Sony pulls a Grinch: Sony movies can’t run on Netflix-XBL

Where’s the Christmas spirit, eh? You know, the season for caring and sharing. Apparently, Sony movies, via Columbia Pictures, can’t be run on Netflix connected to the XBL. Sucks, right? DVD rentals, here we come.

A lot of folks were happy when Netflix finally confirmed its tie-up with XBL. Unfortunately, those happy days weren’t to last. Apparently, competition between Sony and Microsoft is that serious that they can’t even share movies.

That’s right. Word’s out that movies from Sony’s Columbia Pictures have been stopped from streaming on the XBL. At first, people thought it was just a glitch. But then later on, it was confirmed that this restriction is only applicable to Xbox 360 users.

Yes, the embargo is only on the 360, while PC, Mac and other Netflix-enabled on-demand devices still enjoy their Sony movies.

Said Steve Swasey, VP of corporate communications for Netflix, “In the case of Xbox 360, a few hundred titles are temporarily unavailable to be streamed via the Xbox game console.” He furthered, “Those titles are still available to be watched on subscribers’ computers and on TVs via other partner devices, and we hope they’ll be licensed for Xbox 360 shortly.”

The question on everybody’s mind now is: Did Sony expressly request this of Netflix or did they take it upon themselves in consideration of the… erm.. conflict in interests? Unfortunately, Swasey would not say.

But I know what you’re all thinking, uh-huh.

As watching instantly becomes a more prominent part of the Netflix service, our goal is to have all of our streaming content licensed for all of our partner devices. We’re doing well in this area, but it will take some time before we fully achieve that goal. Today, titles regularly come in and out of license and there is a natural ebb and flow to what we have on license at any given point in time.

You guys will have to pick up your Sony films on DVD rentals for now, until Sony says they’re fine to run it on a Microsoft console.

• HD Netflix Streaming will hit Xbox 360 first
• E3 2008: Netflix and Microsoft formally announce video streaming service included in Fall update

Via MTV Multiplayer