The Xbox Live service, set to debut online November 15, will include voice chat in every game, said John O'Rourke, worldwide marketing director for Microsoft's Xbox video game console, as he promoted the upcoming online service for the console Wednesday. That contrasts with Sony's online approach for its PlayStation 2 console, which initially will offer voice capability in only one game.
Microsoft's experience with online gaming via its The Zone site and other properties convinced the company that communication was a vital part of the online gaming experience, O'Rourke said in an interview with CNET News.com after his speech at Microsoft's Silicon Valley campus.
"We saw in our experience with The Zone and just from talking to gamers that the social aspect of communication is hugely important," he said. "On the PC, you've got this great communication outlet with the keyboard, but that doesn't work on consoles. Voice is the only thing that makes sense."
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