REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In 1954, the introduction of color TV heralded the dawn of a new era in entertainment. On Nov. 19, more than 50 years after that dramatic shift, a new era in home entertainment begins with the New Xbox Experience, as millions of Xbox 360 consoles will transform in an instant through the power of software. A bold new future begins now, where high-definition (HD) entertainment is delivered in an instant, the best games share the stage with the best movies and TV shows, and every experience is shared with friends and family in the same room or around the world.

By the end of this month, Xbox 360 will reach another industry-defining milestone: 25 million Xbox 360 consoles sold worldwide. It has taken the leading next-generation game and entertainment console just three years to eclipse the total lifetime number of original Xbox consoles sold.

"The future of home entertainment is Xbox 360 -- it's on-demand, it's high-definition, it's always social, it's all in one place," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft Corp. "With the New Xbox Experience, we will reach the next generation of Xbox owners, 25 million and beyond. We are at a watershed moment, backed by the largest entertainment brands, with an incredible lineup of entertainment unmatched in any industry."

All Your Friends and Favorite Entertainment, One Remote Control

With the launch of the New Xbox Experience, Xbox 360 owners will enjoy a limitless world where the best games, movies and TV shows are ready to share with friends across the globe through Xbox LIVE:

-- Netflix instantly streaming in HD. The New Xbox Experience isn't the only thing that will look great on your TV. Netflix is taking the first step by instantly streaming movies and TV episodes in high definition with the introduction of approximately 300 choices in HD via Xbox 360, including "La Vie en Rose," "Flawless" and "Heroes." Xbox 360 is the only Netflix-ready device to offer high-definition movies and TV episodes.

-- Xbox LIVE Party. Xbox 360 allows you to create a virtual party on your TV with up to seven friends. With Xbox LIVE Party, use voice chat while you play games,(1) share photos in real time and entertain friends all over the world.

-- Personality plus. Create a customizable, animated avatar and literally jump into the world of Xbox LIVE. Your avatar is your game face throughout the New Xbox Experience and represents your personality -- whether you are serving as an Xbox LIVE Party host, playing a game of "Scene It? Box Office Smash" or chatting with a friend.

-- On-demand entertainment. Xbox 360 is home to the best TV and movie entertainment, including more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix and a large online library of more than 15,000 on-demand high-definition TV shows and movies from global partners such as Constantin, The Walt Disney Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), NBC Universal Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

-- Your personal game room. Play revived classics such as "PAC-MAN Championship Edition," "Galaga Legions" and "Portal: Still Alive" alongside games that put your avatars in the action, such as "A Kingdom for Keflings," "UNO," "Hardwood Hearts" and "Hardwood Spades," exclusively for download from Xbox LIVE Arcade. Xbox LIVE members also will be able to access all of Xbox LIVE Marketplace, including Xbox LIVE Arcade, and even queue content to download straight from Xbox.com.

-- Games for the community, by the community. For the first time in the history of console gaming, thousands of games developed by the creative community will be available to the public. The Community Games channel on Xbox LIVE will include games made by students, hobbyists and maybe even your next door neighbor, and will be exclusive to Xbox LIVE.

The World's Biggest Names in Entertainment, All in One Place

No device offers more entertainment than Xbox 360. In addition to Netflix in the United States, major film studios around the world unveiled their plans to offer feature films on Xbox LIVE in Canada, Italy and Spain, truly transforming Xbox 360 into the world's largest online entertainment center:

-- Magnolia Pictures. The studio that released such groundbreaking and award-winning feature films as "The World's Fastest Indian," "The Host," "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" and "Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior" will be bringing its slate of compelling feature films to Xbox LIVE in Canada and the U.S.

-- MGM. MGM is bringing its library of blockbuster movies to Xbox LIVE in Italy and Spain. MGM, already available in Canada, France, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S., will offer films such as "Carrie," "Rocky" and "Species" on Xbox LIVE around the world.

-- Paramount Pictures. Paramount Digital Entertainment will mark the two-year anniversary of making its movies available on Xbox LIVE by becoming a content provider in Italy and Spain. Films such as "Iron Man," "Stop-Loss" and "The Ruins" will be made available worldwide this fall.

-- Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. Warner Bros. Digital Distribution will make 100 movie titles available on Xbox LIVE in Italy, including "Interview With the Vampire" and "The Matrix Trilogy." Xbox LIVE in Spain also will offer 100 movie titles, including "Sweeney Todd" and "One Missed Call." Currently the studio offers content in Canada, Germany, France, the U.K. and the U.S.

Xbox 360 Puts You in the Spotlight This Holiday

While Xbox 360 has evolved into a world-class entertainment device, it remains the best place to play. In concert with the launch of the New Xbox Experience, two entertainment heavyweights step into the spotlight, ready to wow audiences across the world. Today is the launch of "Lips" and "You're in the Movies," two games that promise to get you on your feet and performing like a star.

-- "Lips" is an all-new music franchise exclusively for Xbox 360. "Lips" is the only singing game that offers wireless, motion-sensitive microphones and the ability to sing to a diverse list of included songs representing multiple musical genres, ranging from pop, rock and dance to hip-hop, country and R&B, as well as compatible songs from your music collection.(2)

-- "You're in the Movies" brings out the movie star in everyone this holiday season with its release exclusively on Xbox 360 coming Nov. 18. It's the first and only game of its kind that transports players into a magical world of cinema and hilarious improvisations. Using the Xbox LIVE Vision camera, friends and families choose a script, act it out and in minutes watch the often hilarious, always entertaining results.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE connects more than 14 million members across 26 countries to each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more content from one remote than can be found from any device connected to the television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing friends together, no matter where they are - in the living room or across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE memberships can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.

About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is a premier video game and entertainment system. It is home to the best and broadest games plus more standard and high-definition movies and TV shows on demand than any other device connected to the TV. The digital center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content, including personal pictures and music, with a unified online social network to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home or across the globe. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

(1) Xbox LIVE Gold Membership required for online multiplayer functionality.

(2) Sing along to your digital rights management (DRM)-free music on select popular media players. The functionality of songs played from personal music collections will vary.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.

Global News Network 'AVING'
by Joshua ( www.aving.net)