At E3 Microsoft announces a big lineup of new Xbox 360 and Kinect game titles and introduces voice search with Bing on Xbox and Kinect that will change how people enjoy Xbox entertainment in the living room.LOS ANGELES – June 6, 2011 – Today at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Microsoft announced new game titles from blockbuster franchises like Halo and Gears of War, and unveiled a flood of new Kinect games and entertainment experiences.
The company also introduced voice search with Bing on Xbox and Kinect that will enable people to use their voice to tell their Xbox what entertainment content they are looking for, which will give them faster access to the ever-expanding universe of entertainment available right in their living room.
At last year’s E3, Microsoft introduced the world to Kinect, which went on to become the fastest-selling electronic device in history. Though Microsoft doesn’t have a singular star like last year’s Kinect to showcase at E3, the so-called Super Bowl of the electronic entertainment industry, Molly O’Donnell, Xbox 360 director of marketing integration, says the company will show competitors, the media and fans that Xbox 360 “has a deep bench.”
“It’s not just winning the Super Bowl,” O’Donnell says. “A great team looks to the future and builds franchises, not just one-hit wonders. We’re going showcase the fun that Xbox 360 is delivering this holiday and paint a vision of what the future will look like.
Gamer’s Paradise
Microsoft today announced several new titles on Xbox 360, including new installments of: “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare,” “Gears of War,” “Forza Motorsport,” and “Fable: The Journey,” a new extension of the Fable franchise that will take advantage of Kinect technology. Today’s E3 keynote also included world-premiere trailers for the next Halo games and for a new Kinect-powered historical Roman epic called “Ryse,” created by developer Crytek.
Fans got glimpses of two new games from perhaps the most beloved Xbox 360 game franchise, Halo, O’Donnell says. In addition to celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Xbox console with the release of a re-mastered version of “Halo Combat Evolved,” Microsoft announced that fans can expect to see Halo 4 in holiday 2012.
“We have the best games for everyone, including the biggest blockbusters, and the next generation of games and experiences that explore the full magic of Kinect,” O’Donnell says.
Microsoft also announced the next wave of titles coming for controller-free Kinect as well as a few traditional controller games that have enhancements available for consumers who have a Kinect sensor.
“After the success of Kinect, we’re working with the top pop culture brands, including Disney, Star Wars, and Sesame Street, to bring more and more content to Kinect,” O’Donnell says.
“Last year with Kinect, you could say, ‘Xbox, play’ to start a movie or music, but we thought we’d take the power of voice to the next level,” O’Donnell says. “With voice search, you can say ‘Xbox, Bing, Harry Potter,’ and your Xbox will find all the Harry Potter content available to you on Xbox LIVE, whether it’s a game, a movie, or a soundtrack.”Voice search with Bing on Xbox will become available this holiday season, as part of the Xbox LIVE update.
“Between Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, Zune, and more, we offer a lot of content and that trend is not ending,” O’Donnell says. “You could use your controller to find things, or use your hand, but what’s easier than you saying it and Xbox finding it? It’s making technology relevant and useful, and it’s awesome to be able to use technology that our wonderful decision engine Bing has already developed.”
Taking all of the offerings and franchises from Xbox's first decade, add to that the success of controller-free Kinect and a burgeoning entertainment portfolio, and Xbox 360 is evolving into an all-in-one hub for the living room, O’Donnell says.
She adds that success didn’t come overnight for the Xbox in its first decade, and she would know – she’s been there for nine of those years. “But the transformation, from where I sit, has been amazing. It’s been hard, and it’s been methodical, and we have gone from, ‘number who?’ to ‘No. 2,’” she says.
Then, this year the Xbox 360 became the No. 1 selling gaming console in North America.
“Next year will be even bigger; our goal is to become the leading console in the world,” O’Donnell says. “It’s a seminal moment.”
