Another follow-up to my piece on TV, this time having to do with Microsoft. From Bloomberg:

Microsoft Corp. is going Hollywood with a cast including comedians Sarah Silverman and Seth Green, aspiring World Cup players and eerily human robots.

All are involved in shows that Microsoft’s new Xbox television studio plans to roll out globally starting in June. Helmed by former CBS Corp. honcho Nancy Tellem, who Microsoft hired 19 months ago to build a TV powerhouse from the ground up, the studio now has six series lined up — including a science-fiction thriller called “Humans” about humanoid robot workers — and more than a dozen projects in development.

Currently, there is no reason for someone interested in a TV add-on to purchase an Xbox; it’s simply too expensive relative to the competition. However, were Microsoft to have a hit show, then that could become a reason-to-buy. At least, I’m guessing that’s the justification, and no, I don’t think it will work. That price point is simply too high a barrier.

Then again, perhaps Microsoft has gotten the memo. From later in the article:

Unlike the critically-lauded titles Netflix chooses by number-crunching its subscribers’ favorite actors and genres, Tellem said Microsoft’s marching orders are to focus on its gamer audience, typically males between 18 to 34 years old.

This effort does make more sense as an attempt to differentiate from the PS4, which is fine as far as it goes. It’s far, far removed, though, from the Xbox’s original mission of owning all living rooms.