Xbox 360's lack of Sony Pictures films streaming on Netflix "unrelated" to competition

You probably recall that two days ago, when the new Xbox Experience launched, sadly, about 300 Sony Pictures films were unavailable for Netflix Watch Instantly on NXE, thus quashing your hopes of streaming The Karate Kid series. At the time, it seemed possible that missing titles were due to the fact that Xbox 360 manufacturer Microsoft and Sony are direct competitors. Well, according to a Sony spokesperson, the problem isn't specific to the Xbox, nor is their beef competition-related in any way. Sony also says it is in talks with the several "relevant parties" to work out these vague licensing issues, though there was no word on when the issue would be resolved. We really do hope it's soon because we're dying to see how everything turns out with the Cobra Kai.

[Via Joystiq]

[jeeps @ Nov 20th 2008 9:46PM]

The leg gets swept.

[zomg0t @ Nov 20th 2008 9:51PM]

Spoilers!!!

[kevin_ho @ Nov 20th 2008 10:33PM]

I watched this movie in religion class a few days ago!

[Ridgecity @ Nov 20th 2008 10:41PM]

can you refresh my memory what religion likes karate movies? oh, that's right...

http://www.lomblad.net/rob/archives/blogimages/jesus.jpg

[SITEiNK @ Nov 20th 2008 11:36PM]

so who's playing the part of Daniel? Sony or Microsoft?
http://www.ROCKandREVIEW.com/

[tom @ Nov 21st 2008 12:24AM]

Gee...maybe it is a feature of Sony films, they are unable to be streamed to non-Sony game console.

[Markarian @ Nov 21st 2008 4:53AM]

That reminds me, I need to go tend to my bonsai trees.

[dave @ Nov 21st 2008 9:44AM]

Caugh (bulsht) - Sony suks - they need to get over themselves. I know I won't be buying any more sony products.

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Nov 21st 2008 8:48AM]

SITEiNK learn from my experience... if it's come to this to rep your site, you're better off giving up.

...and killing yourself

:)

[brad77 @ Nov 21st 2008 12:53PM]

Yeah! Get him a body bag!

[Gabe @ Nov 20th 2008 9:49PM]

Sony's just jealous.

[E-Rock @ Nov 20th 2008 9:52PM]

The only device restricted from viewing the movies is the XBox. How can they expect anyone to believe this is "isn't specific to the Xbox."

[Nick8708 @ Nov 21st 2008 3:04AM]

From what I understand, it's a licensing issue. Perhaps part of their contract with Netflix is to have individual licensing agreements with any new device that supports Netflix streaming natively. There are plenty of software workarounds available for the 360 already, so it seems unlikely they're just trying to block the system in hopes of ...well I don't know what they'd expect to have to gain from blocking it.

[Brad @ Nov 21st 2008 4:41PM]

I don't buy it. Sony claiming there is some kind of "special" license that applies differently to the XBOX as a Windows Media Extender than it does to the XBOX as a Gaming Console or whatever other label?

I call bullshit. There's no way they worded their license to exclusively apply to Netflix streaming to COMPUTERS but not GAME CONSOLES. It is well known that you can save your PC-streamed Netflix movies, which would be a much greater risk than on a game console.

Why block it, what possible reason could there be to stop one particular streaming set-top-box and not another, besides competitive spite?

[SeannyD @ Nov 20th 2008 9:52PM]

I seriously have never seen Karate Kid before and the entire trilogy was ripe for the taking. And now, gone. Only to be watched on my computer. And what kind of Karate Kid experience is only on my computer? A lame one. That's what.

Bring it back, Sony! Please! Bring it back!

[sideshowRaheem @ Nov 20th 2008 9:53PM]

Not only do they pull this sleazy move they go as fare as to blatantly lie about it which insults the consumers intelligence. Fuck U Sony!!!

[adrian @ Nov 21st 2008 7:21AM]

Sony Pictures owes MS nothing. This is a console war remember. Xbox users keep going on about the Xbox being a gaming console and the PS3 being just a Blu Ray player, Well go play your games and keep quiet.

[Brian @ Nov 21st 2008 8:57AM]

This is similar to the giant dump they took on their fans before the released of the PS3... back when they lost me for life.

Sony could give less than a shit about consumers. They know their rabid fans will come to them. At least Microsoft is *trying* to woo me.

[Troy Powers @ Nov 21st 2008 10:16AM]

You know what insults the consumers' intelligence? Assuming they will go out and buy an electronics product with a 33% failure rate.

