Microsoft Treats Europeans to Video Delights

by Patrick Steen on December 4, 2007 at 7:24 pm

The day is nearly here when us Europeans (O.K. that’s the minority of our readers, but I shall use the inclusive “us” because I don’t want to be alone!) get some video goodness from Microsoft’s Video Marketplace. It comes on December 11th, with a veritable feast of titles…

Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store will be open for business on 11th December for the UK, Ireland, France and Germany. Films will come with the following prices:

Standard definition: From 250 MS Points
HD: From 380 MS Points

The “from” is a tad worrying, I’d prefer it to say “up to” or “max”, but nevertheless I don’t expect they’ll be that pricey.

Microsoft seem to be stepping on the toes of Sony, for they have recently announced their Playstation TV service which will be launched this month in Japan. Nonetheless Sony haven’t announced a movie download service yet, but since they own so many Hollywood studios, and presuming it wouldn’t jeoperdise Blu-ray sales, we could see the same very soon on the Playstation3.

However, Microsoft have got the 1up again and Robin Truchy, Director of Xbox LIVE for Europe, makes the video Marketplaces advantages very clear:

“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.”

And now here are the films split into the different locations:

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

France

THE GOOD GERMAN
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
TAXI 4
ARTHUR ET LES MINIMOYS
TAXI 2
ONG BAK
FIGHTER IN THE WIND
MICHEL VAILLANT
MICHOU D’AUBER
WASABI
TIGER BLADE
HAUTE TENSION
RIRE & CHATIMENT
15 AOUT

Germany

300
HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
MATRIX, THE
MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, THE
MATRIX RELOADED, THE
OCEAN’S ELEVEN (2001)
PERFECT STORM, THE
SWORDFISH
THREE KINGS
TRAINING DAY
FUGITIVE, THE (1993)
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