Today Microsoft canceled Inside Xbox, their free video show for Xbox Live subscribers, for Xbox owners in the US. As a by-product of that, the show is also canceled in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. According to Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb's blog post, their EMEA market is currently examining their model for Inside Xbox, but they have not made a decision as to what will happen next. Xbox Live in Mexico and Japan will continue to create their own first-party content for their members.
So what will happen next? Hryb explains that they "will be leveraging third-party news and video content available through a variety of existing and future partners, and supplementing this content with select first-party offerings. However, day-to-day news content and weekly programming currently offered though Inside Xbox will cease production in the United States. This includes shows like Major’s Minute, Featured Videos and Insider Moves packaged under the Inside Xbox brand.
"This decision was not made lightly," he continued. "Our teams working on Inside Xbox have done a great job connecting with our members and delivering high-quality, informative game news and tips. We thank them all for their contributions to the Xbox LIVE community and wish them all the best in their future endeavors."
I never watched Inside Xbox so I don't feel a shred of sadness at this news, and according to my Twitter feed, I am very alone in this assessment. Were any of you fans? What will you miss the most?
