Sky Player to be rolled out gradually

By Robert Purchese Published 3 November, 2009

Microsoft revises Xbox 360 plans.

Microsoft has decided to gradually roll the Sky Player service out to thousands of users at a time.

"Right now we are implementing a revised rollout which will see Sky Player become available to all Xbox 360 customers gradually," wrote Xbox community manager Graeme "Aceybongos" Boyd on the platform forums (via VG247).

"While unfortunately some customers do not have access to the service, tens of thousands more will be added each day, until the service is available to all," explained Boyd.

"We are taking this phased approach to ensure that consumers experience a high-quality experience. The Sky team has contacted the affected Sky Player TV subscribers on Xbox directly with further updates."

The Xbox 360 Sky Player launched last Tuesday and promptly collapsed.

Subscription types and prices we've detailed previously.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (33) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Widge #1 2 years ago

    Gradually? In stages of "not there" and "there"?

  • Toothball #2 2 years ago

    If it helps they can probably take me off the list. I don't bother watching TV most of the time as it is. Got too many games to play on my Xbox without having to worry about further entertainment.
    Edited by 1 at 03/11/09 @ 15:49

  • Jon1292 #3 2 years ago

    Earlier I got an email which offered a £10 refund, which is pretty nice of them

    "We’d like to thank you for your patience and understanding at this time, and as a gesture of goodwill, we will refund 10GBP of your chosen Sky Player subscription payment, which you will see in your account in November. If you haven’t received payment by November, please call our customer services team on 08442 411599. "

  • bozza95 #4 2 years ago

    Well, for those who dont have it... your not missing out. I sat down to explore it last night and lo and behold... you have to pay for any content that isn't recent. I may have missed something there and I dont even have sky+ at home so I apologise if you have to pay for some of that too, but WTH? I could understand if it was box office films or even if I didnt already have the Unlimited BB package with them! Its a good thing they timed it around the release of Gay Tony, otherwise I'd be really miffed!

  • cianchristopher #5 2 years ago

    Taking a leaf out of Sony's book, are we MS?

  • swissorc #6 2 years ago

    Doesn't matter my xbox is so crap at streaming anyway seems to be constantly buffering data so would be like watching tv through a modem to me anyway.

  • Mkwone #7 2 years ago

    If it's any consolidation i've been using the service to watch films from the comfort of my bed, things i've not seen in years. :p

    IMO it's best for films as theres not much other content available other than movies and sport. Would liked to have seen Sky 1 TV series as a minimum like House and NCIS LA, Lost etc etc. From what i've experianced the picture is full quality and the programms load in about 20 seconds with no stoppage to buffer.
    Edited by 1 at 03/11/09 @ 16:23

  • sneetch #8 2 years ago

    @swissorc
    Doesn't matter my xbox is so crap at streaming anyway seems to be constantly buffering data so would be like watching tv through a modem to me anyway.

    It's not the Xbox at fault there, poor net connection more like.

  • Teamallstar #9 2 years ago

    You need to go on a diet then!

    I can't wait for the zine service streaming movies!

  • BM #10 2 years ago

    @bozza95
    Did you actually think that Sky were going to give you access to channels that you have not already paid for? Sorry, but that's pretty naive. They're not going to shoot themselves in the foot giving a service for free, it would completely wipe out any point in having a Sky box.

    I personally think it's pretty good. There's a helluva lot of on demand movies (around 300 at a guess) that streams in a divx quality after a couple of seconds. That's something that Virgin has over Sky on the actual box itself, at least there's now an option to get it via your TV without a media centre PC or plugging your PC into your TV. The live channels I doubt I'll use unless the missus is watching something on the main TV, at least I can set my 360 up in the spare room and watch the footy now

  • BM #11 2 years ago

    Forgot to add, it's all dependant on the package you have with Sky if you own a Sky box already. I've got all the channels, which equates to everything free on the 360.

  • B0MBJ4CK #12 2 years ago

    Streaming from zune movie marketplace seemed to work on Sunday night...

    Watched State of Play in 1080p without a hitch

  • Retroid #13 2 years ago

    SkyPlayer server staff & hardware, yesterday

    When I was having problems logging in to SkyPlayer on my 360, the SkyPlayer website was also suffering from the same problems so I don't think it's MS' problem here.

    I'm a SKy subscriber anyway so I'm getting the service for free, really can't complain about having ~400 movies, from classic to just-appearing-on-Sky-Movies available On Demand!

    Saying that, I really just wish they'd offer iPlayer with a similar interface. That'd really kick arse.

  • bratmandu #14 2 years ago

    NOOOOO! Not on Property Ladder night!!!!!

  • sanctusmortis #15 2 years ago

    I've got it. Haven't USED it, but...

  • bozza95 #16 2 years ago

    @BM

    I dont think its naive to expect a few more perks from a system that is slightly lagging behind the PS3. I can watch iplayer on my flat mates PS3 and get access to all that at no cost. I knew quite a bit would of course be pay for stuff, but was hoping that at least back catalogues of current stuff on Sky 1 etc would at least be free. Old series/films I assumed would of course cost. Its just a bit of a let down in that area.

