Los Angeles - Bringing the vision of the digital living room
one step closer, Microsoft announced an alliance with Netflix Monday
whereby the leading online video rental company will stream movies
over the internet to the Xbox 360 video game console.
Microsoft announced the move at the opening of the E3 video game
convention in Los Angeles. The deal will allow owners of the
Microsoft video game console to access 10,000 movies offered by
Netflix - twice as many as Netflix previously offered over its
internet streaming service to PCs.
To use the new service, Xbox 360 owners must subscribe to the
Netflix monthly subscription service which costs a minimum of 9
dollars for unlimited streaming. They also must have a 50-dollar
annual 'gold membership' to the Xbox 360 online service. Currently
about half of Microsoft's 10 million Xbox 360 owners in the US
subscribe to the service.
Though Netflix currently relies mostly on sending DVDs to
subscribers via the postal service, movie downloads are gaining in
popularity and the alliance with Microsoft marks an important step in
transitioning the company to an all digital service.
For Microsoft, the deal represents progress in its aim to make the
Xbox 360 the hub of the digital living room and a complete
entertainment control center.
'The Netflix partnership is very consistent with our overall
strategy that the Xbox 360 is not just about gaming, it's also about
music and it's also about video,' said Microsoft Vice-President Shane
Kim. 'We're trying to make it clear that Xbox 360 has fun and
entertainment for everyone.'
USA
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