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Blue Dragon anime headed to XBLM for the free
In celebration of Blue Dragon becoming a part of the Platinum Collection on November 1st, Xbox Japan will be offering a few episodes of the Japanese exclusive Blue Dragon anime series anime series to the XBLM for free.Available on the Marketplace from November 15th through January 15th will be free downloads of the first two Blue Dragon anime episodes to all Xbox Live members (silver or gold). The anime series is a semi-hit in Japan's Saturday morning cartoon circuit, so we just might be in for some entertaining anime fun or a lot of dragon confusion. Whichever it ends up being, we're sill excited and you can't take that away from us.
Get your horror movies fix with XBVM
Too old to trick or treat? Too introverted to go to a Halloween party? Or are you just too darn tired to get your scare on this evening? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you are a prime candidate for some horror movie rentals off the Xbox Live Video Marketplace.If you're all about staying home tonight, then we advise curling up on your couch and renting a frightfully fun horror movie. It doesn't matter if the flick ends up being freaky scary, somewhat corny or totally absurd, because it's the experience of watching a scary movie on Halloween that you're after. And to get you started in your Halloween movie rental spree, we posted a list of the top 25 XBVM horror movie rentals after the break. Prepare to cry bloody murder tonight, because the Video Marketplace will take your soul ... BOO!
New family content headed to XBLA and XBLM
In an effort to bring in the youth and parent markets, Microsoft just announced plans for releasing brand new content from Nickelodeon and Warner Bros. to the Xbox Live Marketplace as well as announcing two new children's based XBLA games.Starting today, you'll be able to get 50+ episodes of Warner Bros'. "Looney Tunes" via the (US only) Video Marketplace. The episodes included feature the standard "Looney Tunes" greatness and a few episodes are even available in Spanish (double w00t!). Nickelodeon made the announcement that, starting today, exclusive content from their show "The Backyardigans" and episodes of "Blue's Clues" and "iCarly" will be available for purchase off the Video Marketplace. Finally, two new XBLA games were also revealed today both capitalizing on the popularity of children's animated figures. SHREK-N-ROLL and SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam will hit the Arcade soon'ish.Oh, and don't worry about us fanboys. We will not be blowing all our cash on television episode downloads this week, because we so outgrew our obsession with "Blue's Clues" like ... totally months ago. Seriously, we don't like that adorable and laughable blue dog at all. Really ...
The Reaping, Chicken Little and more on XBVM
We're smack dab in the middle of the week (well, not really the middle) which means US Live members get treated to a new catalog of Xbox Live Video Marketplace movies to rent.This week brings a few HD movies to the mix including the super brand new release The Reaping, Return to House on Haunted Hill, Chicken Little and The Condemned. Not willing to spend the extra Microsoft points on HD movie rentals and are more than happy with SD? Well, you're covered too, because not only are the HD movies listed above available in SD versions too, but movies like American History X, Highway, Spawn and Blow are ready to rental also. Complete list of new movies that'll be available for rent off the Video Marketplace by the end of the week is posted after the break.
Truckloads of new movie content on Video Marketplace [update]
Update: Silly us, we forgot to post the list of new movie and TV content after the break. Well, it's there now so go break looking.Sometimes purchasing new HD DVDs just isn't an option, because it's either impossible (if you don't own the HD DVD player) or not financially fiscal (you were born a renter), so that's why the Xbox Video Marketplace is your one stop SD and HD renting shop this week. Available to US Xbox Live members for rental off the Marketplace are new HD movies including The Village, Flightplan, Blades of Glory and the Chronicles of Narnia. If HD isn't your thing, there are still plenty of other SD movies to choose from too as well as new television episode purchases including America's Most Smartest Model and I Love New York 2. See, there's plenty of visual goodness to spend your Microsoft points on this week. It's your duty fellow fanboy, spend ... spend away![Thanks, Adam540]
Europe and Canada to get Video Marketplace in Fall
At Microsoft's E307 Media Briefing, Peter Moore announced that Xbox Live's Video Marketplace would be going worldwide, or more specifically, to Europe as well as Canada. Apparently, XBLVM will be available in these new locales this fall, a full year since the announcement and launch in November 2006 in the States. This came hot off of the announcement of Disney partnering with Microsoft to bring HD movies to Video Marketplace tonight. We're very happy to see Video Marketplace have a broader reach, though it will be interesting to see what content discrepancies there are when it launches in the coming months.
