Xbox Originals (TV programming)

[Scott_Arm]

http://news.xbox.com/2014/04/ent-xbox-originals-unveil

Looks like Microsoft is planning a lot of original tv for Xbox. Halo was the only one I knew about. Seems to be a good variety of stuff and some successful people/companies attached. It'll be cool to see how it works out for them. Risky business.

 

[Rangers]

Seems cool BUT, I cant shake the thought:

They are spending who knows how much on these shows to get people to buy Xbox now...

But they couldn't spend $5 more on the GPU back when they designed it, and make it a far more attractive product in the first place...sigh. How foolish.

That aside, yeah, seems neat.

Also, it's kind of funny they beat Sony, who actually owns a hollywood studio, to this.

 

[Scott_Arm]

Seems cool BUT, I cant shake the thought:

They are spending who knows how much on these shows to get people to buy Xbox now...

But they couldn't spend $5 more on the GPU back when they designed it, and make it a far more attractive product in the first place...sigh. How foolish.

That aside, yeah, seems neat.

Also, it's kind of funny they beat Sony, who actually owns a hollywood studio, to this.

I'm guessing this content will be available on more devices than just Xbox One. It would be weird to keep it to one device. I'd expect them to use it to push tablets and phones as much as the Xbox One.

 

[mosen]

Seems cool BUT, I cant shake the thought:

They are spending who knows how much on these shows to get people to buy Xbox now...

But they couldn't spend $5 more on the GPU back when they designed it, and make it a far more attractive product in the first place...sigh. How foolish.

That aside, yeah, seems neat.

Also, it's kind of funny they beat Sony, who actually owns a hollywood studio, to this.

It's not Xbox One exclusive.

Starting this June, you’ll have more reasons to love your Xbox: Xbox Originals – premium dramas, comedies, documentaries, animation, unscripted shows, and live events. Available only on Xbox 360, Xbox One, and other Microsoft devices , every Xbox Originals show will offer interactive capabilities, as well as unique interactive features customized on a per-show basis, making it a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience you won’t find anywhere else.

http://news.xbox.com/2014/04/ent-xbox-originals-unveil

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Okay, it's not just about Xbox consoles but MS devices, so like Netflix having exclusive content. As if needing multiple consoles to play the best of all games wasn't bad enough, it's looking like a future where you'll need multiple service subscriptions to get all the best TV and movie content too. I'm sure all of us are happy that Sony Pictures' content isn't exclusive to Sony devices.

 

[Scott_Arm]

Okay, it's not just about Xbox consoles but MS devices, so like Netflix having exclusive content. As if needing multiple consoles to play the best of all games wasn't bad enough, it's looking like a future where you'll need multiple service subscriptions to get all the best TV and movie content too. I'm sure all of us are happy that Sony Pictures' content isn't exclusive to Sony devices.

It's already been like this for a long time. If you want HBO or Showtime, or other specialty channels, you have to pay for them. It'll be interesting to see if they let you watch this stuff through a web browser. I think you can watch Xbox Video on a web browser now, which means anyone with a PC can watch, even if it's Mac or Linux. Would I pay for an Xbox TV subscription? Probably not. Netflix gives me enough to watch.

 

[iroboto]

It's already been like this for a long time. If you want HBO or Showtime, or other specialty channels, you have to pay for them. It'll be interesting to see if they let you watch this stuff through a web browser. I think you can watch Xbox Video on a web browser now, which means anyone with a PC can watch, even if it's Mac or Linux. Would I pay for an Xbox TV subscription? Probably not. Netflix gives me enough to watch.

If it's bundled with your XBLG subscription I could see this as being more positive, and possibly adopted more in the future.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

It's already been like this for a long time. If you want HBO or Showtime, or other specialty channels, you have to pay for them.

The services themselves are somewhat annoying, but at least you don't need to own specialist hardware to use them. Even Sky is abandoning the requirement to own Sky to monetise their content with non-Sky owners. There's no way on Earth I'm going to buy any mobile or computing device just because it has some TV show! If consumers are much like me, all exclusivity means is a smaller audience and less revenue. Stick the same MS shows on Netflix and whatever cable channels, MS will get syndication fees. TBH I expect this to happen eventually anyway - it's just poor business sense by-and-large to remain exclusive for expensive content unless you have a tremendous lead.

If the next series of Game of Thrones only released on iTunes, would it see every fgan buy an iThing? Nope. It'd just get pirated (as it is because it already costs a lot to view for many)!

 

[AlNom]

They should try bringing back Viva Pinata. (Or at least make those episodes available again ?)

 

[Dave Baumann]

Reading the articles they appear to be doing this fairly strategically, in order to keep XBOX owners eyes on the XBOX in periods where interest in big game titles has waned. The actively state that they will be scheduling content during these periods and they must have a very good understanding for usage patterns from the Live data captured.

Note, some of the content will already be on standard TV outlets; one series is co-produced by UK's Channel 4 so will air on that channel as well.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Looks like Microsoft is planning a lot of original tv for Xbox. Halo was the only one I knew about.

