Microsoft Announces Full Slate Of Xbox 360 Video Partners

[Earnest Cavalli]

Microsoft Announces Full Slate Of Xbox 360 Video Partners

Your Xbox 360 is about to become a media hub. Say hello to the content providers who are making that possible.

If you read our detailed preview of the December 6 Xbox 360 Dashboard Update [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114524-Heres-The-Skinny-On-Microsofts-New-360-Update], you likely already know that a number of big names from the world of film and television are joining forces with Microsoft to turn the Xbox 360 into some kind of freaky, futuristic video machine. While not all of the providers will be serving up content on day one, Microsoft has just dropped a comprehensive list of when you'll be seeing your preferred media conglomerate's shows streaming through its console.

Via the official, inconveniently formatted press release:

Dec. 6:
EPIX. United States
ESPN on Xbox LIVE (ESPN). United States
Hulu. Japan
Hulu Plus. United States
LOVEFiLM. United Kingdom
Netflix. Canada, United States
Premium Play by (MediaSet). Italy
Sky Go (SkyDE). Germany
Telefónica España - Movistar Imagenio. Spain
TODAY (MSNBC). United States

Later in December:
4 on Demand (C4). United Kingdom
ABC iView (Australian Broadcasting Corp.). Australia
AlloCiné. France (AlloCiné), Germany (Filmstarts), Spain (Sensacine), United Kingdom (Screenrush)
Astral Media's Disney XD (Astral Media). Canada
blinkbox (Blinkbox). United Kingdom
Crackle (Sony Pictures). Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States
Dailymotion. Available in 32 countries globally
Demand 5 (Five). United Kingdom
DIGI+ (CANAL+). Spain
GolTV (Mediapro). Spain
iHeartRadio (Clear Channel). United States
Mediathek/ZDF (ZDF). Germany
MSN. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom
MSNBC.com. United States
MUZU.TV. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
ninemsn. Australia
Real Sports (Maple Leaf Sports). Canada
Rogers On Demand Online (Rogers Media). Canada
SBS ON DEMAND.Australia
Sky Go (SkyDE). Austria
TMZ (Warner Bros.). Canada, United States
TVE (RTVE.es). Spain
UFC on Xbox LIVE (UFC). Canada, United States
Verizon FiOS TV. United States
VEVO. Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
Vudu (Wal-Mart). United States
YouTube. Available in 24 countries globally

Early 2012:
Antena 3 (Antena 3 de Televisión). Spain
BBC (BBC). United Kingdom
CinemaNow (Best Buy). United States
HBO GO (HBO). United States
MLB.TV (MLB Advanced Media). Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States
Telenovelas/Sports (Televisa). Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom
Xfinity On Demand (Comcast). United States

You'll notice that most of those entries are followed by the names of countries. Yes, that does indicate that not all providers will be seen globally. As per usual, the United States is getting the lion's share of media content, but other major countries like Japan and all those folk clustered together in the European pseudo-continent will also receive a pretty fair complement of moving picture content.

Canada, on the other hand, seems a bit screwed by this deal. Granted, our icy friends are being given a solid selection of hockey-based content -- hockey : Canadians :: narwhals : the Icelandic -- but otherwise America's northern pal seems to be getting a lot of hand-me-downs from its Southern neighbor.

Given that The Escapist has a worldwide audience, what do you all think? Is your region being shafted by ethereal copyright restrictions? Do you wish you had a convenient way to watch UFC fights in Portugal? Why can't America have AlloCiné?

(It's because we think all French women are Audrey Tautou. Americans are just terrible, you guys.)

Permalink

 

[Lost In The Void]

Alright being Stereotypically Canadian I am happy for all the hockey content I'm getting because its easier to watch hockey from my Xbox than try and hook up cable again just for the games. That said though, what the fuck HBO? I'd easily pay to watch my HBO shows on my Xbox in a heartbeat, Game of Thrones seasons on Xbox would be a goddamn joy to have.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I see that it's getting the BBC iPlayer. Looks like they've made a deal then because the Xbox was notable for being virtually the only platform that didn't have it.

 

[TxMxRonin]

More things I'm never gonna use. Only hope the price doesn't goes up again.

 

[therandombear]

Norway is actually on the list...muzu.tv....wut? *checks wiki*

Doesn't seem like anything special tbh.

"A likely rival of youtube" Meh...I got my PC right next too the xbox, so pointless for me.

