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.
seemed more crowded and bigger than ever, covering over 8 football fields! There was so much to see and no matter how long you're there, it's still tough to see and touch everything. There really wasn't much this year that stood out and grabbed me. Yes, I laughed at Bill Gates final Keynote address, drooled over Panasonic's 150" Plasma TV that would require a crane to lift it into place, Kid Rock and the new Corvette ZR1, Comcast's new FREE VOD website Fancast, XStreamHD, Logitech's SqueezeBox Duet...actually, there was some cool stuff to see this year. 
