NEWS - Wednesday, October 12, 2005
RealNetworks' Plans For Xbox Live 360
RealNetworks will be making its portfolio of titles accessible over the Xbox Live Arcade service, which will be built into the forthcoming Xbox 360 console. Real's Rhapsody digital music subscription service will also be supported on all of Microsoft's MSN systems, with the software giant receiving a credit in an undisclosed amount for each Rhapsody subscriber who signs up via MSN. However, there's no indication that Rhapsody will be directly accessible from the Xbox 360, even though Xbox Live is based on many MSN technologies, with Microsoft keen to position the console as an extension of the Windows XP media experience rather than as a system for accessing online content in its own right. "This agreement will provide MSN's millions of customers with easier access to subscription services for the music and games they love," said Bill Gates, while RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser described the deal as "closing one chapter and opening a new one in our relationship with Microsoft."Source: http://www.gamerlounge.com/
