June 29th 2010 6:03 pm PT

Sweet, Xbox Live just keeps getting better and better.

Will it be free to gold members or will there be a subscription for it?

Really Gold only? That seems strange since this is suppose to cost $10 a month. Or will the pricing be different on the 360? How much will it cost?

P.S. Sweet!!

The plus means that you need to pay plus monies to get it.

so it will be like Netflix of ESPN, where as PS 3 for netflix is more like a port, hopefully we’ll get to see the same features as Netflix or Zune marketplace with party viewing and of course Kinect voice commands.

Looks like I can finally cancel my cable services. Netflix + Hulu + XBL Gold = way cheaper then cable.

My guess is it will work like Netflix. We will be required to have a Hulu Plus subscription in addition to a Xbox Live Gold membership.

Yes. Pricing details are needed.

$10 a month, no thank you.

$9.99 a month

Pretty sure you’ll need a Hulu Plus subscription($10/month) and an Xbox Live Gold Membership.

where’s my youtube? I want YOUTUBE, Hulu for 10 bucks+ Netflix for 10 bucks= ESPN for free? But wheres the NFL support? are we going to get NFL Network of Xbox?

$10 a month is dirt cheap. Considering that most people pay $75+ a month for cable/satellite TV, if they can get away with canceling that service and saving a bundle and still get the content (legally as well), I would sign up right away. However, I live in Canada and therefore these services will continue to taunt me.

This is apparently available next month (July) for the ps3. Wonder why the rather large difference in availability?

$9.99 lol

Sweet Mother of Mary! Great news. Hopefully Hulu will have their stuff subtitled from the word “go”.

Thumbs down, not paying extra $10 a month for Hulu.

Why does Xbox get Hulu in early 2011 when everyone (even PS3) gets it in the next few weeks/months?

Also, I have Netflix and don’t plan on getting Hulu Plus simply because I have cable. I would love to not pay for cable but I am forced to and this paying for Hulu is redundant. Also, Hulu doesn’t have The Daily Show or Colbert Report. I need the whole package if I am going to shell out $10.

Great news
The 360 getting another mega stream of entertainment to tap into

Fail.. another US only feature. US subscribers get way more bang for their buck than any other country.

Not paying 10 bucks a nonrigid something that I can get on my computer for free.

I was really excited about this until I looked into Hulu plus. It will cost $10 to have access to it. I have a Sumsung TV that is supported so I don’t even need my 360 but $10 is just too much to ask. Why can’t they use the same business model they use now and only store part of a season put a few ads in and give us access to that for free?

This sounds about as useless as the facebook and twitter apps they added last year. I get some use out of last.fm but i don’t use that all that much. I’m not going to pay $10 a month on top of the $50 a year for gold to watch shows that i can get for free on my computer. If this was free it would be great but not everyone has the money to do this kind of useless nonsense. The feature i really want to see on the xbox is an internet browser. That would cater to all the people who desire youtube on the xbox. Really though if your going to add hulu also add the free version of it to for the people who don’t desire paying the monthly fee. There are still plenty of series that i can watch on the free one.

I bought my 360 to play games, I already have a cable box.
You guys need to get back to your roots and that’s gaming.
Leave the motion crap to Nintendo and the T.V. watching to the PS3.

At $10 a month forget it. The Netflix thing was palpable because I was already paying for Netflix anyway, so it was not real additional cost.

Pro tip: If you want access to Hulu for free today, grab yourself a transcoder app and use Media Center to view it.

Really, early 2011? That’s way far away. I’m sure something better will be out by then…

Alas, $9.99/month on *top* of paying for gold? I really wanted to like this, but no, I won’t be getting it at that price. If it didn’t require gold (so my wife could use it with her silver gamertag) it would be more tempting, but even then $10/month is hard to swallow.

I would gladly pay twice as much if this was available in Canada…same for Netflix.

Xbox will get it in early 2011 so that we can work on the experience. We want to make sure it’s a solid experience like the one we have for Netflix. As far as pricing, availability etc…those are great questions to ask Hulu.

This is about the most retarded crap I’ve ever seen ‘if any’. Who in the right mind wants to pay $10 usd ‘monthly’ for something that they can simply go on there computer to watch for free… Sometimes I personally think they have kids working in the launch team myself…

I’m about to sale my xbox 360 and go back to the day and age when games where good. Project Natal is one of the worst ideals I’ve ever heard of… its just hilarious watching someone bop around with no controller… it really makes them look like a idiot, if you know what I mean?

