High Def Movies, TV Shows, Coming To 360

So it was bound to happen, right? Of course it was. As Michael McWhertor said, Microsoft rumours are always true! On Official Announcement today let the world know that Microsoft will in fact be releasing movies over Xbox Live Marketplace, in High Definition at that! (well, most of them.)
After the jump is the press release, detailing the, erm, details, but also giving you a glimpse of the movies you'll be able to download come this November 22nd!
But before all that, there is one thing i know you're dying to know... "yes 360insight, High Def movies, that's amazing, no really, it is, but we've only got measly 20gig hard drives!!"
I hear you're cries, so i bring you this, good news on the hard drive front! There was an Xbox Live event tonight, and a quick snapper took a picture of a particularly interesting image on a screen not so far away from him(click to enlarge):


Thanks to Gizmodo for that.


Now, the press release, as promised:

On November 6, Microsoft Corp. announced agreements with CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. (TBS Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to bring an initial lineup of more than 1,000 hours of hit television shows and movies to Xbox 360™ consoles in the U.S. by the end of the year. Additionally, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console to bring standard and HD TV shows and movies to the customer via digital distribution over the Internet.

Beginning on its first anniversary, November 22, Xbox 360 will become the first gaming console in history to provide HD TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their own living rooms. Xbox 360 gamers will be able to download full-length TV shows to own, and will be able to rent movies via download from the Xbox Live® network, the world leader in online distribution of high-definition gaming and entertainment content. This announcement also brings with it several additional firsts:

• For the first time, consumers will have an integrated gaming and entertainment experience on a gaming console, including downloadable HD television programming and movies. This new full-length content adds to the ever-expanding number of choices gamers have on their Xbox 360 consoles, whether they want to play games, play a movie on DVD, or watch a downloaded program in either standard or high definition.
• For the very first time CBS will offer high-definition download-to-own TV shows including CSI, Jericho, Numb3rs, and even remastered classic Star Trek episodes! Gamers can buy an episode and watch it as many times as they like.
• For the first time on any gaming platform, NASCAR.COM will deliver download-to-own condensed versions of select NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races from Race Rewind.
• Also for the first time, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will make 50 of its most intense fights available for download as well as select episodes from the original season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series.

"This groundbreaking announcement is a win for everyone," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "It connects our partners with one of the most coveted audiences in entertainment today, and provides even greater value to our Xbox Live community, allowing them to enjoy the games and entertainment they want, when they want it."

The initial lineup of TV shows and feature films available for download will include a growing catalog of popular hits. Examples of what will be available before the end of the year include:

• Robot Chicken and Aqua Teen Hunger Force from The Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
• CSI, Survivor, and remastered episodes of classic Star Trek from CBS.
• Emmy and Peabody award-winning comedy South Park and Chappelle's Show from COMEDY CENTRAL.
• The Real World and Pimp My Ride from MTV.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon.
• Skyland and The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival from Nicktoons Network.
• Mission: Impossible III, Nacho Libre, and Jackass: The Movie from Paramount Pictures.
• Carpocalypse and Raising the Roofs from Spike TV.
• Race Rewind provided by NASCAR.COM.
• Select episodes of the original season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series and UFC: All Access from the UFC.
• Breaking Bonaduce and Hogan Knows Best from VH1.
• The Matrix, Superman Returns, and Batman Forever from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Xbox 360 gamers can access Xbox Live Marketplace with a free Xbox Live Silver membership and a broadband connection. More information about the content available on Xbox Live Marketplace can be found at http://www.xbox.com/marketplaceentertainment.

What do you make of this announcement, good news, bad news?

Could they have done with having more movies, TV shows?

Is the hard drive big enough at somewhere over 70gigs?

Have your say in the comments.

PS. US only, something which has just been brought to my attention. You may now ignore the enthusiasm in this post...it is no more...for the time being.