The push for HD has come from all corners of media, but actually accessing high-definition content isn’t so simple — the amount of people with HD televisions running standard-definition content is staggering. But Hollywood’s initial investment into Microsoft’s service has proved a profitable one, as its direction connection to the TV means there’s no technical wizardry needed to move a computer-downloaded film onto the TV. Do I really expect my mom to figure out DVD burning? I can’t even figure it out.Variety reports that several “industry insiders” have found Xbox Live the only successful movie service in 2006, with Amazon.com’s “Unbox” feature experiencing unexpectedly sluggish sales. “If you look at our sales charts, movies like The Perfect Storm, Unforgiven and Swordfish are all doing disproportionately better than you would expect, and the only explanation is that they’re available in HD,” said Ross Honey, senior director for media in Microsoft’s content and partner strategy group.
No official numbers have been released, but sales trackers report movies like Poseidon, which performed poorly during their box office run, are doing well on Xbox Live — thanks to the availability of a HD version. It’s cheaper and more convenient than tracking down a HD-DVD drive and wondering whether you’re supposed to buy Blu-ray discs or not.
And, hey, Superman Returns just showed up on the service with all the trimmings — HD for the win.
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