"Hundreds" of Netflix vids unavailable via Xbox Live

Online rental service confirms licensing issues are temporarily preventing many films from being viewable on updated 360s; online reports point to Sony.

It appears that the New Xbox Experience has hit a speed bump on the eve of its release. This afternoon, gaming blog Joystiq discovered that many Netflix films have been abruptly listed as being "not available on Xbox." The ability to stream content from the online rental service is a key feature of the Xbox Live revamp, which is set to launch Wednesday, November 19.

Your NXE movie queue just got shorter.

When contacted by GameSpot, Microsoft directed all inquiries on the matter to Netflix, the DVD rental and video streaming company based in Los Gatos, California. Steve Swasey, its vice president of corporate communications, was able to confirm that licensing issues are indeed preventing some video content from being available via the Xbox 360.

"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," he explained. "In the case of Xbox 360, a few hundred titles are temporarily unavailable to be streamed via the Xbox game console. 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 studiously avoided mention of any film studios which may have licensing issues solely with Microsoft. However, GameSpot has confirmed with sources with access to NXE preview software that many of the unavailable offerings are from Columbia Pictures, a subsidiary of PlayStation 3 maker Sony. Curiously, though, Joystiq points out that some Sony Pictures films are still listed as being available for the Xbox, a condition that might change in the next few days.

Ironically, many classic films from Sony subsidiary MGM are currently available for download on Xbox Live Marketplace--for a price.

409 Comments

  • adders99

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:03 pm PT

    well in australia we dont seem to get the netflix any way... im sick of microsoft saying that they are going to do certain things and then only release it in america!!!!!!

  • maxpaynev3

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:00 pm PT

    sac9

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 9:21 pm GMT

    LOL why does sony play so dirty? Because they know there losing.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SONY Being dirty xbox was playing dirty since day 1 releasing their unfinished xbox & buying out third-party developers. Now who's dirty again?

  • InspiringTouch

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:00 pm PT

    This is just a technical error, I'm sure they'll fix it soon. Both Microsoft and Sony do great jobs, we're the winners here from getting these great features.

  • FrontLinePlaya

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:58 pm PT

    @mystoksor

    the 360 is not in the lead in sales both ps3 and 360 are getting there asses kicked by the wii (why I still dont know). and I dont think sony has lost as much money as microsoft cause of the rrod also the new warrenty they put out and systems they had to replace all this cost them billions. while sony has lost money I dont think they lost nearly a much as microsoft

  • Mystoksor

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:25 pm PT

    I'm not sure what denial you're speaking of. 360 is still in the lead in sales and microsoft hasn't lost nearly as much money in this generation as sony has. The so-called year of the PS3 hasn't been living up to expectations

  • sdkingsht

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:20 pm PT

    lol...surprise surprise fanboys to the rescue to thumbs down any comment about how the 360 is crappy. truth is a hard thing to deal with. i understand fanbabies. denial is a crowded state to live in.

  • Mystoksor

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:20 pm PT

    @skingsht: 360 still has the best online service

  • sdkingsht posted Nov 19, 2008 4:16 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    sdkingsht

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:16 pm PT (hide)

    @ Cowing...360 isn't the top console in any way at all. Wii beats it in sales...PS3 beats it in quality and features and the PS3 has more high rated games than the 360 even on this website even though the 360 had a year's more worth of games come out.

  • quinterorene

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:14 pm PT

    I keep trying so hard to like my PS3 as much as I like my Xbox, but it is just not happening, The convenience of Xbox live with the overall gaming quality makes the Xbox 360 the best gaming console. I was a die hard PS fan, but my 360 has changed my mind. Yes, its true that i have had to fix it 3 times, but in the end its a better system.

  • sdkingsht

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:14 pm PT

    MS tried to kill their competition a few years back by forcing windows on everyone (even though it constantly breaks down) so if Sony is doing this then welcome to the party. i doubt Sony is doing it though. MS makes nothing but crappy products so it's no surprise this would be broken too.

