Sony Movies Cut from Netflix Xbox 360 Service

Evil corporate machinations to blame?

Posted by Staff
Drunken Master - Not coming to a 360 near you soon.
Drunken Master - Not coming to a 360 near you soon.
A host of Columbia Pictures films that were expected to be available for streaming through Netflix on the Xbox 360 when the New Xbox Experience hits today will not, in fact, be viewable. Guess who owns Columbia Pictures... Sony!

On Netflix's Instant Queue films ranging from Superbad to Drunken Master now carry the words 'Not available on Xbox' in scary red writing. The films are still available via PC, Mac and on the TV via other devices.

Cue fanboy cries of rage at Sony's evil spoiler tactics on the eve of a Brand New Day in Xbox gaming! Except... it looks like it's nothing quite so sinister.

Let's take a look at the soothing and sensible words of Netflix's VP of corporate communications, Steve Swasey. First up, official confirmation - “In the case of Xbox 360, a few hundred titles are temporarily unavailable to be streamed via the Xbox game console”, he told MTV Multiplayer. “Those titles are still available to be watched on subscribers’ computers and on TVs via other partner devices, and we hope they’ll be licensed for Xbox 360 shortly.”

Swasey would not be drawn on whether Sony had specifically requested that the films be made unavailable on the 360, but said, “As watching instantly becomes a more prominent part of the Netflix service, our goal is to have all of our streaming content licensed for all of our partner devices. We’re doing well in this area, but it will take some time before we fully achieve that goal. Today, titles regularly come in and out of license and there is a natural ebb and flow to what we have on license at any given point in time.”

So, no direct denial that it was a snide move on Sony's part, but his suggestion that the films' unavailability is just a natural part of the licensing "ebb and flow" does make sense. Maybe this isn't an evil corporate plot after all...
Companies:

Comments

deleted 19 Nov 2008 11:12
1/7
Really this harms no one more than Sony, showing them in a spiteful light and if they prefer not to take revenue from 25 million potential customers, then stupid them.

i refuse to belive this is a licencing issue, other han Sony wanst its one up manship over MS

markostyle78 19 Nov 2008 11:41
2/7
New xbox experience release
watch video from microsoft about it
http://tubedirects.net/index.php?q=xbox-experience-microsoft
more comments below our sponsor's message
SuperSaiyan4 19 Nov 2008 12:59
3/7
Netflix for Europe = NIL
Netflix for Canada = NIL

Oh well.

However if Sony are being spiteful then I am sure Microsoft could pull the plug on providing Microsoft based products to Sony such as Windows...

But then that would hurt Microsoft but given Sony making tons of losses as it is in every sector I think overall Sony would be the ones hurting badly as they are at the moment.
tyrion 19 Nov 2008 14:23
4/7
haritori wrote:
i refuse to belive this is a licencing issue, other han Sony wanst its one up manship over MS

Nobody mentioned Sony Pictures or MGM, only Columbia. If Spider-Man or Bond films are available then it's not something to do with Sony being stupid.

Can anybody confirm if anything by other Sony-owned studios is unavailable?
deleted 19 Nov 2008 16:10
5/7
tyrion wrote:
haritori wrote:
i refuse to belive this is a licencing issue, other han Sony wanst its one up manship over MS

Nobody mentioned Sony Pictures or MGM, only Columbia. If Spider-Man or Bond films are available then it's not something to do with Sony being stupid.

Can anybody confirm if anything by other Sony-owned studios is unavailable?


The story mentions that columbia is owned by Sony, and if i am correct MGM and Sony movies are on the Video MarketPlace but i dont htink they are in the netflix bundle to begin with.

but i think i might just be jumping the bandwagon, after careful review( reading more into this ) and labotamy there is no difinative evidence to support either way, just have to wait for Sony`s word.
John Largent 19 Nov 2008 18:15
6/7
If you really think about it and your a movie person like myself Sony movies are not all that great! The real winners are the up and coming movies that no one really knows about yet but First Look is getting some big hitters in the movie industry. Sorry Sony but your movies are not that good just like your blue ray players they actually make movies look cheaply made I love HD I think HD hit it right on the nose
pjwhite 7 Dec 2008 15:33
7/7
I have the Xbox/Netflix system and it is slick.

The only problem is the library of movies is lame and lacking.

They need to get more movies simple as that. They filled it with bmovies, old 70's movies like "Strawdogs", "Dog Day Afternoon", old cowboys (Gene Auutry?) and foreign movies. Starz has filled it with its rights and the TV selection is pretty current but you can tell Netflix needs to do some new licensing deals fast to save this. There are no new releases of current films. Literally none. They call "5 Card Stud" an old Frank Sinatra movie a "New Release". You have to be kidding me.

I really do predict the end of DVD's with this service. No need to buy them any more.

Couple of highlights:
Every James Bond movie ever made is free right now.
Heros season 1, 2 & 3
Original Star Trek seasons
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