I sat down today with Bruce Anderson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Blockbuster On Demand, to answer a few of your most frequently asked questions about our digital service.
What is the difference between Blockbuster On Demand and Netflix’s digital service?
The primary difference between us and Netflix is that we’re focused on new releases, and Netflix isn’t. The vast majority of Netflix’s streaming content is a combination of TV shows and older movies.
Most of our digital movies are available to buy the same day as the DVD and Blu-ray versions. That’s becoming increasingly true for digital rentals, as well. So for example, we’ve had Couples Retreat available for streaming and downloading since February 9 when it was released on DVD and Blu-ray. We’ve had The Hangover and Star Trek since they came out, but as of today they’re still not available to stream from Netflix. Years can go by before a movie is available from Netflix — Erin Brockovich came out 10 years ago and you can’t stream it from Netflix.
Our goal is to offer all the movies our customers want most without them having to pay a monthly fee and wait.
Nothing that hit theaters in 2010 is out digitally yet, but we’ve got a bunch coming. In the meantime, here’s a list of the top 10 movies in 2009 (from boxofficemojo.com):
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hangover
Star Trek
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Paul Bart: Mall Cop
Angels & Demons
Terminator Salvation
Every one of those movies is currently available to rent and purchase from Blockbuster On Demand except Paul Blart: Mall Cop, which is only available to purchase. Paul Blart is also the only one on the list that’s available to stream from Netflix.
Another key difference is that we offer a download option for our customers. This is really great for customers who travel with a laptop — you can download The Hurt Locker to your laptop and enjoy it on your flight or road trip, since you don’t have to be connected to watch. Literally, our customers can watch digital movies on planes, trains, and automobiles (oh yes, we have that movie too!). Downloads also let you build up a library on your PC that you can watch on your Xbox (via home network) or put on portable devices like certain Archos players. Through our relationships with HTC and Motorola, our customers will soon be able to download to smartphones. You can’t do any of that if all you have is streaming.
Why do we charge for the service, instead of making it part of our movies by-mail subscription (like Netflix did)?
Again, it is all about new releases — we want to bring our customers the latest movies and the latest movies are only available on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Movies generally aren’t available through a subscription until they broadcast on TV, at which point you could probably stream them from Netflix, but even then they aren’t free because you have to pay a monthly fee.
Why doesn’t Blockbuster On Demand work on a Mac, and are there any plans to have Mac compatibility in the future?
Initially, our primary focus was to get service going on blockbuster.com. Later that focus shifted to making it work on TVs, Blu-ray players, and other consumer electronics. Now that we’ve established those channels, our goal is to bring Blockbuster On Demand to the Mac later this year.
Why do you delay the release of digital rentals as opposed to digital purchases?
Short answer: we don’t. Longer answer: The studios set availability dates, not us. Some movies are available to us for digital rental and purchase the same day as DVD and Blu-ray, while others aren’t available to us for digital rental until a couple of weeks later. For example, The Time Traveler’s Wife came out for digital rental and purchase on February 9, but Saw VI was available for digital purchase two weeks before digital rental.
When are you going to put Blockbuster On Demand on all the other internet-connected Blu-ray and TV brands? What about game consoles?
Stay tuned. You’ll see many more electronics brands carrying Blockbuster On Demand this year. The game consoles are more challenging, as Microsoft and Sony would rather operate their own digital movie stores than partner with us. We believe we can help them rent and sell more movies, so we’ll keep working on the relationship.
Follow-up: why not just do what Netflix did on the PS3?
We could do like Netflix did (make a BD-Live disk for the PS3), but we’d rather work with Sony than work around them. This wouldn’t help with Xbox though, because that console doesn’t do Blu-ray.
Any final words?
We’re bringing our customers the movies they want, where they want them, and when they want them.
I honestly was looking for better than netflix. Unfortonately Blackbuster is even worse and they desrve my money.
