"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

  • Galius7 posted Nov 19, 2008 7:58 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Galius7

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:58 am PT (hide)

    "I challenge you to take a regular DVD and put it on a upconverting DVD player then buy the same movie in Blu-Ray and watch them side by side. There's no comparison. Upconverting DVD players don't come close to straight Blu-Ray."

    Challenge taken in the past. I had friends over and played the same movie on DVD (1080p upconvert) and Blu Ray. Nobody could tell the difference.

  • twistedmalice

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:58 am PT

    They will fix the problem. That's what happens when u try to rush things out too soon. I know they will fix it soon enough. Give it some time and we will forget all about this once it is working perfectly. If Sony is causing some licensing trouble then they are just being foolish.

  • EXxile

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:50 am PT

    I hope this gets fixed because I was going to re-subscribe to Netflix for this exact reason. I also hope this is a simple trial and error where it will get fixed and there is nobody actually trying to sabatoge it. Because that would seriously be childish of Sony to be withholding licensing when they would be making money in the end. But I'm sure this will all get resolved.

  • starcher5150

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:50 am PT

    If that is the way Sony wants to play Microsoft should not allow Windows on any new Sony PC's.

  • AdmiralDan

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:40 am PT

    That isn't ironic, ugh.

  • rancid36

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:32 am PT

    How does a overseas company have anything to do with anything, American? Seems we Americans dropped the ball on this a long time ago. Pathetic.

  • ZeroGravX

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:28 am PT

    Great, I'm missing like 15 movies that I really wanted to watch on my TV. I hope this gets resolved.

  • bandit7319

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:27 am PT

    "I hope this gets resolved sooner than later. Blu-ray is dead, digital distribution is the future. Read it here- http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/108657 ,it's only a matter of time before Sony abandons their BR format, just like they did with UMD, and jumps on the digital distr. band wagon."

    I'm really surprised about that article as well. I mean maybe I am one of those people who fit into that "Videophile niche" group he's referring to, but, to all those buying in, I challenge you to take a regular DVD and put it on a upconverting DVD player then buy the same movie in Blu-Ray and watch them side by side. There's no comparison. Upconverting DVD players don't come close to straight Blu-Ray. I definitely don't think Blu-Ray is on its way out either. I like what one of the later posters said, that 1080P is still "ahead" of most people. However, once 1080P becomes more affordable and people start to realize the difference, they're going to want to take advantage of the technology they've got and then they'll see what us "videophiles" already see.

  • Mattchu758

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:24 am PT

    I use to be a netflix subscriber, and i was wondering. I havent looked much into this stuff, but when i was a subscriber, they have instantly watch movies on ur computer but they were selected titles and not all of them. Is this how the netflix is working on the xbox, or can you stream any movie?

  • CanesThing26

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:08 am PT

    klugenbeel read the damn article. sony has movies on 360's netflix service. there just having licensing problems. it might not even be the studio it could be the director whos saying no.

  • Autolycus posted Nov 19, 2008 7:08 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Autolycus

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:08 am PT (hide)

    for a high definition media format, Blu-Ray is a standard. But considering there is no need for a HD media format, that isn't saying much.

  • edscma

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:07 am PT

    OK OK I'am a netflix and Xbox live subscriber I have 99 movies in my netflix instant Que 99 and only 9 out of the 99. LET REPEAT THAT ONLY 9 OUT OF 99 WONT PLAY. I watched heroes in HD and now my 3yr old is watching Kim possible in HD. On my Xbox 360. This is great try stuff before you down it.

  • Autolycus posted Nov 19, 2008 7:06 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Autolycus

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:06 am PT (hide)

    plus the movies for blu-ray are an extra 10-15 dollars and if your friend has blu-ray you cant lend it to em... DVD is too strong for Blu-Ray to take it over. Upconverting technology is too good too... plus the features that Blu-Ray has (like multiple viewing angles at once) most people simply dont care about.

  • Darthmatt

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:05 am PT

    I would have to agree with zomglolcats. There are probably more people out there who don't even know what DD is than who do. It will be a long time before DD takes over because you have to educate the average consumer, and provide the necessary affordable hardware that makes it possible. DD is nice, but It also means you'll have to make a point of data managment. The idea of physical media taps into the human desire to collect things. Why do you think books still exist?

  • da_chub posted Nov 19, 2008 7:02 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    da_chub

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:02 am PT (hide)

    just another example on how they are trying to make new consoles to be more like a PC, even though PC's are way better.

