Today, April 4, Microsoft turns 40 years old. If you think about it, the term is very short, especially for such and such a company. All the more amazing, looking back, to see how much many aspects of our lives have changed, through the efforts of computer geniuses from Redmond. Unfortunately, we simply cannot describe the whole history of success and incredible Microsoft breakthroughs (this would require at least a couple of dozens of articles), and therefore we will focus on the most important topic for us – games. Frozen in the archives and try to understand how it all started and what came to.
Windows
Today the concepts of Windows and PC-Haming are simply inseparable. And it's hard to believe that once everything was completely different, and Microsoft was in a catch-up position, desperately trying to attract the attention of developers to their new products.
► It is with Windows 95 that many of us entered the world of computers and video games.
It all started in 1994, when the company was preparing for the release Windows 95. It was immediately clear that the success of the new operating system would depend on the games and programs for it. The problem was that the majority of developers were preferred when creating their projects MS-DOS – Previous Microsoft. It allowed the developers to get direct access to all components of the system, whether it is a video card or keyboard, while the capabilities of Windows 95 were very limited in this regard. Only a few months remained before the release, and the situation had to be urgently resolved.
So DirectX appeared – a set of interfaces for application programming (originally came out under the name Windows Game SDK). It was then that the era of game expansion of Microsoft began on personal computers. In subsequent years, the popularity of MS-DOS gradually fell, until in 2000 its development and support was completely discontinued.
► Craig Eisler, Eric Engstrom and Alex St. John-creators of DirectX.
A little later, in 2002, another important event occurred – the opening of Microsoft Game Studios (was later renamed Microsoft Studios) – a subsidiary of Microsoft, which is engaged exclusively with the development and publication of the video game. Thanks to impressive resources, she managed to gradually collect many eminent studios under her wing, such as Rare , Bungie And Lionhead , as well as help in the publication of works Epic Games And Remedy Entertainment. As a result, many cult and just good games, such as GEARS of WAR , Halo And Alan Wake.
► Let GFW – Live not have lived for a long time, but he fulfilled his purpose – helped to understand that it was not so necessary to work on.
In 2005, Microsoft, continuing to promote and improve the PC Gaming, launched the campaign Games for Windows and the playing platform of the same name. The goal was to make video games on a PC as affordable and simple as on consoles. Positive undertaking, do not find? All releases were made to all releases: a simple installation on a computer, compatibility with Game Explorer and Media Center, support of various types of monitors and processors … Games for https://sister-site.org/midnight-wins/ Windows – Live, in turn, had to likened the Xbox 360 computer, simplifying the network distribution, adding a bunch. useful trifles, like chats and the possibilities of playing PC and console players.
But, unfortunately, not everything went smoothly. The function of joint online with console players, for example, has not become widespread. Also, many games have observed compatibility problems with Game Explorer. Due to these and other reasons, the infamous Games for Windows-Live was closed in 2013.
Xbox
If the Microsoft PC market felt extremely confident (which platform is still playing then?), then the console wars were for her in the brand.
Let's go to 1998 for a while. Sony and Nintendo, PSONE and N64 reign on the market, they survive their century, and new titans loom on the horizon, in the person of PS2 and GameCube. The best moment to get out and declare yourself simply cannot you think. Having carefully thought over everything, a group of developers within the company represent their vision of console Bill Gatesu. The idea immediately appears to this, and it gives good to the formation of a console unit.
► You start to look at a very ambiguous console design more condensing, if you recall that the very most first prototype was like a vertically standing letter X.
Initially, the prefix was called DirectX Box, but after the name was replaced by a more concise – Xbox. It is interesting that the marketing department of Microsoft for a long time did not believe that the console with a similar name was waiting for success. But the attraction of focus groups showed that this is not the case at all and people like the name. In terms of technical parameters, Xbox twice the PlayStation 2 and worked for Windows 2000, which was supposed to facilitate the process of developing games for it.
Two years later, in March 2000, Bill Gates himself appeared on the GDC stage and told the public about Xbox. The move was a success, and the console quickly attracted the attention of the press and players. However, many belonged to the new console skeptically, calling Xbox "a conventional computer in a bright wrapper". But Microsoft did not give up and continued to throw the public more and more details, warming the interest.
► Dwayne "Skala" Johnson and Bill Gates first show the Xbox public.