Don’t think too many people here are going to buy that excuse major. Not sure why it isn’t available til 2011 (don’t care as I have no interest in the product) but please don’t insult our intelligence with lame PR speak. I’ll give you guys credit though, you are good at it. My personal favorite was when you all stated that you were doing us a favor by not including wifi when Sony dropped their price last year. That was classic.

This is great news Major! I do hope more details are released in the near future though.

Once again, everywhere else gets bugger all. Nice going. -_- Dicks.

Great! another USA only feature that rips off the rest if the world.

1st Netflix, then EPSN and now Hulu!!!!

Subscribers outside of the USA either need to see a vast reduction in cost of a live gold account or some features that justify the price for content compared to the USA service.

Why the hell won’t Microsoft bring regional services to it’s Non-USA customers

In the UK for instance, there are several tv catch up services, which would be a great addition to the live service, such as bbc’s iplayer. M$ has said that it currently has no plans to bring iplayer top the xbox live platform. I guessing it’s because it wouldn’t make M$ any more money.

Seriously M$, pay some attention to your customers outside of the USA or reduce the cost of a gold live account!!!!!!

Not bashing on anybody, but it’s all about contract and $$. Why was NetFlix on Xbox first and you can download it? Because Microsoft made a deal with NetFlix to get the “app” first, before Sony & Nintendo. Sony probably did the same thing with Hulu and got hulu first and Xbox owners will have to wait until next year. It’s all business. Be thankful that it’s coming to the 360.

One more US Only new Xbox Live feature Really looking forward to see if the Gamescom will bring something here

Nice feature for you guys in the US to join.

Hey Major can you ask the guys at the UK office when we are going to get the iplayer on xbox?
Oh thats right I forgot it has to be free to both silver and gold members so it wont be allowed on the dashboard anytime this decade.

Im wondering about the ATT U-Verse is supposed to be coming? Atleast that would replace a cable box that I could use in another room.

I would go for this if I wasn’t already paying for my Xbox Live Gold account.

That’s just great. Another thing Canadians get screwed out of because of greedy content providers. Seriously I get all the channels on TV in Canada anyways we can’t Hulu be open to Canadians. Of course I pay full price for XBL – getting a subset of complete services to the U.S.

US only………………come on sort the deal out with BBCiplayer for us in the UK

Man, I love Xbox so much but the competition is really turning up the heat. I have been waiting patiently for Hulu Plus for a while now and PS3 having it now really makes me want to trade in BOTH of my 360′s and stop paying for BOTH of my household’s Live accounts.

Throw in the fact that Major’s friend Stepto can’t manage to give us a safe playing environment and the choice really becomes clear.

Is there a reason to stay with Xbox anymore?

M$ need to get over themselves and realise that iplayer is free in the UK already. And that they can’t charge for something that has already been paid for buy UK licence fee payers.

I wish they’d get some of the other catch up services on as well, i wouldn’t mind if there were 2 mins (max) of ad’s before (and only before) an uninterrupted programme from ITV, Channel 4 and Five etc.

if hulu plus is on the new windows phone i may consider it. beyond that i love that xbox it on top of things, in 2011. ps3 gets it next month.

I agree with all the non-US gold members here. I price reduction for non-US gold needs to happen if all the add-ons are only ever going to be for US members.

BBC iPlayer won’t be on Xbox Live due to the BBC not wanting MS to provide the service to Gold members only. iPlayer is paid for by the license fee and according to BBC should be made available to all Live subscribers or none at all. Ball’s in MS’s court I guess.

Don’t see why ITV player/4OD can’t be included though.

@fuzzyGURU

Awww, go cry a river. Too damn bad for you.

Over on the Consumerist they have the details of Hulu Plus. $9.99 a month + the privilege of viewing ads.

So Hulu isn’t going to have a free alternative like they have right now on their website? Because I’m not paying $10 on top of what I am already paying for my gold membership. And we have to wait till 2011? I really hope this has nothing to do with Kinect.

See TG kolz4ever, a spoiled little wanker. I bet he uses that same mouth to complain that Xbox Live is too expensive.

Grow up.

I am happy as a Canadian Customer to support US gold members with new features. I think Canadian customers should get a discount on Xbox live subscriptions.

