Zune HD gaming announced and released

Microsoft has officially jumped aboard the mobile gaming platform bandwagon via their latest Zune HD handheld, which features gaming functionality. The announcement was made through a press release sent out today, introducing their new Zune HD touch-screen media player. This answers the “matter of when” question posited by Shane Kim previously.

Microsoft has officially jumped aboard the mobile gaming platform bandwagon via their latest Zune HD handheld, which features gaming functionality. The announcement was made through a press release sent out today, introducing their new Zune HD touch-screen media player. This answers the “matter of when” question posited by Shane Kim previously.

Made available starting today, the new Zune HD will support “fun 3D games” like Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition, Vans Sk8: Pool Service and AudioSurf Tilt. And like the App Store function, you can now get more games onto your Zune HD via the Zune Marketplace by either connecting to the Wi-Fi connection or by hooking up to the Zune PC software.

Said Enrique Rodriguez, Corporate VP of the TV, Video and Music Business at Microsoft:

With today’s announcement, the Zune business is growing into a comprehensive entertainment service that’s no longer tied to any one screen or device. Zune lets consumers connect to their music, TV shows and movie content and enjoy it on the three screens they use every day.

Details on the product reveal that it is limited to the US territory only (no word though if they’ll later ship it out to other regions), in two models: 16GB which retails for US$ 219.99 and 32GB which sells at US$ 289.99.

• Other features included are:
• built-in HD radio receiver
• HD video output capabilities
• OLED touch screen
• Internet browser

In the future, Microsoft intends to add in more applications like a calculator, an MSN weather app, Twitter and Facebook. It has also been lauded as “the premium partner” in the XBL Video Marketplace for Europe. This means that XBL users will soon be able to have their fill of their TV and film contents by streaming, renting, or downloading, which represents the first time the Zune service is available in Europe.

Zune HD is available starting today in US retail stores.

• Pachter: Microsoft won’t be competitive in handheld gaming market
• 1-2 Microsoft combo confirmed: Zune Marketplace headed to XBL, Zune HD confirmed
  

Via Microsoft