Netflix CEO wants streaming service on all consoles

by Alexander Sliwinski on Sep 23rd 2009 1:29PM

While Microsoft and Netflix underlings tiptoe around the issue of the movie-rental company's streaming service for other game consoles -- currently "exclusive" to Xbox 360 -- Netflix CEO Reed Hastings tells Reuters he wants the feature on every console. The executive notes that "currently [Netflix's] Xbox deal is exclusive and [Netflix hasn't] characterized it more than that," leaving the door at least slightly ajar for other consoles and media devices to enter into Netflix streaming deals of their own.

That's the big question: For how long is the exclusivity agreement between Netflix and Microsoft, and is it renewable? Answering that question -- believe us, we've tried -- would tell us when to expect a flood of Netflix-streaming systems.

[Via Edge]

Source

Tags: hastings, Microsoft, netflix, netflix-instant-watch, Nintendo, reed-hastings, streaming, streaming-video, Wii, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (88)

and by they I mean NetFlix has to flip the switch

part of me hates you.

I've been streaming netflix to my PS3 with PlayOn for about two months now, and it works perfectly (Though I'm starting to run thin on compelling stuff to watch from netflix though).

There have been a ton of other plugins released for playon lately too, including southpark studios (access to EVERY southpark episode), MTV (shows and music videos), NBC, Simpsons, Adult Swim, Crackle, GameTrailers, and the list goes on....

the only problem with playon is that it's windows only. otherwise, i'd totally dig it.

a few good sites to check out if you can't find anything to watch instantly on netflix are:
www.instantwatcher.com
www.streamingsoon.com
they are updated daily and show all the new movies/tv shows that just were added to instant watch. streamingsoon.com even shows stuff that is coming up.

If by perfectly you mean no HD with inferior picture quality and outdated codecs then yes, playon works perfectly.

If, on the other hand you want HD streaming with near on the fly quality adjustments using some awesome silverlight tech and codecs, well PlayOn just won't get there.

@Ordeith: From what I've seen, netflix HD streaming on Xbox is far from functional (you're used to those on-the-fly adjustments eh?). And if your HD streaming is functional, good luck hearing the videos over the jet engine scream of your system.
For me, the movies that are even worth watching in HD (1080p specifically) come on a Bluray disk in the mail from netflix.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/19/do-not-time-netflix-hd-streaming-shootout/

@Chris.

From those comments it is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about.

Welcome to Joystiq.

That was cute.

playon streams adult sites to xbox and ps3 for free

available in Canada?

seems like they dont like making money is all it comes down to. Why would you want your product only on one market. Why not get all the money? I'd want ps3, 360, wii and iphone money not just xbox.

well i'm sure that exclusive contract they signed with microsoft resulted in netflix making A LOT of money. make no mistake about that.

yes def sexy. Mine is standin vertical next to my black LCD and my black speakers with black subwoofer. color coordination pwnz :)

Who really cares? PSN has a TON of great movies as it is. I dont see why it needs NetFlix as well. I wouldnt sign up for this even if it was available. I like the pay as you go system. Why pay a monthly membership for a video rental service when you have Playstation Store movies, RedBox, Comcast On-Demand and every premium channel available? Its just dumb. I like that I can just pay a flat $3 and download the movie and watch it. Screw NetFlix.

Word. And if you're like me and don't give a damn, you could just stream movies and music from Vuze for free. :)

for 9 bucks a month you can stream as many movies as you want. If you watch 3 or more movies a month, ti's a great deal. Plus, you get the by-mail netflix service on top of that.

ummmm $8.95/month for unlimited rentals....verses $4-5 per movie via PS Store and Cable companies....not to mention they have added TV Shows on there and with Starz play that adds new movies as well....

@ time, Yes, But I dont rent 3-4 movies a month. It is usually like 2 a month and OnDemand is free and RedBox is $1 the only time I pay $3 is off of the Playstation store. I consider it a convenience fee cause I dont have to search hard and dont have to drive but at the same time I dont have to be caught in a membership agreement where I pay even if I dont use it. Plus then I am forced to watch only what is available on Netflix cause I wouldnt use anything else if I were a member for fear of not getting my moneys worth. Of course that is just me being cheap.

Chris, the streams off of the PSN and XBLA are far superior quality in SD than Netflix and if we choose to go HD, then it's even better!

how do you get OnDemand for free? is there like a special or something?

@ Space, Yea, I have some kind of special deal that apparently they no longer sell because I tried to get it for my parents but my wife signed up for it and we get every OnDemand channel for free except for the newest releases.

testing, testing 1-2-3

I like Netflix and all, but their streaming just plain SUCKS!!! Hulu should be what we want to get on all devices. They have the best streaming technology, and once they get popular, then the content will follow with other studios joining in, like ABC just did.

you're out of your mind. netflix is streaming is great quality

Well let me clarify, quality is fine, controls are okay. However, the selection SUCKS!!!!!!! If you watch stuff using streaming Netflix then you are one bored SOB.

There are tons of great foreign movies, documentaries, I just watched friday night lights seasons 1 and 2. The first four or five seasons of the office are on there. I just watched hudsucker proxy, a cohen brothers classic. I think californication is on there too.

I don't think Sony would integrate Netflix as an application on the PS3 simply because it would be competing directly with their own PS Video store.

It would be nice, however, if Sony decided to transform their PS Video store's business model to mimic that of Netflix's in terms of policy and subscription fee.

That would essentially negate the 360's check mark over the PS3.

How about getting it to work with Linux? And then it will work with XBMC, and Linux on PS2 and PS3, and just about every other device in the world.

duh.

will you cheap ass people stop asking for everything to be free ,it's getting old tiresome already .either pay for it or live without it but stop begging for stuff to be free. just cause you paid for something at a higer than normal price.how would you like it, if the companies you worked for thought like that. you would all find a reason to quit cause that would be unfair of them to want you to work for free after they had paid alot upfront.

A quick caveat re: Netflix HD streaming: stereo audio only :(

Who out there's rockin' HD & using the shite factory speakers?!?

Also, if your house has any deaf or HOH members - no CC.

i want twitter on my ps3

This would be cool it make sense for Netflix more places where it is available more money. Lets not turn this thing into a fanboy shit throwing thing it just business.

Too late already see some shit throwing

I think the reason why it works with Microsoft is because Microsoft has been integrating 3rd-party services like Netflix, where Sony and Nintendo are tending to do thing in-house instead.

Ummm I use Netflix on my PS3 almost daily. Its called PlayOn. For half the price of a yearly RROD subscription you can buy PlayOn and stream Netflix (and many others) from your PC to the PS3, 360, and Wii.

Since that PC is a server its always on.

I hope so. I don't stream on the PC and don't get the disc. If (when) my 360 gets RROD I'd just be bored until I got it fixed. Sometimes at night before I go to bed I just hit a bunch of random buttons in the netflix section and watch random movies to go to sleep to. Don't even look at what I select.

Personally, I am very interested in the 1080P streaming MS will be doing with the Zune marketplace. From what I have heard and read about on the technology, it sounds legit and should be a nice quality addition to the service.

Netflix on PS3? Keep dreaming. When is everybody going to realized its Sony that does not want Netflix on the PS3? Netflix would directly compete with the Playstation Store video downloads. Its not going to happen as long as Sony has its own video store on the PS3.

Previous 50 Comments

Netflix CEO wants streaming service on all consoles

Reader Comments (88)

Posted: Sep 23rd 2009 1:58PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

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