Netflix Survey: Wii Streaming Service

A Netflix survey being present to some subscribers of the popular “by mail and Internet” DVD rental service may indicate some future plans of the service on platforms other than the Xbox 360, reports Joystiq. The survey asks participants to read a description of a Netflix product and to answer questions about it.

 That product consist of “Netflix Instant Streaming Disc” that users would put into their Wii, enabling them to stream an entertainment selection from its library of 12,000 titles. The disc would apparently have to be inserted in the Wii to use the service, but all the functionalities associated with Netflix streaming solution would apply: rewind, pause, fast forward, etc.

If nothing else the survey proves that Netflix would love to be able to break into the lucrative Wii space, but it doesn’t mean that the idea is a lock either… and if Netflix “is” considering streaming content via the Wii, what of the PS3? Wouldn’t that be an easier platform to get into to? We think yes, but there’s no survey for that.

There’s one other thing the survey proves: The Xbox 360 deal Netflix has going has certainly kept the company in the black in the early part of 2009. More deals mean more money.

BlockBuster Eyes Rent-By-Mail Games Market

Look out GameFly, watch your back Netflix! BlockBuster’s rent-by-mail program will expand to include video games later this year, according to published reports. Blockbuster really seemed to have its head in the clouds when it came to the video game market, despite making tons of money for in-store game rentals for years. Why did it take them this long? We’ll probably never know the answers to that question, but it is good to see them finally waking up.

When this will happen is to be determined and the company has a long way to catch up to its rivals: Netflix has the added advantage of already being tied to the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live and GameFly has been renting games by mail for a very, very long time.

Netflix Deal a Huge Success, Says Microsoft

Microsoft said this morning that its deal with Netflix has proven to be a grand success with more than a million Xbox 360 users downloading the Netflix application via Xbox Live Marketplace since the deal was jump started in November 2008. Since that time, Xbox Live gold members have watched more than 1.5 billion minutes of movies and television shows. Netflix offers 12,000 movies and TV shows currently available on the Xbox 360.

This news comes as no great shock; in late January Netflix reported a 45 percent jump in profits for its latest quarter in part due to the Xbox 360 deal. The company also saw a 27 percent increase in subscriptions. While the Xbox 360 may have lost the DVD format wars, deals like this really hurt Sony’s plans to dominate the DVD market with BluRay. Why watch a disc when you can rent it online and watch it almost instantly?

Source: Venture Beat.

The Top 21 News Stories of 2008: 14 - 8

(Contributors: Tom Ohle - CD Projekt RED, Rich Carlson - Digital Eel, Eric Holmes - Radical Entertainment, and Game Trust members Evan Narcisse, Gus Mastrapa, David Chapman and James Fudge)

We continue our countdown of the Top 21 News Stories of 2008, with #14 - #7, starting now. If you missed the first part of our countdown featuring David Chapman, James Fudge and ECA President Hal Halpin, you can check it out right here.

Next: #14 –>

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

GameFly Invades Xbox Live

Those of you who do not use GameFly and were thinking that maybe you’d like to give it a try, might be interested to know that the online game rental company is teaming up with Xbox Live for a special promotion.

The program includes a special subscription offer exclusive for Xbox LIVE members of $5.95 for the first month of GameFly and 400 Microsoft Points, which can be used to purchase downloadable content on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. The campaign will run now through September 13, 2008.

The promotion will also feature a branded GameFly area, free gamer pics and themes and sweepstakes featuring Metallica concert tickets. To get into the sweepstakes you’ll have to download a gamer pic or GameFly theme. Additional prizes include 6 month GameFly memberships and a copy of Mercenaries 2: World in Flames for the Xbox 360 from EA. Winners will be chosen after the campaign ends on September 13.