It's Showtime for Microsoft's Xbox

Xbox fans looking for a premium channel to add to their cable service may want to consider Showtime. The Viacom-owned movie channel will give two free Xbox games, or one game and a starter kit along with a 12-month subscrition to Xbox Live to new subscribers as part of a new promotion.

Showtime says it came up with the idea after internal research showed that households who subscribed to premium services were 75 percent more likely to purchase video games. The network plans to alert consumers of the promotion through a direct-mail and television ad push.

This isn't the first time the two companies have joined forces; Microsoft and Viacom already have a television special airing worldwide May 12 on MTV to promote the Redmond's second generation gaming console, rumored to be dubbed Xbox 360.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates recently hyped the new Xbox during a speech for business editors and writers. Gates said the console would play more than just games, offering a menu-like interface for photos, videos and music.