  • klugenbeel posted Nov 19, 2008 7:02 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    klugenbeel

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:02 am PT (hide)

    Figures, Sony is behind this in a way. Sony really needs to stop being such a whiney baby, like it's fan boys, because the Wii and 360 are blowing the PS3 out of the water. Maybe if Sony made more of a focus on games rather than HARDWARE they might be doing better, but they want to turn the PlayStation into a GadgetStation rather than a gaming rig. Look i can buy any old HDD for my PS3, I have Blu-Ray, I can get a motion sensing controller, ect....but guess what, doesn't do you any good if you have no games to go with it, or have a very LIMITED library of games. 3 words Sony, EXCLUSIVES SELL SYSTEMS!

  • gmunson

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:00 am PT

    Actually, the guy that said Blu Ray is dead is not too far off the mark. When you can buy an up convert dvd player for $60 that has nearly the quality of Blu Ray, that will mess with your market. I have a PS3 and I love Blu-Ray, but if i'd done my research I'd have a 360 and an upconvert dvd player and I'd have saved $100. So, Blu Ray is undercut in a markeht such as it is when a cheaper nearly equal alternative for less than half the price exists.

  • zomglolcats

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:00 am PT

    And as for UMD, that was specifically a movie format for the PSP ONLY. Of course it died. Blu-Ray is standard now for hi-def movies on all 1080p televisions. It's not going anywhere. Especially now that HD-DVD is dead.

  • jpsaply

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:00 am PT

    What most people forget is that in order to find the glitches in the game, it has to be sent out to the public. Even beta testers will not find them all. The developers try to do there best to catch it early, but a handful of people are not going to catch all the glitches compared to the millions that get to toy with it on release. Besides this sounds like a Netflix problem and not an MS problem due to Netflix not receiving the appropriate licensing from the film studios. Not able to play a few hundred movies out of 10,000 + with there "watch this" feature is not bad. They will probably fix it soon.

  • zomglolcats

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:59 am PT

    player_leo said: "I hope this gets resolved sooner than later. Blu-ray is dead, digital distribution is the future. Read it here- http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/108657 ,it's only a matter of time before Sony abandons their BR format, just like they did with UMD, and jumps on the digital distr. band wagon."

    You have no clue what you are talking about. Blu-Ray dead? How so? Regular DVD is still strong, because, believe it or not, some people like to actually own a tangible product instead of downloading a movie and having it vaporize when your HD fails or to make room for more. 1080p is the future of television and Blu-Ray is the natural evolution of DVD for hi-def. HD-DVD lost the war. It's gone. You really think Blu-Ray is going to die? And leave what, nothing for hi-def movies? Not everybody likes digital distribution. Some people still don't even have internet because they can't afford it (especially in today's economy), or their connection is too slow making DD worthless.

    I suggest you think before you post. Yes, DD is growing, but don't think for a minute that discs are going to die off.

  • CanesThing26

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:59 am PT

    did you bother to read the article hunter8man. it says SONY HAS SOME MOVIES ON the 360's NETFLIX SERVICES. just because some of sony's movies aren't on there doesn't mean there trying to jockey people away from the xbox. all it is licensing problems. happens all the time.

  • edscma

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:57 am PT

    OK OK I'am a netflix and Xbox live subscriber I have 99 movies in my netflix instant Que 99 and only 9 out of the 99. LET REPEAT THAT ONLY 9 OUT OF 99 WONT PLAY. I watched heroes in HD and now my 3yr old is watching Kim possible in HD. On my Xbox 360. This is great try stuff before you down it.

  • hunter8man

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:52 am PT

    It's not like this causes a great dent in the movies that will be offered. Besides, I don't think this is going to last for very long anyway. And if Sony does think that this will cause people not to use the X-Box Live Netflix service (which I don't), then they have another thing coming.

  • garey017

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:51 am PT

    ThAdEa82, Microsoft rushes everything to make a buck, it's their way. Home console with a 30 percent failure rate? That's how M$ rolls.

  • ThAdEa82

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:48 am PT

    It annoys me that everything is rushed. First the games that were supposed to come out with live get delayed, then netflix. Why hype something up if its not ready...oh yeah, because it's M$

  • CanesThing26

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:47 am PT

    killkill3 i was quoteing a message from Player_leo. i have 10 blu ray movies.

  • mad_krips

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:39 am PT

    Thank you Generic_Dude and MegaXtreme I forgot to mention the average download speeds necessary to stream those HD-Lite movies as well, plus the comfort it brings to people to physically own a copy what they purchased. To be honest, both digital downloads and BluRay are the future, but DD is by no means better than BR and will never be until they can match the quality and convenience. DD is mainly convenient for one time watchers and people who aren't quality junkies, IN SUPORTED REGIONS. But for collectors and people who want to take full advantage of that 1080p HDtv they spent hard earned money on and average people of the whole world with and without internet, BluRay is definitely the way to go. Neither will be dying anytime soon

  • gmunson

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:39 am PT

    Actually, the guy that said Blu Ray is dead is not too far off the mark. When you can buy an up convert dvd player for $60 that has nearly the quality of Blu Ray, that will mess with your market. I have a PS3 and I love Blu-Ray, but if i'd done my research I'd have a 360 and an upconvert dvd player and I'd have saved $100. So, Blu Ray is undercut in a markeht such as it is when a cheaper nearly equal alternative for less than half the price exists.

  • CanesThing26

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:37 am PT

    player_leo

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 8:42 am ET
    "I hope this gets resolved sooner than later. Blu-ray is dead, digital distribution is the future. Read it here- http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/108657 ,it's only a matter of time before Sony abandons their BR format, just like they did with UMD, and jumps on the digital distr. band wagon."

    ^ player leo you must not kno about companies like verizon and comcast who **** people over. my township is the perfect example why DLC will never happen. Verizon only offer there dsl or better to about 100people in my township and fios to condo's in my area and **** over 5000+ people get nothing better than dial up or 1 way cable which isn't cheap. so please leo tell me when there going to stop being lazy ****s and do there job. but i kno they wont do **** because there was a town meeting about getting higher speeds here and only are cable provider showed up and no1 from verizon showed up. when they tried to contact them weeks before the meeting all they got was a machine or they were hung up on.

    also for th people saying sony stop being stubborn they have movies on netfix services. dont say that they have none on it. its just some of the studios sony owns that haven't give licenses rights.

    just a side note about the county i live in its somewhere in the top 10 richest counties in the US. im not rich live in an old mill house. im just saying its pretty pathetic that verizon only caters to a very very small amount of people in my township

  • DJCUEBALL

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:36 am PT

    HAHAHAHA!!

  • jadefury27

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:35 am PT

    an update with an issue. what a surprise...

  • AngelCage-2

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:35 am PT

    no MS OS should be allowed on Sony Vaio laptops....
    .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

    my my, what an idiot the guy who says that...

  • pilot_riaz posted Nov 19, 2008 6:34 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    pilot_riaz

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:34 am PT (hide)

    Hey JohnnyDrama8,
    You should get a refund on your netflix activation code or get on the PS3.
    No problems with movie rentals on the PS3
    I should sell my Xbox 360 and get a PS3 but i'm not into movies as i am with games

  • gmunson posted Nov 19, 2008 6:31 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    gmunson

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:31 am PT (hide)

    Actually, the guy that said Blu Ray is dead is not too far off the mark. When you can buy an up convert dvd player for $60 that has nearly the quality of Blu Ray, that will mess with your market. I have a PS3 and I love Blu-Ray, but if i'd done my research I'd have a 360 and an upconvert dvd player and I'd have saved $100. So, Blu Ray is undercut in a markeht such as it is when a cheaper nearly equal alternative for less than half the price exists.

  • pilot_riaz

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:26 am PT

    The Playstation Network has a great online media service, film rentals are fine and smooth. You see look Xbox 360 tried to copy the PSN and is afraid of the PS3 catching up to the Xbox 360 and now look Xbox 360 film rental service has messed up.
    I own a Xbox 360 and am also a PS3 fan.

  • JohnnyDrama8

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:21 am PT

    I can't get m Xbox acrivation code to work on Netflix it says invalid code when it is the right one/ Anyone else having this problem??? I could use some help if somebody knows how to fix it PM me. Thanks ahead.

  • montopolis

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:18 am PT

    This is a good move (if indeed it is a move) by Sony. I think this might no me done on purpose since Sony Pics movies are still available, but if they do take the movies out, it is a good move by Sony, I have no doubt if MS had their own movie studio, they would do the same to Sony. Thats just good hearty competition. I know if someone wanted MY movies on a competitors system I would do the same, or make the pay like crazy. Especially someone with the deep pockets like MS.

  • Merl57

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:15 am PT

    and the lag is great too thanks !

  • Kiju43

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:02 am PT

    i wonder if it isn't just Netflix but a bounch of other marketplace stuff. I definetly couldn't download or view Kingdom for Keflings, which I really want to play.