Wait.

What?

(Can't wait for the first of you to say it's dropped to 10 or 15%. :D)

[sideshowRaheem @ Nov 21st 2008 11:33AM]

Listen I own both a PS3 and a 360 my issue isn't even Sony making there movies unavaible for Xbox's Netflix integration its the flimzy exuse they're trying to sell us. And the fact that instead of trying to improve the pathetic digital download service in the PS3 there cripling the competator not relizing they could be making allot of money from the Netflix service running off the Xbox. If your gonna stop another company from doing something atleast offer another option through the PS3.

[Troy Powers @ Nov 21st 2008 1:02PM]

That's right. Rage at Sony, not the company that sold you the red ring of death...two or three times now.

[sideshowRaheem @ Nov 21st 2008 1:21PM]

Are you even reading my comments I never said the 360 or Microsoft was perfect they have there own host of issues that piss me off just ass much. But the bottom line is even with all there issues with the 360 red ring of death and massive failur rate which MS most likely new about before the system was released they still manage to outsell the PS3 on a regular basis, that alone should should show you Sony's incompetence. There are things about both systems that arn't prefect and piss me off but on this specific topic I'm critising the way Sony is acting.

And for the record I personally have been using my 1st generation 360 since launch and have not encountered the red ring of death issues so I have no reason to be mad at MS for that at least.

[SweetSauce @ Nov 21st 2008 1:35PM]

@Troy Powers

That is such a stupid response.

When the blog is about the 360 RROD, everyone should comment about how bad the RROD is. This is about Sony limiting streaming to the 360. Why shouldn't we be pissed off at the point of the blog? Sony is trying to make people believe that this has nothing to do with MS. Many of us call BS since we can stream those same movies to our computers or PS3 or 360 using a different program.

Go back a day or so and find the blog entry about NXE causing RROD. Post there about how awful the 360 is...

[Troy Powers @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:42AM]

Wasn't refering to either of you guys. Was for Brian with comments like "They know their rabid fans will come to them," and Sony takes a dump on their fans. What's really taking a dump on your fans? I'd say it's releasing a shoddy product, knowing that people will buy it anyway. Rabid fans? For who? And Sony lies to consumers? Who still claims their failure rate is 3-5%? But, god forbid, the third place guy tries to make a move that makes the second place guy look bad. I'd have done it.

As far as the 360 selling better than the PS3:
1) Right now, it's only by a slim margin considering the 360's year-long head start.
2) That doesn't take into consideration people buying 360 Arcades because their original 360s crapped out.

[sideshowRaheem @ Nov 21st 2008 2:28PM]

Come on you have to be real here, as much bumbling as MS has don't with the 360 the PS3 should be completely dominating them. Here are the facts the 360 failed on a hardware stand point and the PS3 failed on a software stand point. Unfortunatly for Sony more people where/are willing to purchace or repurchace a system with failing hardware and tons of games then where willing to buy system with amazing hardware and limited games.

[Troy Powers @ Nov 21st 2008 3:05PM]

Launching your product a year in advance will give you a larger software library as well as more sales.

And it's not unfortunate for Sony. It's unfortunate for the average Joe who has to return or re-purchase his 360.

And who has a limited software library?

I wouldn't say Sony failed on software. I'd say Sony failed on marketing. That's where MS has been killing them. How many commercials for multi-platform games end with the huge 360 logo. That's pure genius! Friends of mine actually though the CoD was a MS exclusive because of that. MS has done a stellar job of marketing a sub-standard product. That's the bottom line.

[sideshowRaheem @ Nov 21st 2008 3:29PM]

Considering the Wii was last to launch and is currently out selling them both shows that if you have a compelling enough system people will buy it so I don't really take the launch date into consideration.The PS3 is just now catching up to the 360 when it comes to really good system exclusive games and speeking as a guy who owns both systems if CoD comes out for PS3 and Xbox I like most people go for the Xbox because they have a better online experiance. And since Sony took an extra year to launch there system you'd think they'd make sure there online experiance was as good as the 360, they're just now getting trophies something the Xbox had on day 1. It was the software and online gaming that gave the 360 the edge on PS3. Like I said 360 = Bad Hardware, PS3 = Bad software which shouldn't be surprising considering the history of both companies out side of the gaming world when was the last time you used a really good peace of Sony developed software and when was the last time you played with a really good hardware product made by MS?

