[Shirosaki]

Written Tuesday, May 26, 2009 by Neil Christie

Microsoft has revealed that it plans to launch Zune Marketplace on Xbox Live later this year. The service will allow Xbox Live members to pay an additional subscription fee and receive unlimited access to movie, TV show and music content via their console.

Speaking to The Guardian, the company's Chris Stevenson said that users in France, Italy, Germany, the USA, Spain, the UK and Ireland will have access when it launches in "early Autumn". The content will also be offered on a streaming, rental and buy to own basis.

The announcement is particularly interesting for those in Europe, where TV shows are currently not available via Xbox Live and there is no Netflix equivalent. Unfortunately, Microsoft also says that its Zune portable media players will remain exclusive to North America for the time being.

A full announcement will be made later today, and Microsoft has also called members of the UK press to an event this Thursday where it may divulge further details about this or its long-planned partnership with BT Vision.

This sounds like a good idea, free moviez.