From the people at NetFlix Inc. (NFLX), the company that knocked Blockbuster into virtual irrelevance with their mail-order DVD rental service, comes a free way for members with gaming consoles to download a wide array of TV shows and movies over the Internet.
While service providers are struggling mightily to come to grips with video over the Web, companies without TV networks, NetFlix first and foremost, have what it takes to make it fly ... and likely substantially grow their customer base in the process.
Lost in a nearly pitch black sky of red ink, layoffs, and corporate collapses, is a twinkling star that is NetFlix. It was clear when it launched its business that it would bring innovation to the markets it entered.
It continues to do so. Netflix and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) last week announced that one million Xbox LIVE Gold members have downloaded and activated the groundbreaking Xbox LIVE application from Netflix since the alliance launched last November. In less than three months, the Xbox LIVE community has watched 1.5 billion minutes of movies and TV episodes instantly.
Why? Because Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix unlimited members can watch movies and TV episodes streamed instantly from Netflix on Xbox LIVE for no additional fee. NetFlix already has more than 9.6 million subscribers.
You buyin’ this? The key here is if you’re a member of both. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE!
How’s that for a value proposition?
The Netflix application offers Xbox LIVE Gold members the ability to instantly watch movies and TV episodes from Netflix on a TV via the Xbox 360 video gaming system. Xbox 360 is the only gaming and entertainment console that lets viewers instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix.
Sure, Xbox has other content partners, but NetFlix has made itself a household favorite with a loyal and happy customer base.
NetFlix claims more than 100,000 titles on DVD and 12,000 movies and TV episodes available to watch instantly.
Xbox Live, for those unfamiliar with it, is a membership-based, online network that Microsoft says connects 17 million members across 26 countries to each other and entertainment.
So what’s the next set-top box going to look like? A gaming console as we wrote about two years ago this month.
Shameless self-promotion? Nope. If you don’t believe me, check out the lowdown from the top industry experts at The Diffusion Group. They get it. Bigtime.
Service providers should too. Partner away!