Microsoft Signs Major Game Hosting Contract With AT&T

AT&T has announced that it has won a $9.5 million, three-year managed hosting contract from Microsoft Game Studios (MGS) to provide bandwidth and system infrastructure for both multiplayer online gameplay and data streaming, as well as supporting Microsoft's upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing games. The online games include the latest MGS-published titles for both Windows and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Particularly singled out was the streaming replay feature "Gotham TV" feature of the Microsoft-published, Bizarre Creations-developed Xbox 360 title Project Gotham Racing 3, and the forthcoming Sigil-developed Games for Windows MMO Vanguard, two of the MGS online gaming applications that will be hosted at an AT&T Internet Data Center (IDC). AT&T operates 26 IDCs worldwide, and has announced plans to expand to 28 by the end of the year. "We chose AT&T because of its extensive experience in supporting online gaming companies and their ability to deliver our games globally," said Rick Gauthier, Microsoft Game Studios' Group Operations Manager. "AT&T's offer and design flexibility, 'game specific' customer service, and the performance and reliability of its IP backbone ensure that our customers will have the best online gaming experience possible on Xbox Live or over the Internet. With AT&T managing the system infrastructure, it will allow us to focus our energies on managing our applications and looking at new technologies."