Games for Windows - LIVE Beta
You may have heard that we’re about to start beta testing Games for Windows – LIVE. It’s true. A beta test for North America is coming soon. And now I’m here to answer some of your questions.
First of all, you can sign up here:
https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=363
What is this beta test? Well, in a nutshell, it’s an application called “Bug Bash” that lets users compete with other players to click on bugs to bash them. Pretty simple, really. The cool part is that you will be able to pull up the Games for Windows – LIVE guide and be connected to LIVE while you are running the application. You can send text messages, voice chat with your friends across Windows and Xbox 360, send friend requests, and participate in all the social goodness that you know and love about Xbox LIVE. But this is a beta test, and there’s work involved. If you’re accepted into the test, you’ll be asked to load up the application and run through a series of activities (bashing bugs, pinging your friends, etc) at times you sign up for. The good news is that you’ll have an opportunity to enter drawings for prizes. And who doesn’t love prizes?
Something to remember: this is a beta test of the SERVICE, not any particular GAME. The Bug Bash application will never be a shipping game, it’s merely something to do so that you can connect to LIVE and utilize the LIVE service. That’s it. It will never be a retail product. And it’s pretty simplistic. The focus is on the service, not the game.
When will the beta test start? There are a lot of moving parts, so we can’t give you a specific time. Needless to say, if you sign up to participate, you’ll get an Email letting you know when it’s available.
Is the beta test North America only? Yes. While we want to get as many people trying this as we can, we’re spending more time focusing on testing the service, and rolling it out across the world is a lot more difficult than just clicking a few buttons on the back-end. Games for Windows – Live WILL come out around the world, but this beta test is limited to North American users.
I signed up! Am I guaranteed to get in to the beta? No – we’re looking to test a service, and as such we’re looking for participants that meet certain criteria we want to test. We want to make sure that when this service launches on Windows, it’s the best it can be. That’s why we’re doing the test in the first place.
I’m sure there are more questions, but realistically there's not much more we can say at this point. In the meantime, go sign up!
