Europe's Xbox 360 Movie Offering Expands With NBC Universal Deal

Microsoft has made a new deal with NBC Universal to bring the studio's films to Xbox Live Marketplace in Europe, starting with 30 new film titles in the UK and Ireland – and due for launch in Germany, Spain and France in the coming weeks. The European Xbox Live Marketplace already offers movies from Warner Bros. and Paramount -- the Netflix service U.S. customers enjoy isn't available there. The new films will use the same pricing structure as existing titles, with standard-definition versions priced at 250 Microsoft Points and high-definition versions at 380 Microsoft Points. The new movies on offer include Wanted, The Bourne Supremacy, Shaun of the Dead, Hellboy II and Scarface. Once downloaded, all movies are automatically deleted within 14 days or 24 hours after viewing. "NBC Universal has a fantastic reputation in the film world and have some true blockbusters in their portfolio," says David Gosen, vice president of marketing at Xbox Europe. "We are delighted to be working with them to bring major titles from Universal Pictures into Xbox Live living rooms - this is all part of our ongoing strategy to make Xbox a major entertainment hub."