"The company is investing heavily in building its online streaming capability, to the point where it is a market leader, and a desirable partner for consumer electronics companies that hope to participate in digital media convergence in the near term. As we have speculated in the past, we believe that one of Netflix's partners is Microsoft. We arrive at this conclusion based upon Netflix management repeatedly mentioning 'Internet enabled video game consoles.' While there are three such consoles, only one (Microsoft's Xbox 360) has a sufficiently large installed base to make sense from a streaming partnership with Netflix," Pachter stated in his latest research note.
"...there's 5-6 million Xbox Live subscribers that Netflix would love to have join Netflix service and there's probably 5-6 million Netflix subscribers that Microsoft would love to sell an Xbox 360 to."
He continued, "The competitive advantage of such an alliance is clear: Netflix customers who are Xbox Live members will have the ability to stream online content through their Xbox 360s directly to their televisions. The ability to do so is available without the Xbox 360, but requires a measure of technological sophistication and a high tolerance for failure."
That's all well and good for Netflix, but in a sense Netflix on Xbox Live would potentially hurt Microsoft's own Video Marketplace business. And how would the business model shake out? Would the two companies split revenues on subscriptions? GameDaily BIZ followed up with Pachter to get his take on the business model and why Microsoft should ultimately take the Netflix plunge.
"It strikes me that the right business model for Microsoft and Netflix is that they both participate for free, and I think the idea is that Netflix has 8 million subs in the U.S. and Microsoft has probably pretty close to that many Xbox Live members in the U.S., and there's probably not 100 percent overlap – my guess is there's a couple million of overlap, but there's 5-6 million Xbox Live subscribers that Netflix would love to have join Netflix service and there's probably 5-6 million Netflix subscribers that Microsoft would love to sell an Xbox 360 to," Pachter told us.
"So by buying an Xbox 360 you get a game device and you get this portal to the Internet where you can download movies and watch them; I think that's a pretty compelling value proposition for Microsoft to offer to Netflix subscribers. And it at least makes it a more compelling offer relative to the PS3. So my guess is nobody's charging anybody anything. Microsoft's looking for greater content on its Xbox Live Marketplace and they'd be very happy if people suddenly started thinking of Xbox Live Marketplace as a place to download entertainment content, because then Microsoft could theoretically offer movies to own and movies to rent side-by-side with Netflix free streaming, and why not get those people used to it? I think that's actually pretty smart."
New StarCraft II Unit - Baneling
With the Hasbro Family Game Night digital experience, families can enjoy familiar classic Hasbro board games or throw in a fun spin with new versions like Connect Four Power Chips, Boggle Portal Cubes, Reverse Yahtzee and Battleship Barrage - which add fresh dimensions and challenges to these legendary favorites. Play with up to four people in Yahtzee, Boggle, Sorry! and Sorry! Sliders or up to two players in Connect Four and Battleship.
Players can deck out their very own distinctive digital game room in Hasbro Family Game Night by choosing a setting and adding earned trophies, cool furniture and decorations all themed to their favorite games. Not only can players customize where they play, but also how they play. Hasbro Family Game Night features a party mode that gives players the option to build a custom party game by choosing their desired game(s), number of players and setting a time limit. Party mode mini-game challenges include Match the Pattern, Shake for Words and Bomb Run.
"We're giving families a new way to bond and play together," said Chip Lange, Vice President and General Manager of EA's Casual Entertainment Label. "Hasbro Family Game Night offers parents and their children a digital party experience full of classic brands they know and love. Between original and new rule settings, an easy-to-play party mode and a customizable game room feature, the variety and choice promise hours of fun family play."
"Hasbro Family Game Night is designed to bring family and friends of all ages together in the digital living room for an evening of 'anything goes' fun," said Mark Blecher, General Manager of Digital Media and Gaming at Hasbro. "Hasbro has been providing families with the best in game play for decades, and now they can enjoy some of our most beloved brands with an all-new digital twist."
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS, EA, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com.
About Hasbro
Hasbro (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.
Players take on the role of Travis Grady, a lone truck driver making a routine delivery when he makes an unfortunate detour to the mysterious town of Silent Hill. Players must help Travis escape the city's horrific inhabitants and unravel the mystery of the strange hallucinations from Travis' past, visions that have plagued him since childhood.
Updated controls maximize combat, allowing Travis to use his fists, his wits and an array of weapons including a meat cleaver, pool cue and sledgehammer to fight his way through the nightmarish world of Silent Hill and face multiple endings based on his actions.
Genre: Miscellaneous
Release Date: 05/30/2008
Publisher: Agetec
Developer: Skip
LOL is played by one of the players making a challenge in writing to the others. The crazier the challenge, the more fun everyone will have. The person who delivered the challenge chooses an appropriate time limit, and everyone has to answer the challenge on their touch screen however they see fit – with words, pictures, or whatever comes to mind. The host reveals the answers, and everyone votes on a winner who will then decide on the challenge for the next round. Always different and a blast to play every time, LOL will, as its name implies, make everyone laugh out loud.
More Power, More Gold, for WarCraft @ http://www.urgamesnow.com
Players unleash musical abilities using the DS stylus to conduct the orchestra like a maestro and compose the music to classic Looney Tunes cartoon scenes featuring infamous characters such as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety. Once the famous scenes are successfully recreated, gamers will be rewarded with clips from favorite Looney Tunes cartoon moments.
More Gold for your characters, on WarCraft!! http://www.urgamesnow.com
Its winter fun all year round as We Ski allows up to four skiers to enjoy more than a dozen runs from the bunny slopes to the most challenging Black Diamonds. Not only can players shred through the trails using the motion-based controls but they can also mix in the Wii Balance Board for a whole new level of realism.
Posts
All Comments
