Given Microsoftâs demonstration of Avatars gathering in a shared virtual movie theater at E3, it seemed that Xbox Live could be going in a PlayStation Home direction. Not quite, we were told.
Microsoftâs head of long-term planning for Xbox 360, Shane Kim, brushed off Kotakuâs suggestion that the numerous expansions to the companyâs Avatar system might eventually lead the company to creating â or even just finding themselves in â a Home-like shared space.
If Avatars can show up in chat parties together, appear in games, populate a virtual game show like 1 Vs 100 or have different outfits, are they not moving toward that territory of the PS3âs virtual world, Home?
Kim said he uses a different metaphor: âI think that Live is an MMO, but that doesnât mean you have to create a virtual world. I think thatâs the big difference between our approach and Sonyâs approach. An MMO is a living, breathing, dynamic thing where you can find people online and entertainment you can connect with⊠I think that metaphor applies to the platform. Thatâs the way we think about it when we try to program new content and experiences into itâŠ
âWho knows, maybe someday personalizing a space might be part of it, but thatâs not the same as creating a virtual a world thatâs the main way you interact with other people.â
Xbox Live as an MMO? The idea sounds odd at first, but the more we think about it here at Kotaku Tower, the more we see some merit to it.
