[IndustryThread]Riccitiello no longer EA CEO/will "Marry strong whiskey with strong liver"

agoajagoaj Top TierOne FearRegistered User regular
edited March 2013 in Games and Technology
Hi and welcome to the Video Game Industry Thread, a place for discussing the business side of the games market. This includes sales figures, happenings with publishers and developers, goings-on with important people in the business, interesting development trends and similar things.

To keep things civil, informative and (most importantly) unlocked, here's some mod-enforced guidelines:
  • Stay on topic. Don't just randomly chat about your day, don't post things that are just stupid images or memes, and don't get too distracted by talking about how much you personally think Game X is awesome or sucks. Though pointing out a game sucks due to publisher mistreatment during the development process and sold horribly as a result is fair game.
  • No System Warzz. This includes keeping calm in the face of bad news. Just because someone points out that a system/game sells horribly doesn't mean he's saying it's poop from a butt. Sometimes great stuff doesn't sell; this is the nature of the beast.
  • No posting random fluff articles. We don't care about poorly thought-out lists or gaming sites doing reviews of cheezy poofs, or how awful those articles are. We're not really the general games journalism thread, except for big stuff like publications going out of business or getting sued.
  • Don't cite VGChartz. Ever. They literally make shit up. Read more here.
  • NEW:Take care when citing Forbes blogs. Yes, Forbes the magazine is a highly respected business publication. But Forbes blogs are completely different -- they'll allow any gibbering diseased simian that can pound on a keyboard to contribute, and it's quickly become legendary for garbage. So if you see an article saying stuff like "Sony will kill the PlayStation division next month!" don't assume it's likely true because it has the respected Forbes name attached to it.
That said, have fun! We ain't stodgy accountants.
Couscous wrote: »
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/japanese-wii-u-sales-fall-behind-playstation-vita/0111547
Nintendo’s Wii U failed to outsell Sony’s struggling PlayStation Vita in Japan last week.

The news is a big blow for the machine that initially started strongly in Japan, although sales have now significantly tailed off.

Media Create numbers reported by Eurogamer show that Nintendo’s machine sold just 9,633 units last week – somewhat short of Vita’s 11,456 unit sales, although that is Vita’s best performance for a while.

Note too that Sony slashes the price of the handheld this week, meaning a spike is likely in next week’s numbers.

PS3 sales last week hit 18,529 units while the mighty 3Ds shifted an impressive 74,729.



January NPD

WiiU sells 57k

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Last thread and December NPD:
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/172172/industry-thread-impossible-games-sets-the-speed-record-for-studio-closure/p1

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agoaj on
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Posts

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Cybertronian Paranormal Eliminator Registered User regular
    I approve of the thread title. :D

  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    So Geth randomly assigns people to make the new thread?

    Does it feel like being called up to the big leagues?

    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    Skull2185 wrote: »
    So Geth randomly assigns people to make the new thread?

    Does it feel like being called up to the big leagues?

    More like being the stripper being pointed at from across the room by the fat dude in the corner.

    :cry:

  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    Thanks for the OP agoaj, I wasn't on the board when Geth gave the notice.

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Free! I'm finally freeeeeeeeee!!

    Ahem. So there's a Gamasutra article out on the rough times Nintendo's heading into. You're probably aware of most of the stuff that's listed, but this chart was particularly eye-opening:

    publisher-revenue-by-platform-2009-2012-v1.png

    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/186368/Nintendos_hard_path_to_thirdparty_support_in_2013.php#.URqjZWdR3To

    Admittedly the Wii was winding down in 2012 and the Wii U was just out for a month and a half, but still: yikes.

    Also, great googly moogly mobile's taking off.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • CadeCade Eppur si muove.Registered User regular
    I fully expect a lot of news coming out about the new Aliens game with how it's being savaged, who is to blame and all that fun stuff.

    It broke hearts man, it broke hearts.

  • adventfallsadventfalls Why would you wish to know? Registered User regular
    I would've just argued that 2012 was a year where the Wii REALLY tapered off and the Wii U couldn't make up the slack.

    NintendoID: AdventFalls 3DS Code: 3454-0237-6080
  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    Cade wrote: »
    I fully expect a lot of news coming out about the new Aliens game with how it's being savaged, who is to blame and all that fun stuff.

    It broke hearts man, it broke hearts.

    There's already some word out that Gearbox didn't do the main campaign, and outsourced it to some guys with a baaad track record, but that's from an anonymous disrguntled source, so.