A few months later, at the E3 exhibition between the giant from Redmond and the Bungie Studio, the first contact was established, after which the studio was safely acquired for $ 30 million. The news immediately hit the first stripes, and Microsoft found themselves at the center of universal attention. Moreover, Bungie at that time was playing a game called Halo , which was supposed to go to PC and Apple computers. Of course, the project immediately became an exclusive for the upcoming platform. Then no one has yet suspected the incredible fate of the series, millions of sales and worldwide recognition. But the beginning was supposed to.
In 2001, the audience finally saw Xbox with my own eyes. At the presentation, in addition to Bill Gates himself, the duine of the “rock” Johnson was present. Together they announced the release date of the prefix and some details. Microsoft sharply entered the console’s divided market, having entered the battle with Sony and Nintendo, and we all see what this led to.
And now Ix has come. On November 14, 2001, on Times Square in New York, the launch of the first console in the history of Microsoft was launched. Sales were simply stunning: only about 1 million prefixes were sold in the first three weeks! Players did not stop even a high price of $ 299. Well, the first console system system, expected, became Halo.
But the real revolution in the entire console industry happened a little later. In November 2002, the Xbox Live service was launched. This, without exaggeration, was a bomb. The console multiplayer-a thing until this moment, in general, is unthinkable (there were attempts, but this did not lead to anything good)-suddenly became a reality. Despite the necessary monthly subscription, in the first week almost 150 thousand people were registered in the service, and this number continued to grow.
The era of the first Xbox ended in 2005. No, the support of the console lasted several more years, but it was at that time that the company decided that it was time to move on and announced the Xbox 360. The calculation was held successfully: before the release of PlayStation 3 and WII remained for a whole year, there were actually no competitors on the field. True, the situation was nevertheless different from the launch of the previous generation: the Next-Gen era began, but the level projects Halo , bright and revolutionary, at the start there was no. You can, of course, recall the unusual Kameo: Elementsof Power And Viva Pinata , but they rather fueled the interest of the public, and did not give some new experience.
Nevertheless, before the release of large hits, like Halo 3 And GEARS of WAR This was enough for the players, and the sales arrows went up. By the end of the year, 1.5 million prefixes were shipped. Some problems immediately crawled out and the main one-the notorious “red ring of death”-a miscalculation in the design of the console, which is why many “boxes” were simply burned. Over time, the problem was eliminated, but the players recalled this failure for a long time.
► Rocket Science-Level Stuff-this definition of Dali Kinect themselves Microsoft. We cannot disagree with them.
I must say that with instinctive novelties, Microsoft has always been fine (remember at least Xbox Live, which made a multiplayer on consoles with the standard). The company took the next bold step in 2009, when Kinect (originally called Project Natal) announced at the E3 exhibition). No joysticks, only a sensor and your body.
The device gained certain popularity, albeit not the way Microsoft expected, and gave us some excellent games, for example, a series Dance Central. Since then, parties have become much more interesting! Curious, but the use of him was found not only in the game industry, but also in science, education and medicine.
► In terms of design, Xbox One moved away from its predecessor and preferred the severity and monolist of the smoothness of the lines.
Years, as is usually the case, flew by. Back in 2008, the company opened a vacancy for the position of manager for work on the new generation of consoles. Then the project was called Durango and it was known about it … approximately nothing. Many rumors and guesses went about the name of the new prefix: from the already mentioned Durango, to the joking Xbox 720. And so, in May 2013, Microsoft opened the cards and showed her new Xbox One.
Following the general trend, this time-no experiments, so that the console did not bring anything fundamentally new: it became several times more powerful, several times faster and a little more. The emphasis was not on technology, but exclusively on games and services. And with this, Xbox One is in perfect order. Xbox Live continues to expand and increase the functionality. The game line is good than ever: new Forza , reprinting all parts Halo , Sunset Overdrive , Coming Halo 5: Guardians And Quantum Break. And this is only the first thing that came to mind, do not forget about a bunch of multi -platform games. Who will win in the current battle of the consoles? We do not know this, but we’ll say one thing, Microsoft is a worthy opponent and will follow the development of history as if interestingly interesting.
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No matter how the game public scolded Microsoft (and the reasons are always located, even far -fetched), the Redmon company made a huge contribution to the development of the gaming industry, and the devil knows what and how we played today if not for Bill Gates company. Taking this opportunity, we congratulate Microsoft on a wonderful date: 40 years – this is only the beginning. We have no doubt, there are still many records and successful sales ahead. The main thing here is not to be afraid and experiment!