RSS
According to this Microsoft job ad, the future may be a little closer than you think. The ad is asking for a program manager to get working on the “next generation of gaming platforms,” and to “ensure that we are building the best possible platform for content creators.”
Unless it’s just working on DirectX 12. Here’s the text in full:
Microsoft’s new Halo Studio team is looking for a technical and highly talented program manager to work with an engineering team to help define the next generation of gaming software technology. As part of a next generation team, you’ll be instrumental in helping to lead the development of the engine that will power future experiences for the next generation of gaming platforms. You will work closely with the software architect and the senior development team behind this critical new effort. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with artists, designers, and other creative functions within MGS to ensure that we are building the best possible platform for content creators. You will also work to ensure we are building collaborative efforts with expertise available across the company, including the Xbox platform team and Microsoft Research.
Thanks, Gameguru. Cheers for the tip, Sean!
Viewing 22 responses
Blerk said:
Plaforms? Plural? Couple this with the ‘working with artists and designers’ thing and it doesn’t sound much like you’ll be creating the Xbox 720. Sounds more like some kind of software thing. A Direct X 12 job, perhaps?
patlike said:
Oh fucking lol. It so obviously is.
Psychotext said:
If they’re not already working on their next gen console they’re in deep shit anyway. You don’t design and develop a console overnight.
Well, maybe you do if it’s the 360.
/shoots hoop
patlike said:
Added a sneaky edit.
evilashchris said:
Loving those tags Pat
Psychotext said:
Mmm… stealthy. lol
patlike said:
It’s the way I tell ‘em
BrokenSymmetry said:
This job ad mentions a software “engine” to be build. Could it be that Microsoft wants to include their own middleware engine with the SDK for the next Xbox, to replace the Unreal and other engines?
No_PUDding said:
Hopefully not.
Is that really a good idea?
I lvoe the quirks that comes with differences in engines. It means not all games are the same.
And so there defintely is a Halo in development, but nor for this generation?
Psychotext said:
I think there’s about 3 Halo games in development right now. /o\
BrokenSymmetry said:
The advantage for Microsoft of having their own middleware engine would be that it would be platform-specific to the Xbox, whereas the current 3rd-party engines are almost all multi-platform. Giving developers a free graphics engine and toolset (instead of developers having to pay a large sum for a 3rd-party engine) would seem attractive to developers starting on a new game, and would tie them strictly to the Xbox platform.
Blerk said:
And also make them far less likely to use it.
mortiferus said:
Does this really shock some of you? I’m actually surprised it took this long. The fact is a new xbox console will be out by 2010-11 and PS4 may be out by 2012-13.
It would be very wise of MS to provide an engine, especially in light of the UE fees and issues. However, it should have a flexible, perhaps even a first for Microsoft… Open Source license that will allow devs to share or contribute code back into a central repository.
No_PUDding said:
I doubt the PS4 will be out that soon.
Microsoft’s generation cycles are shorter and the PS3 came out a year later. So I’d give the PS4 a 2014 date.
Blerk said:
Microsoft’s only had one generational cycle so far. You can’t really say that their cycles are shorter when there’s only a single example to base that statement on.
Tonka said:
It’s Vegas or bust baby! Vegas or bust…
No_PUDding said:
@Blerk I already reworded it once, so I was just lazy, but there’s no reason to believe they won’t do it much sooner.
Psychotext said:
Mmmm…. trending with one data point. You’d make a great analyst No_PUD.
No_PUDding said:
You’re right I would make a good analyst but probably when based on points like these:
360 came out a year earlier and Microsoft have just pulled a pretty final price drop. In addition (without whipping out pictures of Killzone2 or Gears dev statements) it seems the PS3 has a bit more juice to squeeze out of it than the 360 does.
Fairer points?
Psychotext said:
Final price drop? Are you mad?
The PS2 was $199 within a year and a half of release. It had its price dropped three more times after that. Not just that, but when MS can’t drop the price of the arcade any more they just dump the model and sell the 60gb as their lowest priced one… which gives them a few available price points.
Potential power doesn’t really have much to do with how a console is going to sell.
Here’s what we do know… Sony have used a 6 year cycle so far which would put their next console out in 2012. However, they were also clear leader in the two gens where they used that 6 year cycle so it’s harder to tell what they’ll do this time around.
Microsoft released the 360 4 years after the xbox. However, they killed off the xbox because they didn’t own the tech inside, couldn’t cost reduce it and it cost them something like $5bn. I fully expect them to join Nintendo on a 5 year release cycle this time around.
Arguably… MS: 2010, Nintendo: 2011, Sony: 2012.
Which would be insane from a customer point of view.
No_PUDding said:
That’s all I was saying basically.
But I don’t imagine Sony can afford to realease that early this tiem round. They will really really need to maximise the Ps3’s revenue.
And $199 is the turning point. It’s final in that, if this doesn’t have a prolonged effect it’s a worrying sign. Perhaps a sign, a hardware developer might take to bash out another Halo on a next gen console for example.
Psychotext said:
Nah, when the main SKU hits $199 it might be a turning point. Unless the arcade shrugs off its “tard pack” image somehow.
I see what you’re saying about trying to maximise the PS3’s revenue. But that might be hard to do with the 720 and Wii HD hitting the market… especially as they’ll be eating up potential PS4 customers.