The Upside of Movie Downloads on 360

Paramount brings Transformers to Video Store. But what's going on with HD DVD?

Blu-ray rival format HD DVD looks to be on its way out of the race to become the next-generation DVD standard with several major retailers recently dropping the format.

Hardware maker Toshiba, one of the main backers of HD DVD, is thought to be on the verge of announcing its withdrawal from the format it helped create. That hurts Microsoft, which has, until now, favoured HD DVD for movies on the Xbox 360. But Microsoft has another strategy: digital delivery.

The company said on Monday that it is expanding its digital movie downloads offerings in Europe by partnering with major Hollywood studio Paramount.

Both standard- and high-definition movies from Paramount will join those from Warner on the Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store where Xbox Live member will be able download movies as limited-time rentals.

Among the movies that will be added to the service later this month are new releases Transformers: The Movie and 1408 and catalogue titles such as Orange County, Primal Fear and movies from the Naked Gun series.

Robin Burrowes, marketing manager for Xbox Live in the UK, told Kikizo at a press briefing on Friday that the performance of the Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store in the UK has been "above expectations" until now.

Whether TV shows will join movies at the store is still undecided, but Burrowes did say that Microsoft's research has shown there is "more demand for film".

Compounding the decision is the healthy state of downloadable TV content in the UK, with several domestic providers already offering video-on-demand to customers.

What about Blu-ray? Will Microsoft join the rush out of the HD DVD business and side with the rival format?

Microsoft has until now offered an external drive that plays HD DVD movies on the Xbox 360. Late last week, just before the news of more retailer defections hit, Microsoft dropped the price of the add-on in the UK from £115 to just £75.

Company executives have also in the past said that Blu-ray remains an option for the system should there be demand, a move that would be eased by the fact that the HD DVD drive is only used for movies while games are still stored on regular DVDs.

On the record, though, Microsoft has nothing to said and representatives at the company refused to comment on any matters related to HD DVD on the Xbox 360.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo