

  • Warlock89

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 11:17 am GMT

    It was 5 billion dollars to charity, not half. but still, im gunna help his company out by buying his stuff. He is helping the world a lot, its n ot cool to diss up on him after how much he has helped this world.

  • Dark-prince619

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 9:08 am GMT

    PASS. there is no way in hell that thing can compite with A PSP or A DS.

  • chrissantos

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 8:10 am GMT

    overcode... bill gates is probably the greatest philanthropist ever... so.... yeah. shut your pie hole.

  • War-Tex

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 5:15 am GMT

    Zune will suck like hell. leave the portable to Nintendo and Sony

  • speedracer216

    Posted Jan 16, 2007 9:37 pm GMT

    lame. only nintendo knows how to do handheld and hopefully that's the way it stays.

  • schawnneo

    Posted Jan 16, 2007 8:42 pm GMT

    pass, 1 psp is enuff.

  • adi0sk8t3r

    Posted Jan 16, 2007 6:52 pm GMT

    That's cool, but honestly i'd rather have a psp since i already have an ipod. So I already have the music player part down! =]

  • potterpipi

    Posted Jan 16, 2007 2:12 pm GMT

    awesome! I hope Halo comes to it.

  • overachiever92

    Posted Jan 16, 2007 12:07 pm GMT

    Well, overcode, Bill Gates donated more than half his money to charity last year, I think.

  • overcode

    Posted Jan 16, 2007 10:01 am GMT

    Great, just what the world needs... another portable game/music/movie device. C'mon Microsoft, why don't you use some of that money to help people instead of pumping out another lame device in an already saturated market.

  • god_of_shawn

    Posted Jan 16, 2007 7:38 am GMT

    THIS IS CRAP.

  • Sir_Crocidile

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 6:18 pm GMT

    so in otherwords the zune will have iPod quality games. Pass.

  • darth-revan

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 4:52 pm GMT

    look, if i can get a decent running low res version of halo 1 running that controlls reasonobly well and doesnt blow, ill buy the zune, until then ill stick to portable gaming for my DS and cell phone.

  • CoRiNi

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 2:04 pm GMT

    maan where done with the consoles already released

    that's poverty.

    I already have XBOX 360,PS3,Wii,DS,PSP.

    ands that's more than enough for me.

    The last month I spent more than 1000$ only on games not consoles

    how many games should I buy.

    Every console has it's own great game.

    THAT'S ENOUGH.

  • koopatroopa1015

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 1:07 pm GMT

    if it's gonna be like an iPod, i'll pass.

    if it's gonna be like the PSP, now that's something to consider. as much as i don't like sony, the PSP is one thing that sony made and people liked

  • omegabyte

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 10:27 am GMT

    I find it ironic that while Sony is trying to turn the PSP - a gaming machine - into an MP3 player, Microsoft is trying to turn the Zune - an MP3 player - into a gaming machine.

  • PantsOfFury

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 8:01 am GMT

    Why's everyone crapping their pants?

    It's just going to be simple games, it's not like you can insert at cartridge into the Zune.

    As happy as I am with my Zune (sold my iPod, but still have the Nano for ultraportable) I'm happy Microsoft still isn't entering the handheld gaming market.

  • brhisawsome

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 6:17 am GMT

    *cough* took them microsoft and apple long enough man thought they were gonna do it earlier

  • atte21

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 12:36 am GMT

    umbracascade:
    what does the word zune mean anyways? Is this another inexplicable name choice like xbox "360"

    The "360" suggests that the player is surrounded by multiple entertaiment options that he/she can use.
    Any questions?

  • squid360

    Posted Jan 14, 2007 11:15 pm GMT

    ABSOLUTE CRAP. (caps)

  • Pfilosophy

    Posted Jan 14, 2007 6:30 pm GMT

    Both the Zune and the iPod suck. Buy Creative products instead. These are not and will never be taken as seriously as even the lousy ngage so why bother reporting about a Zune gaming rumor?

  • umbracascade

    Posted Jan 14, 2007 4:47 pm GMT

    what does the word zune mean anyways? Is this another inexplicable name choice like xbox "360"

  • MegaManX9101

    Posted Jan 14, 2007 12:04 pm GMT

    Interesting... Not gonna be too exited untill i actually see what kinds of things they put on it though.

  • ObiKKa

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 11:02 pm GMT

    Meh, don't worry, it's just for casual games. They don't need hardcore games akin to PSP & DS' games on the Zune. Come on, it's just playing quickie games on the go just like the good mobile phone games. Of course there could be the occasional ones like turn-based strategy games...

  • firebirdboi06

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 9:49 pm GMT

    To urine72:

    No, the Zune's control's are slightly misleading by appearence. There are only buttons inside the "wheel". The iPod is the only player on the market to feature such a control scheme due to Apple patents.

  • lugomania7

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 9:44 pm GMT

    The Zune will not bring any competition to anybody except other MP3 players, not handheld consoles like the: PSP or DS

  • KaptainKernal

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 9:27 pm GMT

    No Thank You, my PSP does everything and better then the Zune.....

  • Imconfused2007

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 8:10 pm GMT

    The zune wont be a portable system. All it will be is a MP3 player with games, nothing more.

  • urine72

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 7:16 pm GMT

    doesnt zune have a wheel and two buttons? I cant imagine the games being to indepth.

  • StarFreak101

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 4:21 pm GMT

    Hmmmm. A new gaming system would be nice. If it had the games I love on it and good looks to it, I'll like it! +=D

  • KMWota91

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 4:05 pm GMT

    OMG. Another portable system that we need to see. How can Microsoft expect to do any better with what both the PSP and DS are already doing? It just doesn't seem clear to me why they're doing this when they probably won't work on another portable console after this one.

  • Kholdstare_fire

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 11:43 am GMT

    Can't wait, I've had friends ask if Zune plays games I can say yes now.

  • Goku2639

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 11:08 am GMT

    thats great to hear. I've tried both and I choose the Zune over the ipod. Can't wait to play a few lil games on that sexy screen!

  • Saphire_Kitsune

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 8:50 am GMT

    It would be nice to be able to download games into the Zune. I'll be looking forward to something like that.

  • Rentago

    Posted Jan 13, 2007 5:08 am GMT

    Its a stepping stone, they will make a Zune 2. Probably capable of playing arcade games to get your game score up while away.

  • jdbthexboxgamr

    Posted Jan 12, 2007 5:36 pm GMT

    cool,maybe the closest thing to a Microsoft portable game system we'll get,can't wait to see what games will be on it.

  • Baroncx

    Posted Jan 12, 2007 4:15 pm GMT

    lol. no thanks. really.

  • OluDara

    Posted Jan 12, 2007 1:38 pm GMT

    Nice.

  • CassiusVII

    Posted Jan 12, 2007 1:11 pm GMT

    it will be intresting to find out what it turns out like .. every company has there share of copyinng

  • mario94

    Posted Jan 12, 2007 1:08 pm GMT

    what the hell is this thing?

  • Limonadi

    Posted Jan 12, 2007 12:53 pm GMT

    A low tech Gameboy-iPod hybrid? No thanks.

  • spacemonkey

    Posted Jan 12, 2007 10:29 am GMT

    They are probably adding "games" to the Zune just to stay competative to the iPod (so therefore even similar games). It's one of those feature things. They don't want the games aspect to be only on the iPod. They have to have more and better features to beat them otherwise people will just go with what they know and that is the iPod. If the iPod does anything more or better, the Zune doesn't stand a chance.

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