Microsoft did a quick presentation for its HoloLens and one of the demo was this interesting vertical slice: Project X-Ray. It was initially shown at E3 but today marked its first public appearance.
Check out the video below:
As I have stated before, the HoloLens has potential but it is still very early in development, as seen by the demo. There are bugs that need to be addressed in virtual reality but it hasn’t stopped Microsoft from taking applications for development kits from, which starts today. The cost of the kit? A good $3000.00.
Havok, the leading studio in 3D physics in video games, has just been acquired by Microsoft. Originally part of Intel, the tech group has provided physics system for many of the most popular games created including Halo, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, Destiny, Dark Souls and The Elder Scrolls. Here is the presser:
Today, we are proud to announce that Microsoft has acquired Havok, the leading provider of 3D physics, from Intel.
As we welcome Havok to the Microsoft family, we will continue to work with developers to create great gaming experiences, and continue to license Havok’s development tools to partners. We believe that Havok is a fantastic addition to Microsoft’s existing tools and platform components for developers, including DirectX 12, Visual Studio and Microsoft Azure.
Havok is an amazing technology supplier in the games industry and the leading real-time physics creator. We saw an opportunity to acquire Havok to deliver great experiences for our fans. Throughout the company’s history, they’ve partnered with Activision, EA, Ubisoft, Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft and many others to create more than 600 games including Halo, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, Destiny, Dark Souls and The Elder Scrolls.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Havok continues our tradition of empowering developers by providing them with the tools to unleash their creativity to the world. We will continue to innovate for the benefit of development partners. Part of this innovation will include building the most complete cloud service, which we’ve just started to show through games like “Crackdown 3.”
Havok shares Microsoft’s vision for empowering people to create worlds and experiences that have never been seen before, and we look forward to sharing more of this vision in the near future.
It looks like nothing much may change as Havok will continued to be licensed by every gaming studio in existence. Microsoft will just be providing financial support and reaping the benefits.
Check out their site for what services they provide, as it is extensive.
More Gamescom craziness as MS just released gameplay and trailer for Quantum Break. It’s an interesting premise with game and live action. I wonder how it will be integrated when the game fully releases. The time bubble aspects are unique and looks fascinating.
Gamescom is in full swing and Platinum Studios just released some gameplay footage for Scalebound. The game looks epic and huge. Almost like a mix of Panzer Dragon and Xenogears. This looks like a system seller for X-Box One. It is also exclusive to MS’s game box. The cool hyrda beast at the end of looks cool. Not too sure about the main character design but the game looks fun.
MS just recently released a new video showcasing the Hololens field of view. It has potential and I hope it works out well when it releases because the applications for usage is huge. From what I have hear, several companies are already making software for the device. The future is virtual. Check out the video below:
Looks like things are not going well for the company built by Windows. In an open letter to all Microsoft employees, company CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that over the next few months Microsoft will undergo a massive restructuring with up to 7,800 workers being laid off. The letter can be read below:
”
Team,
Over the past few weeks, I’ve shared with you our mission, strategy, structure and culture. Today, I want to discuss our plans to focus our talent and investments in areas where we have differentiation and potential for growth, as well as how we’ll partner to drive better scale and results. In all we do, we will take a long-term view and build deep technical capability that allows us to innovate in the future.
With that context, I want to update you on decisions impacting our phone business and share more on last week’s mapping and display advertising announcements.
We anticipate that these changes, in addition to other headcount alignment changes, will result in the reduction of up to 7,800 positions globally, primarily in our phone business. We expect that the reductions will take place over the next several months.
I don’t take changes in plans like these lightly, given that they affect the lives of people who have made an impact at Microsoft. We are deeply committed to helping our team members through these transitions.
Phones. Today, we announced a fundamental restructuring of our phone business. As a result, the company will take an impairment charge of approximately $7.6 billion related to assets associated with the acquisition of the Nokia Devices and Services business in addition to a restructuring charge of approximately $750 million to $850 million.