MS: Video Marketplace still booming
According to a recent article in The New York Times, Microsoft continues to do some damned good business with its Video Marketplace. Business is so good, in fact, that Microsoft claims that the service has maintained double-digit growth every single month since it went online last November. The article is filled with praise from Microsoft's content partners like Comedy Central and Warner Brothers. The true strength of the service, according to the article, is that it essentially hits gamers where they live. As many gamers watch less television and see fewer movies, Video Marketplace places content right where they spend most of their time: in front of the Xbox. Of course, that's not to say there isn't room for improvement. As noted by Josh Roberts, a gamer interviewed by The Times, downloads still take hours and the Microsoft Points system is confusing and annoying (he compares it to carnivals forcing patrons to buy food with tickets rather than real money). Still, quibbles aside, there's no denying the convenience of Video Marketplace, something we're sure even more companies will eventually realize.[Via Gamasutra]
Free XBLM TV downloads are body shop'able
We just thought we'd let our fellow US Xbox Live members know that there area few free TV episodes to download off the Marketplace this week. Continuing to be free, you can download all four episodes of CBS's Clark and Michael as well as the season premiere of Comedy Central's American Body Shop and VH1's Acceptable.tv Tutorials. All downloads are free for US subscribers for an unknown amount of time, so we recommend getting online and grabbing them while you can. You know, before "the man" makes you pay for 'em.
Burgercon offers free Austin Powers movie rental
Burgercon, McDonald's latest marketing campaign aimed at trying to get you to eat their Big Macs, is offering a free movie rental for Xbox Live members in the United States. Make your way to the Video Marketplace and rent Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery for free! All thanks to the kind folks over at McDonalds ... Burgercon rocks! Also, if after watching the original Austin Powers and you have a jonesing for more Mike Meyers, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me is available for rental, but for 240 Microsoft points.It's also worth mentioning that we ran into some technical difficulties trying to download the movie from the Xbox Live Burgercon ads. But there's an easy workaround. Simply make your way to the "all movies" list on the Marketplace and you'll find Austin Powers listed. Try downloading it from there, it worked for us.
This week's Video Marketplace offerings
The (United States exclusive) Xbox Live Video Marketplace is flourishing with stacks and stacks of movies being released each week. And, as expected, this week didn't let us down with over twenty new movies and a handful of TV shows added to the list. Big exciting HD movies like Letters From Iwo Jima, Good German, and Undead. Okay, we haven't heard of all the exciting new movies, but they're in HD so we love 'em all the same. Complete list of new Video Marketplace content is posted after the break including TV offerings. Now only if we could find some extra Microsoft points laying around so we could rent Dr. T and the Woman to see what that's all about.
Free Lil' Bush and more on the Marketplace
It's another beautiful Summer day featuring free TV episodes and a music download off the Xbox Live Video Marketplace. Just what exactly is free this week? Well, let's pull out our shovels and dig through the Marketplace to find out. Free for download is the premiere episode of Comedy Central's new series "Lil' Bush" as well as episodes one and two of CBS's "Clark and Michael". Also, if we would have mentioned this earlier, LOGO's "Curl Girls" premiere episode was free, but just became paid content and is now 160 Microsoft points. Sorry about that. But there is a newish music video available for download from Ankle Injuries as part of the Zune Ignition sponsorship. That's about it for free downloads today, so fire up the Marketplace and find your free download treasure matey. Ahoy!
Lots of anime available this week on the XBLM
We knew Microsoft would keep their word as new Video Marketplace content arrives this week. So, let's get to it. Anime fans will be happy to know that a massive amount of anime will be purchasable this week totaling fourteen different shows including Trinity Blood, Guyver and Last Exile. Not only that, but various National Geographic content will be up (SD only) as well as HD movie rentals including The Fountain and Dreamgirls. Take a look at the complete list of this week's new Video Marketplace content posted after the break and see if you can find something that makes you happy.
The Video Marketplace just got Mindfreaky
This week on the Video Marketplace we've got your HD movie fix with Team America: World Police, Happily N'Ever After, and Freedom Writers. We've even got your TV hook up with Babylon 5: Season 5, Shooting Sizemore, and a few Comedy Central stand-up specials. There's even random short form shows like Baxter & Maguire, Guacamole, and The Golden Age. But the most freaky interesting of them all is an exclusive five minute preview of Mindfreak: Season 3. Yes, we admit it ... it's a guilty pleasure and we're intrigued by this guy. That Criss Angel is sort of crazy mix between a rockstar, a makeup aficionado, a gym rat, and a goth dad. Maybe we're interested because it's such an odd mix of persona and illusion ... no matter. Give the clip a look if you're willing to have your mind freaked or, for the twisted among us, a good laugh.
