MGM brands premiere on Xbox

Microsoft is teaming up with Hollywood film studio Metro Goldwyn Meyer to make its movie library available for download on its Xbox video games console.

The deal is part of Microsoft's strategy to focus on movies and television shows downloadable straight onto the console. The firm already has licensing deals in place with Warner Bros, Lionsgate, Paramount and Walt Disney amongst others.

MGM's library boasts more than 4,000 titles including the Rocky and James Bond franchises, as well as classic films like The Graduate and West Side Story.

In a separate announcement, Microsoft revealed that it has signed an agreement with NBC Universal to become the exclusive online host in the US for the Olympics. It will offer more than 3,000 hours of Olympic content live and on-demand on MSN.