    I am looking forward to getting the live channels sorted as the arguements of what to watch on the sky box will be much more limited. I must also admit that the streaming speed is impressive and I read that this will only get better as encoding is improved. As well as the channel selection increasing.

  • beckyh #17 2 years ago

    As a multiroom user I get the service for free so thought I would try it out. Its okay and works now but I see not much reason to use it when I already have Sky. I might use it to watch something where I have the rare occasion of 3 things I want to watch on at the same time - I can record two on sky box and watch the other on the 360. The other time I may use it is if my Sky signal goes down in bad weather but that is not often either.

    I can see it being useful for those that want sky in an extra room though. If they already pay for one multiroom they can have it in another room for free.

  • urban #18 2 years ago

    sky fail

  • sneetch #19 2 years ago

    @bozza95
    I dont think its naive to expect a few more perks from a system that is slightly lagging behind the PS3. I can watch iplayer on my flat mates PS3 and get access to all that at no cost. I knew quite a bit would of course be pay for stuff, but was hoping that at least back catalogues of current stuff on Sky 1 etc would at least be free. Old series/films I assumed would of course cost. Its just a bit of a let down in that area.

    Ultimately that's down to the difference between Sky and the BBC and is not really a Xbox vs PS3 thing: Sky are a profit making organisation, the Beeb are not (well, not profit driven). If the iPlayer were on the Xbox then it'd be free there too (only to UK residents ofc).

  • Azazel #20 2 years ago

    Still hilariously over-priced? Yes.

  • beckyh #21 2 years ago

    To compare it to the BBC iplayer is not fair really. The BBC iplayer does not have proper live TV, the 360 sky player does and it mirrors the subscription that you are subscribed to, this is why they are charging for the service. If they did not charge then people would be buying xbox360's instead of getting Sky installed and there is no way Sky would allow that because they would lose numbers.

  • Munkey_Boy #22 2 years ago

    @bozza95
    iPlayer shows stuff from the last 30 days free, as does Sky Player (albeit for different channels). The on-demand stuff you have to pay for is over 30 days since broadcast. You can't access stuff on iPlayer if it's over a month old, can you?

    EDIT: Ah, I see iPlayer now stretches to 6/7 weeks, but my point still remains.
    Edited by 1 at 03/11/09 @ 18:55

  • Harmonica #23 2 years ago

    I subscribed this morning, and it was working perfectly. Yeah it's a rip but I'm going to do it for 3 months and see how it goes.

    Just now on the 360 dashboard I grimaced when the Sky Player message says 'Sorry some of you are having problems with this' - BUT I WASN'T!

    I would feel completely outraged if I didn't know about the trick to load it from Download History (which thankfully - touch wood - has loaded it and Sky Sports is playing fine).

  • Harmonica #24 2 years ago

    @ Jon1292 "Earlier I got an email which offered a £10 refund, which is pretty nice of them "

    I received no such email! Time to give them a ring tomorrow..

  • El-Dev #25 2 years ago

    Fucking grim, the United match build up kept having to buffer, will have to watch this downstairs now.

  • castertroy #26 2 years ago

    Works fine for me. Logged in and was watching high school musical 3 in no time....... Sorrry I was watching the dark knight in no time!

  • GamesConnoisseur #27 2 years ago

    I watched mine fine no probs with bufferings, so maybe a lot to do with your net setup.

    Port forwarded my X360 to bypass router who would have just randomly do searches on data they don't fancies!

    Wired still the king over wireless, it matters in streaming even more. Good wireless setup can work but more susceptible to interferences or hiccups.

    I wired both X360 and PS3 and everything else wirelessly.

    Worth looking at your network setup if u do get the bufferings regularly.

  • El-Dev #28 2 years ago

    Watched a movie on it the other day with no buffering, but the match on Saturday and tonight had buffering problems.

  • actionfitz #29 2 years ago

    "Microsoft revises Xbox 360 plans."

    how about sky revising the fucking ridiculous pricing?

  • markymark22 #30 2 years ago

    I think microsoft should pull those ads saying you can watch sky on the console. They were running before a date was even announced and now the sky player is, to be fair, broken. Be it sky, microsoft's or both's fault. Misleading adverts for those intending to purchase a 360 for this service.

  • markymark22 #31 2 years ago

    I think microsoft should pull those ads saying you can watch sky on the console. They were running before a date was even announced and now the sky player is, to be fair, broken. Be it sky, microsoft's or both's fault. Misleading adverts for those intending to purchase a 360 for this service.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #32 2 years ago

    So to translate: The full service crashed out however MS/Sky are still quite happy to take your money for a 'full service' but use the term 'gradually' to get around the fact they can only get part of the so called 'full service' product working...

    Much like Vista then, so expect 'Sky Player+' a year down the line which is actally the complete working orginal product however they claim it's a bigger service to charge you more

  • alcolepone #33 2 years ago

    what happens if i uses someone elses sky user name and password to sign up? does that mean i'd get their package options?