XBLM chief talks Goldeneye, free XBL Gold and more

Xbox Live Marketplace honcho Aaron Greenberg talks to VGM about a variety of topics ranging from Goldeneye 007 on XBLA (not happening) to the Euro Diamond Card (happening). Xboxic has a helpful summary of the discussed topics:

• 50% of users are connected to Xbox Live. And 85% of those connected are downloading content

• More downloads on Live (ten million so far) than iTunes had on launch

• Talk about Cloning Clyde
  

• How an indie developer gets a game onto Xbox Live Marketplace

• Addresses the criticisms of Blizzard COO Paul Sims and Arena Net Co-Founder Jeff Strain. Explains how the open LSP model allows for MMO’s to easily be on Live

• Over 80 High-Def games available by June

• New big update for Live this Spring

• Partnership with Epic records. High Def music video’s and play the artists of these video’s on Live

• No movies are planned for download onto Live at the moment.

• TV content is a possibility in the future

• New information about the Direct TV partnership is coming soon

• Comments on Wi-Fi and HUB

• Xbox Live Marketplace is going to see its own major “virtual console-like” announcement at E3, and it’ll be rolled out BEFORE Nintendo’s Revolution even hits the market.

• Plans to bring Rare’s Goldeneye 007 to Xbox Live Marketplace

• Advertising on Marketplace and in games

• It’s possible some day gamers could see an ad enabled free (and full) version of Xbox Live

• Diamond card IS coming to other markets

• Xbox Live @ E3

Despite my aversion to Burger King, an ad-supported "free" version of XBL Gold sounds like a good idea to me. At least it offers some benefit, as opposed to product placement-packed games that still cost $60.