The Xbox Live Arcade is getting ever more content with this week’s release of three titles aimed at the casual gamer, Hardwood Backgammon, Hardwood Hearts, and Hardwood Spades. Featuring online multiplayer and imminently approachable by everyone, these additions are important for Microsoft to broaden the appeal of the Xbox 360. The more diverse and rich the offerings in the Xbox Live Arcade, the wider the audience will be.
With that said, the most startling omission in the launch lineup and even in the announced future titles is poker. Given the amazing renaissance of poker recently in the form of celebrity tournaments and extensive television coverage, one would think that Microsoft would be all over a solid poker title for their Xbox Live Arcade service. So where is it?
The color of money
There can be no doubt that Microsoft has a poker game in development for Xbox Live Arcade. I have no insider information, no secret moles or any other source, but it would be the height of lunacy to not tap this market.
I think the key to this omission is what Microsoft may be intending: an online poker game supporting the betting of Xbox Live Marketplace points… which is really just a fancy abstraction of “cash money.” It may not be as crazy as it sounds. Though at first blush it may seem to be patently illegal to support online gambling, especially for a company like Microsoft, it’s not so cut and dried. According to some sources the issue is very murky with more than a little wiggle room within which to work. And if anyone can find loopholes enough or lobby the right people to allow it, it’s Microsoft’s team of corporate lawyers.
The killer app
Smart money says that Microsoft is feverishly working towards getting this title available on Xbox Live Arcade. And they’ll make it a premier portal, lavishing it with all the features you could expect.
- Full spectator support utilizing the same technology as the Heroes Channel in Project Gotham Racing 3 such that thousands of people could watch the top players play. Obviously winning probabilities as shown in television broadcasts would be trivial to add.
- Support for the Xbox 360 video camera when it’s released. For that extra, “like being there” atmosphere.
- Leader boards and tournaments galore. Invitational challenges. High stakes tourneys for the elite.
- Celebrity appearances. Wil Wheaton plays a ton of poker… imagine playing at the same table with Wil. For “money.”
- Remember that spectator channel? How about professional announcers and analysis over live?
- Obviously the graphical presentation and interface will be flawless and attractive.
There are some stumbling points that might make this infeasible. For one thing, there’s currently no way to go from Marketplace points back to real money. Sure, you could own every dashboard theme and gamercard picture thrice over but that’s of dubious merit. Perhaps we’ll see an expansion of your Marketplace points’ purchasing power such that it intersects the real world. That iPod? Perhaps a bad example, but say 24,000 marketplace points. A copy of Gears of War delivered to your house for 4,400 marketplace points. A new wireless controller for 3,200.
Keep your eyes open, it could get interesting rather quickly. Or I could be totally wrong and we’ll simply have a poker game with 1,000 “pokerbucks” that regenerate every day and you have to wait for the next day to play again if you bust. but if they’re at all aggressive, we could see the dawn of a whole different way to play.
I am sure xbox are very capable of making there gamberling out side of the US, i think that we could see gamberling an xbox because every userer of live, is ment to be over 18 because they make us use visa or master card to become live enabled, both of these cards u have to be 18+ so i beleave xbox have thought about this for some time. A company like microsoft is so big because of there abilty to look many year in the future. Merry christmas every one and lets hope happy gamberling
Actually, online poker is illegal in the US. All of the online gambling sites are run from outside the US. Casinos would love to expand into the online world of gambling, but they can’t unless they start up an offshore. Microsoft is a powerful company, but so are the casinos. If there was a way to take people’s money online as well as in the B&M, the casinos would have found it a long time ago.
I’m for the legalization of all forms of gambling, so I’d love to see something like this, but I think we’re a ways off before the laws change. I play poker online for money and I know it’s illegal, but until the government starts doing something about it, I’ll continue to play and simply report my winnings on my income taxes. The government is missing out on a lot of taxes by not legalizing it.
But that’s my point, Nick. It actually isn’t patently illegal otherwise online poker sites would be out of luck, too. It’s a very murky question, and I suspect that Microsoft is trying to determine conclusively the legality of it. Or, they’re just waiting to put a game out
.
I don’t see poker being played for Microsoft Points over Xbox Live. It’s basically gambling. You would have to purchase the points with real money and then are betting these points. That’s essentially the same as buying in with money and getting poker chips (instead of points) and then you cash your chips back in for money (or a prize) at the end of the night. Gambling is illegal no matter which way you look at it.
I do think they’ll have a poker game coming out soon though. I’d bet it would be here before the holidays.
the next step is actual gambling over xbox live, that would be fantastic, and a bit scary
These are interesting comments and thoughts…I bet you are correct about MS developing a Poker title.