[Troy Powers @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:47AM]

Considering the Wii was last to launch and is currently out selling them both shows that if you have compelling enough marketing, people will buy it. Dude, you're saying that the PS3 isn't selling because of weak software...then you bring up the Wii?!!? The Wii library is dismal. Have they even released a new game in the last 6 months. People are sheep. It's a psychological fact. Humans don't want to use the mental resources it takes to make informed decisions for themselves. That's why marketing exists. The Wii is marketed as fun for the whole family, and being innovative, as well as dirt cheap. But name a truly kick ass game for the Wii.

I'll wait.

The 360 is just marketed constantly. You can't watch an hour of television without seeing it. And like I said, they've done the smartest thing and tagged their logo at the end of just about any video game commercial. They're marketed as having a much better software library, even though that hasn't been the case for a year now. The 360 is being marketed as being much cheaper than the PS3, even though that's not really the case considering what you get for your dollar. MS is just doing a great job on selling the damned thing. I commend them on that. If they could wrap a piece of crap in shiny paper and sell it, I wouldn't be mad at them. I'd laugh at the jackass who bought it.

I will give you that Xbox live beats the PSN though.

[Perno @ Nov 20th 2008 10:03PM]

Before the big NXE launch, there were no licensing issues - even with the people that got in on the preview - but now the big launch and they pull all their crappy movies? I don't understand the people that DON'T think Sony did this on purpose.

[bboston7 @ Nov 20th 2008 11:09PM]

I understand why they did it, but I hate the people who call Sony stupid because of the move. It was a smart business move to pull the movies, they don't see a cent from streaming to the Xbox.

Oh, and to the people who say "What if microsoft stopped selling Windows to Sony?" Microsoft couldn't do that because any dumbass can get their hands on an OEM copy of Windows.

[Evans @ Nov 20th 2008 11:18PM]

@boston

are you serious? they see the same money they do from netflix sending out the DVD to your door.
smart move? Pissing off consumers who are going to eventually thinking about purchasing Bluray, yea thats a smart move.

please shutup and dont talk when you dont know.

[nohone @ Nov 20th 2008 11:31PM]

@bboston7:

1) "they don't see a cent from streaming to the Xbox" - Link? It is a rental. NetFlix gets paid each time a movie is rented. NetFlix pays out a portion of each rental to the studio. Just like for every song that is played on the radio an amount of money is sent to the artist, when a DVD is rented, money is sent to the studio. There is no difference if it is rented online or a physical disk.

2) "It was a smart business move" - no, it is not. Think of it this way, Sony has a disk they want to sell. They need to press the disk, package it, send it to the retailer, accept back returns, warehouse unsold media, pay people to do the work of those tasks, etc. For NetFlix, the studio send data to them, and then get royalties. I do not know what the breakdown is for one disk sold vs. sold through a rental, but they reach a much wider audience through rental with much, much lower costs.

3) "I hate the people who call Sony stupid because of the move" - when NBC pulled out of iTunes, Apple fans were calling for boycotts, making threats against NBC execs, and so on. Do you hate them also?

[Dave Chappelle @ Nov 21st 2008 6:10AM]

@ nohone.

"do you hate them also"

hell yes I hate apple fanboys, they are the worst.

well Sony distributes some really kickass movies this is a big loss but im sure it will be patched up in the future, or else the spokesmen would not have said that.

[ColonelSmith @ Nov 20th 2008 10:04PM]

Then why is the Xbox the only device that is having this issue. I think the Netflix reps should be asked some more questions so we don't have to listen to Sony's PR crap.

[chefgon_ign @ Nov 21st 2008 7:40AM]

Netflix's contract with them probably just uses language a little too specific to apply to the Xbox. "PCs and DVD players" maybe. The reality is, Sony's movie studios will make more money if streaming to Xbox is re-enabled, so they're going to do whatever they need to do to make it happen.

PS3 sales are completely unrelated, because it's a different division of Sony. Sony Pictures doesn't see a dime of profits from PS3 sales. Besides, even if they were committed to PS3 sales for some reason, blocking their movies on the Xbox certainly isn't going to sell any PS3s since those movies aren't available on the PS3 either.

[Hallsie @ Nov 21st 2008 2:25AM]

What about the Roku Netflix player? That's not having the problem, so tell me Sony, how is this not isolated to the 360?

[Joshua Walters @ Nov 20th 2008 10:22PM]

Sure Sony, keep telling yourselves that.

