Citing “trusted sources,” IGN is reporting that Microsoft will soon make free-to-play games available through Xbox Live.
By doing so, gamers can play the games for free, but will purchase virtual content (currency, weapons, clothes, etc) just like in popular Facebook games like MafiaWars and CityVille.
The industry has seen an expansion into F2P, with big publishers like EA even trying the model on shooters like Battlefield Play4Free.
That game is still in beta.
For now this is still rumor, but we will keep you updated.
Result for: gamers
Legendary rapper Dr. Dre has announced this week that he will begin promoting his upcoming album via “Mafia Wars,” the extremely popular Facebook game.
‘Detox,’ Dre’s first album since 1999, is set for release early next year, after years of delays.
The partnership with game developer Zynga will begin with the company streaming the music video for “Kush,” the first single off the album.
Zynga is the market leader in the growing “social gaming” market, thanks to their hits FarmVille, FrontierVille, Mafia Wars and others.
The promotion is dubbed “Hustlin’ Wit Dre,” and Mafia Wars gamers can purchase and collect Dr. Dre virtual goods, like Beats headphones, weapons and a car or purchase (in real-life) ‘Kush.’
There is a chance to win a signed Detox album, as well as signed Beats headphones, via the promotion.
Result for: gamers
According to Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business CFO Dennis Durkin, gamers of the Xbox 360 are using the console less and less for actual gaming, with the console being used to play games only 60 percent of the time now.
Non-gaming activities include streaming movies, streaming music, Internet browsing, Twitter, Facebook and more.
“What we found is the core gamer might be the person who brought the console into the house, but as you widen the choices of content, it broadens what people can do with the system,” added Durkin (via Cnet).
Xbox Live subscribers also spend an average of three hours online, every day, notes Durkin.
Microsoft recently upped the price of a Gold subscription to XBL by 20 percent, citing heavily increased infrastructure costs, thanks mainly to a large increase in streaming.
