Social Applications

Why is that consoles need to be platforms for other social tools? The reason I ask this is because Nintendo has released new social link-up application this week. Also, of course, there is Microsoft’s social link-up applications coming in the near future too, but why do we, gamers, need another place to socialise? I mean, isn’t a console a place to socialise with people on your friend list or people you play against online? Or is this all just to compete with the success of applications on the iPhone and iTouch. To be fair there are three sides to this and for the most point I can understand why some of this has been done. But there are other points that just don’t make sense other than games companies just trying to open up in to new markets that don’t necessarily work for them.

Looking at Nintendo first off, you can, sort of, understand why they have released an application for the DSi that would allow it’s users to access Facebook on the console. This is two pronged; the addition of the app to the portable console will allow the users another port of call to access the social tool on the go. But also the fact that actually organising anything on the console is a bit of a chore as there is no list of friends etc that would allow selection of friends to play against easily. So having the Facebook application would allow users to set up games in a straight forward way.

Microsoft on the other hand doesn’t need any additional social tools; the console has a very good networking system and doesn’t need to have the additional options for the social interaction. Of course it does mean that new groups can be set up to allow for greater organisation of online matches, I can see that clans might use groups on Facebook to set up matches and maybe even using the events invite system of Facebook to get games going with other clans. So there are some applications for the new social update.

But why is it that Xbox gamers need these social tools? I mean, looking from a casual user's point of view it is something that if they don’t want to start up their computer and have their 360 on. But for harder-core gamers I can’t see how useful having Twitter and Facebook will be. There is of course, the added side effect of having every single Xbox Live and Twitter user tweeting: "playing Xbox." Not good.

It is a shame for the idea of having social applications is interesting by way of integration of consoles and PC applications. But on the other hand it just seems to be a way of hitting out against iTouch or iPhone applications instead of offering anything that is new and useful for the current users this is especially true for Microsoft. Nintendo, as I stated, could, if used properly, have the addition work well for them and have a better network for getting games going between larger groups of people. So what do you guys think of the additional systems, are they something that you would like to use or think it is a waste of time and resources? Post below in the comment box to have your say.