Universal joins XBL Video Marketplace

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Microsoft has signed NBC Universal Pictures to join the Hollywood movie studios providing content for Europe's Xbox Live Video Marketplace.

The studios' content, which includes 30 films ranging from Scraface to Shaun of the Dead, is available from today on Xbox Live.

"NBC Universal will offer some of its biggest and best movie titles in high definition to Xbox Live, giving customers the chance to rent the latest movies of their choice at the touch of a button," Microsoft said.

Commenting on the news, UK Xbox boss, Neil Thompson said: "We are delighted to announce what are perhaps our most exciting content developments to date. Having an agreement with NBC Universal not only gives our customers even more choice when they use Xbox Live but really seals our position as a major player in the mainstream home entertainment space.

"Of course, we always want to ensure our core audience have the best possible gaming experiences too, and with the range of new extra content now available they can enjoy some of the biggest blockbuster and social games for longer than ever before.

"This also applies to '1 vs. 100', which, whilst still in its infancy, signals the next chapter in the Xbox story which is set to take home entertainment to a whole new level by putting the consumer in the driving seat of their own TV show. Watch this space."

The full list of new films is as follows:

• Baby Mama
  
• Incredible Hulk ('08)
  
• Billy Madison
  
• The Jerk
  
• The Blues Brothers
  
• The Mummy Returns
  
• The Bourne Supremacy
  
• The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
  
• Carlito's Way
  
• National Lampoon's Animal House
  
• Cheech and Chong's Next Movie
  
• Out of Sight ('98)
  
• Child's Play 2
  
• Red Dragon
  
• Child's Play 3
  
• Scarface ('83)
  
• The Chronicles of Riddick
  
• The Scorpion King
  
• The Fast and the Furious
  
• The Scorpion King: Rise of a Warrior
  
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
  
• Shaun of the Dead
  
• The Frighteners
  
• Village of the Damned
  
• The Game
  
• Wanted
  
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army
  
• Waterworld
  
• How High
  
• Weird Science

Andy Robinson