Video Marketplace comes to Canada, ups price for Canucks

Written by Jim Squires

Tuesday, 11 December 2007 11:07

Sigh. You know, when I started working here last year my first post was about the shortchanging Canada seems to get from Microsoft. Hell, I'm still waiting for my Zune. I would have liked to think that after a year things would have changed a little, but when I sat down this morning to check out the long awaited Canadian release of the Video Marketplace I realized that the more things change the more they stay the same.

I can deal with the tiny handful of films we recieved. I can deal with the fact that nearly half of the 31 films we recieved were direct-to-video nonsense. I can even deal with the complete and utter lack of television programs available at launch. But what I can't deal with is the pricing.

Microsoft Points is a currency unto itself. It's not affected by shifting dollars or export fees. That's why a game that costs 800 points in the US will cost the same in the Ukraine or Singapore. So why is it that I'm paying between 20-40% more in points for my VOD rentals??

Old SD Rental: US-240, CAN-300

New SD Rental: US-320, CAN-440

New HD Rental: US-480, CAN-580

If I had to guess at a corporate answer as to why this is, something tells me it would have to do with licensing fees in different regions or some such. If that's the case, why can I buy/rent/VOD a film in any other form (taking exchange rates into account) for a price comparable to US pricing?

Asides from my pricing issue, I just have two small observations for my fellow Canucks that may still feel inclined to check out the service tonight and pick up a vid. First up -- there are some pretty choice classics mixed in with the 31 releases. The Man with Two Brains and The Never-Ending Story are always worth a viewing. Second up -- be annoyed about the lack of TV. Seriously annoyed. Sure, I can understand licensing issues with American programming, but there's no reason original Canadian content couldn't have been figured out in time for launch. Where's my Little Mosque on the Prarie, Corner Gas or Billable Hours?

It would have been easy for Microsoft to get a passing grade on this one if they'd just kept to the pricing established and thrown in a little Canadian content. Instead I'm going to have to give them a big fat F on this one.Â Boo-urns, Microsoft.Â Boo-urns.

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