He’s a name more readily associated with chat shows, radio pranks and a love of films, but Jonathan Ross is being reported as having been hired by Microsoft to work on Xbox One games.
This is not completely out of left field, as Ross (Wiki link for anyone unfamiliar with the man!) is a keen gamer. He will be joining Microsoft Studios in the UK working with Rare and Lionhead, and while exact details of what work he’ll be doing are yet to be confirmed, there are hints that cross-platform projects are in the pipeline.
“Our ambition is to create these new experiences that join TV and gaming together.”
At an event in London on Monday, European Xbox chief Phil Harrison said: “We wanted to bring in new talent that would challenge the way we build games and the way we think about what an audience is and what is entertainment. We want to broaden the concept of gaming to maybe blur the distinctions about what is a traditional game and what is a traditional television programme and what is traditional linear media.”
Jonathan Ross is no stranger to the world of gaming. His production company Hotsauce created the iOS game Catcha Catcha Aliens, and he also voiced a character in Halo 3.
Details may be slightly sketchy at the moment, but one thing’s for sure — the involvement of Jonathan Ross is going to lead to some interesting, exciting, and probably unexpected, developments.
