Saw this over on NeoGaf

Sources familiar with the situation tell us that Microsoft is in talks with the broadcaster to sell Xbox One with Sky subscriptions. The device could work as a set-top-box or companion device - but most importantly the console could be sold at a hugely reduced cost.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/microsoft-courting-sky-to-sell-xbox-one-as-set-top-box/0116692

Sky? Is that a UK channel/group of channels correct?

A few more deals like these.... Who knows!

kowenicki said: ironmanDX said: Sky? Is that a UK channel/group of channels correct? A few more deals like these.... Who knows! It is BY FAR the largest TV package in the UK.  It has over 10m paid for TV subscriptions. It also commands sports, it also has exclusive deals on movies (with sony for example....lol.. yes new Sony movies are a timed console exclusive in the UK (1 year) to the xbox 360 already!).

That is good news. They have TV services here in Australia already with the Foxtel App and others such as ABC and SBS on the 360 so those thinking they'll miss out, you won't. Australia is pretty tiny in terms of consoles sold so I doubt they'll not have similar deals in other countries/regions and this goes futher towards that very argument.

As soon i heard about the Xbox One's TV approach i knew it wouldn't work here in the UK due to sky. Definitely a good catch if this goes through

kowenicki said: ironmanDX said: Sky? Is that a UK channel/group of channels correct? A few more deals like these.... Who knows! It is BY FAR the largest TV package in the UK.  It has over 10m paid for TV subscriptions. It also commands sports, it also has exclusive deals on movies (with sony for example....lol.. yes new Sony movies are a timed console exclusive in the UK (1 year) to the xbox 360 already!).

That deal is for broadcast, you can buy/rent the films on the PS3 well before it reaches Sky.

Yeah, the PS3 has that as well through NOW TV, which is the Sky Netflix equivalent. The only thing that isn't on the PS3 is broadcast (but that is the same movies, except you can't choose when to watch them).

Great news for every gamer.

hopefully they do the same with sky in germany.

Sounds good.

But i wonder how it'll work exactly? When they say subscription do they mean your existing subscription and sky tv box. Or do they mean they'll bundle in a Sky subscription with the XBox at a subsidised price?

I'm guessing the former. But yup, Sky is big in the UK. Not as big as it used to be but it would easily be a selling point in the UK. But then again i'm still of the camp which thinks this whole tv thing is pointless. I already have a sky box and a remote control. I can just switch the input in 2 seconds and watch sky tv when i want. All the Xbox does is make it easier to switch between Xbox games/home/stuff and live tv. More of a gimmick than a feature in my opinion. But i'm waiting for more info on this deal before i decide.

Also what does this mean for sky go? (for those in the USA sky go is like hulu or whatever, but live. If that makes sense? Basically live tv streamed to the PC/Xbox/Phone etc...)

I did wonder who they would do this as from their original pitch which was US based, the UK market is different. They already allow the 360 to work as a Sky Go device or even subscription to Sky, there is an app. Which means it will work similar to the current way it does but might even make use of the HD to store the programmes you watch which will be a good thing.

But it's only available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers, meaning you have to pay not once for TV in the UK but 3 times. Once for Licence, once for Sky and once for Gold. This is not right.