Thursday, April 17, 2008

When XBox Meets Disney, the Results are Huge

By Steve Collins

Because of the internet, the world is a radically altered place, and changes happen overnight. It has metamorphosed the way we communicate with one another, the way we study, and the way we entertain ourselves. About a year ago, for instance, the Xbox Live Marketplace was launched to enable users to download movie rentals on demand. This new service was embraced immediately. Within seven months, more than 10 million movies had been rented via Xbox's online downloading service. Currently, it is the only company offering on demand movies in high definition.

Their initial successes emboldened Microsoft Game Studios to form an agreement with the entertainment industry giant, Walt Disney Studios. The partnership was revealed in July 2007 and included thirty-five films. New and old Disney classics are among the offerings, as well as movies from Miramax, Touchstone, and other Disney owned companies. Therefore, there are titles to entice viewers in every age group from little ones to golden agers (assuming they have Xboxes!) The number of movies will increase in the future, as the agreement calls for on demand rentals for new releases as they come out on video.

Currently, movie downloading via Xbox Live is only offered to US residents, but the numbers are huge for something so newly introduced. Microsoft Game Studios has 7 million subscribers, and they believe that number will jump to over 12 million within a year. The inclusion of Disney movies in the Xbox Live Marketplace is an especially big draw for the company. When Xbox meets Disney, the potential for success is astronomical.

Clearly, the public has welcomed this modern way to enjoy movies in the home. No one has to go out to the rental store; no one has to wait in line for that hot new release everyone else in the country has also been drooling over! On demand rentals give you to get the titles you want when you want them

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