  • NuKkU

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:12 pm PT

    smart move by sony some of the biggest movies are made by Sony movie companies

  • speedjunkie4

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:02 pm PT

    All i had to do with this is lol

  • ozonekiss

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:53 pm PT

    DUDE...I BOUGHT THE 3 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM M$..AND TODAY AFTER I DOWNLOADED THE XBE AND IT BRICKED I FOUND OUT MY 3 YR WARRANY WAS NO GOOD...WHY? BECUASE THEY REPLACED MY 360 DUE TO THE RrOD AND NEVER TRANSFERRED MY SERVICE CONTRACT TO THE NEW SERIAL #, I HAD TO SCREAM AT 3 INDIANS TODAY TO GET A F-ING UPS LABEL AND A 1 YR WARRANTY EXTENSION.....PS3 HELLLLLLLLLO

  • torontomapleafs

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:50 pm PT

    I guess Sony is trying to ruin NXE.

  • Cowing30

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    eh no big deal. it will work eventually. everyone just likes to bash the 360 because its the top console. yes it has plenty of problems (RRoD!!!) but the comfortable controllers better selection of exclusives and over better quality makes it worth it. especially if you do like i do and get the warranty at best buy (beats the hell outta callin MS and waitin a few weeks for a system when you can just go to your local best buy and pick one off the shelf)

  • khaos12a

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    Man, whats up these days
    Next Gen consoles are out, and lawsuits are all over the place

  • PS3_3DO

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:37 pm PT

    Sony new Computers next year using Linux.

  • andrius45

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:29 pm PT

    your move M$

  • littlestreakier

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:25 pm PT

    eh i've recently just been buying blu-ray's that i want to see. Don't really have much time to watch movies anymore so until i do...-shrugs-

  • SonyMarksman70

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:22 pm PT

    Meh business is business

  • maverick_76

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:22 pm PT

    Who cares, this happens all the time in other areas of IP. It will be solved soon.

  • Telekenesis123

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:16 pm PT

    Seems Sony's a lil' colic.

  • gow117

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:12 pm PT

    see a movie in your f***** dvd set or blu-ray
    x360? that´s a console that actually plays tons of great games who cares about movies?!but ok some r just complaining about that cause or they dislike MS or sony by some stupid reasons..
    nobody likes gamesistems anymore what a shame xD
    by the way i´m a xb360 user ps3 sucks x)

  • freeezzzy

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:06 pm PT

    not THAT big of a deal gamepsot is making look like and the new xbox experience is really cool anyway

  • OmegaGear

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:01 pm PT

    Something to note here is that Sony is merely the major owner of columbia pictures, and they still do their own licsensing deals. Sony doesn't do it for them. If companies had to go to their shareholders every time they wanted to do a license deal, nothing would ever get done.

  • Hasan3493

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 2:54 pm PT

    TO gnbfd
    Microsoft has exclusive titles for its customers, not to attack the PS3

  • chiggins28 posted Nov 19, 2008 2:47 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    chiggins28

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 2:47 pm PT (hide)

    xbots..lol. what is that supposed to mean, that xbox purchasers were made robots by ms and don't think for ourselves? haha, that is the stupidest, most underthought insult i have ever heard and anyone who uses it should be embarassed...you know who you are. (gnbfd)
    as for sony (or colombia pictures) purposefully withholding movie rights, well, that's the equivalent of a little child snatching something and saying "MINE!". they are going to get money for it anyway, so what if its streaming on an xbox? you don't see ms withholding windows on sony pcs. sony is losing. they are acting like sore losers. if you can't see that, then you are a sony fanboy in complete denial.

  • FLEEBS posted Nov 19, 2008 2:46 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    FLEEBS

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 2:46 pm PT (hide)

    Sony is obviously still up to their dirty little tricks. Go figure.

  • funkymonkey4710

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 2:44 pm PT

    IDK about the Netflix, but the menu setup gets me dizzy for some reason when I cycle through stuff.

  • Calmed_Fury

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 2:41 pm PT

    i just watched something on my 360 and it was really blurry and i cant figure out why when its a 32 inch 1080i lcd tv....

  • paullywog posted Nov 19, 2008 2:35 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    paullywog

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 2:35 pm PT (hide)

    blame sony.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 2:21 pm PT

    fine, i'll just watch these on my Windows PC

  • okassar

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 2:00 pm PT

    Yah but there's like thousands of videos on Netflix instant anyway...I have Netflix and I used to have to connect the laptop to the tv everytime to enjoy,let's say,an episode of Heros on Netflix,now I can do that on the same system I'm going to play Gears of War 2 onYay.The avatars are pretty cool(and don't say anything until you TRY IT!),definitely better than the bubbly stupid Wii,but nonetheless avatars.I think they show a bit more personality though,and you know,they can be implemented into the party system,XB Live primetime,so it's convenient.I like the new backgrounds available,the new dashboard is cool---overall,good job MS,thanks for keeping your customers satisfied.

