Xbox Live does Canal+ deal

Microsoft has announced that French Xbox 360 owners will soon be able to watch live and on-demand TV from Canal+ via Xbox Live.

In a similar deal to the Sky TV one for the UK, the French broadcaster will offer access to more than 3,000 films, drama and soap programmes and Ligue 1 football matches, Reuters report.

Also like the Sky deal, the arrangement allows for avatar-based chat during programmes with a little help from Xbox Live's party system.

The report said that the deal may be extended to other Canal+ services and Microsoft products in future. With British and French deals now in place, the implication is that more will follow for other European countries, too.