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Netflix 'eventually' targeting 'all consoles'

CEO Reed Hastings talks up movie-rental house's exclusive deal with Microsoft--while simultaneously declaring it wants to someday support rival platforms.

At the 2008 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Microsoft announced that Netflix video streaming would come to the Xbox 360. Ever since, speculation has abounded about when the video-streaming service would arrive on the Wii and PlayStation 3. This week, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told Reuters that his company is aiming to support the other two platforms...one day.

Netflix still rents movies via mail...for now.

Netflix still rents movies via mail...for now.

"Eventually we want to be on all the game consoles, all the Blu-ray players, all the Internet TVs," said Hastings in an interview. "So we are working in parallel with all of those efforts. Currently our Xbox [360] deal is exclusive and we haven't characterized it more than that."

While Microsoft touted the 360's Netflix exclusivity last month when it announced an Xbox Live update, the year has seen several signs that the deal's days are numbered. In April, the Los Gatos, California-based company posted a job listing for an "Engineering Leader--Gaming Platforms" to direct "a small technology team to rapidly prototype and iterate on a variety of platforms." [Emphasis added.]

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings.

In June, a customer survey surfaced that indicated Netflix streaming was being considered for the Wii, and July saw Sony announce that the service was coming to its line of Bravia HDTVs. Later that month, Netflix hired a new head of game platforms who worked on both the Wii MotionPlus add-on and motion-sensing technology for the PS3.

25 Comments

  • TevoxZi

    Posted Sep 24, 2009 10:27 am GMT

    I doubt I'll use this, but it's a great thing in either case.

  • Hvac0120

    Posted Sep 24, 2009 8:35 am GMT

    $50/year ($4/month) XBL + $8.99/month Netflix = ~$13/month
    same service on Wii or PS3 is:
    Cost of Netflix Player/software (~$10) + $8.99/month = $8.99/month (cost of software is 1 time payment)
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Seems like it is going to be more cost effective for people to drop the XBL service and go on another platform. If your already paying for XBL for online multiplayer, then it really doesn't matter to you. However, if you can live without that on XBL and you have one of the other consoles, you might as well choose to use Netflix on the other consoles.
    ---------------------------

  • armyof1jjk

    Posted Sep 24, 2009 5:12 am GMT

    Well no crap, why wouldnt they? Thats alot of money to be made, I bet Microsoft hates this, they love to keep the market cornered The only problem I have with Netflix is that you should be able to get a plan where you can stream NEW movies. If you can, Im sorry my netflix on Xbox only allowed me to watch older movies.

  • DFBTG

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 11:47 pm GMT

    Hm, so another MS 'exclusive' bites the dust. Go figure. I suppose it wouldn't help them to say 'timed exclusive', but you'd think after all these 'exclusives' that have since become multi-plat more people would be hesitant in throwing down their money. I know for sure after Tales of Vesperia I am (and it has not steered me wrong yet). But then, I suppose there are plenty of people that don't pay attention to the gaming industry and/or have no patience and/or take everything MS says as if an absolute truth.
    Netflix really doesn't have anything I'm interested in that's streaming, so I don't care much personally. Still, I like that'll end up on the PS3. One less thing the 360 can hold above our heads, which I would gladly have given it if you didn't have to be a gold member (which includes paying on top of the Netflix subscription).

    @ Darthnaevus

    If you're saying that Netflix streaming isn't on the PC (which it looks like to me), then you're wrong. It is, it works fine for what little I have used it, and it's been up for plenty longer than others if memory serves. Don't know much about Onlive, but it appears to have just been recently 'announced', relatively speaking.

  • Darthnaevus

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 10:57 pm GMT

    They're forgetting just one tiny little console (or market that is) that's been on since the early 80's : PC. Netflix= Fail, Onlive=win(fingers crossed)

  • PumpkinBoogie

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 9:34 pm GMT

    You know I'm starting to think maybe MS should stop throwing around the word 'exclusive' unless it's something coming directly from their studios b/c every time they try doing that on 3rd party services/games they always end up embarrassing themselves later when the company changes their mind.

