Microsoft stakes its claim on the living room with Xbox and Kinect

The Xbox 360 presentation at E3 is over and our living rooms will never be the same. I’m still trying to absorb everything that was announced today but it is clear that with the arrival of the new slimmer Xbox 360 and the launch of Kinect on November 4 – just in time for the Christmas buying season – Microsoft has made it clear that it is your home entertainment future.

As expected the games – especially the big name titles like Gears of War 3, Fable III, Halo: Reach, and from Crysis a new game called Kingdoms – were the backbone of the presentation by Microsoft executives. However there were a couple of other announcements – both expected and unexpected – that show just how Microsoft is trying to position the Xbox 360 as your entertainment hub.

Of course the expected news was the announcement and demonstrations of Kinect – once known as Project Natal – that everyone was really waiting for and for once the press didn’t even come close to the reality. From supposedly children’s games like Kinectimals (which I think will be just as big a hit with adults even if they won’t admit it) to the still be delivered Star Wars game (2011) Kinect has all the bases covered.

As far as I am concerned, and I say this as someone who doesn’t own an Xbox (although that could very well change now), Microsoft has just raised the bar when it comes to both serious and casual gaming. On top of that the whole social aspect of Kinect makes it perfect for the living room whether it be gaming with your friends to using Video Connect to keep in touch with your social circle.

But the sleeping giant in today’s presentation and one that should have cable companies really worried is the just announced integration of ESPN live sports access. Not only the access but that those with Xbox Live Gold membership get the content for free.

As my good friend Mark ‘Rizzn’ Hopkins says – this is a major deal

This is a major deal – the ability to watch live streaming sports anywhere but on a cable connection is almost impossible to find (at least, legitimately). It’s one of the first steps by Microsoft to truly supplant the need for a wired connection to a video content provider. So far in the conference, no announcement has been made regarding a partnership with Hulu, and since it’s coming towards the end of the conference, such an announcement seems unlikely.

Tie that is with a Netflix and Hulu account and who the hell needs cable television anymore.

As important as a new design for the Xbox is, or things like Kinect might be it is this deal with ESPN that could truly be the turning point for Microsoft as it looks to solidify its place as your only entertainment hub you will need.