This past December Microsoft released a significant update to the Xbox 360 console that turned it into a true living room device capable of not only gaming activity but of providing numerous entertainment options to stream videos and music.
In order to access those entertainment options you have to be an Xbox Live Gold member which is an annual cost of anywhere between $40 and $60 depending on the offers that are available for your renewal. On top of that subscription cost some of the entertainment apps now available on the Xbox 360 console also require you to be a subscriber to that service or cable provider in order to gain access to the media they offer.
Well at least one half of that proposition is being taken off the table this weekend when Microsoft offers an Entertainment Unlocked weekend on Xbox Live. This means that all Xbox Live members will have access to the entertainment apps and if you happen to also be a subscriber to some of the services that are available on the console then you will be able to access them as well.
By the way, free multi player gaming is also part of this offering!
The free weekend runs from 9:00 AM, 19 April 20120 to 9:00 AM, 23 April 2012 – that is four days worth of freebies!
Now for the small print that always frustrates someone in the world:
Entertainment Unlocked will take place on Xbox LIVE from 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time on April 19, 2012, to 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time on April 23, 2012. Open only to Free members in the 50 United States (including Washington, D.C.), aged 18 years and older. Unlocked applications include all Entertainment Apps. Online multiplayer, Video Kinect, and Deal of the Week will not be unlocked. Additional subscriptions and requirements apply for some Xbox LIVE features, including HBO GO®, EPIX, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Verizon FiOS TV, XFINITY TV. Kinect requires Kinect sensor (sold separately) and varies by feature and app. See xbox.com/live.
Are you planning to take advantage of the free offer?