Microsoft may be bringing Silverlight to Xbox 360

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

WinRumors has reported on some interesting news that Microsoft may be planning to announce intentions to bring Silverlight to the Xbox 360 platform, and look set to display their plans at the MIX11 conference, which is in Las Vegas next week. 

With both Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360 already sporting XNA, their connection would be improved heavily with the addition of Silverlight. Being Microsoft's alternative to Adobe's Flash (and a damn good one too), Silverlight could open up a new app Marketplace (opens in new tab) for the gaming console, a source (who wishes to remain anonymous) suggests. Windows Phone 7 developers could be greeted with a gateway to over 50 million users who could potentially become active customers and use their apps.

WinRumors has claimed that Microsoft plans to include a new application model (codenamed "Jupiter") that will allow developers to create and develop applications on Silverlight, deployed as AppX packages (.appx) which will be part of an introduced application store in Windows 8. This could well be Microsoft's answer to Apple's App Store, which is available on both OS X and iOS. Angry Birds on the 360 as well as more Xbox 360 and WP7 integrated games like Fable Coin Golf (opens in new tab). Ah, the possibilities!

Source: WinRumors

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

4 Comments
  • While I'm sure devs would love to add an extra 50 million to their potential userbase, I'm still not sure I want my 360 to be flooded with shovelware. I would be happier if MS added full app functionality through the Zune software.
  • Cross-developing for 3 huge platforms with 1 app? 2012 will be a good year for Microsoft :-) *oh, snap, I hit the "Reply" button by mistake*
  • The post is maybe a bit misleading...as Silverlight already works on the Xbox. A great deal of the dashboard (especially the ads) run on Silverlight. Opening up a new dev platform/marketplace based on Silverlight would be new. Something Microsoft should do to stop Apple TV and Google TV dead in their (well, sorta dead already) tracks. Those two products don't have a lot of traction, but rest assured if Apple opened up Apps on the Apple TV it'll gain penetration simply by virtue. However, Microsoft has the user base.
  • It's about time isn't it though? mostly MS is tied because of the antitrust that will soon be ending. I think this year we will start to see a lot of integrating from MS across there whole platform.