A well known figure of the TV industry, Nancy Tellem, who now heads the digital media business at Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox original programming is going to kick off early next year. The original shows are going to be available on Xbox One and the Xbox 360 through Xbox Video. Tellem says that the company hopes to “put something up” in the first quarter of 2014, “at minimum second quarter,” if things don’t pan out they way Microsoft wants. Tellem came over to Microsoft last year, producing original content for the company’s consoles comes under her domain.
While some might see Microsoft’s move into original programming as a response to similar ventures undertaken by the likes of Netflix and Amazon, Tellem says that the company isn’t like those two, she believes that “we’re a different animal.” Those waiting for the programs to launch will have a lot to look out for, Microsoft has already announced a live-action Halo series produced by Steven Spielberg, it also has comedy and sports related shows on the docket as well. When asked by Variety about the future of Microsoft under a new CEO, Tellem says that the TV model is going to hold true to whoever ends up running the company. She calls the content and what they’re building an important part of Microsoft’s future.