Microsoft chose not to wait until their appearance at E3 on Monday, June 9, to break the news that they’re beefing up the number of entertainment apps available on their Xbox gaming consoles. These include popular apps like HBO GO, ShowTime Anytime, Comedy Central, Major League Gaming, Twitter, and Vine.
Twitter integration will be complete via Xbox One, with viewers able to see Tweets on-screen at the same time they’re watching television.
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“From day one, a core pillar in our vision for Xbox One has been to offer gamers the ability to play blockbuster games and seamlessly switch to the TV shows, movies, and apps they love,” the company said in a statement. “With more than 180 apps and entertainment experiences available across Xbox One and Xbox 360 today, entertainment usage on Xbox Live has continually skyrocketed.”
“Xbox fans are spending more time than ever on the console, spending more than five hours a day on Xbox One,” said Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President, Devices and Studios at Microsoft in a statement. “Today as we announce new commitments from dozens of our partners, including deep integration with experiences like Twitter and Vine, we hit an important milestone in our journey to deliver unique experiences on Xbox.”
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The company touts that these new additions will bring an available apps increase of 25% to more than 225 apps around the world. Many apps are country and console specific, with Xbox providing a full breakdown for console owners. This expansion also comes on the heels of Microsoft’s announcement that many of their entertainment apps will be available for anyone with an Xbox, even if they aren’t paying for an Xbox Live Gold membership.