New Video Marketplace content for week of May 7th
Major posted the latest Xbox Live Video Marketplace content released this week. While it may not be the beefiest update, it gets the job done. On the cinematic adventures side of things, we've got Happy Feet as the lone HD flick, coming out on Friday, as well as Robin Williams breakout role as the spinach eatin' Popeye. On the list of additional content for TV series, we've got more Pimp my Ride, as well as an X3F/TMN favorite, Wonder Showzen's second season. Unfortunately, we can't recommend watching it if you value your eternal soul. If you're comfortable with eternal damnation, however, feel free to put down some Microsoft Points for the series, and you'll get some somewhat cheap laughs. Full list of content after the break, for shoogie.
Microsoft cracks down on country specific content
In preparation for the roll out of the Spring dash update, Microsoft brought down the hammer (of dawn) on country specific online content. More specifically, they are limiting access to faked US accounts. Right now, US Xbox Live members have the largest supply of video marketplace content which has caused an underground gamertag market. Live members from other countries have been creating new gamertags, specifying a US residence and getting access to the huge supply of exclusive US content. But that is no more, because Microsoft has implemented a new system that knows which country you are from no matter what you tell it. And before you get on Microsoft's case you may want to direct your anger towards individual governments or the movie studios in general. Microsoft is just playing by the rules guys.
Video Top Ten: Pill of Destiny
Welcome to the first regular Video Marketplace Top Ten, where each week we'll see what Live users in the United States are doing with their hard earned Microsoft Points. For starters, the first thing we see is that gamers are far more fickle with their movies than their games (or even TV shows), since you can't keep the film, and chances are you don't feel the need to download the same film twice, paying for it each time, week to week. As such, our listing of Movie downloads will not compare itself to last week, and for now at least, TV shows will. So take a look at both our lists after the break, and let us know if you contribute to these stats, or if you're just playing Gears of War week to week.
Newsbreak: Stewart and Colbert Report on XBLM
Microsoft dropped off a little missive today letting us know that The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report will now be available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Starting today, new episodes of each show will be available on Marketplace within 24 hours of the original airing on Comedy Central.We booted up our Xbox just to check, and sure enough, there they were. Episodes are available in 480p for 160 MS Points (US$2). Of course, Comedy Central airs the previous day's episodes three times during the next day, but don't let a silly little thing like logic keep you from paying for your favorite programs.Video Marketplace, you're on notice.
Video Marketplace top ten TV and Movies (3/12)
In light of the recent announcement of Video Marketplace being hot on the heels of digital distribution of on demand content, Major Nelson posted up the top ten lists for TVs and Movies for the last week rather than announcing the new content. On the TV side, we have South Park, naturally on top, with UFC Fights, Star Trek Enterprise, and Jericho's HD content making the grade, and even the un-aired Mercy Reef/Aquaman pilot got on the list, after being released on the 12th. For films, We have The Departed and Snakes on a Plane in the top two, albeit in 480p. Crank, Saw III and The Illusionist also got proper recognition. For the complete list for both TV and Movies, check after the break.
Free TV show downloads on XBLM
For a limited time you can hop on the XBLM and download free episodes from two new television shows. The first free episode is called "Halfway Narc" and is from Comedy Central's new series Halfway Home. It's a comedy on Comedy Central so it must be funny, that is if you have a funny sense of humor ... yah dig? Your second free episode is called "Let's Get it On" from a newer show airing on Spike TV called Bullrun. We can almost guarantee that a show hosted by Bill Goldberg featuring cars and explosions will increase your testosterone level by five fold. Again, the episodes are free so why not give them a chance and start downloading. That is, unless you are afraid ...
Video Marketplace 2nd only to iTunes
Microsoft sent out a rather bubbly press release today, informing us that Video Marketplace has grown leaps and bounds since its inception. Of course, it's full of tricky PR speak, so it must be read carefully. First of all, Video Marketplace has become the number one digital distributor of video content in the living room. The key words there are "in the living room." The fact that the Xbox 360 is already attached to a television (not a computer monitor) gives it an edge that many download services lack (this is something we've discussed before). The release goes on to state that Video Marketplace is 2nd overall in digital distribution of video content next to iTunes. Of course, one advantage over iTunes is that Video Marketplace offers HD content.Finally, the service has grown exponentially since its launch, with Microsoft claiming that Video Marketplace has sustained double-digit growth every month since its first launched last November. Additionally, Xbox Live monthly downloads have gone up 400 percent since the service launched. All in all, some pretty impressive stats.Do you use Video Marketplace on a regular basis?Read the full release after the break.