    Oh brilliant
  • L Ron HowardL Ron Howard The duck MinnesotaRegistered User regular
    They outsourced it to these guys, who made the awful F.E.A.R. expansions TimeGate Studios

  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    The old thread was getting pretty bad by the end. I may go back into angry mode and start handing out serious infractions for everything again.

    Remember that this thread is only about the money, much like real life. Posts about a dev saying stupid shit, announcing new games, and so forth really don't fall under this thread. There CAN be exceptions, like a failing company throwing out a weird, unexpected sequel as a hail mary pass to stave off bankruptcy, but use discretion.

    This is not a catch-all thread for gaming news.

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  • VorpalVorpal Registered User regular
    Is there a catch all thread for gaming news? I know we have threads for Sony, Xbox, Wii, etc, but what if someone just wants to discuss some broader trends in the industry? Right place or no?

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  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Cybertronian Paranormal Eliminator Registered User regular
    The mods frown upon megathreads that consume discussions that could have been in multiple threads. It's the main reason this thread is about sales instead of general industry talk.

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    The mods frown upon megathreads that consume discussions that could have been in multiple threads. It's the main reason this thread is about sales instead of general industry talk.

    Well, financials and stuff too. But not random non-important game announcements.

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  • CadeCade Eppur si muove.Registered User regular
    EA's financial officers makes a few comments, says don't count on backwards comparability with new consoles.

    All about if people even want new consoles, used game market and more too.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Skull2185 wrote: »
    So Geth randomly assigns people to make the new thread?

    Does it feel like being called up to the big leagues?

    It's actually the style of D&D Chat Thread making. Mod locks it, and declares who makes the next one with a backup thread-maker.
    Cade wrote: »
    EA's financial officers makes a few comments, says don't count on backwards comparability with new consoles.

    All about if people even want new consoles, used game market and more too.

    It doesn't surprise me. Electronic Arts is probably against the concept of backwards compatibility because it's an obstacle to selling people games they already own again. That's not me being snarky or anything, I mean really, that's the thing to try to do, right?

  • KryhsKryhs Registered User regular
    The mods frown upon megathreads

    I agree with the logic to an extent, but these threads have never been in danger of hitting 100 pages daily or even weekly. Is it a burden to recycle the thread once a month?

  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/186504/EAs_money_man_spills_the_beans_on_its_nextgen_plans.php#.URqyRR37Kup
    EA's chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen returned to the company during an interesting transitional period this year, as CEO John Ricciardi's leaner, hits-focused company pares down on what's not working anymore (i.e. Facebook) and prepares for the costly transition to a new generation of dedicated game consoles.
    "Historical transitions have been bumpy for a few reasons. One reason has been that a lot of the companies had too many titles. We had way too many titles in the last transition, and the more titles you have, the more expensive it is to convert them from one generation to the next.

    "We're much more focused now. We've got a core group of ten-to-fifteen titles. We'll stage those in terms of the transition and manage those costs through that. Our goal is to keep the cost increase for R&D under $100 million. And some of that will be in this year, some of that in '14, and some in our fiscal year '15.
    "An important thing to remember is that next-gen consoles will most likely not be backwards compatible… And if you [play] multiplayer on a game, you'll most likely not be able to play with someone on a different generation. And so if you're a FIFA player and, and the soccer season's starting in August, and all your friends are playing FIFA, you're going to want to be on the same box that they're on. So if they all go out and buy a gen-four box if it comes out at Christmas, then you'll most likely do it. If they all hold on and continue to play on third-generation, you'll probably not see that box purchase until after the soccer season's over.

  • CadeCade Eppur si muove.Registered User regular
    Kryhs wrote: »
    The mods frown upon megathreads

    I agree with the logic to an extent, but these threads have never been in danger of hitting 100 pages daily or even weekly. Is it a burden to recycle the thread once a month?

    I always thought a thread for an entire month wasn't a bad idea (Unless it does go over 100 pages). That way we can have them all in order if you needed to go look something up for a specific month.

  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited February 2013
    The decision is eliminate megathreads was decided six years ago, with very few exceptions (like this thread). This is not the place to opine about board policy, and you can always send a PM to the administrator if you really, really feel this urge to complain about the policy regarding megathreads. There's a 99% chance you will be ignored because this is a dead, rotting corpse of an issue.

    Sterica on
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  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Well, the mods want to encourage people to make more threads instead of having them swallowed up here (or other places).