If what Kroesis is saying is true, good for the BBC.
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I don’t understand the requirement of having a Gold account for features like this (or for P2P gaming but that’s another can of worms); features that go through a third party who we are already paying. It’s silly.
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FYI, this isn’t my primary gamertag. I get enough 10th prestige spam as it is.

ITV and 4OD is the same deal. They won’t provide their service to people that are paying when their services are free. I think it’s also why Xboxes only become Sky Boxes, and not Freeview. After all anyone with an internet connection can stream On Demand content for free without paying, and Freeview boxes are a one time payment for 50+ channels. Just contracts buisness here Microsoft and their partners can make money.
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It’s more likely to happen on PS3 only because the BBCiplayer is already there. Dosen’t work but it’s there. It wouldn’t suprise me if 4OD and more On Demand content appeared there. Not on PSN+ though.
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And I thought I was the troll, then TG kolz4ever shows up. The baton continues.

$10/mo – no thanks. Why bother when I can already watch Hulu (along with media from numerous other web-based steaming content providers) on my 360 using TVersity?? Epically when, as stated in the Hulu Plus press release: “Hulu Plus is a new, revolutionary ad-supported subscription product…” Meaning, not only are you paying $10/mo for it, but you are still going to have ads to deal with. Not at all worth it. I’ve already got Netflix and am running TVersity, I need nothing else.

Will only mean something to me if there is no additional cost above what I’m already paying for XBL. Seems like there will be a $10 fee for this, which is no good.

Hopefully it’s coming to Europe. I will get it for PS3 though. First of all I won’t need a Gold-Membership and secondly it’s coming onto PS3 next month.

So when exactly was Microsoft planning to release some European exclusive applications? (And by ‘European’, I mean ‘not only the UK’.)

I know this is off topic but has anything been said about watching ESPN in parties? I really hope so since you can with Netflix and ZUNE.

I’m sorry, but for an extra $10 a month, I’ll just continue to watch Hulu on my HTPC, for free.

Oh, and I can do that RIGHT NOW.

I don’t use Hulu on my computer. Why am I supposed to be excited about it on xbox. Just something else I don’t want to use because it’s easier to type in my searches with a keyboard. If you don’t agree that a computer is more convenient why are you on yours atm reading this? Give me more games I want instead of useless features. How about more jrpgs, strategy games, anything besides racers and 1st person shooters.

So if they’re going to put all their content on Hulu Plus now, then what’s going to be left to watch on free Hulu?

If it costs $9.99 a month for unlimited viewing, you can just cancel your cable subscription, save a ton of money and get ONLY the programming you want.

Of course, none of this is relevant for me since I can’t see Hulu in my region… >_<

@extrickster From your spelling, grammar and style, I would guess that you’re an 8 year old kid yourself, or simply ignorant and uneducated.

I have to agree with all the non-US XBL members here that are complaining about this being another US-only option…

Seriously, Microsoft, if I would have the option of buying and renting movies, TV shows and music in my region, you’d get a lot more of my money.

P.S.: I’m in Costa Rica.

I have to agree with all the non-US XBL members here that are complaining about this being another US-only option…

Seriously, Microsoft, if I would have the option of buying and renting movies, TV shows and music in my region, you’d get a lot more of my money. Oh, that AND if you’d take my INTERNATIONAL MasterCard…

P.S.: I’m in Costa Rica.

Yet another US only deal, fuck you MS.

Yet again Europe are left out to dry. I have to say Im getting anoyed now that we are paying the same subscription fees as the US but not getting the same service.

I understand that different laws prevent television shows being broadcast into different countires ect, but at least we should be compensated in some way, cheaper subs, cheaper DLC ect.

So yes, most likely will have to pay the 10 a month for Hulu in the 360, only 6 months after it was available in other platforms. Apparently it will take that long to Kinectify-it.

Most likely will pass on this but thanks anyways…

I might sign up for this. I’ve got an iPhone and iPad I could use it on. I could also use it on my PS3 until the 360 version comes along.

I wish you guys at Microsoft would make some stuff for other territories too. I feel like I’m missing out living over here in the UK.

This really makes me wonder why as a Canadian I continue to pay for second-class service. Time to take good hard look and decide if its actually worth it to re-subscribe when it comes due.

major…why the hell is microsoft only doing stuff for us-members? explain that pls. I agree with all the non-US gold members here. A price reduction for non-US gold needs to happen if all the add-ons are only ever going to be for US members!! I will stop paying the fee if microsoft doesnt want to care about european members.

