First Netflix, then Amazon and now...Microsoft?
Taken by the success of Internet-only original programming like Netflix's "House of Cards"—and also looking to sell more Xbox consoles—the behemoth from Redmond, Wash., has built a new television studio, and plans to roll out six series this June, said a report in Bloomberg.
Among the Hollywood names who've signed up for at least one series include Sarah Silverman and Seth Green, the report said.
One of the shows in development is "Halo," which is an original television series being created in association with Stephen Spielberg, a spokesperson told CNBC. The project is "still in the works for a live-action, premium television experience," the spokesperson said.
The first two projects are expected to be "Every Street United," which is described as a street football reality show timed for the World Cup. The company is also working on a robot thriller called "Humans," which is based on a series produced in Sweden.
Former CBS executive Nancy Tellem, who Microsoft hired to run the operation, acknowledged to Bloomberg that the task will not be easy. "There's a huge failure rate. You have to get up to the plate a lot. Hopefully we can have a higher batting average than most, but it's a long process," she said.
--CNBC's Mark Berniker contributed to this report.