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Microsoft has no plans to let gamers buy movies through Xbox LIVE Marketplace, VideoGamer.com has learned.
Speaking at the launch of the new movie rental service through Xbox LIVE in London today, Stephen McGill, head of gaming and entertainment and Robin Burrowes, Xbox Live marketing manager also told VideoGamer.com that it will concentrate on music videos and movies for European gamers while US gamers have access to movies and TV series.
European 360 owners who are hooked up to Xbox LIVE will from tomorrow (Tuesday 11 December 2007) be able to rent movies including The Matrix and 300 in standard definition and high definition.
When asked whether it would make movies available to buy, Microsoft told VideoGamer.com that it has no plans to do so.
Borrowes said: “The research that we have showed that our audience is an audience that wants to rent movies through their Xbox 360.
McGill added: “And if you want to buy something a lot of people want to buy it on DVD and have the physical media right now. That’s a market that’s very healthy and will continue to be so.”
“Obviously we provide an HD-DVD accessory that plays to that market and continues to buy the HD format,” concluded Borrowes.
While US gamers have had access to on-demand movies and TV series through the Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store since November 2006, some European gamers have wondered whether they will also be seeing downloadable TV series.
However, it looks like Microsoft’s European arm is concentrating on giving us music videos instead.
McGill told VideoGamer.com: “They’ve got TV and movies, we’ve got a lot of music videos and movies. Something Robin and the team have been working on for a long time is getting some great music videos up there and you’ll see that to be a continuing focus for us. We’re focused on movies and then music.”