  • MegaXtreme

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:55 am PT

    Quoted from player_leo:

    I hope this gets resolved sooner than later. Blu-ray is dead, digital distribution is the future. Read it here- http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/108657 ,it's only a matter of time before Sony abandons their BR format, just like they did with UMD, and jumps on the digital distr. band wagon.

    My response:

    Ignorance is your best friend, pal. You just made yourself sound like an a**. Blu-Ray is FAR from dead, blu-ray players are actually hard to come by where I live and I'm in a little hick town in Maryland. Yes, technology sells even here, because they sell that fast, at least Sony's brand. You're seriously going to tell me that digital distribution is the future, when DVDs are still selling, let alone Blu-Ray? Not everyone has a 360 nor a PS3, so where the hell are they supposed to get their movies? Digital distribution on a computer? Oh yes, of course, that way they have to run wires from the computer to their television, also.

    People want to own the movies, not just rent them. That's what Blu-Ray is for. It's the future of movies with HD picture. Ever watch an HD movie? On a 1080i TV, it looks damn good and I cannot wait to see it on 1080p. It makes my viewing experience that much better.

    And even DVDs still sell, I work in an Electronics department in Walmart. You're going to tell me DVD should die also because of digital distribution? Everyone should only own movies saved on hard drives? It may be more convenient, but not when that hard drive fills up. At least with DVD and Blu-Ray cases, you can buy a (cheaper) DVD tower to hold more than buying a new HDD altogether. Your logic fails.

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:53 am PT

    @mad krips: Agreed... Sony isn't going to pass up easy money like this. Just because someone would watch Casino Royale on a 360, that doesn't mean they'd buy a PS3 to see it. It's all about the bottom line, and Sony would make more cash peddling their films than meddling in their gaming competitor's movie download service.

    @player leo: Digital distrib may be the future, but not until download speeds worldwide are fast enough for near-instantaneous delivery and the service becomes dummy-proof, which the gaming consoles aren't. The average gamer's grandmother wouldn't take the time to figure out how to navigate the PSN movie DL service. The average gamer's grandfather would see the 360 interface and be puzzled. I'm fairly convinced that BR will complete its life cycle before DD gets mass-acceptance. There are also a lot of licensing issues to tackle beforehand, not to mention the want of most consumers to have a physical product for their money, not a file that a virus -- or a company's whim -- could erase.

  • mad_krips

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:53 am PT

    player_leo Posted Nov 19, 2008 8:42 am ET
    "I hope this gets resolved sooner than later. Blu-ray is dead, digital distribution is the future. Read it here- http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/108657 ,it's only a matter of time before Sony abandons their BR format, just like they did with UMD, and jumps on the digital distr. band wagon."

    Wow you're so smart aren't you because you read a yahoo tech blog. How can you even think digital distribution can match BluRay with the imminent HD standard and the more and more ISP's placing bandwidth caps? Have you thought about how digital distribution of movies is TOTALLY Region specific? Have you ever thought about how you don't get true HD when you download these HD-lite movies?
    And did you know the main purpose of UMD use on PSP was to prevent piracy?
    +1 fanboy pts. -3 sensibility pts for you player_leo

  • Bread_or_Decide

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:49 am PT

    Well Sony managed to kill the launch of the netflix feature on the new dashboard lol. Kinda sucks that its only available if you have a gold XBOX live membership. Thats 50 a year for XBL and 20 a month for Netflix just to combine the two? Thats ridiculous. They should make itopen to anyone with netflix and an xbox, period.

  • mad_krips

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:42 am PT

    silly rabid fanboys.... a couple films not available on xbox --- no MS OS should be allowed on Sony Vaio laptops.... how do these idiotic relationships come about???
    ****in fanboys grow up and be real. If you knew anything you wouldn't be saying such **** because those are two different demographics.

  • player_leo posted Nov 19, 2008 5:42 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    player_leo

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:42 am PT (hide)

    I hope this gets resolved sooner than later. Blu-ray is dead, digital distribution is the future. Read it here- http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/108657 ,it's only a matter of time before Sony abandons their BR format, just like they did with UMD, and jumps on the digital distr. band wagon.

  • drand24

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:37 am PT

    just like the Who pack for Rock Band was delayed but the studio that owned the rights was owned by a studio that was now affiliated with Activision? that was a rumor and I bet this will turn out to be too. any major launch like this can be expected to have minor problems at launch

  • EBBIT

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:34 am PT

    Sony prepare to get Windows Vista puled from your computers... see how you perform in computer sales after that!

  • ck02623 posted Nov 19, 2008 5:28 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    ck02623

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 5:28 am PT (hide)

    Pwned.

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