Eidos has just announced a deal with Microsoft that will see the Xbox 360 get six hours of exclusive Tomb Raider Underworld DownLoadable Content.

Additionally, Eidos announced that a demo for the game will hit Xbox Live in October. The word 'exclusive' wasn't used with that, but nor was a PS3 version mentioned.

As for the DLC - that will come in the form of two separate, single-player 'chapters'. The first, Beneath the Ashes, will take place after the events of the game and will offer up a new environment, more "secrets" and new enemies. That one's due out in time for Christmas.

The second, dubbed Lara’s Shadow, is a bit on the enigmatic side. Eidos claims it "...will introduce players to a new kind of playable character and create a unique Tomb Raider experience."

Any way you look at it, this is a major coup for Microsoft. It now has exclusive content lined up for two major franchises that used to be PlayStation console exclusives (the other being GTA, in case you only just got up from under your rock). We're just waiting for an announcement about Final Fantasy XIII...

“We’re thrilled that Xbox owners will be able to extend their Lara Croft adventures with exclusive ‘Tomb Raider: Underworld’ episodes”, crowed George Peckham, general manager of global third party publishing for Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business. “We look forward to continue working closely with our great publishing partners to deliver the most robust gaming experiences, only on Xbox 360.”

For more on Tomb Raider Underworld, see SPOnG's dedicated game page.