Microsoft announced late Monday the first wave of Xbox Live games that will be made available for Windows Phone 7 when the first smartphones running the new operating system hit the market later this year.
Although games are just one part of Microsoft's app strategy when it comes to Windows Phone, Redmond is counting on games--and Xbox Live tie-in in particular, to be a key selling point for Windows Phone. The Windows Phone 7 devices will be the first products outside of a PC or the Xbox itself to connect to Xbox Live. Gamers will be able to see their Gamerscore, earn achievements, and play games that tie into the Xbox Live online service.
"We believe that no matter where life takes you, the best in gaming and entertainment should follow," Microsoft Xbox Live corporate VP Marc Whitten said in a statement. "Windows Phone 7 takes a different approach to handheld gaming, utilizing Xbox Live, Microsoft Game Studios, leading game publishers, and innovative indie developers, to create powerful, shared experiences for everyone."
To gear up for the phone, Microsoft has started staffing up for a mobile game studio. Microsoft said that among the titles that it will be releasing are companion games that tie into Halo: Waypoint and Crackdown 2.
"Windows Phone 7 is the launch of a major gaming platform for Microsoft," said Matt Booty, general manager of mobile gaming for Microsoft Game Studios (MGS). "Just like we've done with Xbox 360, our charter is to push the envelope and deliver definitive games that maximize the platform. We will have an incredible lineup of MGS titles, and that's just the beginning."
We're planning to get a chance to see some of the games in action on Tuesday. In the mean time, Engadget appears to have gotten an earlier look.
Here is the list of Xbox Live titles coming to Windows Phone 7, with their publishers in parenthesis.
3D Brick Breaker Revolution (Digital Chocolate)
Age of Zombies (Halfbrick)
Armor Valley (Protege Games)
Asphalt 5 (Gameloft)
Assassins Creed (Gameloft)
Bejeweled Live (PopCap)
Bloons TD (Digital Goldfish)
Brain Challenge (Gameloft)
Bubble Town 2 (i-Play)
Butterfly (PressStart Studio)
CarneyVale Showtime (MGS)
Castlevania (Konami Digital Entertainment)
Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst (MGS)
De Blob Revolution (THQ)
Deal or No Deal 2010" (i-Play)
Earthworm Jim (Gameloft)
Fast & Furious 7 (i-Play)
Fight Game Rivals (Rough Cookie)
Finger Physics (Mobliss Inc.)
Flight Control (Namco Bandai)
Flowerz (Carbonated Games)
Frogger (Konami Digital Entertainment)
Fruit Ninja (Halfbrick)
Game Chest-Board (MGS)
Game Chest-Card (MGS)
Game Chest-Logic (MGS)
Game Chest-Solitaire (MGS)
GeoDefense (Critical Thought)
Ghostscape (Psionic)
Glow Artisan (Powerhead Games)
Glyder 2 (Glu Mobile)
Guitar Hero 5 (Glu Mobile)
Halo Waypoint (MGS)
Hexic Rush (Carbonated Games)
I Dig It (InMotion)
iBlast Moki (Godzilab)
ilomilo (MGS)
Implode XL (IUGO)
Iquarium (Infinite Dreams)
Jet Car Stunts (True Axis)
Let's Golf 2 (Gameloft)
Little Wheel (One click dog)
Loondon (Flip N Tale)
Max and the Magic Marker (PressPlay)
Mini Squadron (Supermono Limited)
More Brain Exercise (Namco Bandai)
O.M.G. (Arkedo)
Puzzle Quest 2 (Namco Bandai)
Real Soccer 2 (Gameloft)
The Revenants (Chaotic Moon)
Rise of Glory (Revo Solutions)
Rocket Riot (Codeglue)
Splinter Cell Conviction (Gameloft)
Star Wars: Battle for Hoth (THQ)
Star Wars: Cantina (THQ)
The Harvest (MGS)
The Oregon Trail (Gameloft)
Tower Bloxx NY (Digital Chocolate)
Twin Blades (Press Start Studio)
UNO (Gameloft)
Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet (i-Play)
Zombie Attack! (IUGO
Zombies!!!! (Babaroga)