Every group gets blocked from region specific stuff for seamingly no good reason. Man I’d love to be able to purchase stuff from the japanese xbl.

@mccalejk

Obviously I can’t say for certain if that is the exact reason and can only comment on what I’ve read. The following page was the source for my earlier comment:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/6671901/Xbox-360-iPlayer-launch-delayed-indefinitely.html

Also there are rumours that MS didn’t want to be ‘seen to be following Nintendo and Sony’ opting for Sky etc..

http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/join-techradar-s-campaign-to-get-bbc-iplayer-on-xbox-live-688278

Mind you, I’ve never been one to believe everything that’s said on the internet but at least the Telegraph’s report seems reasonable.

Hi, could I have an order of random complaining?
Oh nevermind, I see we have plenty here already
I mean Stepto is part of the conversation in here? How does he even factor in all of this?
I don’t see the problem here, Hulu is offering a Plus plan and Microsoft is allowing it’s users to use it. For those of you outside of the US you’re not getting Hulu are you? So the reason to yell at Microsoft is why?

> So the reason to yell at Microsoft is why?

Because we pay the same. The development work that is being done for this feature is done with monies collected from users around the world, and it will benefit US subscribers only. We pay the same fees, but get less. In fact, we even pay more here in Canada. A year of gold is $60CAD or about $57USD. In the US, it is $50USD.

We are subsidizing the US subscribers.

Onebitrocket said:

Great! another USA only feature that rips off the rest if the world.

1st Netflix, then EPSN and now Hulu!!!!

Subscribers outside of the USA either need to see a vast reduction in cost of a live gold account or some features that justify the price for content compared to the USA service.

Why the hell won’t Microsoft bring regional services to it’s Non-USA customers

In the UK for instance, there are several tv catch up services, which would be a great addition to the live service, such as bbc’s iplayer. M$ has said that it currently has no plans to bring iplayer top the xbox live platform. I guessing it’s because it wouldn’t make M$ any more money.

Seriously M$, pay some attention to your customers outside of the USA or reduce the cost of a gold live account!!!!!!

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My sentiments exactly!

WOW, who would’ve guessed that this crew wouldn’t go for paying for something.

@Grim
Couldn’t the same argument be made for US customers who don’t get SkyTV but feel their money is going for another region’s goods?
I understand what you’re saying and so far you’ve made the only reasonable argument because others have said the “only for certain regions” and Microsoft can’t tell Hulu what regions they’ll cover. Hulu covers the US so Microsoft can only offer the Hulu to the US users.

Also if you don’t want to give Microsoft the full 50 dollars for a year of Live you have the option of buying membership cards at a discounted rate at many retailers, Major has posted deals before about them.

The main thing is that as the 360 expands in the content it offers it’s going to exclude certain things for certain regions. I wasn’t upset that SkyTV wasn’t available for me in the US, I saw it as hopefully other companies will see that deal and offer it in the US. It’s the same with Hulu or any other piece of content that Microsoft provides.

Considering the legal hurdles it’s impossible to think that every user will get the same exact content, that’s not possible in the world we live in. The best thing you can do is hope that regions that have something you would like do well so other companies join in and offer it for you. That also means being proactive about sending emails and calls to the companies and asking them to look into it.

@onebitrocket
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i can’t believe your post!!!…you forgot MSNBC hub for America as well,LOL
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FWIW-MS..we would rather have new and exclusive games for the 360 rather than more features(especially when they aren’t available in our countries)..please start concentrating on bringing games to the 360 instead…you are falling behind your competitors!!!
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BTW Major…the 400 point giveaway thing with Red Dead Redemption-the codes that were sent aren’t working for anyone(and i believe its a MS promotion,not Rockstar)..apparently the email we got sent if any problems isn’t working

hey microsoft…. how about bringing some cool stuff to canada… jesus.

Yawn, another US only bonus. By the time Hulu is available in Canada, I’ll have an Xbox 720.

Nice! another US only feature.
we even don’t have any video content on inside xbox in Twiwan.

I really wouldn’t put all the blame on MS for not being in any other countries. Contracts between two companies and laws vary amoungst different countries.
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I understand the frustration though.

Options:
If your 360 (and computer) is online, check out PlayOn. It has a free 2 week trial.
PlayOn has an annual fee like Gold membership.

