Microsoft Ends Entertainment Sales on Xbox And Windows

Within the past week, and without fanfare, Microsoft has continued the slow culling of non-core products and services in the comglomerate’s portfolio, and the latest platform to be cut is movie and TV sales through the Windows Store and Xbox.

Previously, the Windows Store and Xbox allowed for individual purchases of popular films and TV shows in digital versions, with Microsoft also supporting the Movies Anywhere platform, whereby customers that purchased a physical version of a film from a participating studio could redeem the digital code for a complementary digital copy and tie it to either their Xbox account or Windows Account to view on their PC or console, respectively. Purchases were ended without prior announcement last week and the only notification was an update to the support page for Movies and TV detailing the immediate end of purchases.

Microsoft launched digital entertainment sales through the Xbox One and revised 360 console in 2012. Sales were later expanded to PC with the launch of Windows 8.1 in the same year. The Movies and TV app was further updated with the launch of Windows 10 in 2015 with support for Movies Anywhere, in a bid to expand its presence in entertainment at the time. Previous purchases can still be accessed through the Movies & TV app for the foreseeable future.

Microsoft became well known for its frequent digital anime sales through the Movies & TV storefront, which featured popular series such as Naruto, Death Note, Dragon Ball Z and more, sometimes for as low as $5 for complete seasons.