Microsoft Begins Beta Testing for Full House Poker

Poker may be coming to your favorite console gaming system in the near future. Microsoft is reportedly entering the closed beta phase of a multiplayer poker game that would launch on the Xbox 360. The game, apparently named Full House Poker, would be playable over Xbox Live.

It appears that the game would be episodic in nature, following in the footsteps of the popular 1 vs. 100 adaptation that featured live “episodes” were the Xbox Live community could play together for the chance to win prizes. That game was recently cancelled after two seasons.

Details on the game are scant, as Microsoft is currently keeping the game’s development mostly under wraps. Most of the information that has been gleamed has come from the invitations received by some players from Microsoft Game Studios to participate in the beta test for Full House Poker. According to the information in the invitations, there would be “regularly scheduled episodes” that would allow players to compete against each other. It appears that the name of the “show” might be “Texas Heat.”

Of course, since this game will be available to the general public – including a huge number of players who will be under the legal gambling age in nearly all jurisdictions – it is all but certain that these poker games will be for fun only, with no actual money changing hands between players. This will likely mean that the game will be marketed to the casual poker market. Customization seems to be a big selling point in the email invitations; according to excerpts that have been published, players will be able to have “unique tells and accessories” for their avatars, which are already customizable inside the Xbox Live interface.

While details are currently scant, it’s likely that more details about Full House Poker will come quickly as players begin to participate in the beta testing for the game. We will share more information as soon as specifics about Full House Poker being to emerge.