Microsoft cheers Sky Player success

With plenty of noise being made about the rampant success of the BBC iPlayer on the PS3 and Wii, Microsoft has taken time to point out that its own IPTV offering is also performing very strongly.

Last October the platform holder launched its console-adapted version of the Sky Player, which allows both subscribers and non-subscribers of the satellite broadcaster to watch a range of programming such as Premier League matches directly through their console.

It’s doing really well. I don’t want to say surprising, but we’ve seen very positive uptake,” Xbox Live Studios general manager Jerry Johnson told Eurogamer.

If Sky was a title in the UK market, it would be one of the top played titles on an evergreen basis. It’s not Call of Duty, but it’s up there as one of the top five or ten titles on a consistent basis over time.”

Furthermore, Johnson adds that it’s the success the app’s various community features that has been the most pleasing.

One of the things we’re really proud of is the uptake on the party modes, especially around live television,” he added.

While we don’t release specific numbers, we’re seeing on a live programme double digit percentages of people watching are in rooms of more than two people. When we hit major events or live events like a Premier League football game, we can even see those numbers double.

It’s a success, especially for a first run at this. As we start to work at the camera and the array microphones on Kinect, we’re going to open up the ability to communicate while watching television. It’s a no brainer that this thing is going to continue to take off.”

It looks increasingly unlikely that Microsoft will be offering a version of the iPlayer on Xbox 360.