    They clearly didn't learn from the E3 MGS 'announcement', have they?

  • stziggy

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 6:41 pm GMT

    If Netflix would come to the PS3, I'd be off the fence. I don't like the current thing with Xbox 360 where I have to buy an additonal $50 a year subscription to watch my already paid for Netflix subscription. That's crooked.

  • kurage2001

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 4:04 pm GMT

    More ways to get my $ ? Oh no, more temptations when I open my PSN. Right now the convenience of a one-click purchase of online game already see myself buying some unnecessary titles, save those $5.99 here and there and I could have got a read disc title with high replay value. As for movies, same thing, there aren't that many must-watch but I will end up watching more garbage.

  • D3A7HJ0K3R

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 3:46 pm GMT

    Wow the guys at Netflix must be like," heheh now that we're getting our service to all the consoles, we'll make an assload of money" Damn ther're smart. Hope the recession isn't slowing them down.

  • D3A7HJ0K3R

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 3:43 pm GMT

    I already have Blockbuster thru da mail. Nice work tho Netflix.

  • TheBatFreak777

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:41 pm GMT

    I've got PlayOn on my PC so I can stream Netflix, Hulu, etc to my PS3 and 360. It's not HD just yet but it's definitely tolerable in most cases. For $40 it wasn't a bad purchase.

    Certainly a work in progress but for those looking for some media server options it's a good one.

  • bubnux posted Sep 23, 2009 2:28 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    bubnux

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:28 pm GMT (hide)

    I don't really see that taking off on any console aside from the 360 anyways. Who is going to stream garbage on a machine that plays BRD's? OK, maybe if your TV is crap & you can't tell the difference anyways but anybody with a Trey and a nice TV will pass, and the Wii crowd don't strike me as netflix'ers either. If you like streaming stuff then open up your consoles web browser, go to one of billions of free sites on the interweb...

  • shii666

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:28 pm GMT

    @mp5xm8

    Isn't that similar to what OnLive is trying to do?

  • meluvulongtime8

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:27 pm GMT

    I hope it's coming soon. Don't care if it's on the Wii, PS3, or both. I sent Netflix an email a while back asking for them to extend to the Wii and/or PS3. I don't pay for XBL Gold so if I can do it for free on the Wii or PS3 it would be nice.

  • Infernal_Mind

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:26 pm GMT

    Now if only netflix was available to canadians

  • shii666

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:25 pm GMT

    Lol, now Microsft is going to advertise the **** out of this deal as an exclusive deal. Sorry, that is just how it is going to go!

  • zaveline

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:24 pm GMT

    WAIT FOR THE WII!? SICK! im not telling my friends cuz i dont want them to kno XD will this arrive in canada 2?

  • mp5xm8

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:12 pm GMT

    Would be cool if they offered streaming video games that you can rent.

  • Phooey442

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 2:08 pm GMT

    @ familialewis good job captain obvious

  • spawnassasin

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 1:40 pm GMT

    cool

  • xtremeflem2day

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 1:32 pm GMT

    There's gonna be some heat between microsoft and netflix now, but these "Console Wars" just keep making consoles get better and better.

  • s0l1dsnake

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 1:27 pm GMT

    The ball is in Netflix's court now, either MS is gonna have to dish out alot of cash to continue exclusivity or once that exclusivity contract ends Netflix can walk away and bring it to the other consoles increasing their profits.

  • Flint247

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 1:25 pm GMT

    This is cool, as long as I get to play games.

  • KoRnbizkitpie

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 1:23 pm GMT

    My 360 is downstairs, and my Wii is upstairs. This will be a win win for me!!!

  • familialewis

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 12:44 pm GMT

    Can anyone say "Paid Timed Exclusivity"?

    I am sure that M$ paid Netflix for the Exclusivity. There are Sony Televisions that are capable of streaming Netflix, meaning that the PS3 can do it. It's just the Netflix was paid my M$ for a one year timed exclusivity of the service.

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