I read the announcement, twice, and still don't quite understand what this is. Is this a stream that runs daily between certain hours or is it more staggered? For the untitled JASH comedy the announcement states: "Each week, a different comedian will host/curate a show featuring new and unsung talent", so some programmes is at least weekly.

Seems to be a good variety of stuff and some successful people/companies attached. It'll be cool to see how it works out for them. Risky business.

Definitely good variety but I guess if a lot of people are using Xbox One to view TV then they know what types of programmes Xbox One owners like!

It'll be interesting to see how this pans out. The whole 'TV' emphasis initially makes more sense now.

 

[XpiderMX]

If it's bundled with your XBLG subscription I could see this as being more positive, and possibly adopted more in the future.

"it's still unclear which content will be free to all Xbox owners versus what's locked behind the Xbox Live Gold paywall. The only certainty right now is that all Xbox Live Gold members will get all Xbox Entertainment Studios content for free (er, included in the $60 annual membership)."

http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/28/xbox-entertainment-studios-shows/

 

[AzBat]

http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/28/xbox-entertainment-studios-shows/

This too...

Additionally, the availability of shows will depend on Xbox users' subscription status. Tellem stated that she would love for all series to not be behind the paywall, but that was unlikely to end up being the case. In special cases, it appears series will also be available beyond the Xbox dashboard: Humans is being developed in partnership with the UK's Channel 4, so it will also air on TV.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/04/the-grand-experiment-of-bringing-original-shows-to-xbox/

Sounds allright to me. A lot like Netflix with House of Cards & Hemlock Grove. If this helps move other apps & services outside the paywall I think a lot more people will stomach it better.

Tommy McClain

 

[AzBat]

The services themselves are somewhat annoying, but at least you don't need to own specialist hardware to use them. Even Sky is abandoning the requirement to own Sky to monetise their content with non-Sky owners. There's no way on Earth I'm going to buy any mobile or computing device just because it has some TV show! If consumers are much like me, all exclusivity means is a smaller audience and less revenue. Stick the same MS shows on Netflix and whatever cable channels, MS will get syndication fees. TBH I expect this to happen eventually anyway - it's just poor business sense by-and-large to remain exclusive for expensive content unless you have a tremendous lead.

If the next series of Game of Thrones only released on iTunes, would it see every fgan buy an iThing? Nope. It'd just get pirated (as it is because it already costs a lot to view for many)!

There's the success of Netflix's House of Cards & Hemlock Grove. Plus, it doesn't preclude them from selling the content on Xbox Video for any device or even putting them on DVD/Bluray(which Netflix also does).

Tommy McClain

 

[iroboto]

This too...
If this helps move other apps & services outside the paywall I think a lot more people will stomach it better.

Tommy McClain

This is what I wanted to say but couldn't find the words for it. A lot of people are having a hard time seeing the value proposition here and this should help sway some opinions to a degree. I've often wondered if the reason the apps are all behind paywall is so that companies are not abusing the machines as portable video conference devices or what not. But if that were the case it would be easy to have a discussion about that being a good thing for the brand not a negative one.

 

[AzBat]

They should try bringing back Viva Pinata. (Or at least make those episodes available again ?)

+1, need to get that for my little Buttercup to watch.

Tommy McClain

 

[Deleted member 11852]

If the next series of Game of Thrones only released on iTunes, would it see every fgan buy an iThing? Nope. It'd just get pirated (as it is because it already costs a lot to view for many)!

You'd only locking out people without an iThing or a Windows/OSX computer. Even Apple, with their closed iOS ecosystem, understand the value of letting as many people as possible consume the content their store sells.

 

[dobwal]

The services themselves are somewhat annoying, but at least you don't need to own specialist hardware to use them. Even Sky is abandoning the requirement to own Sky to monetise their content with non-Sky owners. There's no way on Earth I'm going to buy any mobile or computing device just because it has some TV show! If consumers are much like me, all exclusivity means is a smaller audience and less revenue. Stick the same MS shows on Netflix and whatever cable channels, MS will get syndication fees. TBH I expect this to happen eventually anyway - it's just poor business sense by-and-large to remain exclusive for expensive content unless you have a tremendous lead.

If the next series of Game of Thrones only released on iTunes, would it see every fgan buy an iThing? Nope. It'd just get pirated (as it is because it already costs a lot to view for many)!

Outside of games, what media content has MS ever limited to its console? For all its media content the only thing you relatively have to have is an email account and maybe a credit card.

Even the official doc leaks tethered the "complete Xbox experience" to "Any screen, Anytime and Anywhere".

Literally everything in film and TV is built around timed exclusivity. Thats all you need to have if you got the content.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Outside of games, what media content has MS ever limited to its console?

Have they ever created media content?? But it's moot anyway - this service is reported as for MS devices and not just console.

 

[dobwal]

Have they ever created media content?? But it's moot anyway - this service is reported as for MS devices and not just console.

Yeah, Halo Legends and Forward Until Dawn. Also, there is Pulp which was released last month.

Then there is Extraction which Live users got to see first, which was in conjunction with Sony's own Crackle.