Xbox Originals coming in June, including two Halo shows

By Derek Kessler
last updated

The first announcement of Microsoft's delving into TV shows came nearly a year ago, and starting this June you'll be able to watch them. Finally. These shows, which will only be available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, and other Microsoft devices (but probably not your Zune), will be more than just the traditional sit-back-and-watch shows, as Microsoft is building interactive content into each. The first 12 committed and in-development projects were announced today.

Nancy Tellem, President of Xbox Entertainment Studios and former president of CBS Television Studios, said:

"I know full well from my years spent at traditional TV networks that creating a lineup of hit shows isn't easy. It's the beginning of a long journey, but we're incredibly excited to be on our way."

On the committed projects side of the list we find the announced-a-year-ago Halo TV series, which is being produced by none other than Steven Spielberg, plus a Halo digital feature produced by Ridley Scott and David Zucker, and directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan. "Every Street United" focuses on soccer players Thierry Henry's and Edgar Davids's search for the world's "most gifted and undiscovered street stars scouted across eight countries." On the drama side, "Humans" is set in "a parallel present" where a family bonds with a discarded robot servant. And Bonnaroo is… Bonnaroo.

Microsoft has also committed to six documentaries under the "Signal to Noise" title, including "Atari: Game Over" about the failure of the E.T. video game and the ongoing dig to recover copies of the game from a New Mexico landfill, When it comes to projects in development, Xbox Entertainment Studios is looking at a series based on Deadlands, a "hybrid stop-motion show" called "Extraordinary Believers" from the creators of Robot Chicken, a show about a former bomb tech and shark attack survivor who helps people "risk their lives to make the world a better place", a detective thriller series based on Warren Ellis's "Gun Machine" novel, a series based on the "Winderworld" series of graphic novels, and an improv comedy show from the likes of Sarah Silverman, Michael Cera, Tim and Eric, and Reggie Watts.

Microsoft is going big on original content for Xbox, but they're going up against the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. Do these shows seem interesting enough to garner a watch from you?

Source: Xbox Wire (opens in new tab)

Derek Kessler
Derek Kessler

Derek Kessler is Special Projects Manager for Mobile Nations. He's been writing about tech since 2009, has far more phones than is considered humane, still carries a torch for Palm, and got a Tesla because it was the biggest gadget he could find. You can follow him on Twitter at @derekakessler.

39 Comments
  • Awesome!
  • The Netflix Killer?? We need an app for it on Windows Phone.
  • Maybe after the IOS and android version comes out. :-/
  • HA! :(
  • Idk Zune was the first of its kind out yet everyone mentions itune radio and google now, If they make Xbox video like that I'm in
  • It's called Xbox Video..
  • Some people don't pay attention to the world they live in.
  • So stoked.
  • Sounds awesome! Can't wait!
  • MS goes BOOM!
  • Count me in.
  • We want games! The Xbox, even with all its media features, will always be a games console. Maybe if they focus more on games, they'll sell better.. But anyways, this does seem interesting, and I will watch it. I'm just worried for Microsoft...
  • You do know completly different parts of Microsoft are in charge of different things right? Having less film content doesn't mean we magically get more games...
  • Bad pr is the only reason Xbox one isn't selling as well they left a sour taste at reveal and been tryna cozy back up since, Sony just ran with besides some indie titles that get old pretty quick I'd say I prefer Xbox one games to ps4 and they are the "gaming console"
  • Sell better??? They're selling at a faster rate than the 360 did. So it's definitely a success. Everyone knows why the PS4 is doing better. I'm not going into that. People get emotional about it. Regardless Microsoft did the right thing. Once the bad pr dies off the Xbox will overtake the PS4 in sells.
  • Never said it isn't selling better than how the 360 sold at launch, but if you see the numbers, Microsoft hasn't been selling well. In fact, they might halt production. 
    And those numbers Microsoft gave us saying how much it "sold"? If you see closely, that means sold to RETAILERS versus actual customers, while Sony has sold more than 7 million to consumers.
    I'm not a Sony fanboy, I own both consoles. But you can't deny these facts...
  • You contradict yourself in your first paragraph. The One is selling fantastic. All because the PS4 is selling better doesn't mean the One is selling bad.
    If you have both systems you know the One is superior. It's only a matter of time before the One outsells the PS4.
    Not to mention the PS4 had a head start. It went on sale earlier and in more countries.
  • Games? Maybe for you. I hardly ever use my Xbox to paly games. It's all about watching something throught Xbox Video or Netflix.
  • I'm pretty sure most got the Xbox for gaming and some media, just like the 360. Not the slow and gimmicky "Xbox, Watch TV!"
  • Those sound right up my alley!
  • Anyone find it interesting that a game based on a movie by Steven Spielberg and a tv series by Steven Spielberg based on a video game are in the same article? I hope we don't get the same result.
  • Seems top notch. I wish them well.
  • Hope they keep real good content coming
  • This is one my biggest reasons for buying an Xbox
  • Halo series seems like the only show worth watching.  Then again actors are key. Hopefully they will have good acting in these shows. Other than that they need to focus on gaming first. Its a gaming console. Sony announced a console with games, games, games. MS came out and annouced tv,tv,tv. Hope they know what they're doing.
  • I like the line up besides the documentaries don't like soccer or care about buried video games, ill give the others a shot, the graphic novel adaption caught my eye
  • But yet even tho PS announced a console with games games games..... the xbox has better seletion and higher rated games at the moment.     
  • Why no Zune...i love Zune more then Xbox music
  • Totally off-topic.
  • Free to view?
  • I hope so!
  • Xbox Live Gold required I guess.
  • Sounds sick! I hope they add mature related shows also like a zombie show with gore or something you know, to give us all variety and maybe a show that was like cinematech that airs on the old G4tech tv. Oh, and maybe a show like code monkeys.
  • Sounds amazing, now just bring back Attack of The Show as an Xbox Original and I'm set.
  • Those actually sound like some good shows. All they need now is some zombie or post-apocalliptic series to get me really hooked! *crosses fingers for a Left 4 Dead series*
  • The Halo shows sound interesting. Everything else... zzzzz.
  • I thought I read Xbox original games like rallisport racing, brute force,.kabuki warriors, halo 1, kameo, perfect dark zero, etc. Etc. Maaaan no one knows those games anymore.
  •    I would really love to see a Halo animated series set in the time during "Halo Wars."
  • I just hope that these are GLOBAL shows for all of us and not restricted to USA only.