Major Nelson talks Windows Phone 7 & Xbox Live Gaming

• All props purchased on the game console appears and are available on the phone.
• Change your avatar on the go.
• The turn based gaming can be played with people on Windows Phone 7, Xbox Game Console and PC!  Three screens and a cloud indeed!!  The requirement of course being the game being on each platform.
• They emphasized that the first wave of games announced is just that-the first wave!  More will be announced between now and launch.
• Xbox Live is the center so if a service connects to Xbox Live service it can be used to play games.
• No double downloading of titles.  Simply download the free trial and when you purchase it from inside the game the rest of the game simply unlocks.
• Microsoft Game Studios
  • Windows Phone 7 is the only phone platform with a first party game studio dedicated to building quality games for the platform.
• Can send and receive messages to Xbox Console and vice versa.
• Microsoft intends on proactively seeking out the best games for the gaming portfolio.  Yes that includes popular games from other mobile platforms.
• Got to buy the games on the console, phone, pc separately.
• Multitasking
  • If you get a text message the notification dropdown menu appears.
  • If you answer an incoming call, the game pauses and you return to it immediately after the call ends.
• Avatar Gadgets
  • Neat things the avatar can do to add fun to simple tasks.  Flashlight, coin flip, level app, etc.
• Developers have access to avatars to produce unique experiences.  Basically developers can make avatars used in games.
• Bejeweled Live is a unique version of the game available only on Xbox Live.  An example of additional features and services being added on as a Xbox Live title.
• What type of games available at launch: All kinds for all ages and interests.
• There will be unique gamer points only available by purchasing the gaming title on the phone.
• Windows Phone 7 is the ONLY place to get Xbox Live support.
• You can be signed in simultaneously on the console and phone.
• Major Nelson wanted to make sure everyone knew there are still a couple tricks up their sleeve as far as gaming titles being announced.

All in all I really got clarification from the interview and feel very confident the Xbox Live integration will be first class.  There will be a ton of Xbox Live gaming titles and will be supplemented by talented Indie developer games.

I take it by the need of Microsoft to still be referring to the holidays as November for US launch.  You have the Thanksgiving Holiday which is followed by Black Friday which is a huge sales day for the US.  Windows Phone 7 should be released a couple of weeks before that date to give time for the excitement and Word of Mouth to spread.