As many Xbox LIVE users know, and Xbox LIVe Gold membership is required to utilize the Netflix app on the Xbox 360. Stupid or not, that’s how it is.

That’s all going to change this weekend – but for this weekend only. Microsoft is unlocking the Netflix app and making it available for all Xbox LIVE users, no matter their metallic status.

“Access to the Netflix app is unlocked this weekend on Xbox! Watch every episode of the new Netflix original series “House of Cards” premiering Feb. 1. Xbox will unlock the Netflix app, so all LIVE users with a Netflix subscription can watch all weekend long. (All Netflix regions),” says Major Nelson.

So it looks like a promotional thing for the new David Fincher/Kevin spacey political drama House of Cards, which premieres on February 1st. All 13 episodes of the new series will be available to stream at once – so you better be prepared for a marathon.

Here’s what you can expect from House of Cards:

Based on the British miniseries, ruthless and cunning, Congressman Francis Underwood (Oscar® winner Kevin Spacey) and his wife Claire (Robin Wright) stop at nothing to conquer everything. This wicked political drama penetrates the shadowy world of greed, sex, and corruption in modern D.C. Kate Mara (“American Horror Story”) and Corey Stoll (“Midnight in Paris”) costar in the first original series from David Fincher (“The Social Network”) and Beau Willimon (“The Ides of March”).

In other news, it’s seriously time for Microsoft to rethink the whole Xbox LIVE Gold requirement thing for apps like Netflix. Seriously.