Xbox 360 Netflix queues missing Columbia Pictures films
By Tim Conneally | Published November 19, 2008, 3:41 PM
An apparent licensing issue has rendered Columbia Pictures movies unwatchable through New Xbox Experience's Netflix instant queue, for reasons Netflix is describing as a "natural ebb and flow" of licensing.
AOL gaming blog Joystiq reported that Instant queues in their advance access to the New Xbox Experience had been updated with a "Notes" column, where many movies were listed as "Not available on Xbox."
Netflix VP of Corporate Communications spoke to MTV's Multiplayer yesterday, and explained the situation.
"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...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."
However, the this is the first instance of a widespread licensing problem with Netflix's streaming service, and it just so happens to be between the Xbox 360 and Columbia Pictures, which is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. Sony Pictures films remain available to 360 users.
Among the films in Columbia's repertoire not available are recent additions to the Netflix streaming service like Superbad and We Own the Night.
Haha
omg i knew this would happen
when sony announced that ghostbusters was going to be exclusive with the ps3 and excuse my french **** the rest
now sony is xbox envy and dont want to share license rights for M$ to have anything to do with its motion pictures being streamed over its network
pitty as this could have brought up more sales in there library ppl dont think that money is always the solution to everything and if this were the case i am betting bill gates would chuck money at sony for them to whipe there tears on how Xbox out beats sony in online game play and its service over all
as of right now the NGE sucks cause its not fully working to its standard with netflix
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|I'm betting bill gates won't, he doesn't run the company anymore.
However, sony are being very silly. With the issue they're having with exploding battery packs, like someone else has already said.. Sony should be careful Microsoft don't blacklist their battery packs in the next update to Windows.
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|Now hat I have had a day to play with the new XBOX360 menu and Netflix feature, I have to say I'm very impressed.
Of course MS ripped off the coolest parts of the Wii and iPod Cover Flow to create the new GUI but it's bad ass. They even took the button noises from Nintendo.
Everything is one or two button presses away, and the Netflix works great. I watched two movies in my queue already.
Sony is going to be playing catch up for a long time with the PS3. I think they were trying to do the same thing with Home but have failed miserably.
The two systems are night and day at this point. Sony should have charged for online and made it way better.
Any feedback from other 360 owners on the new "Experience"?
The PS3 has become a fully upgradeable BD player that plays games .... badly online.
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|If I was microsoft I would charge Sony double for Windows licenses. See how many laptops they sell if linux is there only option or their windows versions cost twice as much as anyone else.
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|XBOX Experience is downloading now, 7 minutes to go..............
OOOOOOOOO K, Does anyone else get a strange Wii vibe from the new menu and Mii, I mean avatar? Holy crap!
The blades are gone! It's definitely different.
No More gamer picture, it's clearly a blatant, and much better version of the Wii concept.
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|I've tested it already (The Netflix service) and I must say it is quick and nice. The movies play well.. HD is quick.
This is a great value. I just signed up today for 8.99/month and it is well worth it.
Heros Season 3 HD played almost instantly at no extra cost.
I know it sounds like I am selling. But, I really enjoy this feature!
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|Short sighted Sony should have struck this deal along time ago for their crappy free online service. Shut it fan boys...I have a PS3 (great Blu-ray player), but their online service suck donkey b.a.l.l.s! I wish they would charge a yearly fee and make it better. Anyway, this is a horrible move on Sony's part and Netflix should have anticipated this issue, before they launch. BTW: M$=so lame. MS has nothing to do with this...this time. We have to evil empire at war...crap happens.
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|Not the first time M$ has been slow to get things done. I remember and issue recently with an update for Burnout Paradise city where PS3 owners got it but M$ had an issue and would not allow the update till a few days later. Glad to see Netflix finally on 360. Been watching it on my PS3 already.
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|Uh...are you talking about playon? The 3rd party hack? Yea...that works on 360 and P$3, now it's supported natively on the 360, no extra cost. I don't think $ony has any plans to stream netflix to the P$3.
Wow look at all those immature $ signs in the post...almost like MS isn't the only one that wants to make money...LOL.
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|huh.. a sony pictures company not available on the M$ network... huh is this an M$ issue or is this a "Sony / Columbia" issue.. I would wager the later if the other studios are having sucess.
On the other hand with the exception of maybe Superbad I am really not that interested in "Columbia's repertoire" of movies. So no big loss here.
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|we own the night sucked anyway...
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|Too bad 5.1 surround hasn't been implemented yet but it's a good start. Just need more titles in HD and then add at least 5.1 surround
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