HBO, Xfinity, MLB apps hit Xbox Live

Xbox 360 gamers in the United States now have new streaming options for movies, TV, and sports. Microsoft announced today that apps for entertainment services HBO Go, Comcast's Xfinity, and MLB.TV are available for download on Xbox Live. Each service makes use of Microsoft's Kinect technology, allowing users to control the apps using voice and gesture controls.

The HBO Go app brings the network's entire suite of programming to the Xbox 360, allowing gamers to stream shows like Game of Thrones, Entourage, and Deadwood. It is available only to those with a full HBO subscription. The Xfinity app features content from Comcast's catalog, which includes various movies and television shows.

Lastly, the MLB.TV app (also available in Canada and Mexico) offers baseball fans more than 2,400 games, as well as a split-screen mode, where users can stream two games simultaneously. MLB.TV was previously available for the PlayStation 3.

Each app is free to download, but users will need to pay each service's subscription fee and hold an Xbox Live Gold membership to access the content. Today's wave of new streaming options pile on top of previously released streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, ESPN 3, and Crackle.

[UPDATE] Microsoft also announced today that gamers in the United States spend more time with Xbox Live entertainment applications than they do playing multiplayer games over the service. Additionally, the average Xbox 360 Gold user logs 84 hours on Xbox Live per month, according to Microsoft.