Sony’s PlayStation Network is becoming a major over-the-top provider of content. According to Variety, subscribers to the service have downloaded more than 500 million pieces of content to their PlayStation 3 and PSPs during the past year.
The PlayStation Network has over 25 million registered users and offers a selection of 2,000 movies and 10,200 TV episodes from 38 content partners, including all the major movie studios such as Sony Pictures, MGM, Lions Gate Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures and Paramount Pictures. About 35% of movies are available in HD on the network.
Consumers can download the content to their game consoles and either play it back on-the-go on their PSP or watch it on their regular TV screen via the PlayStation3. The service is only available in selected territories.
Xbox Live offers a similar service for owners of the Xbox 360. Microsoft has content agreements with Sky in the UK and Canal+ in France to deliver their content to subscribers to the Xbox Live service.
