| YOUR SERVER DOWN? READ THE BUSYGAMER.COM ARCHIVES. © 2007-2008 BusyGamer Inc | For more info email admin@busygamer.com | All rights reserved |
| NOVEMBER 20, 2008 |
| VOTING COMING DECEMBER 2008 |
www.newsfactor.com
Microsoft launched its New Xbox Experience on Wednesday, expanding the existing service
to compete with Sony in turning the video-game console into an entertainment hub.
Don Mattrick, senior vice president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, said the
New Xbox Experience is the future for home entertainment. "It's on-demand, it's
high-definition, it's always social, it's all in one place," he said.
The Xbox experience includes the instant-streaming availability of Netflix movies and TV
episodes in high definition from such studios as Disney, MGM, NBC Universal, and Warner
Bros. To use the Netflix service, Xbox LIVE Gold members also need to be Netflix
subscribers.
Live Party will allow a user to create a virtual party with up to seven friends. Users can employ
voice chat while playing games and share photos in real time. "Personality plus" is a feature
in which an animated avatar can be created, becoming a user's "face" for games, parties or
other interaction.
There's also a "personal game room" where users can play classics like Pac-Man
Championship Edition, Galaga Legions, and Portal: Still Alive. Other games, such as A
Kingdom for Keflings, UNO, Hardwood Hearts, and Hardwood Spades -- which are only
available for downloading from the Xbox Live arcade -- allow the user to put his or her avatar
into the game action.
The Xbox is also opening to community-created games. A Community Games channel on
Xbox Live will offer titles from third-party creators.
Microsoft is also touting its relationships with a variety of major studios that will offer feature
films on the Xbox in the U.S., Canada, Italy and Spain. The company said this will transform
"Xbox 360 into the world's largest online entertainment center."
Microsoft launched its New Xbox Experience on Wednesday, expanding the existing service
to compete with Sony in turning the video-game console into an entertainment hub.
Don Mattrick, senior vice president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, said the
New Xbox Experience is the future for home entertainment. "It's on-demand, it's
high-definition, it's always social, it's all in one place," he said.
The Xbox experience includes the instant-streaming availability of Netflix movies and TV
episodes in high definition from such studios as Disney, MGM, NBC Universal, and Warner
Bros. To use the Netflix service, Xbox LIVE Gold members also need to be Netflix
subscribers.
Live Party will allow a user to create a virtual party with up to seven friends. Users can employ
voice chat while playing games and share photos in real time. "Personality plus" is a feature
in which an animated avatar can be created, becoming a user's "face" for games, parties or
other interaction.
There's also a "personal game room" where users can play classics like Pac-Man
Championship Edition, Galaga Legions, and Portal: Still Alive. Other games, such as A
Kingdom for Keflings, UNO, Hardwood Hearts, and Hardwood Spades -- which are only
available for downloading from the Xbox Live arcade -- allow the user to put his or her avatar
into the game action.
The Xbox is also opening to community-created games. A Community Games channel on
Xbox Live will offer titles from third-party creators.
Microsoft is also touting its relationships with a variety of major studios that will offer feature
films on the Xbox in the U.S., Canada, Italy and Spain. The company said this will transform
"Xbox 360 into the world's largest online entertainment center."
The new Xbox Experience is here!
Gather up all your leftover gamer credits
Gather up all your leftover gamer credits