"The Guild" Now a Microsoft Exclusive, First Season Available Now
Microsoft has scooped up exclusive rights to publish season two of "The Guild" an online-only comedy about MMO folks. They'll be publishing it to Xbox360 Marketplace, Zune Marketplace, and on MSN. Reuters reports:
Quote:
The software giant has an exclusive lock on the long-awaited second season of the Internet cult hit, which will be the first to be distributed worldwide simultaneously across Microsoft's triple platform of Xbox 360's Live Marketplace, MSN and Zune.
Sprint has signed on to sponsor the 12-episode run, making it the first marketer to test Microsoft's new strategy to draw ad dollars with the combined reach of a gaming console, Internet portal and portable media player.
Quote:
Before the introduction of Independent Video, which was deployed last week as part of a relaunch of the Xbox Live Marketplace interface, all TV and film content was available on a transactional basis. "Guild" and "Horror," which is sponsored by the Air Force, will be Xbox's first free programs.
Anyone watch this?
Update:
Major Nelson sends word that the entire first season is now available to download through the Marketplace for free. Its only SD, but its free.
Quote:
If you like The Guild, then you’ll be happy to know that the first two seasons are now available on the US Marketplace (some in HD)…for free. Head on over to Marketplace and queue them up.
Last edited by modeps; 11-24-2008 at 01:18 PM..
Reason: so people don't jump to conclusions
I did watch the first season but knowing a big company like Microsoft, I won't be watching the second season. They will probably make it too hard and/or too expensive to watch in a decent quality.
This is really a shame. I hope Microsoft doesn't butcher this like I think they will. The first season was pretty damn funny. I don't think they can kill the quality considering the first season was entirely on YouTube.
I really enjoyed watching Season 1 on my iPod, but I have neither a Zune nor a 360. So I guess I'll be watching them on the web 4 weeks after they show up on Microsoft, if I remember.
Free is only free if you own the supporting platforms for it. At least with iTunes, anybody can download subscription shows and watch them even if they don't have an iPod. I'm not aware of a corresponding software service for the Zune (though I'd be happy to be wrong).
Sweet. Day kept all of the IP rights, so you won't have to worry about MS getting their hands in the content. They just want to make money off the ad revenue from people viewing the videos through live. It's a good deal for everyone.
FFS guys... stop commenting if you don't read the original link (or are you doing this to piss me off).
YES it will be available in Canada (will be available simultaneously across all Xbox Live regions.)
YES it will be free.
YES it will be in HD.
It's just that we have absolutely nothing in TV/movies category in XBox live right now so this one falls directly into the "I'll believe it when I see it" category. On the MSN front, embedded media player window doesn't sound very promising.
Also in the article I'm reading there's nothing about HD for anything but the XBox and even that's a bit vague.
At least with iTunes, anybody can download subscription shows and watch them even if they don't have an iPod. I'm not aware of a corresponding software service for the Zune (though I'd be happy to be wrong).
I've got such a crush on Felicia Day. Always had a bit of a thing for redheads so she did stand out in the final season of Buffy despite her being a relative non-presence. Then Dr Horrible made me really sit up and take notice.
The news she was also a gamer... well lets just say I'm thoroughly examining laws related to stalking to see what I can get away with.
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You have a crush on a Felicia Day now. But having just watched Legend of Neal are you aware she's able to take on a dick that's quite possible four times the size of her, head to toe?
Just saying...
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