Microsoft announced agreements with CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to bring an initial lineup of over 1,000 hours of hit TV shows and movies to Xbox 360 gamers in the U.S. by the end of the year. Furthermore, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console to bring standard and high-definition TV shows and movies via digital distribution over the Internet directly to the consumer.
Beginning Nov. 22, on its first anniversary, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console to provide high-definition TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their living rooms. Xbox 360 gamers will have access to the full-length TV shows as downloads to own and movies to rent via download from the Xbox Live network. This announcement also brings with it several additional firsts:
- For the first time, consumers will get an integrated gaming and entertainment experience on a gaming console that includes downloadable high-definition TV shows and movies. This new full-length content adds to the ever-expanding number of choices gamers have on their Xbox 360, whether they want to play games or play a movie on a disc or as a download in high definition or standard definition.
- For the first time CBS will deliver high-definition download-to-own TV shows including "CSI," "Jericho," "Numb3rs" and remastered "Star Trek" episodes; gamers can buy them and watch them repeatedly.
- For the first time on any platform, NASCAR.COM will deliver download-to-own condensed versions of select NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races from "Race Rewind."
- 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.
The initial lineup of TV shows available for download to own and feature films available for download to rent will include a growing catalog of popular hits. Examples of content that will be available on the network by the end of year include the following:
Robot Chicken and Aqua Teen Hunger Force from Adult Swim
CSI, Survivor and Star Trek from CBS
Emmy and Peabody award-winning 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
M:i: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 the UFC: All Access shows 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.
