There were rumors Microsoft was preparing to announce a massive amount of content providers for Xbox Live from the entertainment world, and while Microsoft made things official today, there are plenty of important details being left out.
Microsoft is now confirming Bravo, Comcast, HBO GO, Verizon FiOS and Syfy for the US; BBC in the U.K., Telefónica in Spain; Rogers On Demand in Canada; Televisa in Mexico; ZDF in Germany; and MediaSet in Italy. That's in addition to web-based services like AlloCiné, Crackle, Dailymotion, iHeartRadio, MSN with MSNBC.com, The Today Show, TMZ, VEVO and YouTube.
What we're getting out of each service remains to be seen.
In a blog post, Comcast outlined details about its push on Xbox 360, which says this initiative would specifically be Comcast's "Xfinity On Demand service." In other words, your Xbox 360 is not suddenly becoming your Comcast DVR. With Verizon, however, you will have access to "a selection of popular live TV channels."
These services will also tie into Kinect, as well.
Right now, it appears additions like HBO GO and Xfinity On Demand, will not require Xbox Live Gold. It's not listed as such in Microsoft's press release or Major Nelson's blog, but other services Microsoft has added to Xbox Live in the past, such as Twitter, Netflix and Facebook, have required Gold. I'm waiting to hear back from Microsoft on this.
This content arrives sometime "this holiday." My money would be when the dashboard update is live.
Here's the full list. * means it requires Gold and/or another subscription, ** means it's already available.
- ABC iView - Australia
- AlloCiné - 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