Netflix reportedly wanted exclusive rights to Xbox IP for $500M

1 hour agoFeatured Tech News, Software & Gaming

Following the cancellation of the Halo series at Paramount, Xbox has shifted its focus to Netflix for future partnerships. At one point, Netflix actually had interest in acquiring the exclusive film and TV rights to Xbox IP and characters, but Microsoft wanted $800M for it.

In a paywalled news report on Puck and shared wider by the likes of VGC, Netflix had approached Xbox with a $500M offer for the exclusive rights to its IP over a 7-year period. However, Xbox tried to negotiate the price up to $800M, which ultimately caused the deal to evaporate.

While Netflix won’t be acquiring the exclusive rights to Xbox IP for now, the company is still working closely with Xbox on a number of collaborations. This includes a live-action Gears of War, as well as animated shows for Minecraft and Diablo.

In a statement to Puck, Xbox didn’t confirm the specific negotiations but did say that they’ve “received record-breaking interest” and that they are excited for the new animated shows “among other adaptations”.

KitGuru Says: Xbox is likely better off licensing its IP on a case‑by‑case basis. A broad deal like Netflix’s earlier proposal would have tied up multiple franchises even though Netflix would only pursue a small handful, leaving the rest unavailable to other studios that might have done more with them.