Microsoft is shutting its online film and TV store, effective immediately. Your purchases are safe, but you can’t move them elsewhere.
With a smattering of online digital stores disappearing and making it hard for users to keep hold of films and TV shows they’ve purchased, it’s perhaps understandable that many gravitate towards bigger names. The iTunes Store and Amazon aren’t likely to be going anywhere fast. At least if you buy a movie through them they’ll (probably) always be around.
Some felt the same of Microsoft and its store, which until now also sold films and television shows. But in a sudden and surprising move, Microsoft has shut up shop – effectively immediately. Thankfully, this doesn’t mean you lose access to anything you’ve bought, but you can’t move your purchases to any other service that’s still active.
There was no formal announcement ahead of this. Instead, on a Microsoft support page came the following bit of text:
“Microsoft no longer offers new entertainment content for purchase, including movies and TV shows, on Microsoft.com, Microsoft Store on Windows, and the Microsoft Store on Xbox. However, you can continue to access your purchased content in the Movies & TV app on Xbox or Windows device.”
Specific to the question of moving to another service, the company writes:
“You cannot directly move your purchased content to another service. You will still be able to access and play purchased content on the Microsoft Movies & TV App. If you’re in the U.S., you can sign up for Movies Anywhere to connect select purchased movies with other Movies Anywhere retailers. “
Refunds are not being offered, but then also, you’re not losing access to anything, either.
The full support page is here.
The number of places where you can buy new movies and TV shows, certainly mainstream ones, has narrowed in recent years, and it’s just narrowed again. Not that, in truth, I’ve ever met anyone who bought a movie from the Microsoft store, but still…