  • gnbfd posted Nov 19, 2008 1:44 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    gnbfd

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:44 pm PT (hide)

    I love how all these Xbots keep saying M$ would never stoop to Sony's level, and yet, they keep dishing out cash to make games multiplat (FFXIII, DMC4 etc.), get a timed exclusive (Rock Band 2) or get exclusive DLC (GTA4, Fallout 3).
    Why does it need to be exclusive? Is M$ afraid that they might acutally LOSE customers?

  • bareblackbottom

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:43 pm PT

    why does anyone care? any movies that you really want you still need to get on dvd/hddvd/blueray if you want special features. people will come up with any reason to create division. i do feel bad for xbox users not being able to download grndma's boy....the best friggin gamers movie ever!

  • snarple_basic

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:38 pm PT

    Its not a big deal its only 3 movies out of 32 from my queue that I can't watch, still a lot of good movies to enjoy. Scr@w sony.

  • link899

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:32 pm PT

    Gamespot is retarded, their crappy article writers love to try and start all these fanboy fights and so far it has worked.

  • naylor182

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:30 pm PT

    Meh, I wasn't going to rent films anyway. It's a games console, not a discount movie bin.

  • JamesSoprano

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:25 pm PT

    if Sony makes money of this good for them if not .. i would take all movies having to deal with sony and not have it available for Xbox, but that's just my Opinion. if M$ can buy exclusives and Sony Won't then to get back at then in a way is to not give them their movies ... simple as that it would dissapoint some.

  • silentkill62696

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:23 pm PT

    ok, so its alrite for MS to take Sony exclusives by dishing out money, but when MS ventures into new waters n tries to sell movies that are licensed by Sony, its wrong. Whats the logic??? Also, when MS implemented in-game music into the 360, they patented it, so sony can't let users use in-game music, instead they let the developers decide. MS from my standpoint makes it clear that they don't want competition, however, Sony has always owned Columbia Pictures. Its not like Sony set out to own it so that some day in the future they could prevent MS from selling their licensed movies.

  • p2250

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:21 pm PT

    Ya but wasn't it xbox360 users saying that they don't need HD movies because it's theyre only interested in games.

  • sac9 posted Nov 19, 2008 1:21 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    sac9

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:21 pm PT (hide)

    LOL why does sony play so dirty? Because they know there losing.

  • p2250

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:19 pm PT

    Moral of the story, don't steal copywright movies from other companies.

  • OuroborosChoked

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:17 pm PT

    So you suggest that Sony's behind the problems with Columbia's movies not being accessible... then say that neither MGM nor Sony Pictures movies have any problems.

    D'ya think maybe the problem's with... I don't know... COLUMBIA PICTURES and NOT Sony?

    Nooo, we need to make innuendos because we're not real journalists at Gamespot anymore...

    What exactly is the point of this article? Here, let me rewrite it in two sentences: Currently, Xbox 360 users looking to access any films from Columbia Pictures cannot. We here at Gamespot have not bothered looking into why, as we'd rather rely on speculation and rumor.

  • shadowkiller11

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 12:53 pm PT

    phazevariance too bad ps3 is catching up to 360 considering 360 was released with no competion for a year.. 360 fanboys=lol now i go back to play little big planet and gears 2.

  • mergedsalem23

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 12:49 pm PT

    kc hokie you cant critize sony for this problem if you really dont know who is the cause for it you sound more like a xbox freak so this dissusion is over.

  • tokay411 posted Nov 19, 2008 12:46 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    tokay411

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 12:46 pm PT (hide)

    funny how Sony being a little girl and pulling titles doesn't help my opinion of the company get any better.

  • Phazevariance posted Nov 19, 2008 12:40 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Phazevariance

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 12:40 pm PT (hide)

    If they want to play like that, MS can make it so that windows doesnt install on any sony products.. but then, that would be sinking to Sony's level, too bad their PS3 is pure garbage in sales these days. Hopefully it will die in a corner somewhere soon.

advertisement

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!