Sony PS3 gets arty with MUBI cinema service

MUBI - coming this autumn
MUBI will be coming this autumn

Sony has announced the arrival of a new movie-streaming service for the PS3, which offers cult classics on tap and ready to download.

Called MUBI, the service is offering a "quality over quantity" approach, packing in as many independent movies as possible and focusing on festival favourites.

Much like Vidzone, MUBI is a free downloadable app for the PS3 which will appear in the XMB.

Once downloaded, you can access the movies on offer in a variety of ways. According to Sony there will be free content, movies to rent and even the opportunity to sign up to a monthly all-you-can-eat subscription.

Cinema to TV screens

The launch of MUBI took place at the Cannes Film Festival, with MUBI founder Efe Çakarel saying: "MUBI is the fastest growing online destination for lovers of independent, foreign and classic film - and it is amazing how many people that covers.

"Our partnership with PlayStation brings online cinema to TV screens in homes around the world giving PlayStation owners a whole new world of entertainment to explore."

MUBI has a UK release date of the autumn and, at launch, will have 300 films available.

The arrival of MUBI strengthens an already meaty movie download service from Sony. Couple this announcement with the PSN Video Store and news that BlinkBox is readying its service for the PS3 and it seems that Sony is tackling movie downloads the right way.

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.