xbox

New movies on Xbox Live

Today Xbox Live announced an agreement with Universal Pictures to bring new movie downloads to the Xbox Live Marketplace: 30 films at first, and more over time.

Highlights of the new movie rental line-up include Hellboy II, Shaun of the Dead and The Bourne Supremacy. These join a mixed bag of older favourites (The Blues Brothers, Scarface), horror classics (Child's Play 2 and 3, Village of the Damned) and stoner flicks (How High, Cheech and Chong's Next Movie).

At the announcement, Neil Thompson, head of Xbox in the UK and Ireland, declared that the new Universal deal was merely part of the grander plan for Xbox 360 as an online multimedia entertainment hub for which the console was intended and apparently named: "360-degree entertainment that would be continuous and ongoing," in Thompson's words.

Comparing the new rentals from Universal to the videos already available from Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros, we're not looking at a massive diversification from existing Xbox Live fare (blockbusters, slashers, teen comedies) - but a new studio from which to draw ongoing content can only be a good thing.

The new films will be available immediately from 250 points (about £2) a pop for standard definition and 380 points (about £3) for HD. The videos are accessible for 24 hours after downloading and beginning playback.