I hope Jason and the crew at Hulu can differentiate between its own service and Netflix, just because Netflix has the back catalog of TV shows and NO ads. It will be nice to have shows in 720P, but Netflix does that already. Maybe stream shows to Zune HD??

If we have to pay extra for it than it’s nothing more than a rip off. I’m not extra for something when I’m already paying for XBox Live and I can get Hulu on the internet for free.

@rdsknsfan3
No, you cannot get Hulu Plus for free, they have switched to a pay system and will be filtering out the free content bit by bit to introduce this new system.

All Microsoft will be doing is letting users access it

I’m excited for this, I’m disappointed that it doesnt appear to have a free option. I wouldnt mind the ads and commercials.

it used to be on PS3 for free until hulu blocked it.
the android 2.2 update had it running on smartphones until hulu blocked it.

@Major
Thats a pretty cool service. I wish copyright holders could come to a collective consensus for distributing content world wide. Otherwise, this problem of international distribution rights will only end up amplifying the problem of illegal file sharing that has already ravaged the music industry. Seems foolish to not move with the times.

And what does the other 6 and a half potential billion people on the planet get? Nothing, absolutely nothing. – In the future Microsoft, instead of releasing everything for only the USA, hows about looking at viable alternatives to launch at the same time for other places around the world?

Also, for those who cannot get Hulu there is another way, use Hotspot Shield to view Hulu from anywhere outside of the U.S. advert free.
Then you could use something like PlayOn to stream it to your Xbox from a PC if you are clever enough.

IS anyone pointing a gun to anyone’s head to get this? If you can watch it for free on PC then do so and don’t download it on the 360 just like others haven’t downloaded the Facebook and Twitter apps….simple as that -_-

that is it. i’m not renewing live this year even if it means i won’t play halo reach online. I have had it with the unfair treatmend that gold members get outside of the US. 60 euro’s per year is the price over here and what do i get extra. Nothing no espn no hulu no homebrew games (xna games).
It is a insult to make the rest of the world pay the same amount as the us even though we get les functions.

Just like Netflix, I’m sure you need “Gold” just for the privilege of paying Hulu $10 a month.

This deal was obviously in the pipeline for a while. I’m guessing Sony opened there chequebook and got an exclusive window.

Xbox 360 is a American games console. Wii/PS3 are Japanese.

We need a European games console.

I might buy a gaming PC. I am thinking about it.

Some of you are funny with the PS3 content. “I’ll trade my 360 in and stop paying for Live so I can get it on the PS3″.

Sure, go ahead, but read the Hulu Plus marketing a little closer. On PS3 it requires PSN+, which is $50 a year like XBL. So either way, you’re paying the $50 fee plus the $9.99 Hulu fee. Just the PS3 version is coming out sooner.

This is friggin’ awesome. I just hope there won’t be a subscription fee on top of our Gold Membership in order to use it.

U.S. Only – what a shock.

@mccalejk – Sony seems to be getting around that hurdle lately…

@Jaysonguy – perhaps we (the rest of the friggin’ planet) are sick of Microsoft focusing on U.S.-only ventures while the rest of us have only games to play – and since Microsoft doesn’t crank out much in decent hardcore titles anymore, where DOES that leave us? hmmmm?

Don’t care about Hulu, but I’d love to see at least last.fm and indie games marketplace here in Finland. It can’t be that difficult. Sucks to be second class citizen and pay the same price or more than my fellow Live members in US.

I’m really underwhelmed by all of this, I already have Netflix.

$10 a month, plus commercials. Can I just have regular Hulu minus the fee?
Netflix is going to keep my money, thankyouverymuch.

Also, how will this work with the new Family Gold Accounts?

I’m excited to see what it will be like when it comes out. Not sure I’ll get it or keep it though. Depends of the shows they have on it.

is it free or $9.99 a month?

If its free, then this is great news.
If its $9.99 a month, then this news is another feature i dont need on my 360…. because i will never use it.

side note: If it were $10 a year id be on it… but monthly… pass.

We started streaming Netflix much more often when it came to xbox, so a paid Hulu account may be worth getting. It would be nice if the free version of Hulu could also be used on the 360, however my understanding is that Hulu needs to make more money to pay for programming and they probably wouldn’t get many paid subscribers if the free version could be streamed to consoles.

@LittleBlueAlien
US only ventures?
You mean like the SkyTV deal?