[Rob @ Nov 20th 2008 10:28PM]

Well, hopefully Sony won't pull off this same garbage when Tivo starts to stream Netflix too. I'm not too crazy about streaming as my ISP has been sending me warning letters about using too much bandwidth and should consider moving to a higher internet plan. The ironic thing is that I am using their highest residential internet plan. Clowns. But, if I get the itch for a show/movie, I like the idea of just pushing a couple of buttons and voila, it's there. This whole rationing of service by the ISPs is bullcrap. It's as stupid as Verizon sending me letters telling me that I'm making too many phone calls on my unlimited phone service. I still can't believe most consumers are falling for this rationing bs by the likes of Comcast. Sad, sad, sad.

[required @ Nov 20th 2008 10:29PM]

Slightly off topic but Netflix needs to offer streaming on both the Macintosh and PS3.

[Adam @ Nov 20th 2008 10:39PM]

Mentioning either Apple or Sony will get you low ranked by the dickless commenters of Engadget. Mentioning both will cause thousands of pimples to burst on the faces of hundreds of Microsoft fanboys. To them the 360 is Christ, and mentioning anything else is nothing short of blasphemy.

[Gabe @ Nov 20th 2008 10:51PM]

@Adam

Funny how everyone that's high ranked here has mentioned Sony, then, huh?

[Aiwanei @ Nov 20th 2008 10:52PM]

Netflix does offer streaming to Macs now.

[UnnDunn @ Nov 20th 2008 10:55PM]

Mac streaming is available now in beta via Silverlight. Click below to opt-in and activate it.

http://www.netflix.com/silverlightoptin

[Anthony-E @ Nov 21st 2008 12:33AM]

Gabe, you know what he meant. He means that if you say anything good about Apple or Sony, you get instantly low ranked.

On the other hand, if you are bashing either of these companies, you get shot up to Highest Ranked. A prime example of this is how a stupid, ignorant comment like "Sony's just jealous." somehow achieves an unmerited Highest Ranked status.

[Adam @ Nov 21st 2008 2:04AM]

@ Gabe:

I don't know which article you're refrencing b/c a guy who wrote "fuck u Sony" is highest rank. How you can reward someone who is a.) to lazy to add the extra 2 letters to "you, and b.) is to simple to come up with another word than "fuck" when bestowing an insult upon a conglomerate. I prefer to insult the user rather than the company. For example, the next time a 360 fanboy gets laid by a girl under 300lbs will be the first time. All I've been trying to say lately is that being a fanboy to ANYTHING shows a lack of intelligence and human companionship. Exercisce all of that love towards a human, not a box. A, I crazy for feeling this way? However, this message is lost on Engadget commenters because they reward feverish defense of Microsoft and low rank anyone who praises another product. All I am doing is raising a mirror to the Engadget commenter, and the results indicate they cannot tolerate the result.

Now excuse me while I get my next low ranking.

[phanbouy fan fan @ Nov 21st 2008 12:33PM]

all i read was "Now excuse me while I get my next low ranking."

[Forrest @ Nov 21st 2008 2:47PM]

"...is to simple to come up with another word than "fuck" when bestowing an insult upon a conglomerate."

Because the word is appropriate. Many of us who try do the right thing and pay for our content are getting sick of being limited by content providers' asinine, overbearing, utterly doomed protectionist measures.

So yes. Fuck you Sony. Fuck you.

[Skazer @ Nov 20th 2008 10:33PM]

Uh, they DID ask Netflix reps already. The reps responded: "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." Also, only Columbia Pictures were taken off.

Amazing, Engadget spreads another rumour without waiting for more facts to come to light and the community immediately jumpes on the "hate Sony" bandwagon without thinking about the situation.

Ironically,so many here complain about Engadget's editors being biased towards Apple, but at the same time so many readers started to mindlessly rant and assign human qualities like being "childish" to a large corporation like Sony just because they're a bunch of Xbox 360 fanboys.

[bboston7 @ Nov 20th 2008 11:11PM]

Exactly! To sony this was a smart business move.

[Mitch @ Nov 21st 2008 1:18AM]

So this natural flow of titles becoming available just happens to cut off one day before the release of Netflix streaming on Xbox? That's just being ignorant especially since it's only on Xbox they aren't being allowed. Why don't you think about the situation? I have nothing against Sony and the PS3 is a fantastic device but don't spew bullshit. It's all about PR both of the companies are trying to save there own asses because they removed 300ish mostly great movies.