I am committed to our first-party devices including phones. However, we need to focus our phone efforts in the near term while driving reinvention. We are moving from a strategy to grow a standalone phone business to a strategy to grow and create a vibrant Windows ecosystem that includes our first-party device family.
In the near term, we will run a more effective phone portfolio, with better products and speed to market given the recently formed Windows and Devices Group. We plan to narrow our focus to three customer segments where we can make unique contributions and where we can differentiate through the combination of our hardware and software. We’ll bring business customers the best management, security and productivity experiences they need; value phone buyers the communications services they want; and Windows fans the flagship devices they’ll love.
In the longer term, Microsoft devices will spark innovation, create new categories and generate opportunity for the Windows ecosystem more broadly. Our reinvention will be centered on creating mobility of experiences across the entire device family including phones.
Mapping. Last week, we announced changes to our mapping business and transferred some of our imagery acquisition operations to Uber. We will continue to source base mapping data and imagery from partners. This allows us to focus our efforts on delivering great map products such as Bing Maps, Maps app for Windows and our Bing Maps for Enterprise APIs.
Advertising. We also announced our decision to sharpen our focus in advertising platform technology and concentrate on search, while we partner with AOL and AppNexus for display. Bing will now power search and search advertising across the AOL portfolio of sites, in addition to the partnerships we already have with Yahoo!, Amazon and Apple. Concentrating on search will help us further accelerate the progress we’ve been making over the past six years. Last year Bing grew to 20 percent query share in the U.S. while growing our search advertising revenue 28 percent over the past 12 months. We view search technology as core to our efforts spanning Bing.com, Cortana, Office 365, Windows 10 and Azure services.
I deeply appreciate all of the ideas and hard work of everyone involved in these businesses, and I want to reiterate my commitment to helping each individual impacted.
I know many of you have questions about these changes. I will host an employee Q&A tomorrow to share more, and I hope you can join me.
Satya”
It looks like their meager phone division has cost them tremendously. Windows OS on phones has been lacking especially in regards to Android and Apple’s IOS. Microsoft invested heavily on this risky venture and has lost. Pity. Their mapping software is almost unheard of at this point with almost no one talking about it. No word on how much their X-Box division is doing but I do know that they are trailing behind Sony’s Playstation 4.
I hope those that are laid off will do well in the future.
So E3 is in full swing and golly, it is crazy. Heck, crazy is an understatement. Some major announcements were made and both Microsoft and Sony had strong shows, practically setting the audience on fire. Sony “winning” the event with some megatons. Nintendo, always my favorite, had a lackluster and disappointing live stream. It was quite head scratching. Regardless, here are some of my highlights so far:
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Hideo Kojima once again shows the world that he is a master. There are spoilers within and the last few seconds showed a reveal that was very gleeful. The graphics are still formidable and the story is still a puzzle but I trust in Kojima to deliver us an astounding video game since this is probably his last Metal Gear production. It is very bittersweet and very shameful how Konami alienated one of the great masters of the gaming world. But it is Konami’s loss as Kojima is now free to do whatever he pleases and I cannot wait to see what he has planned after finishing Metal Gear.
Ryu Comes To Smash Brothers!
Surprising but very welcomed, the Street Fighter comes to challenge Nintendo’s premiere fighters. He looks perfect and fits the world of Smash well. Cannot wait to play as him
Earthbound Beginnings Announced for WIIU Virtual Console
Another “out of no where” announcement, Earthbound Beginnings AKA Mother 1 is being released for the WIIU. For those who has never played Earthbound, it is a very quirky and eccentric RPG. This is your chance to play the Earthbound series in their entirety. It’s available now.
Rare Replay
For the X-Box One, play 30 of Rare’s game including Banjo Kazooie, Perfect Dark, Battletoads, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Blast Corps, and more. These are all good to great games for a low price of $30.00. It will be available in August 4th, 2015.
Rare’s Sea of Thieves
Continuing with Rare, they just announced a first person open world online multiplayer pirate game. ARGH MATEY that’s a mouthful but man the water effects looks delicious. It’s coming for the X-Box One.
