Xbox LIVE use soars as families in Australia  and New Zealand embrace at-home social entertainment  

SYDNEY — JULY 10, 2009 — Australians and New Zealanders looking for an affordable family entertainment experience during the current global financial situation clocked up a huge 101 million hours on Xbox LIVE during the 2009 financial year*.  In addition, the number of consoles connected to Xbox LIVE jumped by 73 per cent and the Xbox 360 experienced console sales growth of 83 per cent year on year to date in 2009, making it the fastest growing console in the total market**.   

Nearly 400,000 Aussies and Kiwis have connected to the Xbox LIVE network, with each user averaging five hours online each week, connecting with friends, squaring off in multiplayer games and downloading music tracks for hit titles like Lips and Guitar Hero .Compared to the same period last year, Xbox LIVE content downloads increased by 39 per cent, with over 6.4 million downloads of free game demos, trailers and other content occurring in the last 12 months. 

“The July toy sales offered by the major retailers give cash-strapped families a great opportunity to plan their Christmas spending well ahead of time,” commented David McLean, Head of Microsoft Entertainment. “During the July sales retailers offer consumers layby which reaches into the Christmas period meaning now is an ideal time to make a smart purchase that doesn’t hit the hip pocket all in one go. 

“Before Christmas, Xbox 360 users will have access to high definition movies-on-demand, Facebook, Twitter and a host of other features through our console. This will give families even greater freedom to share, socialise and interact online, as some of the world’s largest social networks move from the PC to the TV, and into the heart of the family living space,” McLean concluded. 

Starting at a recommended retail price of $299 AUD, Xbox 360 is a high-value purchase with a broad range of games available to suit all tastes***.  

Further facts:

–          Over 734,000 consoles have been sold throughout Australia and New Zealand (according to GfK Australia data)

–          Over half of these are connected to Xbox LIVE, the world’s largest social console network, with over 20 million members worldwide

–          Xbox 360  consoles come equipped with Family Settings devices to help parents manage the content accessed in the household

* Source: internal logs
* *Source: GfK Australia data (January – June 2008 compared with January to June 2009)
*** Recommended retail price. Actual price is set by the retailer