Phantom games service will launch for Windows XP

Phantom Entertainment, previously Infinium, has announced that there are going to be some major changes to the Phantom games console. Can you change something that's vapourware?

In a posting to the website, Phantom declared that the streaming/downloadable games service will now be client software that runs on any Windows XP or Media Center box. The original Game Receiver box, designed to sit underneath the TV, has officially been canned.

"The Phantom Game Service was originally engineered to run on a Windows XP embedded operating system on a Phantom Game Receiver managed by Phantom content servers over the Internet. The Company intends to modify the Phantom Game Service software to run as client software on personal computers operating Windows XP and Windows XP Media center operating systems.

The Phantom Game Service brings high-quality gaming to you with an always-on, broadband-connected gaming service," continued the description. "It delivers convenience, ease of use, instant gratification, and the broadest range of games, including a large library of the latest releases as well as hard-to-find games."

Whatever.

Phantom is now more akin to established services like GameTap and Direct2Drive than a games console like Xbox with Live. Why would anone bother using it now, given that there are already better services that do the same thing?

The Phantom lapboard, the combo keyboard/mousepad designed to play with the console, will be released later this year. Allegedly.

Give us your thoughts on the 'all-new' (but still non-existant) Infinium and Phantom over in the forums.