Xbox 360: TV-Shows und Filme via Xbox Live

Bereits Anfang des Jahres kündigte Microsoft an, den Xbox Live Dienst in Richtung TV-Broadcast zu erweitern. Gestern nun gab Microsoft bekannt, ab dem 22. November in den USA diverse TV-Shows und Filme, darunter South Park (MTV Comedy Central), Mission Impossible III (Paramount Pictures), V for Vendetta (Warner Bros.) oder CSI (CBS Corp.) anzubieten.

Insgesamt bietet Microsoft zum Start des Dienstes Inhalte folgender Konzerne an: CBS, MTV Networks, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Paramount, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. und der Ultimate Fighting Championship Liga, die Cagefight-Kämpfe als 'pay-per-view' anbietet.

Microsoft geht davon aus, dass bereits zu Beginn des neuen Angebots etwa 750 Stunden an Unterhaltung zur Verfügung stehen, bis Ende des Jahres sollen es bereits über 1000 Stunden sein, wober 200 davon als HD-Inhalte angeboten werden. Die Downloads bzw. Streams stehen Xbox Live Silber- und Gold-Kunden zur Verfügung und sollen sich preislich im Rahmen anderer Anbieter aufhalten. TV-Shows kann man für $ 1,99 käuflich erwerben wobei Filme ausschließlich zum Verleih angeboten werden und mit $ 3,99 zu Buche schlagen. Die Filme verweilen dann bis zu 14 Tage auf der heimischen Festplatte, löschen sich allerdings 24 Stunden nachdem sie das erste mal angesehen wurden.

Hier eine Auswahl der bis zum Ende des Jahres angebotenen Inhalte:

• Robot Chicken und Aqua Teen Hunger Force von The Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
• CSI, Survivor, und remasterte Episoden der original STAR TREK-Serie.
• South Park und Chappelle's Show von COMEDY CENTRAL.
• The Real World und Pimp My Ride von MTV.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender und SpongeBob SquarePants von Nickelodeon.
• Skyland und The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival von Nicktoons Network.
• Mission: Impossible III, Nacho Libre, und Jackass: The Movie von Paramount Pictures.
• Carpocalypse und Raising the Roofs von Spike TV.
• Race Rewind von NASCAR.COM.
• Die Ultimate Fighter reality series und UFC: Zugriff auf alle Kämpfe
• Breaking Bonaduce und Hogan Knows Best von VH1.
• The Matrix, Superman Returns, und Batman Forever von Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Ob und wann dieser Service auch in Europa "auf Sendung" geht, ist bislang nicht bekannt, es ist aber von einer Ankündigung innerhalb der nächsten Tage zu rechnen.


Redmond, Washington—On November 6, Microsoft Corp. announced agreements with CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. (TBS Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to bring an initial lineup of more than 1,000 hours of hit television shows and movies to Xbox 360™ consoles in the U.S. by the end of the year. Additionally, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console to bring standard and HD TV shows and movies to the customer via digital distribution over the Internet.

Beginning on its first anniversary, November 22, Xbox 360 will become the first gaming console in history to provide HD TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their own living rooms. Xbox 360 gamers will be able to download full-length TV shows to own, and will be able to rent movies via download from the Xbox Live® network, the world leader in online distribution of high-definition gaming and entertainment content. This announcement also brings with it several additional firsts:

• For the first time, consumers will have an integrated gaming and entertainment experience on a gaming console, including downloadable HD television programming and movies. This new full-length content adds to the ever-expanding number of choices gamers have on their Xbox 360 consoles, whether they want to play games, play a movie on DVD, or watch a downloaded program in either standard or high definition.
• For the very first time CBS will offer high-definition download-to-own TV shows including CSI, Jericho, Numb3rs, and even remastered classic Star Trek episodes! Gamers can buy an episode and watch it as many times as they like.
• For the first time on any gaming platform, NASCAR.COM will deliver download-to-own condensed versions of select NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races from Race Rewind.
• Also for the first time, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will make 50 of its most intense fights available for download as well as select episodes from the original season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series.

"This groundbreaking announcement is a win for everyone," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "It connects our partners with one of the most coveted audiences in entertainment today, and provides even greater value to our Xbox Live community, allowing them to enjoy the games and entertainment they want, when they want it."

The initial lineup of TV shows and feature films available for download will include a growing catalog of popular hits. Examples of what will be available before the end of the year include:
• Robot Chicken and Aqua Teen Hunger Force from The Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
• CSI, Survivor, and remastered episodes of classic Star Trek from CBS.
• Emmy and Peabody award-winning comedy South Park and Chappelle's Show from COMEDY CENTRAL.
• The Real World and Pimp My Ride from MTV.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon.
• Skyland and The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival from Nicktoons Network.
• Mission: Impossible III, Nacho Libre, and Jackass: The Movie from Paramount Pictures.
• Carpocalypse and Raising the Roofs from Spike TV.
• Race Rewind provided by NASCAR.COM.
• Select episodes of the original season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series and UFC: All Access from the UFC.
• Breaking Bonaduce and Hogan Knows Best from VH1.
• The Matrix, Superman Returns, and Batman Forever from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Xbox 360 gamers can access Xbox Live Marketplace with a free Xbox Live Silver membership and a broadband connection. More information about the content available on Xbox Live Marketplace can be found at http://www.xbox.com/marketplaceentertainment.