Xbox Changes the Game at E3

[_skitzo_]

Press release:
Strategy Analytics games analyst, Martin Olausson, anticipates a strengthened market position for Microsoft's Xbox360 game console following a solid showing at this year's E3 Expo in Los Angeles, CA. After all three console manufacturers - Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony - had given their respective press conferences at this year's E3 Expo, it was clear that Microsoft has pulled ahead of Sony and Nintendo when it comes to offering next generation online entertainment experiences.

Although both Sony and Nintendo announced some new updates - such as Sony's PSP Go and Nintendo's Wii Motion Plus - both companies mainly announced "more of the same". In Strategy Analytics' view, neither firm offered a clear vision for entertainment services beyond the core gaming features of their respective consoles.

Microsoft, meanwhile, announced a torrent of new services for its Xbox Live platform, including instant streaming of full 1080P HD movies and TV shows, 10 new markets where Xbox LIVE will offer its TV shows and movies, social media services Facebook and Twitter and music streaming service Last.fm on the Xbox Live platform, and a completely new user interface, code-named "Project Natal".

"With Project Natal, full HD streaming of movies and TV shows, and new social media features, Xbox is ushering in a new era of digital entertainment and continues to put new challenges to its competitors in the battle for online entertainment leadership," said Martin Olausson, Director of Digital Media Research at Strategy Analytics. "So far these challenges have gone largely unmet and as a result Nintendo and Sony are falling further and further behind in the online entertainment market".