Video games become a spectator sport courtesy of Microsoft's latest technology patent.

"Patent No. 6,999,083" may not have some cool-sounding marketing name yet, but it's already generating some nice buzz for Microsoft. That patent marks the 5,000th granted to the company since it was founded back in 1975. It's the actual technology contained within the patent, though, that will be of particular interest to gamers.



Patent No. 6,999,083 details new technology being incorporated into the Xbox 360, its software, and the Xbox Live service which will allow people to join various games not as a player, but as a spectator. The new technology will let spectators view instant replays, check out highlights of key moments, and use adjustable cameras to get the best view of all the in-game action. This technology also leaves open the door for audience participation, with spectators' activity actually affecting the gameplay. The new patent also covers the use of a portal of some kind, such as a web site, to access services such as information and schedules for various games or events, as well as the number of spectators and participants in each. Spectators can find the most popular games, preview the action, and then choose to jump into the virtual audience.

The idea behind the new spectator technology came from Microsoft Research software engineer Steven Druker's experiences playing House of the Dead in a nearby arcade. "My quarters would disappear really quickly. Frankly, I was awful," Drucker explains. "But there were guys there who could play forever on a single credit. They really knew the game, when to duck left and swing right to deal with a really difficult zombie. I was in awe." Druker soon realized that "it would be really cool if people could watch really good games players online and from a different point of view, as though they are watching the game play in the theater."

According to senior program manager with the Next Media Research Group in Microsoft Research, Curtis Wong, the potential implications of the technology are huge. "I have a vision of really large numbers of people watching tournaments online. The top players could become as famous as sports stars, even endorsing products. This could really help gaming move into the mainstream."

News-Source: http://xbox.gamespy.com