Epic Records and Xbox 360

[AzBat]

LOS ANGELES -- Xbox 360 gamers will get a year of free music videos and other content from artists signed to Epic Records under a promotion deal between the record label and Microsoft Corp., the companies said Thursday.

The arrangement calls for Epic Records to feature 12 of its artists on a program dubbed Artist of the Month, which users of Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft's popular gaming console can access over the Xbox Live entertainment network.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Xbox Live members will be able to download exclusive music videos free and compete for a chance to play an online game against the Epic recording artists.

The first artist to participate in the promotion will be British singer Natasha Bedingfield.

New York-based Epic, a unit of Sony BMG Music Entertainment, is banking its artists will find a new audience among video gamers. Sony BMG is a joint venture of Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG.

This is probably just the start of what's to come. Sounds good to me.

Tommy McClain

 

[nintenho]

There really is no other way to challenge myspace.

For the record: I don't have a myspace and will never get one. It's just not for me really.

 

[scooby_dooby]

weak, i hope they have alot more than that coming.

 

[Diamond.G]

So what is the catch? Why are the videos free?

 

[Platon]

So what is the catch? Why are the videos free?

You have to be an xbox Live member...

 

[Diamond.G]

You have to be an xbox Live member...

Well that really isn't much of a catch. Did they state Gold or Silver?

 

[bbot]

A part of Sony aiding the enemy? What's going on? (Xbdestroya faints)

 

[rabidrabbit]

Or is it the other way round, MS aiding Sony?
Or just like any other business deal, both benefit.

 

[Inane_Dork]

A part of Sony aiding the enemy? What's going on? (Xbdestroya faints)

Last I checked, Windows and Vaio make each other money. MS and Sony are easily so big that they can be on one point violently antagonistic while being friendly on another point. MS has to be schizophrenic like that, and so does MS.

 

[Griffith]

very good!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

A part of Sony aiding the enemy? What's going on? (Xbdestroya faints)

Some people just don't understand business at all...

 

[Guden Oden]

This is pretty cool I have to say, but not cool enough to make me want to start paying for gold membership.

Maybe in the future, when they can offer more content.

 

[datoejama]

I'm pretty sure you can download the content from a Silver account also.

 

[TrungGap]

Xbox Live members will be able to download exclusive music videos free and compete for a chance to play an online game against the Epic recording artists.

Hmm, this sound to me like a Gold Member only feature.

Epic Records to feature 12 of its artists

Hmm, doesn't sound like a lot of content...

I'm glad Sony is finally going forward with their online service! Competition is good for us, consumers.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Obviously the playing an online game thing would require that the winner have a gold membership.

But downloadable video's, music, and basic marketplace access are all Silver features. I'm pretty positive they won't charge you to view the featured artist of the month.

 

[TrungGap]

But downloadable video's, music, and basic marketplace access are all Silver features. I'm pretty positive they won't charge you to view the featured artist of the month.

Are you sure? If I'm in charge of MS I would start changing what they're charging for LIVE service.

Online game should be free, as it's would sell games.

Content should be charge (whether that is pay-per-use or subscription), as content does not encourge people to buy games or the console. If they're giving away too much content for free...they're of course will attract more users, however MS will be loosing money as they're not charging for it.

 

[Tahir2]

MS has to be schizophrenic like that, and so does MS.

Quality.

 

[Lysander]

Sony division working for MS, ok this is to much for a day.

 

[Sis]

Online game should be free, as it's would sell games.

You have any proof of that, other than opinion? I'm not sure that it's true. I think it's more likely that if MS did not charge for online gaming it would drive online usage, but I'm not convinced that it would drive game sales.

 

[Sis]

Sony division working for MS, ok this is to much for a day.

I know you're joking, but you do realize that Sony and MS cooperate in more ways than they actually compete. In fact, there's only one area in which they do compete, and that's on the game console front (so it's a biggie). But still, this should come as a surprise to no one.

PS Did you know that Microsoft ships a version of Office on the Macintosh platform?