Microsoft To Launch Xbox Live In India

Microsoft has announced it will launch Xbox Live in India on November 5th. The service will feature content tailored specifically to the Indian market in addition to the general Xbox Live content found in all territories. Robbie Bach, Global President of Microsoft E&D Division, said, "We have just celebrated the first anniversary of Xbox 360 in the country this year and it is with a celebratory spirit that we offer our Indian consumers even more entertainment options on Xbox 360. This is not only a firm reiteration of our commitment to the Indian market, but also an exciting foray into connecting our Indian consumers to a world of 7 million Xbox LIVE members around the world." The service will provide the same functionality -- online play and Xbox Live Arcade downloadable games -- as it does in other territories. It will also offer media downloads specifically tailored to the Indian market, including a tie-up with India's UTV films to provide access to trailers for Bollywood movies. According to the release, Microsoft is also partnering with rental service Seventymm to deliver Xbox 360 games to consumers in India as part of a monthly subscription service, similar to Western services such as GameFly. The company's site already reflects this new addition. As in other territories, membership will be broken into Silver and Gold tiers, with Gold members paying a fee to enjoy access to online matchmaking in Xbox 360 games. A 12-month subscription will cost 2200 Rupees, or U.S.$55.71 at today's exchange rates -- comparable to the U.S.$59.99 yearly subscription fee charged in the U.S. A large number of accessories, already available in other territories, will be launched to support the service, such as the Xbox Live Headset and Vision Camera. No further information on what slate of games and other content will be available at launch was released.