Wed, May 11, 2011 | 19:14 BST
Ballmer excited over gaining Skype’s 170 million users
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said during a press conference yesterday regarding the firm’s purchase of Skype, that the company will continue to offer the service on non-Microsoft products.
According to the CEO, products and services Skype users are accustomed to will “grow and be enhanced,” and the company continues to support Skype for “non-Microsoft devices.”
Skype has over 170 million users, and 600,000 new customers register for the product each day, something Microsoft will now have a hand in – especially on competing devices like iPhone and Android, and let’s not for get PSP even though MS does not do handheld gaming outside of its Windows phone.
“The number of users is accelerating, which is really exciting to me,” said Ballmer, via ARN. “We’ll move beyond emails and text to rich communications experiences in the future. Talking to friends and colleagues around the world will be as seamless as talking to them across kitchen table or the conference room.
“This is a big day for Microsoft and a big day for Skype. By bringing together the best of Microsoft and the best of Skype, we will empower people around the world with new technologies that should bring them closer together.”
The announcement of the deal yesterday stated that Microsoft purchased the chat service a cool $8.5 billion, and in the future it will support Xbox 360, Kinect and Xbox Live.
Thanks, Game Politics.
19 
Posted in: Microsoft, Xbox 360
Tags: skype, steve ballmer
19 comments
#1
Erthazus
11/05/11, 7:34 pm
Oh yeah, Of course he is excited.
But Jack Tretton and Reggie are not pleased with this.
I’m sure at Microsoft E3 Press conference we will see A LOT of news about this.
I’m intersted, what Sony and Nintendo is going to do when Microsoft purchased this. They need something like this, but there is just no alternative. Of course they can try to create it’s own Skype Rip Off, but even software giant like Microsoft tried and failed and in the end they purchased skype. It’s a total win.
#2
Heinekeno
11/05/11, 7:45 pm
This is the end of tweeter and facebook…
#3
Gekidami
11/05/11, 7:46 pm
Microsoft announces Skype at E3. Nintendo & Sony announce games at E3.
Yep, sounds about right.
#4
Erthazus
11/05/11, 7:47 pm
@3,
SCHWING!
#5
rrw
11/05/11, 7:51 pm
i dont think it will have huge effect on gaming industry. sure having to use xbox to communicate to other people is interesting. but is not like you buying xbox for skype
#6
Erthazus
11/05/11, 7:57 pm
@5, it’s potential 170 million of Xbox users in the future + for a gamer to have skype is an absolutely Faptastic thing.
Also, i think skype is going to have a lot of stuff for kinect.
Thats just a potential to bring casual idi… gamers to play Dance Central: Justin Bieber edition or Kinectimals 2000 and chat with someone’s daughter.
#7
rrw
11/05/11, 7:59 pm
“170 million of Xbox users in the future”
i guess xbox will only machine that use skype in the world :rolleyes:
#8
Erthazus
11/05/11, 8:01 pm
@7, with some games
ofc.
#9
Gekidami
11/05/11, 8:07 pm
Yeah, because 170 million people using Skype on their PC’s & phones and gonna be totally in to the idea of buying a 360 then paying for a gold sub to use that same once-free service.
#10
onyxbox
11/05/11, 8:09 pm
Perhaps MS should offer it to Sony as a cross game chat implementation for PS3 at £40 a year and see if the PS3 community think it’s worth it (when the PSN works again that is)
#11
Erthazus
11/05/11, 8:10 pm
@Geki, of course thats not going to happen. christ all mighty, but it’s going to be a very good point to buy console when you have it in one box.
More you have, more people will buy it.
Like Sony does with their exclusive games. So much games and for everyone. If you want to buy Infamous 2 and Uncharted 3 they are only on PS3 with great support from third party publishers like VALVE or EA.
It’s just Microsoft trying to create an audience. Thats it.
@onyx, OH YEAH
Microsoft is such an angel.
#12
rrw
11/05/11, 8:14 pm
by the way seem psp still have skype
http://gamer.blorge.com/2011/05/11/microsoft-to-support-skype-on-sonys-psp-and-other-devices/
#13
Stephany Nunneley
11/05/11, 8:24 pm
The only think I see worth it, is Skype is so much better than the damn chat service through XBL at the moment in my opinion.
#14
onyxbox
11/05/11, 8:43 pm
MS have bought an install base… Skype will slowly be assimilated into their wider video conference suite and eventually die a slow death… History repeats itself :/ unfortunately
#15
Christopher Jack
11/05/11, 9:05 pm
This has fail written all over it, Microsoft has a long history of poor business acquisitions so why should this be any different? Personally I blame poor management.
#16
yungsway
11/05/11, 9:24 pm
I for one am excited about this. Being able to talk to my family through Skype on my 60 inch TV!!!! Thanks Microsoft
#17
On2wheels
11/05/11, 9:30 pm
Skype has been great, but I don’t want to see ads running on the client like MSN messenger has.
#18
Nerorevox
11/05/11, 10:35 pm
@2 I will cry tears of joy when that happens… (sniff)
#19
G1GAHURTZ
12/05/11, 4:08 am
@16:
You can do that now.
Just connect your PC/laptop to your TV using HDMI, VGA or whatever you prefer and you’re away…