At All Things D’s D:Dive into Media conference yesterday, Microsoft executives Yusuf Mehdi and Nancy Tellem spoke about today’s Xbox entertainment ecosystem and discussed a future of interactivity and Microsoft-produced content.
On stage, Mehdi, the man who heads up Microsoft’s interactive entertainment business, shared some interesting statistics:
- There are about 76 million [amazon_link id=”B003O6JKLC” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Xbox 360[/amazon_link] units sold worldwide
- About 1/3 of those units have a [amazon_link id=”B002BSA298″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Kinect[/amazon_link] sensor attached
- Despite the frequency that the term “dudes” was thrown around in the conversation, 38% of Xbox users are women
- The majority of households with Xboxes have kids
On the Entertainment side, Mehdi highlighted that Xbox now has over 100 entertainment apps/partners, though Netflix clearly dominates in the device’s video entertainment use.
Microsoft’s next big push for Xbox entertainment will be in the area of interactive TV. Using voice and gestures, similar to the current Sesame Street app, or leveraging second-screen experiences, Microsoft intends to substantially expand its interactive offerings.
In addition to about 40 new entertainment partners in 2013, Microsoft is creating its own production shop, headed by Nancy Tellem, formerly from CBS. Their intent is to produce HBO- or cable-quality content, though what this might cost consumers is still unknown. When pressed on cost and Microsoft’s current model of charging consumers for a [amazon_link id=”B0029LJIFG” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]LIVE subscription[/amazon_link] to use the Xbox entertainment features (that they’re already paying for), Mehdi insisted that they believe they add value and that they’ll “continue to push that.”
On next-gen hardware, Mehdi intimated that Microsoft won’t be releasing a cheap box [think: Roku], but one that can deliver the high fidelity necessary for premium content.
Watch the interview here:
Source: All Things D
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