As far as games for the core Microsoft is delivering them at an amazing rate. This summer was one of the largest we’ve ever seen with titles both from retail and on Live.

I would gladly pay for services like Last FM and Hulu, but alas, I cannot. People outside of the US are forced to download their media content illegally and spend our money on other things.

Yeah, if I have to pay over and above Gold, it’s not going to happen. It would either bet Netflix or Hulu and not both. So far It sounds like even Hulu Plus would have commercials in it so No Thanks to that. If I’m paying I don’t want commercials. I’ll wait for it to go to Netflix.

A) Netflix
B) Hulu is free on the internetz

A) Netflix is ten a month and doesn’t cover as much (really both would be the best option)
B) Again for the third time, Hulu Plus is not free on the internet.

I know its $10 a month on PSN even if you have the new PSN+ service. I hope it will be free for Gold members though, because there is NO way I’d pay for Hulu!

Its just starting to frustrate me that the rest of the world is paying as much for xbox live as America and getting less. I live in Canada its not like we are that far away yet we get nothing. I have a loyalty number of 6, so I have 6 consecutive years with XBL and now its feeling like 6 years of being a sucker. No netflix, no ESPN, no Hulu. I am more upset by this then angry and seriously looking to move to getting into the PS3 online instead.

If you have to pay a subscription fee for it outside of Live then in my opinion it should be available for silver members too. That’s idiotic.

@Jaysonguy

Is SkyTV for Xbox available to subscribers outside of the UK and Ireland? The only other similar service to another country I’ve heard of but don’t have details on is Foxtel for Australia.

Seems to me that other countries, even those neighbouring the US are getting the short end of a very unequal stick when it comes to value for their subscription.

U.S. only? Fail.

Very nice.

And once again major goes all silent when the valid criticism appears.

As others have said it simply stinks that other countries not just the uk are getting completely shafted when it comes to their subscription. We’ve asked before but what is the European arm of the xbox company doing to gain opportunities for the European Market and why aren’t you major, being a higher up making the divisions providing content for their territories? Does it concern you that we pay the same but get less and in certain countries get nothing. Of your role as a community person when will you start using your role for the good of all communities across the world. Surly you have the power and the clout within the xbox division to start altering the balance here.

yeah Major,LOL…..however,if you manage to bring Final Fantasy 14 to the 360 i will let you off, :p

My point was I don’t need to pay to watch hulu on the internet. This sounds like you will HAVE to pay to watch hulu on the xbox, plus or no plus. I think that is just silly.

Why not it BELGIUM =(

I really hope that there is some region free, gaming related updates in the works. Even if I could get Hulu and ESPN I wouldn’t ever use them.

Why did we shut down the original Xbox live again???

I dont even need this feature just because of having to pay extra, and hearing that it still has commericals.
And yes, i agree, other countries should get supported too, its nonsense.

Ok so it’ll be free? Or a payed service WITHOUT commercials? If it’s neither of those then screw it.

The only “experience” I need on my Xbox is great games. If I want to watch TV, or ESPN, I’ll turn on Cable. If I want to watch a movie, I’ve got a DVD/Blu-Ray player for that. If I want to listen to music, I’ve got an iPod for that. When I turn on my game console, all I want to do is play games. Period.

Hi, I’m a gamer from the UK, please be gentle when you SHAFT us again. Yet another USA only feature. Here in the UK there are loads of “non gaming” services that could/should be available on the console.

BBC iPlayer
ITV Player
4 OD (On demand)
Demand 5

I’m sure it’s the same for gamers all over the world too and not just the UK. I cant help but think that the rest of the world always has to take it on the chin when the Xbox 360 gets additional features like ESPN, Hulu, Netflix etc.

@Tyger Cheex
The BBC won’t allow MS to use their iPlayer services due to MS wanting to make it accessible by gold members only, the BBC don’t want MS to restrict the service to gold when both gold and silver members (or their parents at least) already pay for it with the license fees. This is something that neither side are likely to budge on anytime soon.

I presume that a similar issue occurs with ITV Player, 4OD etc.. not wanting to be seen to encourage people to pay MS a subscription to see a service which is already paid for. Although I suspect that there may be more leeway for negotiation with ITV and 4 than with the BBC.

The UK and Ireland do have Sky TV available to them via Xbox which is a similar service to Hulu (although in my experience with it, it’s not a brilliant selection, but that’s not the point) the rest of the world (bar Australia with Foxtel I believe) that are getting the poor deal.

