Jez Corden on why Lumia and Xbox are a match made in gamer heaven
Jez Corden is Microsoft’s number one fan and always ready to shout about it.
So much so that, when there was no website around to explain the brilliance of Microsoft’s unified ecosystem, he decided to launch one himself. The result was XboxMAD.net, born in May 2014.
“I really wanted to create a site that catered for me, an Xbox fan who also appreciates the Microsoft ecosystem, to give Xbox fans a friendly place to go to discuss and enjoy Windows and other Microsoft products and services,” Jez says. “We really just want to deliver quality Xbox, Windows and Surface reporting to the fans.”
Beautiful on the Surface
Jez coded XboxMAD.net entirely using his Surface Pro 2, mainly with Dreamweaver and Photoshop from the Adobe Suite. The experience blew his mind:
“I was a Microsoft fan before Surface, but I’ve been totally blown away by the sheer versatility of the device. In 12 months, of 10 hours+ per day of use, my Surface Pro 2 has never crashed… Although the screen is physically small, I connect my Surface to external monitors for heavy duty work, which it runs with ease. The loading speeds are blisteringly fast, plus there’s the detachable keyboard and Surface pen for even more versatility,” he marvels.
Xbox and Lumia games unite
Something Jez wants his XboxMAD.net to demonstrate is the amazing things Xbox can do with other Microsoft devices… such as Lumia smartphones. This synchronisation of Windows devices is one of the reasons that Jez recently trialled a Lumia 930 and Surface Pro 3. He documented his One Experience on his blog at XboxMAD.net, and the story is well worth a read. According to Jez, people don’t yet know much about the synergies between Xbox and Windows Phone gaming yet, but he thinks this is all set to change.
“Xbox is rapidly becoming a social platform, and it is my hope that Windows Phone will eventually tie in to that as well,” he explains. “As of now, Xbox certified Windows Phone games offer achievements for completing specific challenges – these achievements contribute to your Gamerscore, which is a pool of points from all Xbox games, whether they’re Xbox 360, Xbox One, on Surface, or Windows Phone.”
Pick up your game from anywhere
Things are indeed getting better and better. Jez highlights how certain games are already working across systems:
“Halo: Spartan Assault is playable on Surface, Windows Phone, and Xbox One, and offers a synchronous experience between all formats. I can complete a level on my phone, that progress is then pushed to the cloud and arrives on my other platforms, meaning I can pick up the game from anywhere. Age of Empires: Castle Siege and Tentacles: Enter the Mind do the same between Surface and Lumia, and I’m hoping Minecraft and others will offer the same synchronicity in the future.”
The Lumia of power gamers
For mobile gamers ready to synchronise their Microsoft gaming experiences, Jez suggests getting hold of a Lumia 1520.
“If you’re a heavy gamer, 100% Lumia 1520,” he says, utterly convinced. “Not only does the larger screen make games more beautiful and easier to see, but the battery life is staggering, too. During a recent trip from Southern Germany, I was able to game practically all day on the device and still had juice when I got back to England. Gaming can be quite battery intensive regardless of your device, but the Lumia 1520 is in a league of its own.”
Coming from a power gamer like Jez, that’s some convincing praise for the Lumia 1520. In fact, I think I’m off to shopping right now… even if I do love my Lumia 1020. How about you? Which Lumia do you prefer to use for gaming? Have you played your Xbox games on your Lumia or vice versa? And most importantly, what do you think of XboxMAD.net? Please speak out in the comments below, or contact Jez directly via Twitter.