Is it possible to purchase movies from the Film and T.V. store if you live outside the US?

[deebee_433]

First, a little background info on my request. A while ago, Microsoft announced that the Xbox One would be region free. As a result of this policy change, Xbox One users were given the ability to switch their regions at will. By doing this, Microsoft enabled consumers to purchase content from whatever market the Xbox store is supported in as long as they were using a Microsoft Account and a valid payment method. This ability also extends to the web via a simple locale change on Microsoft's Xbox website. With the release of Windows 10 and the unified Windows store, Microsoft consolidated their product offerings by including movies and TV alongside apps and games in the store and removing the ability to purchase content within their separate music and video apps. Recently, Microsoft enabled consumers to access the unified Windows store on the web, and this seemingly innocuous ability to switch locale's also seems to be present; which means consumers (hypothetically) are able to purchase movies or TV shows from any market Microsoft's Film & TV store supports outside of their home region. Music is exempt from this method it seems as an informational message will display and insist that you must buy music from the region that matches your Microsoft Account. The ethics of this aside, has anybody tried this yet? And if they have, do the movies you buy show up in your collection automatically?

 

[noersetiawan]

Interested with this as well, but doesn't have time to try it. Maybe doing a little experiment? Create a new MS account that resides in US, every settings are set to US, then try to buy something, this work for buying game in Xbox. If it doesn't work, try using VPN service to change your location to US, then try to buy something again. Or just have a chat with MS Support, but most likely they will tell that you can't.

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[muitosabao]

It is. I'm in Germany, created a US account (random address). Bought Microsoft Store US gift card and redeemed it on that account. Then you need a VPN, set to US just for the purchase. A bit contrived but it works.

 

[robertbrunelle]

VPN service would be required. Why don't you use local service instead in the country you live?

 

[deebee_433]

Except you don't need to create a new MSA if you're an English speaker (as far as I'm aware). If you look at your billing overview in the MSA settings page online, there's a drop down box denoting what region your personal account has billing information stored in. At the moment, I have four personal accounts I can access: US, AU, CA and UK which I can add funds to arbitrarily as long as I have a valid payment solution stored in each account. What I do currently is purchase US store credit, redeem it on my US personal account and then buy games from the US Xbox store. I mean, your suggested method isn't too strenuous; my only problem is that it's fiddly and would require me to jump through too many hoops to justify the cost. Also with this method, you would have to sign into Windows or Windows mobile in order to access any purchases you make which isn't something I want to do.

VPN service would be required. Why don't you use local service instead in the country you live?

Because....money? I know it seems like I'm grasping at straws here but buying content through the Australian store is almost two times the asking price of, say, the American store or something equally cheaper. It has a lot to do with the fluctuating dollar unfortunately.

 

[noersetiawan]

Except you don't need to create a new MSA if you're an English speaker (as far as I'm aware).

It's just for the sake of experiment, since it goes well then you can forget the new account and use the trick on your primary. I suggested it because you can only change Xbox region once every three months. Also, I don't speak English and don't live in an English speaking country, but somehow I also have UK and US billing on my MSA. Probably because I have bought some free apps from those two region. Anyway it doesn't have anything to do with English speaking or not.

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[Bobvfr]

Its not a film, but I just went into the store and purchased "Wolf Hall" which is a TV series and it showed up in Films and TV immediately.

I am in the UK.

 

[deebee_433]

But did you buy it from the US store? I just tried renting a movie from the store and I'm only able to watch it if my region is set to 'United States', which tells me that no, movies and tv are not region free like games are.