    ...then again I made a thread special for the L.A. Noire gag reel that was able to be made in a day and its exciting suggestions for the increasing ease and future of motion capture, and it got all of two replies before fading into oblivion. So I dunno.

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  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    HD rereleases have proven to be a good way of making a bit of scratch this generation while no one can figure out how much anybody gives a shit about backwards compatibility as far as I know.

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Cybertronian Paranormal Eliminator Registered User regular
    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    The decision is eliminate megathreads was decided six years ago, with very few exceptions (like this thread). This is not the place to opine about board policy, and you can always send a PM to the administrator if you really, really feel this urge to complain about the policy regarding megathreads. There's a 99% chance you will be ignored because this is a dead, rotting corpse of an issue.

    Whoa man.. Somebody asked a question and I answered it. No need to get moderator-y about it. Nobody was complaining.

  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    HD rereleases have proven to be a good way of making a bit of scratch this generation while no one can figure out how much anybody gives a shit about backwards compatibility as far as I know.

    I still think my "Collections will be the new HD release" theory for the next generation will turn out to be true. We'll have things like "The Dead Space Ultimate Terror Collection". Dead Spaces 1-3 in one package with maybe some kind of additional content.

    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    HD rereleases have proven to be a good way of making a bit of scratch this generation while no one can figure out how much anybody gives a shit about backwards compatibility as far as I know.

    HD re-releases I can see being a valuable thing to consumers when there's a couple generations' worth of gap. But going from console to console is literally a nickel & dimed version of the concept and I'm pretty sure people will resent the publishers while still paying the money for it. It's a means of monetizing the lack of backward compatibility. So why not take it (on the business-end's part)?

    The problem, obviously, is not all products are equal. HD reprints aren't universally applied. People will have stacks of games no longer playable when their hardware for it fails and the manufacturers discontinued the support.

  • PurpleMonkeyPurpleMonkey Why so derp? Registered User regular
    Cade wrote: »
    I fully expect a lot of news coming out about the new Aliens game with how it's being savaged, who is to blame and all that fun stuff.

    It broke hearts man, it broke hearts.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sDW-5b5abk

    teddiepicture-1.jpg
    XBL, Steam & Tribes: elmartino333
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    Now that Wii U sales look weaker than Nintendo expected, I'm wondering how they intend to resuscitate sales without a goddamn price cut.

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    Now that Wii U sales look weaker than Nintendo expected, I'm wondering how they intend to resuscitate sales without a goddamn price cut.

    I wonder if they can do a 3DS-style emergency price cut twice, since the first time lead to a year of losses.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    edited February 2013
    Skull2185 wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »
    HD rereleases have proven to be a good way of making a bit of scratch this generation while no one can figure out how much anybody gives a shit about backwards compatibility as far as I know.

    I still think my "Collections will be the new HD release" theory for the next generation will turn out to be true. We'll have things like "The Dead Space Ultimate Terror Collection". Dead Spaces 1-3 in one package with maybe some kind of additional content.
    I don't see why it wouldn't happen. The movie industry has been doing it for ages whenever a fancier, higher defier, form of media comes out. They pretty up the movies a bit, put some extra features on them, and slap it all onto the new media. It's an easy way to make some coin and it gives newer generations of customers a chance to get a pack with all the goodies all in one go. It's never really struck me a shady business practice since it's basically a win/win for both consumer and producer. The games industry picking up on that practice is just good sense more than anything.

    TOGSolid on
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  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    edited February 2013
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »
    Now that Wii U sales look weaker than Nintendo expected, I'm wondering how they intend to resuscitate sales without a goddamn price cut.

    I wonder if they can do a 3DS-style emergency price cut twice, since the first time lead to a year of losses.

    They could afford to cut 3DS's price, they can't afford to do the same for Wii U.

    Unlike Vita they've got known software coming. Like I said earlier, we get to see here what 3DS may have been like without the price cut.

    UncleSporky on
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  • agoajagoaj Top Tier One FearRegistered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »
    Now that Wii U sales look weaker than Nintendo expected, I'm wondering how they intend to resuscitate sales without a goddamn price cut.

    I wonder if they can do a 3DS-style emergency price cut twice, since the first time lead to a year of losses.

    They could afford to cut 3DS's price, they can't afford to do the same for Wii U.

    Unlike Vita they've got known software coming. Like I said earlier, we get to see here what 3DS may have been like without the price cut.