Mind you, when ESPN arrives for US members (I’m pretty sure it’ll be another US only feature) then we’ll see the US pulling further away with getting the most value for their subscription.

@JasonGuy – Yes, we have SkyTV which requires us to shell out for ‘Anytime’ and any subscribed channels.

You guys got Netflix which kicks the crap out of SkyTV on Xbox. If Microsoft could give us BlinkBox – perhaps that’d be a start.

Hope this is on the UK marketplace.

yeah the UK has SKY TV which only works if you are already a member(i am on Virgin Cable so its useless to me)
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Aussies have Foxtel
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i think France has something to do with Canal+ channel

while Hulu Plus sounds nice, the fact that you get access to full seasons of shows, I won’t get it. paying $10 for something that like the free version still has ads is ridiculous. add in the fact that it doesn’t have certain shows or any shows from CBS means I still need cable.

@Kroesis,
Thanks for the reply, I did actually know about the issues between BBC and Microsoft, it is a shame they couldn’t resolve them, but then I guess there is always the PS3 and Wii for iPlayer if I really need it!
As for ITV Player, 4OD and Demand 5, I see no reason why this cant be done because it’s ad-based and sky player (which I have too) has adverts too. Mind you, an additional subscription is required for sky to work so it’s not that similar.
While we are talking about it, Sky Player is completely rubbish… it was good that they added Sky 1 not long back but I’m rather disappointed that some shows are blocked from live transmission. My girlfriend was watching something on the lounge TV, her lad was watching something else in the bedroom (we have multi-room) and I wanted to watch something on Sky 1… I logged in to Sky Player on the 360 and it said “This Programme is not available for live viewing” RUBBISH!
Thanks again for the reply!

@Tyger Cheex
I agree that it’s a shame they can’t sort out. Out of the lot, I use iPlayer most of all on my PC. Problem with that is my PC is fairly old now and it doesn’t like playing programs with a larger picture size and to top it off, I have a small monitor! I would love to be able to watch iPlayer programs on my TV via the Xbox.

Not sure what the issue(s) with 4OD or ITV is/were but I have a feeling that MS have just settled with Sky, unfortunately.

Xbox Live Gold Account = $50 /year
Hulu Plus subscription = $120 /year
Pissing away your money for something that’s free on the internet** = Priceless!

**(I am fully convinced that very soon, the ‘free’ Hulu will limit it’s offerings in order to nudge consumers towards their Plus service.)

C’mon people. Not interested in SKY. But completely interested in BBC iplayer. We need BBc iplayer in the UK. They have the best shows!

I don’t get why you guys are complaining. Your paying for a service provided by someone else, just like Netflix was. $10 a month isn’t much if the product is good. I never used Hulu, but if they have a good selection of stuff I’ll signup in a heartbeat.

@peachy001-LOL,what decade are you from saying that the BBC has the best shows?

@metallicorphan
Clearly you haven’t seen Wipeout and Wipeout USA.

Will ESPN be US-only or what?

Hulu, Netflix, Last.fm, et cetera – These should be 1-time-payments of $1-5 on the marketplace and not part of XBL Gold. I do not use these services on Xbox 360 because I am not a Gold member. Microsoft has yet to convince me there’s something worth it and paying them to access services I already pay another company for does not jive well with me. – Don’t worry Sony’s PS+ isn’t really doing it for me either -

When you look at how many other devices provide these same experiences for free it becomes clear that this is a slap in the face of every Xbox 360 consumer.

If Microsoft wants to add value to the Gold package, they need to create unique experiences that you can’t get anywhere else. 1vs100 is a great example of this.

I don’t think ESPN has liecences to broadcast over seas, but they have a channel on Sky, so I’m not sure. That said though they can easily get them, even though Radio Broadcasting liecences are much cheaper.

I am from Holland . We have only Facebook and twitter on the Dutch Marketplace but we still pay the same fee. Please give us more services / regional services on Xbox Live. Uk has Skyplayer, US has all major services and we have nothing, zero ! .

Yay.. another feature included in Free to the US populace that doesn’t affect their price on paying for XBox Live Gold.. and yet those of us across the boarder in Canada are still paying the same amount.. for less and less features as time goes on. Can’t wait to see what we get next! Er.. I mean.. what YOU get next!

well this include in price or well i have to pay service fee for hulu plus?

well this include in price or well i have to pay service fee for hulu plus?