The PS3's 'instant-streaming' disc. Image: MNgilen/Flickr.
Nintendo may be somewhat reticent to offer up anything but staunch denials regarding the much talked about Wii HD console, but the Japanese videogame giant is at least still looking to push the hugely popular platform in other ways. Specifically, the motion-sensing home console will soon be playing host to
Already a core point of attraction on the Microsoft Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (PS3), the long-awaited arrival of Netflix will see Wii owners able to enjoy a wealth of streamed video entertainment for as little as $9 USD per month.
“Our growth in the last two years has been propelled in large part by our investments in streaming content and in the streaming platform,” outlined Netflix chief executive officer Reed Hastings in a New York Times report.
“When the Wii application ships, it’s going to really open up a large additional opportunity,” he added, no doubt referencing the 26 million Wii consoles that have been sold across the United States.
The Wii version of Netflix will not be integrated in the same seamless fashion as when Microsoft embraced the service, but rather in the same way Sony recently adopted it. This means users will need to insert a special “instant-streaming” DVD into their systems every time they wish to access Netflix movies and TV shows on the Wii.
The disc, although likely to be an annoyance, will be dispatched to Netflix users at no additional cost. While both Nintendo and Netflix have been unwilling to issue a concrete launch date for the service, it’s expected to arrive during the spring.
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