Zune HD game evidence mounts

By Robert Purchese Published 14 September, 2009

Microsoft after a bite of the Apple.

New evidence has been uncovered that suggests Zune HD will be Microsoft's first foray into handheld gaming.

A promotional video, dug up by Engadget, shows a short clip of a racing game running on the device. It's little more than a red car weaving around an urban track, but means Microsoft may be ready to square-up to the iPod Touch and iPhone.

News that Zune Marketplace will be integrated into Xbox Live beefs those claims up, as does mention of games by Zune chip-maker NVIDIA on its website.

Given Microsoft's silence, however, gaming clearly isn't the focus for Zune HD.

Zune HD launches across North America on 15th September for $289.99 (32GB) or $219.99 (16GB). There will be no UK release this year.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (22) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JohnnyWashnGo #1 2 years ago

    Is this another device that will run games software and yet have no decent interface to controlling the games?

    Touchscreen be damned, buttons are the way forward.

  • paul_haine #2 2 years ago

    Bless.

  • skillian #3 2 years ago

    I really like the look of the Zune HD, but I just can't see the point of getting something like this over a decent phone, which gives you an internet browser too. Games on this aren't likely to be any better than what you'd get on smartphones anyway.

  • Sanxo #4 2 years ago

    There hasn't been a Zune release over here ever.

    MS just does not know when to stop digging; they go 'Apple hurrrrr hurrrrrr must compete' despite the fact unlike other competitors which MS have beaten by perseverence and oodles of cash, Apple haven't got complacent and know from bitter experience never to give MS a chance.

  • Toothball #5 2 years ago

    Well, if the games are up to scratch then I won't be able to resist. They'll have to be quite special as I already carry around a DS, PSP and mp3 player. Probably mostly iPhone-like games so that'll be easy to ignore.

  • Dizzy #6 2 years ago

    >Touchscreen be damned, buttons are the way forward.

    Yes and no.

    Plenty of good touchscreen games. And what about the DS???? Some of the best games on DS barely use keys.

    I am sure Apple will include buttons someday *if* they can find an elegant way of doing so.

  • poopmonster #7 2 years ago

    LoL gotta love Engadget's nerd army comments.

    Looks like a good improvement on the old Zune, but it's still hard to swallow.

    Touchscreen be damned, buttons are the way forward.

    I like buttons too, but there's something to be said about touchscreens.

    I want a multi-touch trackpad to replace my mouse (not for gaming - general use). Mice suck for navigation after you've used a Macbook for a while.

  • davisorle #8 2 years ago

    The thing is that ZuneHD is awesome and has amazing capabilities and I had been waiting for it to relpace my damn old iPod ( since im tired of iPods and stupid Apple for all the screw ups the past year ) and all of a sudden last week they announced that it will have NO European release for now.. OMFG those ppl pissed me off, siriously. Anyhow, ill see if I can order it without having issues for using it from Greece. The HDRadio and HDVideo out are extra but will be sooner or later usefull to me. Now that I know for sure that the Nvidia chip wont be wasted and will be also used for games its just even more tempting.

    I'm not into gaming when it comes to handheld but if I have the Zune in my hands a couple of them I'll be having and play once in a while. Even if when in the restroom and only ( see why its not worth for me buying handheld? :p )

  • miiiguel #9 2 years ago

    You won't be able to use Zune's MarketPlace, if it's anything like previous gen Zune, which I have. Sucks big time.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #10 2 years ago

    'Plenty of good touchscreen games. And what about the DS???? Some of the best games on DS barely use keys.

    I understand that the DS has plenty of great touchscreen games, as do the Apple devices. My comment about touchscreens was somewhat facetious but it is hard to deny that having just a touchscreen can be a hindrance to a portable games platform.

    Also, I gotta say, I much prefer rhythm tengoku on the GBA than DS. The touchscreen interface to that game on the DS lost something that made the GBA version brilliant. Horse for course I suppose.

  • Shinetop #11 2 years ago

    Why should I care about this? They're not going to release it in Europe, so screw the Zune HD.

  • The-Bodybuilder #12 2 years ago

    If only stupid MS could make a windows mobile interface like the Zune HD, I wouldn't be planning to get an android phone...

  • skillian #13 2 years ago

    @TheBodyBuilder

    Windows Mobile 7 might be what you're looking for, coming 'soon': [link url=http://www.en gadget.com/2009/08/03/windows-mobile-7-to-be-a-premium-multi touch-beast-of-a-platform/
    ]http://ww w.engadget.com/2009/08/03/windo...[/link]

    Personally, I'll still be looking for the perfect Android phone, regardless of what MS come up with for mobile.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #14 2 years ago

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but does XNA studio not already have templates for Zune games?

    Edit: yes it does.

    http://cr eators.xna.com/en-US/zune_devel...
    Edited by 1 at 14/09/09 @ 11:58

  • asphaltcowboy #15 2 years ago

    Well, I might be tempted if it was seeing an EU release. But it isn't, so I'm not.

  • FogHeart #16 2 years ago

    I'm waiting for the Archos 5 Android which is officially announced tomorrow. The archos 5 has a huge screen, up to 320Gb of space, but the OS wasn't much cop and the downloadable stuff never took off so they've seen the light and made an Android version. I don't know of any other non-phone use of Android so this will be interesting. I don't think it'll have accelerometers though. I'll be interested to see where games go on Androids, probably not very far but Google are making Java code run much faster (see Chrome) so let's see.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #17 2 years ago

    I find it curoius that I have heard absolutely nothing about games on Android.

    And, to be honest, I wouldn't be expecting much in the way of a gaming platform from Archos.

  • Dizzy #18 2 years ago

    "I find it curoius that I have heard absolutely nothing about games on Android. "

    Probably because it isn't selling very well. Not a lot of devs seem to care. The tools are also a bit meh.

  • robg #19 2 years ago

    There are going to be mounts?

  • WinterSnowblind #20 2 years ago

    I'm definitely interested in the Zune, and if it syncs with your 360 accont, if could do some really cool things.

    But they don't seem to be doing anywhere near as much with it as they could. It could easily be used as a way to make 360 owners want Zunes, and Zune owners want 360's, but alas.. And yeah, the fact they have no intentions on releasing the thing in Europe doesn't help.

  • Caimbeul #21 2 years ago

    I had been really looking forward to the ZuneHD as a PMP ever since i lost the dongle to my Creative Zen Vision M...Now with no UK release in sight, despite it being a great piece of hardware with a lovely OLED screen, I have no choice but to say Sorry Microsoft, you have just lost another customer to Apple. I will go ad get a 64Gb ipod touch to listen to music and watch movies...even though i despise itunes in its entirety.

  • The-Bodybuilder #22 2 years ago

    @ skillian
    I'm not bloody waiting for winmo 7.