RSSMicrosoft Xbox 360 to get Netflix movies, NBCU streaming
By Tim Conneally | Published July 14, 2008, 4:00 PM
Today at E3, Microsoft announced some new features and content partners that will be coming to Xbox Live, the now billion-dollar division of the company.
Of the $1 billion spent on Xbox Live, over one-third was spent on movie and television content, and of all the converged entertainment solutions Microsoft has given its console, today's announcement of a Netflix partnership will no doubt add the most content.
Xbox Live Gold members who are also Netflix Unlimited subscribers will be able to stream the same growing library of content that is available on the hit Roku set top box, at no additional cost. It will work in exactly the same fashion as the diminutive standalone box: users form an "instantly viewable" queue on the Netflix site, which then gets pushed to their 360, where the content will be streamed. The most recent tally of instantly available Netflix content counts 10,000 movies and television shows, but more are added daily.
Microsoft also announced that NBC Universal, who teamed with Microsoft earlier this year to deliver the 2008 Beijing Olympics via Silverlight, is the newest content partner for Xbox Live Marketplace, beginning today. NBC Universal will offer its television programs from NBC, USA Networks, and Sci-Fi channel, as well as Universal Studios movie content for download in the US. Worldwide, Xbox Live gets content from MGM International and Constantin, increasing the library of downloadable entertainment by more than 700.
The 360 also will have a new interface/dashboard available for download in the fall. Converged entertainment appears to be the new modus operandi for this upgraded interface. Users will be able to add custom avatars -- which cannot escape the inevitable Mii comparison -- to their gamer cards. These avatars, like Nintendo's Miis, will be usable in upcoming games, including upcoming "Live Primetime" games.
The example Microsoft showed today of the new "Live Primetime" was part TV game show, part massively multiplayer game: a version of Endemol property "1 vs. 100." It will be the first Primetime game available this fall, and will have a live host. It looks to adhere more strictly to the TV show format than that of video games. There was no mention of commercial breaks or in-game advertisement.
I must say I am not really digging this new interface. The features yes. Interface not really. I dono maybe it will grow on me when I get my hands on it. I personally liked the interface they had in place though.
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|And it's time for a new dashboard anyways. I could streamline that interface to work much easier.
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|XBOX owner with Live Gold - Check
Netflix Unlimited - Check
Wooo hooo! Then again this could be a PS3 story and I still be happy.
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|Just to add to the good news final fantasy 13 is no longer exclusive coming to x360 and ps3
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|The wonderful news is that my wife is a Final Fantasy Addict and this saves me about $600.
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|Want some real comedy check out the raving lunatics over at bluray dot com about this.
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|Lol I just peeked my head in there....that site really is like a fanboy safe house! It's hilarious...people on that site are actually MAD that it's multi-platform now and are saying they're boycotting the game because they feel like they were lied to...and other PS3 fanboys on that site are agreeing! It's insanity...at least people like that have some place to go though I guess. :)
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|Lol that is sad. I don't care if it's multi-platform as long as it is on the 360. :)
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|HA HA HA thats a good one SGD
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|what is really sad if they boycot the game on the ps3 then the game may become a 360 exclusive the next go around. this is really sad
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|So, according to that site the console with the subpar graphics card is much better then the x360?
I love fanboys both systems are capable of achieving the same thing the major difference is space which could change somewhat as with the new enhancements coming to live you can load full games onto the hdd, it still sucks ms has a propietary hdd but at least they are trying to make the service better.
Whats funnier is because its on the x360 MS had to have paid them off when Sony publicly stated we don't need exclusives, therefore squenix has no allegiance to ps3. Because guess what they want to get a return on their investment keeping it on the console with the least sold units is not smart businesswise no matter how you look at it.
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|I cant find anything over there. You have a link to one of the posts?
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|It will end up being yet one more game that will prove itself to be better on the Xbox 360 than the PlayStation 3.
There was never really any doubt that FF XIII would eventually be developed for the 360. It's like the dirty little tramp that left her husband (Nintendo) to be with you. Who's to say she wouldn't do the same to you (Sony) to be with someone else (Microsoft)? Companies go where the money and market share is, plain and simple. Their loyalties are flexible.
Anyway, the hardcore PS3 nutjobs don't need exclusives... they've got "the best Blu-ray player on the planet", and it even comes with a neato-skeeto motion-sensing two-handed remote to go along with it! ;)
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|http://forum.blu-ray.com...highlight=Final+Fantasy
28 Pages of fun. I'm impressed though. There does seem to be a lot more sensible people these days than there used to be on bluray.com
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|Funny stuff. I love PS3 fanboys.
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|ROFL it is hilarious in there!
"at least we still have GOW III my ass! Sony needs to hit them back.....I mean hard. seriously, they need to like go grab Gears of War or something. I dont care how much money it takes!"
It is almost like a little Sony cult lol.
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|Nice. I love how they refer to the PS3 as "we" and "ours", like they are part of some special club or have anything to do with Sony.
My favorite: "at least we still have GOW III my ass! Sony needs to hit them back.....I mean hard. seriously, they need to like go grab Gears of War or something. I dont care how much money it takes!"
Gears is a MS in house produced game! This is hilarious.
The PS3 fanboys also have to wait an extra two months for Rock Band 2. The 360 gets it on Sep 30th and PS3 ........... Nov 30th.
I'm glad I bought all the games (including Rock Band) for the 360 and use the PS3 as my main HD movie player and upscaler, as it does it better than any I have seen.
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There is also no doubt the PS3 version could be way better as they have way more optical storage, unless the 360 version comes out on multiple discs, which would blow. MS needs a new console called the 720 with BD or buy out all the rights the HD-DVD technology and use it solely for thier games.
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|God of War, not Gears. :) Assuming... Heh.
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|Now things are getting interesting for this generation of consoles. I wonder what Sony will do to counter. Adding all these features is great for the consumer as new features get added to their systems.
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