![Three years after making a splash in PSN, Spotify now graces Xbox Live. / from '[Youtube screengrab]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/8/9/660x290/b_502x220x82/three-years-after-making-a-splash-in-psn-spotify-now-graces-xbox-live-from-technobuffalo-technobuffalocom_1497997.jpg "Three years after making a splash in PSN, Spotify now graces Xbox Live. / from '[Youtube screengrab]")
For many online media companies, getting their services available within the online systems of video game consoles can be an extra source of income. That is why a lot of these companies would have third-party apps and services made available in the online stores of several console online networks.
For instance, Xbox Live, the online multiplayer and delivery service of Microsoft’s Xbox One console, has quite the number of third-party services, from Amazon to ESPN to YouTube. Recently some observers noted that Xbox Live boss Larry Hryb seemed to be using the music-streaming app Spotify on his account.
It turns out the Sweden-based company was having their app beta-tested for XBL. Soon the service will be made available on their system.
Personalized soundtracks
On Tuesday, August 8, the music-streaming app Spotify will be joining the significant list of third-party entertainment services available on Microsoft’s Xbox Live. In fact, it will be good to start off in a big way, with 34 markets worldwide being covered by Xbox Live now able to download Spotify from the Xbox Store. Even better, Spotify on the online gaming network will work whether the Xbox One player is a free user or Premium subscriber. All they need is a Spotify membership, and they are good to go with the downloadable app on Xbox Live.
Spotify on Xbox Live enables users to browse in an exclusive “Gaming” section, which is populated with curated lists of videogame-appropriate tunes to rock out with. Larry Hryb, Microsoft’s director of programming for Xbox Live, has his own personalized playlist advertised under his popular alias of Major Nelson. The Spotify tunes can then be set to play over your current game as background music.
Since pausing a game just to switch or skip tracks can be cumbersome, the Xbox Live Spotify app can be accessed and controlled by another Spotify app under the user’s account from a separate gadget like a smartphone or tablet.
About time
Spotify’s product director Michael Ericsson spoke about their app’s launch on the Xbox Live network, remarking that music is an essential component of a great gaming experience.
This was the central gangplank of their making Spotify on the online gaming platform be able to override default videogame soundtracks for any player’s customized lineup of listening tunes.
It was a much-awaited addition to the myriad third-party services available on Microsoft’s network. After all, Spotify has already been a fixture in Sony’s PlayStation Network since 2015. Initially holding aloof from the popular music-streamer due to having Groove, its own in-house service, Microsoft has finally decided to let some competition in.
