BrokeMyController has reported this week on a newly discovered Microsoft patent, one that will bring about automated DLC purchasing system to the Xbox 360.
The patent would work as follows: You and friends are on Xbox Live and one of your buddies asks you to join a game for multiplayer. Unfortunately you don’t have the latest map pack DLC. The new system would send up a prompt screen, asking that you purchase the DLC to accept your friend’s invite. Hit “yes” and the DLC will download and install, without the need to head over to the Marketplace, and you can get back to playing the game with your buddies.
Currently, if you are invited to a game for which you are missing DLC, you are “required to back out of the commenced multiplayer session, manually locate the desired content, purchase the content, install the content, relocate the inviting players, prepare his own request to join their game,” says the source, which is clearly a hassle.
The full patent here: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20100056268.pdf
Result for: Live
The cloud gaming service OnLive, first announced last year, finally has a set launch date.
Starting June 17th in the U.S., users can pay $15 a month to play games from major publishers EA, THQ, 2K Games, Warner Bros., and Ubisoft in the “cloud.”
“This marks a huge milestone for both OnLive and the interactive entertainment landscape as a whole, changing the way that video games are developed, marketed, accessed and played,” says Steve Perlman, Founder and CEO of OnLive. “We are opening the door to incredible experiences for gamers and enormous opportunities for developers and publishers.”
The service includes standard features such as voice chat, profiles and gamer tags and will allow for pausing and resuming of games. OnLive is available for PC and Mac users.
“The OnLive Game Service creates a new opportunity for consumers to play the latest games without spending hundreds of dollars on a hardware system to make it happen,” adds Mike McGarvey, COO of OnLive, via Gi.biz. “As a Mac user myself, I’m excited about the opportunity to help bring high-end gaming to this new and significant market.”
New and popular titles that will be included are Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age Origins, Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands, Borderlands, Assassin’s Creed II, and Metro 2033.
Result for: Live
America’s largest carrier, Verizon Wireless, has announced they have signed a deal with the NFL to stream live football games via the RedZone Channel over mobile phones.
The deal will last for the next four seasons, and will begin with the NFL draft in April.
Although unconfirmed, the deal is said to have been priced at $720 million.
The NFL has never had a deal of this caliber, preferring to broadcast games on TV, on CBS, FOX, and ESPN. Verizon continues to look at ways of bringing in new revenue, as the mobile phone market is near saturation in the United States.
