Rent HD Movies From Your Xbox 360

Xbox Live video expansion arriving in December. Full day-one release list inside.

Xbox 360 owners in the US have been enjoying high-definition movies and TV shows through the Xbox Live Video Marketplace since last November. Now Microsoft is preparing to launch the service across Europe.

Coming to the UK (and France, Ireland and Germany) on 11 December, the Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store will offer both standard- and high-definition movies, priced at 250 Microsoft Points (around £2) and 380 Microsoft Points (£3.20).

For now, only movies will be offered. The service will begin with 27 available, including such popular flicks as 300, Ocean's Eleven, Training Day and the Matrix trilogy. Some of these will only be available in standard-definition at first.

For those Xbox 360 owners with limited access to broadband, that might not be a problem. File sizes will vary considerably based on the particular movie, but Microsoft says standard-definition movies will be around 1 GB while high-definition movies will be around 4 GB each.

The company will use the same viewing plan it offers in the US - once downloaded, a movie will be available for 14 days, and once you start watching it, you have 24 hours to finish.

Microsoft avoided talking about offering TV shows through the service, but a company representative said that the line-up will be updated regularly.

Below is a list of all 27 movies that will be available on 11 December:

• 300
• Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone
• Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
• Zodiac
• The Matrix
• The Matrix: Revolutions
• The Matrix: Reloaded
• Ocean's Eleven
• The Perfect Storm
• Swordfish
• Three Kings
• Training Day
• The Fugitive
• 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**

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo