Microsoft Screws Canadian Gamers Once Again
November 19, 2008 by Panzer Pev
If you own an Xbox 360 and consider yourself a gamer, chances are you have had November 19th circled in your calendar. Today is finally the day that the “New Xbox Experience” (NXE) hits the network which fully redesigns the Xbox 360 dashboard and adds a pile of new features. Essentially, the NXE aims to transform the Xbox 360 from a gaming machine into a full-fledged entertainment hub. That is all great news…unless you are from Canada.
Once again, Microsoft has screwed Canadian gamers with the news that the biggest and most hyped feature of the NXE won’t be available in Canada. That feature is access to Netflix, an online service that allows users to stream over 12,000 movies and television shows from their PC straight to their Xbox. That’s right, you will only be able to use the Netflix feature if you live in the U.S. What is even worse though, is that there are currently NO PLANS to extend the Netflix service to Canada.
An Xbox news release claims that “The New Xbox Experience offers more online entertainment from one remote than you can find from any device that connects to the television.” Sure, great, but only if you don’t live in Canada. Thanks Microsoft.
So, instead of getting the full “new experience” that Microsoft has been marketing like crazy, Canadian will have to settle for silly Avatars (think Nintendo Miis) and a new dashboard interface. Basically, this update provides nothing of any value unless you live in the US. It will be very interesting to see what great new features Microsoft rolls out in the coming months that also completely ignores Canada. I have a feeling it will be a lot. If I were Sony, now is an opportune time to show a commitment to gamers in Canada who have clearly been ignored or brushed aside as an insignificant part of the Xbox “community.”
Well fellow Canadians, are any of you as pissed off as I am? Are you sick and tired of being ignored by Microsoft? Frankly, I think Microsoft has clearly demonstrated which gamers they really want to appease…and it’s not us. It’s the US.
Good article, but one thing you forgot to mention. CRTC… Its their fault we dont get anything in this country… Direct tv ring a bell! I have the esteemed pleasure of living in Quebec. If you think the rest of Canada is bad come over here.
Unless M$ were to make a trillion dollar cash donation to the CRTC to maybe sway there policy. They will advocate that they are only protecting Canadian interests…BS.
Anyways! Ya it pissed me off, we always miss out on everything.
Matt
Matt, yes, I do agree with you on that point. Regardless, for the average Joe out there, when M$ goes balls to the wall with a huge marketing campaign in CANADA touting Netflix etc…the consumer in Canada is the one that gets screwed.
Cheers
For a while I’ve been using a webservice called anchorfree.com, to fool websites into thinking I have an american IP address. This allows me to use parts of the iTunes Music Store, and watch a lot of TV shows that are restricted to american users. I’m not sure how feasible this would be for xBox users, or even if the software could be installed, but it is probably worth a try….
p.s. you guys need to do more Wii reviews!
Oh well, I downloaded the “New X-Box live experience”. Its total BS they should have just stuck with the old interface and called it good. not only would it have saved their money, but ours too, all those gamer pics and skins, and even backgrounds I used M$ points to buy?? useless… Frankely im pissed off and they should have saved their new interface for the 720…