 

[Antitonic]

Hmm... let's see...Dec. 6:

Later in December:
ABC iView (Australian Broadcasting Corp.). Has potential. Dr. Who, Spicks and Specks, Gruen Transfer, yes please. Question Time? Bleh.
Crackle (Sony Pictures). No idea of this one. Internet shows it has Dilbert, which I own, and crap.
Dailymotion. - Some Let's Plays, which are good. Otherwise, bleh.
ninemsn. - Repeats of reality shows, and news. Bleh.
SBS ON DEMAND. - European porn or soccer. Bleh.
YouTube. Available in 24 countries globally - Let's Plays, or whoop-de-friggin'-do.

Early 2012:
MLB.TV (MLB Advanced Media) - I don't even know what this is. Baseball? Bleh.So out of seven, three have potential (to me), and two of those three are easier to access on a PC, and I'm not sure about the ABC.

Also, improve the Internet first, before adding stuff. Streaming video and direct download games? Wonderful! My d/l speed is measured in kb/s. Not so great.

 

[Rad Party God]

Well, at least we're getting MSN and YouTube for Mexico and nothing else... not that I really care, as I no longer have an Xbox and I use my PC for all of that stuff.

 

[Wandrecanada]

I've crowed about it before but I can understand that international streaming rights is currently FUBAR when it comes to the internet. Canada and Mexico not having things like Bravo and Hulu is broken. When we can receive the same content via a different medium but the internet cannot offer this because rights holders choose to censor it out of greed it's time for laws like anti-trust and anti-censorship need to step in.

 

[Muco5681]

Denmark is getting the shaft again muzu and youtube...great

 

[ParadiseOnceLost]

Wow I might be inclined to buy a Xbox Live Gold subscription again once I get a job. Although to be honest most of these seem stupid. I would prolly watch the UFC and look into EPIX and crackle but other then that I don't see a lot (I don't have cable but I might consider picking it up if Comcast /Verizon gave some kind of Xbox only discount.)

 

[blangblang14]

I hate to feed the stereotype but... Nice Hockey! It will be nice to have VEVO and UFC in Canada as well. I don't think Canada's getting too bad of a deal it seems that there are other countries on the list that are getting a worse deal.

 

[Zane Swank]

Why is Crackle (sony made) going to be on the 360, but it is not on the PS3? that just seems strange to me, not that i think crackle is any good (poor selection, commercial breaks) it's just weird.

 

[duchaked]

looks pretty sweet! tho...it really depends on what is included with the Live subscription, e.g. Netflix still requires it's own monthly sub

 

[goldenheart323]

The 360 is totally gimped as a media hub. I hope this fixes it.
I'd love to be able to just look at ALL the content on a backup disc at once as opposed to viewing ONLY videos, or ONLY pics, or ONLY music, and having to back out to the main area to change media types.

I hope that also means it will be able to download a codec to play some videos without forgetting what that codec is as soon as I disconnect from Xbox Live! (I don't have wireless, and only go online for demos and updates.) I kid you not, it's played some videos from my PC burned to a disc, but when I clicked to play it again after disconnecting my LAN wire, it gave me the "cannot play without an update" error screen! That's even without turning off my 360.

And when I'm playing a CD on the 360, it'd be nice to be able to fast forward too... you know, kind of like what CD players could do even 20 or 30yrs ago.

 

[masticina]

Being in holland [netherlands on the list] I pretty much would get.. NOTHING NEW

Oh sod it!

 

[Something Amyss]

'European pseudo-continent'? Really now? Pseudo-continent? The stereotypically overt and proud ignorance displayed by Americans knows no bounds in your case or so it seems. As a writer I'd assume you know that 'pseudo' infers falsehood but given your use of the term I have my doubts.

He may be referencing the connection of Europe and Asia, often called "Eurasia" and itself really a single continent.

But it's probably easier to insult than understand.

 

[LiquidSolstice]

More things I'm never gonna use. Only hope the price doesn't goes up again.

Well shit, I guess they shouldn't bother than because you're never going to use the new features. Stupid Microsoft.

 

[LiquidSolstice]

'European pseudo-continent'? Really now? Pseudo-continent? The stereotypically overt and proud ignorance displayed by Americans knows no bounds in your case or so it seems. As a writer I'd assume you know that 'pseudo' infers falsehood but given your use of the term I have my doubts.

You know how you ended the post with a 'humorous' admittance that you know so little about France that you think all the women look like Audrey Tautou? The humour at the expense of your own pride as an American, fully aware of the ignorance stereotype as you are, would be fine if you hadn't written something so blatantly backwards as calling Europe a pseudo-continent. Instead it reeks of weak comedy with a hint of knowingly wilful ignorance.

How about not admitting how limited your view on the world is and just dispensing with the information from here out, reading such backwards prattle makes me think I'd be just as well off reading the 'jokes' of some unpaid, random blogger and not frequenting the article section here.

Yes, because when Europeans insult America, it's all in good, casual fun. Calm the hell down, he wasn't trying to mortally offend anyone.