I don’t see a simple explaination of the service and rates? Apparently streaming is not included with rental via mail and VOD (paying per movie) I could already do via cable?
The big issue i have is I own a Sony TV, Sony BulRay DVD player and 3 Roku boxes…does not look like you stream to any of them?
When Blockbuster gets streaming through Wii, I will switch from Netflix. Until then, I guess I am stuck with the red enveloped that come in the mail . . . and the hefty monthly fees. Who knows when the increases will stop! They say they are done, but I’ve heard it all before. Come on, Blockbuster! Listen to the masses!!!!! :)
deft need the ability to stream on the 360, ps3, and wii before i switch from Netflix.. I love my streaming as i use it daily on my 360 and the ps3 in the kids room.
Blockbuster can wipe Netflix off the map if they:
1)Offer a flat rate $10.00 per month unlimited streaming of all the new releases and older.
2)Make this available on all current-day hardware formats.
3)Grow a pair and make this happen.
be better overall than neflix i still with them but i hate it bc their movies sucks !
for months you guys at blockbuster have ignored the repeated PLEAS to get your service linked to WII and PS3. You have literally tens of thousands of customers (if not hundreds of thousands) who would gladly dump netflix for your service. I guess it must be nice to be so rich that potentially bringing in an additional $1million per month isnt worth your time. Thanks for reminding us all why we let you bankrupt your company to begin with many years ago!
I’d like to echo the above sentiments and say- Megacorps are still dinosaurs in an age when they need to look down at the tar pit. Letting the even larger and slower Hollywood movie producers (and their ILLLLK) DICTATE your policies is BAD for your business right now.
And you SHOULD support ALL gaming systems if you know what’s good for ya!
I am waiting for BB to stream to Wii. I
really hate using the outdated Netflix for streaming. Please BB add Wii and I will drop Netflix like a hot potato and switch to BB!
Guys @BB,
There are good number of ppl bought sony products (TV, PS3, Blu-rays and so on), they (including me) would love to shift to Blockbuster provided there is a direct streaming service on Sony products.
Hope you would understand where you left a big chunk of money.
BLOCKBUSTER = EPIC FAIL
They botched retail video, over charged customers and are applying the same genius to streaming.
So yeah great idea BB !! Offer no sensible mediums to deliver your streaming service because NO ONE owns an XBOX or a PS3 or a Smartphone.
Blockbuster should just do everyone a favor and die. Theyre a sh1t company anyhow.
Waiting for PS3, wii, and phone app. I WILL, WILL leave netflix the hour this is available.
can’t wait until i can see on demand on wii and mac.
i whould really like too try this but all in need to be able to get it through my ps3
If blockbuster combined Netflix/Streaming and Gamefly game rentals into a $10 option…I would sign up. Order games and stream movies.
Blockbuster needs to offer a wider choice of devices to stream through or else they will never corner the market.
Oh BB, I worked for your company for 6 years and when the going got tough….. you got tough on your prices instead of making it easier on the customers in the economic crisis. And yet you haven’t learned your lesson? You keep hearing it over and over that Netflix customers will leave Netflix if you provide a wider choice of devices to stream through. I’m sticking with Netflix because my Ps3 and smartphone make it easy. When will you see that you have a potential goldmine? Do it all ready!
I am very very disappointed that BB will not stream to Wii. I would also LOVE to drop netflix but will not b/c BB will not stream to my Wii. You are missing out on some serious $$$$ blockbuster.
Blockbuster, you never cease to amaze us with your stupidity! Do you really think that none of us have any devices EXCEPT for Samsung devices??? You won’t have my business until you offer streaming content to include Sony devices. I primarily use my Sony BluRay player, so I will stick with Netflix. Even though their movie choices are not as, eh, choice as yours, they offer many other programs that I like. Well worth the eight bucks a month. Wake up, Blockbuster! We let you go bankrupt because you overcharged us, and now we’ll let you go bankrupt again because we will choose online streaming services that allow us to choose devices we already own!