microsoft buying/merging with sony?

[deadrats]

i wanted to make a joke that now that gay marriage seems to be gaining legality across the country that microsoft and sony were planning on tying the knot, but then i remembered that politics wasn't allowed in this forum:

http://www.winrumors.com/microsoft-registers-microsoft-sony-com-new-windows-phones/

Microsoft’s recent domain registration history has sparked speculation that the company might be planning a partnership with Sony.

The software giant has registered microsoft-sony.com and sony-microsoft.com. Both domains were registered to Microsoft through Corporation Service Company (CSC), a corporate identity protection firm. Forum users at Neogaf discovered the domain names, both of which simply forward to a Bing search result. A great deal of speculation focuses on a gaming partnership between the two firms but it’s likely that the move to register the domains was simply a typical domain protection process. The company has previously registered microsoftinsider.com to protect its brand.

in a somewhat related story, and by "related" i mean "not at all", windows 8 may be the last MS OS to use the windows name:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/windows-8-may-be-the-last-dance-for-the-brand-a-source-says/

it's rumored that MS is considering calling their OSes "Door" from now on.

[yoda313]

How in the hell could Microsoft and Sony be focused on a gaming partnership?

Thats like saying Coke and Pepsi want to make a pop (soda) together!?! WTF?

To call Microsoft and Sony mortal enemies in gaming might be exaggerating a little but its no different than Apple vs Microsoft or AMD vs Intel or Jordan Vs Bird (ok thats a bit old right there but you get my point).

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Now I could see there being something monumental in possibilities on one front:

What if they could make XBOX LIVE talk to the Sony Playstation Network? I mean that would be wild wouldn't it?

I mean imagine if you had say rockband on the xbox 360 and a pal of yours has it on the ps3 but neither of you has the other console. You can't play online together. But what if THEY COULD TALK TO EACH OTHER????? I mean that would be a world beater.

As far as cross platform releases go that would be wild. You could have friends playing each other in Call of Duty with a PS3 or 360. Obviously exclusives like Halo or Uncharted wouldn't work since they are exclusive to their respective consoles.

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The other rumor I saw on Cnet about Windows 8 was that it would be able to play xbox 360 games. I don't know about that one.

[deadrats]

The other rumor I saw on Cnet about Windows 8 was that it would be able to play xbox 360 games. I don't know about that one.

that would be beyond wild; i don't see how that's possible, a pc would need an optical drive capable of reading 360 disks, maybe you could buy/download via windows live (or what's that 360 service called?) and with an emulator play them on a pc; that's not to far fetched i remember having a snes emulator for the pc that allowed me to play super maria bros rom's on win2k.

[yoda313]

i don't see how that's possible, a pc would need an optical drive capable of reading 360 disks, maybe you could buy/download via windows live (or what's that 360 service called?)

If it were to be a reality I imagine it would be a download service rather than the physical xbox 360 discs.

Its XBOX LIVE for the console online service. I think its GAMES FOR WINDOWS for the pc games. Not sure what the "service" name is for the pc games.

I am not sure if xbox 360 games can play with pc games that are on both platforms. I think that was the whole plan for the games for windows lineup. I don't know if it is already possible or if its just a pipe dream.

But since Microsoft controls the Xbox I don't see why it wouldn't be at least technically possible for it to happen. Again the 360 games would almost certainly have to be a download deal. Or "special" windows 8 versions on dvd/bluray disc rather than the "regular" 360 discs.

[Noahtuck]

Yeah i'm with yoda on this one.....

Pepsi & Coke joining forces........
Let's see, one multi billion dollar company ($ONY) joining with another multi billion dollar company (M$), then they have to share $$$.....
Hmmmm.....

Although stranger things have happened!

The other rumor I saw on Cnet about Windows 8 was that it would be able to play xbox 360 games. I don't know about that one.

I don't see that really possible either.
Even with an emulator, because standard drives will not even read an XBOX 360 disc.

and with an emulator play them on a pc; that's not to far fetched i remember having a snes emulator for the pc that allowed me to play super maria bros rom's on win2k.

An emulator playing an old SNES rom which is roughly anywhere from a couple hundred KB's to 900KB's is a long way from playing a modern 7+ GB 360 game on a pc.
Plus you'd have to be able to get that game to the PC.

There were/are what, 2 PC drives capable of reading 360 disc's, and even those need(ed) special hacked firmware to read them.
I have 1, a "Samsung SH-D163" that i bought stock and flashed it myself with the custom firmware.

