Microsoft making US$ 240 million from XBLM

If you’re curious about the wonderful downloadable content initiative we call the Xbox Live Marketplace, you may want to read up. Gamasutra reports that the Marketplace is a moneymaker, generating US$ 240 million in revenue since launch. More after the jump.

The power of paid downloadables is certainly awe-inspiring. Microsoft‘s Interactive Entertainment Business manager Kevin Salcedo recently revealed that the downloadable content initiative we know as the Xbox Live Marketplace has made US$ 240 million in revenue since its launch.

Speaking to the public at their recent Gamefest event, Salcedo said this of the Xbox 360’s Live Marketplace: “Right now we have over 12 million users in over 26 countries, with US$ 240 million in transactions revenue so far, with US$ 180 million in the last 12 months alone.” That’s definitely a lot of gamers looking for extra bang for their buck.

Salcedo also noted a couple of interesting figures for game developers. First off, if developers can release DLC for their games within a particular 30-day sweet spot, they can stand to make US$ 21 million more from their game.

Salcedo also managed to reinforce an earlier sentiment  from Alvin Gendrano, who said that DLC can help curb the used games market. Salcedo noted that games that are given DLC stay 16 percent longer with gamers, making it less likely that they’ll turn the games in to secondhand stores.

More information on the ins and outs of Xbox 360 DLC can be found via the source article. For now, soak up the information we’ve given you about DLC and know that the enjoyment you get from good DLC helps devs make more games.

• Microsoft’s Alvin Gendrano: Good DLC can curb used games market
• Microsoft announces Summer of Arcade with slew of games, 100,000 MS Point promo
• Fun fact: videos make up a third of Xbox Live downloads

Via Gamasutra