While Amazon, Netflix and Hulu have their own fair share of original programming, Microsoft isn’t about to leave the Xbox out in the cold.

Nancy Tellem, president of Xbox Entertainment Studios, and Jordan Levin, executive vice president, recently lifted the veil on what sort of programming will be coming to the game systems and other devices, enabling viewers to partake in a number of shows, from fictional entertainment to reality-based documentaries.

First up is Fearless, a new reality show that showcases the world’s most dangerous jobs. Next up is a doc called Every Street United, which focuses on the best street soccer players in the world, culminating in a 4v4 match at the World Cup dome in Brazil. A stop-motion/live-action show called Extraordinary Believers is also being planned, from the creators of the popular Robot Chicken series on Adult Swim.

Gamers needn’t worry about not getting their fix through shows, as Microsoft will offer a Halo series executive produced by Steven Spielberg (which was previously announced), as well as a new show called Deadlands, a role-playing adventure set in the “Weird West.” Famed director Ridley Scott will also be producing a Halo digital feature later this year.

Other shows include Humans, a sci-fi thriller based on the series Real Humans, as well as a comedy variety show called JASH In The Box, which will feature Sarah Silverman and Michael Cera.

Finally, other programming will include a special presentation from the Bonnaroo music festival, as well as a documentary focusing on the excavation for buried E.T. the Extra Terrestrial cartridges, which were located over this past weekend.

“Jordan and I have spent a lot of time in our business,” Tellem said. “So (attracting creatives) starts with personal relationships. As fare as financial commitment, we certainly are not limited. It’s a big company and it ranges, like certain projects you really want to invest heavily in, others it’s not warranted. So we cover the entire range and we view ourselves as more of a premium cable offering.”

Microsoft will also provide plenty of creativity with the content it produces and relesaes. “That’s also what’s fun about this,” Tellem said. “This isn’t season by season in a traditional television way. We’re looking at what makes the most sense with respect to our schedule. We’re looking at the entire year, and we also are looking at game releases, which obviously attract a lot of the subscribers and figuring out how that will work with the introduction of video content. So it’s driven by a lot of different considerations. Not really akin to a traditional media schedule.”

Look for the first programs to start rolling out this June.

Source: Ars Technica