Zune tunes for games?

***wraggster*** · July 24th, 2006, 14:17

MS reveals the new Zune handheld, but will we get a slice of portable gaming action from the Redmond giant?

The ongoing saga of the Microsoft handheld has finally been put to rest over the weekend, with the Redmond giant finally confirming its development of the Zune portable music player.

Chris Stephenson, Microsoft's new GM of marketing for MSN Entertainment Business, revealed all - in an interview with Billboard - stating that the first project under the Zune moniker will be a portable music player and digital music service, set to compete directly with the current market leaders, iPod and iTunes.

No direct confirmation of any gaming functionality is our first major WTF! - as we'd been hoping J Allard's ultra-secret project would encompass this mighty world we call gaming from the off. However before we reach for our anti-despair pills, Zuneinfo.com has revealed that "additional Zune-branded devices will follow, including a portable video player and, potentially, a portable game device". Stephenson apparently would not comment on the videogame element of future Zune iterations - however, he did confirm that the inaugural MS music hub will use the much-discussed Wi-Fi connection for wireless Internet access.

With Wi-Fi a key component, future Zunes already have the foundation for multiplayer gaming just like the DS and PSP and - with Microsoft's ethos of compatibility across all platforms - the gaming foundation is there. "The ability to connect the different devices is a key part of the strategy," said Stephenson. "Whether it's a portable media device, or a phone, or the Xbox or Media Center PC, the idea is you can access your entertainment from anywhere."

Due to hit stores (Stateside at least) prior to Xmas, expect the mighty Zune marketing machine to roll out towards the latter end of the year. The focus at first will undoubtedly be music and video, but we'll certainly keep a close eye on any further gaming clues. However in the meantime, you can hold forth frothing and rampant speculation about what implications the Zune player might have for a future Xbox portable in the comments below.