GC: 360 wireless kit for PC

Today at the Leipzig Games Convention, Microsoft made all sorts of bold pledges about PC support - and announced the Windows Wireless Gaming Receiver, which will allow PC users to play games using Xbox 360 wireless peripherals.

Up to now, we've had to make do using a wired 360 controller, but before the end of the year the new Receiver, priced EUR 49.99, will sort that out for us. There'll also be a headset option, Microsoft said.

Microsoft's also planning to re-release the Intellimouse Explorer 3.0, thanks to widespread demand, and introduced the new HABU Laser Gaming Mouse, made in association with game peripheral specialist Razer.

During a packed conference, Microsoft also showed off some of the tools that make up a part of the PC XNA development suite, with which gamers will be able to build their own 360 games. Using a drag-and-drop interface, MS' Chris Satchell produced a small side-scrolling shooter featuring an aeroplane, showing off how you can drag elements and then resize them and play the game immediately.

Satchell also showed off a small game called Culture, which is about killing weeds on a spherical world by surrounding them in flowers.

The platform-holder, keen to emphasise the importance of its Games for Windows brand, also dragged out a bunch of developers - including Bill Roper - to testify to the brilliance of Windows Vista and its DirectX 10 features. At one point, we were shown an image of DirectX 9 Flight Simulator X and then a mock-up of what a DX10 build would look like, with near-photorealistic water the most obvious thing.

XNA will also be added to the curriculums of several universities in Europe - three in the UK (Hull, Nottingham and Bradford) and two in Germany (Karlsruhe and Munich's Technical University) - the company said.