Microsoft have this week announced the introduction of media player service Plex to their Xbox games consoles, opening up more streaming services to the next-gen gaming devices.
To be released for the Xbox One later this week, and planned for a later date on the Xbox 360, the application is one which enables viewers to access video content such as films, on-demand TV shows, and short clips through their personal library of favorites – regardless of the website it came from.
For its Xbox One release, Plex are believed to be planning to allow users access to genre/cast-based ‘customized categories’ in browsing, and recommendations from across the streaming world based on history, service availability and general viewing habits.
Other features include ‘On Deck’, the ability for users to keep track of the shows that they are watching, with the chance to continue at the exact point they stopped or have suggested next episodes to watch.
The release will be seen as strange by many, as the Xbox console was the original hardware that first ran what many consider the best media center ever, XBMC.
For fans of the NHL, meanwhile, there is a bonus ability of being able to follow their franchise of choice by way of a personalised experience and highlights effort. For Xbox-specific developments, meanwhile, users will be able to control the app through Xbox Kinect motion sensor and voice-based controls.
Whether the more complete video experience can be seen as a sufficient expansion to Xbox’s ‘not console but entertainment hub’ plans will be discovered over time, so for now will Plex be able to make a strong start in their first home console appearance?