Seattle — “It’s the content, stupid.”
Amazon answered the ages-old axiom on the success of any new entertainment technology Monday by pointing out that the number of apps and content services carried on its new Fire TV platform has more than doubled since the product’s launch.
Among “the hundreds of new apps and services” pushed to the set-top box in recent months has been the exclusive and popular official “Flappy Birds Family” game.
From the launch of the hardware system, the company positioned gaming as a major content differentiator for the Fire TV device.
In addition, other popular new service additions include Watch Disney Channel, Watch Disney Jr., MLB.TV, Animal Planet Live and WWE Network, Amazon said.
By the end of the year, TV services such as Watch ABC, Watch ABC Family, NFL Now, A&E, Lifetime, Outside TV, Young Hollywood, North Face TV, Fashion TV, Green TV and Dailymotion will all be available to Fire TV customers.
As for additional gaming options, Amazon also added “Dungeon Quest,” “Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse,” “The Wolf Among Us,” “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” and “The Bard’s Tale.”
In addition to titles produced by third-party developers, Amazon Game Studios’ “Sev Zero” — a Fire TV exclusive game — is one of the five most-downloaded games on Fire TV since launch, the company pointed out.
Fire TV is tiny puck-sized box that plugs into an HDTV for easy and instant access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, Showtime and low-cost video rentals, among other things.
