40% OF XBOX LIVE SUBSCRIBERS USE DEVICE AS A SET-TOP BOX THAN A CONSOLE

These days, you no longer are limited to playing games on the 360, but can also watch Netflix, listen to music through Zune, check your Facebook or Twitter accounts, or even watch a game on ESPN.

The Xbox 360 has almost become a set-top box, and speaking to attendees of BMO Capital Markets’ Digital Entertainment Conference in New York yesterday, Microsoft’s Dennis Durking confirmed that there’s actually a lot of people who never even play a game on their 360s.

According to Durkin, 40 percent of all members of Xbox Live are spending their time on the console not gaming, but using other features… and these guys aren’t just dabbling. On average, in fact, they are spending three hours online a day, but not playing any games. They’re using it like a computer.

“What we found is the core gamer might be the person who brought the console into the house, but as you widen the choices of content, it broadens what people can do with the system,” said Durkin.

It makes sense: the Xbox 360 is actually excellent at doing most of the things a set-top box can do. If you have any interest in gaming whatsoever, why buy an AppleTV or Boxee Box when you already have something hooked up to your television which can do most of the same things. [Geek]