    "Just cut the 3DS price again, that worked last time"

    ujav5b9gwj1s.png
  • pirateluigipirateluigi Arr, it be me. Registered User regular
    They could afford to cut 3DS's price, they can't afford to do the same for Wii U.

    Unlike Vita they've got known software coming. Like I said earlier, we get to see here what 3DS may have been like without the price cut.

    Iwata basically said he'll quit if they aren't profitable again. A price cut might move units to set up future profitability, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards this year.

    That said, a lot is going to depend on what Sony and Microsoft do. Nintendo might be forced to do something drastic if they want to keep investors happy.

    http://www.danreviewstheworld.com
    Nintendo Network ID - PirateLuigi 3DS: 3136-6586-7691
    G&T Grass Type Pokemon Gym Leader, In-Game Name: Dan
  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    TOGSolid wrote: »
    Skull2185 wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »
    HD rereleases have proven to be a good way of making a bit of scratch this generation while no one can figure out how much anybody gives a shit about backwards compatibility as far as I know.

    I still think my "Collections will be the new HD release" theory for the next generation will turn out to be true. We'll have things like "The Dead Space Ultimate Terror Collection". Dead Spaces 1-3 in one package with maybe some kind of additional content.
    I don't see why it wouldn't happen. The movie industry has been doing it for ages whenever a fancier, higher defier, form of media comes out. They pretty up the movies a bit, put some extra features on them, and slap it all onto the new media. It's an easy way to make some coin and it gives newer generations of customers a chance to get a pack with all the goodies all in one go. It's never really struck me a shady business practice since it's basically a win/win for both consumer and producer. The games industry picking up on that practice is just good sense more than anything.

    Oh, I like the idea too. I didnt mean to imply I thought it was shady.

    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    I don't know why EA is so concerned about used games sales. Don't they put out a new iteration of their dozen or so sports titles every year, and close the servers down for any of them more than two-three years old?

  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    Skull2185 wrote: »
    TOGSolid wrote: »
    Skull2185 wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »
    HD rereleases have proven to be a good way of making a bit of scratch this generation while no one can figure out how much anybody gives a shit about backwards compatibility as far as I know.

    I still think my "Collections will be the new HD release" theory for the next generation will turn out to be true. We'll have things like "The Dead Space Ultimate Terror Collection". Dead Spaces 1-3 in one package with maybe some kind of additional content.
    I don't see why it wouldn't happen. The movie industry has been doing it for ages whenever a fancier, higher defier, form of media comes out. They pretty up the movies a bit, put some extra features on them, and slap it all onto the new media. It's an easy way to make some coin and it gives newer generations of customers a chance to get a pack with all the goodies all in one go. It's never really struck me a shady business practice since it's basically a win/win for both consumer and producer. The games industry picking up on that practice is just good sense more than anything.

    Oh, I like the idea too. I didnt mean to imply I thought it was shady.

    Oh yea, I was just kinda rambling about it in general. I've seen some people be like RABBLERABBLE CHEAP CASH GRAB RABBLERABBLE about it though which I really don't get.
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    I don't know why EA is so concerned about used games sales. Don't they put out a new iteration of their dozen or so sports titles every year, and close the servers down for any of them more than two-three years old?

    Because then when Gamestop gets flooded with copies of Madden XX once Madden XX+1 comes out, people will still be forced to buy Madden XX+1 instead of just staying a year behind the series and playing the games for like 5 bucks.

    wWuzwvJ.png
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    Geth, kick @Kryhs from the thread until he learns to handle himself in a more mature manner.

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  • GethGeth Legion Perseus VeilRegistered User, Moderator, Penny Arcade Staff, Vanilla Staff vanilla
    Affirmative Rorus Raz. @Kryhs banned from this thread.

  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    The decision is eliminate megathreads was decided six years ago, with very few exceptions (like this thread). This is not the place to opine about board policy, and you can always send a PM to the administrator if you really, really feel this urge to complain about the policy regarding megathreads. There's a 99% chance you will be ignored because this is a dead, rotting corpse of an issue.
    Whoa man.. Somebody asked a question and I answered it. No need to get moderator-y about it. Nobody was complaining.
    This was in response to someone else. I should have quoted to be more clear. Apologies.

    YL9WnCY.png
  • AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    Free! I'm finally freeeeeeeeee!!

    Ahem. So there's a Gamasutra article out on the rough times Nintendo's heading into. You're probably aware of most of the stuff that's listed, but this chart was particularly eye-opening:

    publisher-revenue-by-platform-2009-2012-v1.png

    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/186368/Nintendos_hard_path_to_thirdparty_support_in_2013.php#.URqjZWdR3To

    Admittedly the Wii was winding down in 2012 and the Wii U was just out for a month and a half, but still: yikes.

