Video, Film, and Television

Verizon to take on Netflix

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The Gauntlet has been thrown: Verizon is building a Netflix competitor.

OK I'm skeptical – at this rate the competition is ramping up – but it sounds like they've got a focused plan (movies and kids' shows) and remember they've also got a presence on the new XBox.  So it's not unreasonable – and like Game Stores, it seems we're oddly at a place where people would rather launch a redundant service than miss out.

Takeaways:

  • Netflix is vulnerable, and I think their response will actually be internationalization.
  • OnLive is somewhere in all of this mess, with giant streaming system NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT.
  • Verizon has a big "captive audience" they can leverage (and more with XBox).
  • Verizon is going to have to hire/employ people to do this – which may mean jobs.  If others jump in on this, more jobs.
  • People are still talking big, not small content.  I'm concerned smaller producers may get squeezed out.

(Oh and side note to Netflix CEO Hastings – do not compare yourself to Bank of America.  Man, I'm starting to feel my faith in Netflix is misplaced – but not enough to suggest you look elsewhere for work.)

– Steven Savage

The Munsters: Taking Team Edward Too Far

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Well the news is in on the possible 'Munsters' Remake.

It's TrueTwiBloodsters.

Basically it's a younger-Twilight where Eddie copes with werewolfism, mom is some kind of flesh-eater, and I'm pretty sure gramps won't be rocking out in his Dragula.  It's the Munsters with most everything changed to protect the innocent.

Beyond my weird reaction of amusement and disgust, I wonder if we've got a trend here.  We saw Teen Wolf go Twiangsty (which seems thematically inappropriate, but at least Michael J. Fox was a heartthrob in his younger days).  So now Munsters gets Twilight and True Blood infusions – so is the next big thing repurposing older properties to take advantage of the whole Vampire/Werewolf/Romance/YA trend?

Ridiculous?  Maybe, but consider that there's assorted properties to repurpose, the whole vampire market apparently has more lives than its inspirations, and remakes have an air of safety (even when it's slapping a name on something else).  Plus you probably have much clearer property negotiations than with the latest hot YA/Vampire/Whatever series.

It makes sense.  In it's own way.

Not that I'm happy with this – but it's a trend we progeeks may want to look for, if only to be ready for it's impact.

– Steven Savage

Gree Has New Social Game Platform

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OK gamers, Gree's got a new social game developer platform coming and there's a look at it now.

They're promising:

  • Access to their current amount of players (A sweet 150 million)
  • iOS and Android integration
  • A ton of tools

So sounds interesting for gamers, you're going to want to watch this (and I'm wondering if their iOS integration will cover all Mac devices eventually). It might be something you have to know.

I'd also note that Gree is locked in an increasingly bitter rivalry with DeNA, and this may be one of may ways they take them on (or out).  Hmm, and where are some of the others in all of this . . .

– Steven Savage