CriterionCast

Blockbuster Versus Netflix: The Battle Continues

No matter who you are, it’s hard not to admire the hell out of Netflix.

The giant in the world of video renting and online streaming has not only become a household name, but has become the company to beat in both the aforementioned mediums. Well, one person who happens to admire the company, also happens to be one of its major competitors.

‘I admire what they’ve built,’ said Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes. ‘It was a brilliant idea to do DVDs by mail. We emulated that, and created a comparable system.’

While that is fine and dandy, and exactly what he should think as the company has changed how DVDs are rented and watched, he’s not going down without one hell of a fight.

‘Call me brash, but we’re building a world-class cross-channel distribution platform. Netflix can’t deliver content the way we can. Redbox can’t do what we do in their vending machines.’

We are having one hell of a war going on. With these comments, along with Redbox CEO Mitch Lowe‘s ludicrous comments in regards to Netflix, it looks like Netflix is not only the big dog on the block, but is garnering quite a bit of flack from its major competitors.

However, Netflix appears to have a card up their sleeves in the form of a new media player that will be requesting their services.

According to Gizmodo, the new HD media player, The WD TV Live Plus has not only cleaned up a few issues that critics and analysts had with the original box, but has also added Netflix to its collection. ‘The best Swiss Army knife we’ve found yet,’ according to the outlet, the hardware will run you just $150, and while it’s not a custom interface like the Roku’s, it is reportedly more than capable.

So where does that leave Blockbuster? On the brink of bankruptcy.

The last we heard on the company, it was teetering on the brink of Chapter 11, and while the admiration is fine and dandy, they are going to need to do something that Netflix hasn’t done yet to get back its market share. That is going to be easier said than done. I honestly can’t think of something that could be done by the company to make much of a dent. Maybe agreements with studios to get their theatrical releases online faster? Maybe an IFC Midnight style on demand service? Honestly, your thoughts are as good as mine, so let us know what you think below!

Source: MYCE / Gizmodo

Joshua Brunsting

Josh is a critic, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, a wrestling nerd, a hip-hop head, a father, a cinephile and a man looking to make his stamp on the world, one word at a time.

1 comment

  • sadly, the BBI store down the hill on the way to freeway was whacked by a greedy landlord who upped their rent by 70K/year – ironically and to the ire of our community, replaced by yet another….. BANK – geez we sure needed one.

    thing is – what BBI had was an ability to swap out the DVD at the store – in the moment – real time – DVD now. Netflix, pre-download – could not do that – for the last 10 years – that worked – but now – it is wire up and stream away.

    therefore, RIP – BBI