Demos, videos and new Live Arcade game during TGS, X06

Microsoft once again plans to leverage its captive audience of Xbox Live subscribers by releasing game demos, videos and other content during the Tokyo Game Show and X06 this month.

Between 20th and 29th September the company plans to have highlights from its press briefings for both events, daily updates, behind-the-scenes videos, Xbox Live Arcade content, game demos and more.

The Xbox Live Arcade title will be a previously unannounced "major franchise", and while the company's not making it clear which of the following games will be represented in playable demo form, it is promising something for each of these:

• Call of Duty 3 (Activision)
• Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (Tecmo)
• Forza Motorsport 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)
• Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (Eidos)
• Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (Microsoft Game Studios)
• Need for Speed Carbon (EA)
• Project Sylpheed (Square Enix)
• Shrek 3 (Activision)
• Viva Piñata (Microsoft Game Studios)

Plus, says Microsoft, any titles or trailers unveiled at TGS or X06 will probably also join that list. A new Halo 3 trailer next week is hardly out of the question.

When Microsoft tried this approach during E3, fans were treated to the release of UNO on Xbox Live Arcade, along with playable demos of Lost Planet (due out in January) and Test Drive Unlimited, and a huge range of trailers.

On top of the above, there will be new picture packs and themes for Alan Wake, Fable 2, Mass Effect and Forza Motorsport 2, while US customers will be able to see previews of the new Battlestar Galactica series in early October.

And if you're not connected to Xbox Live, now might be a good time to try, as the calendar of content above also coincides with the period Microsoft's allowing European gamers to try a Gold membership out for free.

We'll bring you more information on the new content when it hits tomorrow.