Xbox 360 Backwards Compatibility
Speaking of X-Box One, Microsoft dropped the news that the X-Box One will now be able to play Xbox 360 games. Backwards Compatibility!!! The catch: it’s up to the developers whether they allow their games to be backwards compatible.
ReCore
From Keiji Inafune (of Megaman fame) and former Metroid Prime creators, this is an exclusive game that hopefully will bring unique gameplay. There is pedigree behind the game so expect something wonderful.
Tacoma
By Developers Fullbright, the game looks intriguing, almost like a mix of Bioshock and Aliens Isolation.
Beyond Eyes
A beautifully realized game in which you guide a blind girl through an unfamiliar world from indie developer Tiger and Squid. Coming first to XBox One in the summer.
Mega Man Legacy Collection!
Celebrate the blue bomber with this old school collection of the original first six Mega Man games. Comes out for PS4/XB1/PC/3DS. Test how much of a true gamer you are.
Unravel
Another beautifully made game with some crazy physics. What’s astonishing is that it comes from EA. It’s almost in the vein of Little Big Planet.
The Last Guardian Re-Reveal!
After years and years of waiting, The Last Guardian was finally shown to be alive and for the PS4. Originally made for the PS3, this puzzle game about a boy and his dragon dog looks phenomenal. The physics looks great and the feather effects on the dragon dog moves so fluidly. I cannot wait for this game.
Horizon: Zero Dawn
A new exclusive PS4 game by Guerrilla Games (of Killzone fame), the game is a third person action adventure set in the distant future in which human society is now splintered into tribes. It has hunting, lush forests, mech animals, and crazy set pieces. Definitely one to watch. But seriously. Mech animals.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Speaking of amazing set pieces, Naughty Dog’s newest entry into the Uncharted series looks to completely deliver all the flair and fast paced intense gameplay for which the studio is known. So many colors and vibrant wanton destruction.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
The announcement that crashed servers and won E3 for many people. After years of teasing, rumors, and pleading, Square has delivered. The remake will be a complete make over from gameplay to graphics to story tweaks. It will be interesting to see what has changed and what will remain the same. I cannot wait to see everything fully realized with today’s tech. It will debut on PS4 first. No release date announced.
Shenmue 3
While Final Fantasy 7 Remake was a dream come true to some, the announcement of Shenmue 3 was the fevered wish to many hardcore gamers. Backed by Kickstarter and Sony, the game will continue the adventures of Ryo that was originally started on the beloved Dreamcast console. Using the Unreal 4 engine, Shenmue 3 will release on PS4 and PC. It broke the Kickstarter record for fastest funded goal.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Discover a new galaxy and a new adventure. The continuation of the Mass Effect Series.
Star Wars Battlefront
Crazy looking graphics and what should be fun hectic gameplay. Star Wars is back with style.
That’s all for now! What are your favorite E3 announcements this year?
Running off Windows 10, Microsoft recently demonstrated their new virtual reality hardware/software combo, the HoloLens. Its a very nifty tech with voice control, spatial recognition, virtual browsing, and almost a Minority Report interaction. It even has a virtual pet! You can build your own customizable world in your living room, adjusting where things will be. Imagine building a Minecraft game right in your bedroom or office. Its very new tech and not perfect but exciting nonetheless. Wired also has a great write up on it here. The biggest potential implementation of it, aside from games, is the how companies use it to improve our lives. Wired states that “for every consumer-focused Disney there’s a NASA, Autodesk, Sketchfab, and more. These are companies that will create uses for HoloLens for which you likely won’t have much direct personal interest. You’ll almost certainly, though, benefit from their existence.”
NASA is using it. NASA. That’s amazing. Other important usage of MS’s HoloLens are for education. Imagine using it to learn about chemistry, biology, or even history through interactive virtual programs created to entice and educate. I wish this was possible when I was growing up instead of Powerpoint slides and chalk board equations.
There are other cool new features discussed in the video and in the Wired article. Check them out.
Multifarious Clutter 