14 DAY TRIAL // The future of gaming goes beyond DirectX 10 and DirectX 11, or even additional examples of the implementation of Microsoft's graphics technology bundled with the Windows operating system. Still, judging strictly from the perspective of the immense community of gamers, the associated market share, and the focus of the gaming industry, Windows will continue to be the main platform for games for years to come. Nothing but good news for Microsoft as the company has built a product that has the potential of becoming the next-generation gaming platform.
And I do want to emphasize potential! Microsoft Surface bundles Windows and surface computing technology into a single offering, as the company essentially debuted a new product category. With Windows Vista at its core, Microsoft Surface is for the time being a product aimed at corporate customers, but it is stirred toward the home user segment, and sooner or later it will get there. In this context, one of the most relevant aspects that will drive or kill adoption is the content made available. Microsoft Surface can be easily set up as a center of social interaction with an emphasis placed on entertainment, and gaming is the next logical step.
Sarcastic Gamer has made available a video with the first game developed specifically for Microsoft Surface. Firefly makes excellent use of the Surface's natural user interface, despite being a rather simple game, whose object is to capture fireflies into jars, while also offering the possibility of squashing the digital insects in order to prevent opponent players from herding them away and winning the game. Well, hardcore gamers are left out for the time being, that much is true, but take into account that Firefly, the creation of Carbonated games, is just the first such example tailored to the multi-touch capabilities of Surface. Just think of the success driven by the natural user interface for the Wii console, and try to imagine where Surface can take gaming...