Microsoft has just announced 40 TV content partners that will be bringing their entertainment options to Xbox 360 owners from all around the world, including cable operators like Comcast, as well as large channels like HBO, SyFy, or the BBC.
Microsoft revealed at this year's E3 2011 conference that TV on Demand will be a big part of the Xbox 360's future, while promising that many partnerships will be announced with content providers for this new feature.
Now, the company made good on its word and revealed the many partners that will be bringing entertainment to Xbox 360 consoles this holiday season, in over 20 countries from around the world.
"Today we are happy to announce plans to roll out the next generation of TV entertainment on Xbox LIVE," Microsoft revealed. "We have nearly 40 world class TV and entertainment providers coming to Xbox LIVE including: Bravo, Comcast, HBO GO, Verizon FiOS and Syfy in the U.S.; BBC TV and radio in the U.K.; Telef�nica in Spain; Rogers On Demand in Canada; Televisa in Mexico; ZDF in Germany; and MediaSet in Italy, that will begin rolling out to consoles in more than 20 countries this holiday."
These new services join existing ones like ESPN, Hulu+ or Netflix, and can be navigated straight from the Xbox 360 eliminating the need for set top boxes required by services like Comcast's Xfinity.
�Today�s announcement is a major step toward realizing our vision to bring you all the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, made easy,� said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. �Combining the world�s leading TV and entertainment providers with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360 and the intelligence of Bing voice search will make TV and entertainment more personal, social and effortless.�
For a full list of all the new Xbox 360 content partners and the countries where their entertainment is going to be available, check out the wide list below, straight from Microsoft itself.
Entertainment Partners on Xbox 360 (Existing and New)
- ABC iView � Australia
- AlloCin� � France, Germany, Spain, U.K.
- Antena 3 � Spain
- Astral Media�s Disney XD � Canada
- AT&T** � U.S.
- BBC � U.K.
- blinkbox � U.K.
- Bravo � U.S.
- BSkyB** � U.K.
- Canal+* � France, Spain
- Channel 4 � U.K.
- Channel 5 � U.K.
- CinemaNow (Best Buy) � U.S.
- Comcast � U.S.
- Crackle � Australia, Canada, U.K., U.S.
- Dailymotion � Available in 32 markets
- EPIX � U.S.
- ESPN** � U.S.
- Facebook** � Available in all 35 Xbox LIVE markets
- FOXTEL** � Australia
- GolTV � Spain
- HBO GO � U.S.
- Hulu � Japan
- Hulu +**� U.S.
- iHeartRadio (Clear Channel) � U.S.
- Last.fm** � U.K., U.S.
- LOVEFiLM � Germany, U.K.
- Manga Entertainment � U.S.
- Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment/Real Sports � Canada
- Mediaset � Italy
- MSN with MSNBC.com � Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, U.K.
- MUZU.TV � France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K.
- Netflix**� Canada, U.S.
- Rogers On Demand Online (RODO) � Canada
- RTVE � Spain
- SBS On Demand � Australia
- Syfy � U.S.
- Telefonica � Spain
- Televisa � Mexico
- �The Today Show� � U.S.
- TELUS** � Canada
- TMZ � U.S.
- Twitter** � Available in all 35 Xbox LIVE markets
- UFC � Canada, U.S.
- Verizon � U.S.
- VEVO � Canada, U.K., U.S.
- VimpelCom** � Russia
- Vodafone Portugal** � Portugal
- YouTube � Available in 22 markets
- ZDF � Germany
- Zune** � Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain
* Xbox LIVE Gold membership and/or other subscriptions/fees required. Kinect functionality varies by feature, provider and region.
** Denotes existing partners on Xbox LIVE available today.
The new TV on Demand feature is set to go live alongside the New Xbox Experience dashboard update when it will be released later this year, presumably on November 15.
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