I also have a spare Benq 360 drive for hooking to any of my pc's through a special hookup and SATA card for reading/ripping 360 game dsic's.
So i doubt any simple download would be made available for the masses to allow them to play 360 games on their PC's.....

Oh the bricking of drives by the millions with just every joe downloading and trying to flash their PC's drives!!
LOL!!!

If they wanted to make 360 games playable on the PC, all they have to do is port them over and resell them in the PC market.....
Oh wait, they already do that!!
Except some games they don't....
DAMN system exclusive games!!!!!!
DAMN PS3, Nintendo, XBOX!!!
LOL!!

[yoda313]

If they wanted to make 360 only games playable on the PC, all they have to do is port them over and resell them in the PC market.....
Oh wait, they already do that!!
Except some games they don't....
DAMN system exclusive games!!!!!!

Well actually thats just the nature of the beast. But do you mean things like Uncharted being Ps3 exclusive? Or are you referring to certain xbox 360 games NOT being ported to the PC?

Edit - and @noahtuck - deadrats and I were mentioning the whole xbox on windows could be a specially designed download package MEANT to play on a pc with no special hack or anything.

Edit 2 - @noahtuck - have you tried looking for a used ps3? THey've been around long enough you should be able to find one at a reasonable price if you take your time...... Uncharted 1 and 2 are absolutely worth owning a ps3 for on their own - Uncharted 3 looks to be a blast as well come this November.

[Backpain]

Just think, if Microsoft and Sony combined you would have to either 1. reboot your movie and loose your place 2. Wait until you get a security patch to continue or 3. Listen to someone on the phone from half way around the world from a country that hardly speaks English who will tell you to unplug your video player for 10 seconds and then press play. NOT GOOD news.

[Noahtuck]

@ Yoda
ALL OF THE ABOVE!!!
LOL!!

All 3 major systems have exclusive games.
And can you imagine how long it would take most people to DL a 7+ GB game from XBOX/M$ ?!?!
We won't even go into the BR/PS3 games from $ony!!!
(25-45gb game's (disc's) days', Week's ?, just for the HD video content)
Not to mention the bandwidth needed by $ony or M$ to allow 1000's, if not millions of people to DL them with any respectable speed...
That alone would cost major $$$$

And i would guess most people would want to have something tangible for their money, as in a disc.

There is a FARCRY game that is a 360 exclusive, not a big deal as it was older & I picked it up at gamestop used for $9.00, but it sure would have been nice to get it for the PC.....
As none of my PC's has ever RROD!!!!!!!!!
LOL!!!!
(and a PC is much easier and faster to repair if one little thing goes poof)

@ Backpain
Yeah.... just throw some more positive scenarios into the mix!!!
LOL!!!

[AlanHK]

The software giant has registered microsoft-sony.com and sony-microsoft.com

Means nothing. They probably scooped them up just to preempt phishing like:
"Bill Gates and Sony will send you ONE MILLION DOLLARS if you give us your bank account number...."

They probably have thousands of domains with the word "microsoft" or variations.

[yoda313]

We won't even go into the BR/PS3 games from $ony!!!
(25-45gb game's (disc's) days', Week's ?, just for the HD video content)

As far as bluray content yes you are correct it would take a long time on any network.

But remember xbox games are 5-8gbs so thats not impossible if you are on cable. But the three disc games could be a problem.

All 3 major systems have exclusive games.

Ah I forgot about the WII. I sold mine back to gamestop earlier this year. I've since forgotten about Nintendo completely.

[jman98]

The software giant has registered microsoft-sony.com and sony-microsoft.com

Means nothing. They probably scooped them up just to preempt phishing like:
"Bill Gates and Sony will send you ONE MILLION DOLLARS if you give us your bank account number...."

They probably have thousands of domains with the word "microsoft" or variations.

That's a pretty good guess. I also wondered if it might be something much simpler than what has been speculated. Specifically I am wondering if Sony might want to get back in the mobile telephone game (that's "cell phone" to you North Americans) using Microsoft's mobile OS and that's what this is going to be about.

[yoda313]

if Sony might want to get back in the mobile telephone game (that's "cell phone" to you North Americans)

haven't they already? Didn't they release the playstation phone? Xpheria or something like that?

Edit - sorry mispelled it - its xperia play by ericsson:

http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/sony-ericsson-xperia-play/4505-6452_7-34505263.htm...?tag=mncol;txt