Netflix has entered into a partnership with Microsoft to stream movies and TV episodes to consumers via Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console.
The Xbox 360 will be the only game system that lets users watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix. Service will be available to Xbox Live Gold members (membership is $49.95 per year) who are also Netflix subscribers at no additional cost.
Using the service will require, however, a free software upgrade from Microsoft.
Netflix will launch on Xbox Live in late fall, with 10,000 titles and more choices added over time.
Microsoft has arranged to be the exclusive game console for the Netflix service, but the Netflix streaming is still available through any Internet-connected PC, and also through other devices. One is a set-top from Roku, now available for $100. Another is a box still being developed by LG and promised for the latter half of this year.
Netflix on Xbox 360 will launch this fall with the release of the new Xbox experience, a new generation of games and entertainment experiences that will be available for Xbox 360 this fall.
Microsoft announced several other content companies that will make their products available via the Xbox. They include NBC Universal, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, SCI FI Channel, USA Network, Constantin and MGM.
Also, Final Fantasy XIII will be available on Xbox 360 at launch in North America and Europe. This is something of a big deal, inasmuch as the Final Fantasy series has always debuted on Sony Playstation games well in advance of their availability on other game platforms.
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