Video Marketplace Headed to UK

Following the success of the Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store in the US, Microsoft today announced that the Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store will open for business in the UK on 11th December.

Xbox 360 owners will be able to rent full-length films such as 300, The Good German, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from as little as 250 Microsoft Points (ERP £2) for Standard Definition movies and from 380 Microsoft Points (ERP £3.20) for High Definition movies. This is in addition to over 100 music videos currently available to download from partners Ministry of Sound, Sony BMG, PIAS and Vid Zone.

With this launch, Xbox Live Marketplace becomes the first video on demand service to be available in six countries – US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France and Germany - and cements its place as the worldwide leader in online distribution of high-definition gaming and entertainment content.

Robin Truchy, Director of Xbox Live for Europe, Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division, commented: “Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store in Europe is all about adding to the ever-expanding number of entertainment choices that our consumers have on their Xbox 360. We want to give them the entertainment they want, in the format they want, when they want it and at an affordable price. We were already offering HD games, HD music videos and the option to enjoy HD-DVD format films, now we are offering HD movies to download and rent as well. This is very exciting for us and the consumer.”

“Providing consumers with more choices and improving the movie experience at home is at the heart of Warner Bros. Digital Distribution’s strategy and we’re delighted to support Xbox Live for the European launch of their Video On Demand service,” said Marc Gareton, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution Senior Vice President International. "Microsoft has built a very successful platform, in both Standard Definition and High Definition, and we are happy to make it a home for our movies.”

Arash Amel, Senior Analyst, Head of Broadband Media, Screen Digest, commented: “As Hollywood turns its attention towards selling digital copies of its blockbuster movies, the delivery of movie content over the open internet has become a key battleground for a broad range of service providers. Screen Digest predicts that the total European movie download market will be worth €350m by 2012, up from €17m in 2007. The Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store, as the first multi-territory hardware-based online movie deLivery service in Europe, is expected to be a European market leader for movie downloads. Consumers in both the US and Europe have already made it abundantly clear that they are reluctant to watch two-hour long films on their PC, instead preferring to view them on personal devices or most preferably devices that can provide a link to their large-screen living room TVs and home entertainment systems.”

Xbox 360 gamers in the launch countries can access Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store with either an Xbox Live Silver or Gold membership and a broadband connection. More information about the content available on Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store can be found at: www.xbox.com

Examples of Launch Titles on Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store:

UK/Ireland

300
HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
ZODIAC
MATRIX, THE
MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, THE
MATRIX RELOADED, THE
OCEAN'S ELEVEN
PERFECT STORM, THE
SWORDFISH
THREE KINGS
TRAINING DAY
FUGITIVE, THE
RISKY BUSINESS
SPACE COWBOYS
EYES WIDE SHUT
ANALYZE THIS
DEMOLITION MAN
ERASER
EXECUTIVE DECISION
LETHAL WEAPON 3
LETHAL WEAPON 4
LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION
MARS ATTACKS!
CLASH OF THE TITANS
SUPERMAN III
DEAD CALM