    Also, great googly moogly mobile's taking off.

    Something about those numbers feels off. All I've heard about for the last few months is how the gaming industry's year over year sales have been down by 20-25%, and yet those numbers show a growth of 3 billion for each player except Nintendo. I'm not usually one to question Gamasutra, but.. like I said, something's not jiving.

    He/Him | "We who believe in freedom cannot rest." - Dr. Johnetta Cole, 7/22/2024
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    Refreshingly, Hilleman admitted that EA was fully at fault for Medal of Honor and Medal of Honor: Warfighter’s rather dismal performances.

    “We don’t think its a genre problem,” he said during a brief interview at last week’s DICE conference. “It’s an execution problem. We don’t think Medal of Honor’s performance speaks to any particular bias in that space against modern settings or World War II or any of that. It’s much more that we had some things we should’ve done better.”

    “What we think right now is that, for the next couple years, we can just have one great thing in that space. So we’re choosing for it to be Battlefield.”

    It remains to be seen, of course, whether or not that’s the best outcome for the large-scale shooter series, but Hilleman believes a brief break is far preferable to more Medal of Honor games developed under less-than-ideal conditions.

    “I think a key part of this is having the right amount of high-quality production talent,” he explained. “And we didn’t have the quality of leadership we needed to make [Medal of Honor] great. We just have to get the leadership aligned. We’re blessed to have more titles than we can do well today. That’s a good problem, frankly. In the long term, we have to make sure we don’t kill those products by trying to do them when we can’t do them well.”

    So for now, EA plans to watch and wait. Medal of Honor’s return, somewhat unsurprisingly, is a matter of when, not if. And while Hilleman implied it’d probably happen sooner rather than later, he provided an example that, um, didn’t quite instill confidence.

    “There’s always someone at EA who’s sticking up for any number of the properties we have,” he concluded. “You know, I had somebody the other day say, ‘Come on, Mutant League Football. We gotta bring back Mutant League Football.’ So, to my mind, there’s always somebody at EA who loves a property. That property will come back when it’s time is right and there’s someone to carry it.”

    Mutant League Football was last seen in 1993. So, er, right then.
    Hahaha. Using Mutant League Football as an example of a franchise that is just resting is hilarious.

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Well, the numbers are just from four companies, and all of them are doing well.

    Meanwhile, after years of cutting back, Microsoft is finally adding a studio for Xbox development!

    ...don't get excited.
    Microsoft's Xbox 360 console is more than a gaming device. In fact, owners are spending more time playing video and music than games on the device, Yusuf Mehdl, senior vice president of Microsoft's interactive entertainment business, disclosed on stage at AllThingsD's media conference Monday night. Compared to other Internet-connected entertainment consoles — such as the $99 Apple TV and Roku's $79 streaming video player — the $240 Xbox is in a premium-price category, and it wants to deliver a premium-quality service, he said.

    To that end, Microsoft has set up a production studio in Santa Monica, Calif., where approximately 150 employees are working to develop a range of original content, including "cable-quality" and reality-style TV, as well as live-events streaming, Nancy Tellem, corporate vice-president of Microsoft LA Studios, said. (Before joining Microsoft in September, Tellem worked at CBS, running its entertainment division from 1998 to 2009, before moving into a consulting role.) The studio, she added, is working "not only on creating content, but creating engagement" — perhaps, she indicated, by adding interactive elements to partner content. Tellem said she hoped the studio would release its first offering later this year.

    Beyond original content, which could be bundled or added as a premium tier on top of Microsoft's $5-per-month Xbox Live subscription service, the company said it is also committed to providing software features that lower-priced boxes don't, such as voice control and live video calls (via Skype).

    Rumors about the next-generation Xbox, the Xbox 720, are currently making the rounds, but Mehdl and Tellem remained mum on the topic.

    Mehdl said that more than 75 million Xbox consoles have been sold worldwide, and 46 million people are currently paying $5 per month for a subscription to Xbox Live, which gives subscribers access to multiplayer gaming and entertainment services such as Netflix. Mehdl added that Xbox owners spend an average of 87 hours per month using the device, 62% of whom are men, and around half of whom are parents.

    http://mashable.com/2013/02/11/microsoft-la-studios-xobox/

    Man, Microsoft is going bonkers for streaming content for Xbox.

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