That's a huge step for Microsoft, who until now have oddly kept the Zune and Xbox brands on opposite side of the room. With one move, they'll be exposing the Zune to about 17 million customers who are already using a piece of Microsoft hardware. Moreover, those 17 million are also gamers, and the Zune HD's combination of touchscreen capability, Wi-Fi access and robust marketplace seems the perfect recipe for a move into the handheld gaming space.
Microsoft seems to feel the same way. In an interview with Develop, Chris Stephenson, GM of consumer marketing for the TV, Video and Music Business at Microsoft, all but confirmed that gaming is definitely on the agenda.
"Gaming is a big opportunity for us," he said. "We