Video games consoles are rapidly becoming an important part of the distribution of online video. Already available on Microsoft’s Xbox 360, it looks as though Netflix video streaming could soon be headed for the Sony PS3 and Nintendo Wii as well. Fingers crossed.
Video Games Consoles
The current-gen of games consoles seem made for the distribution and delivery of online video. All of the three home consoles, the PS3, the Xbox 360, and the Wii, can all be hooked up to the Internet, and most are in order to allow gamers to play online against other people.
But being hooked up to the Net also means streaming video and video downloads become a part of the consoles’ repertoire. And with consoles installed and hooked up to the Net in millions of homes around the world, it’s a market just waiting to be tapped by companies which realize the potential that exists.
Video Offerings – Xbox 360
Things started to happen in this field in the middle of 2008. July saw Microsoft announce Netflix was heading for the Xbox 360. It eventually arrived, in the U.S. at least, in November as part of the New Xbox Experience. Netflix subscribers can now access the 10,000+ titles available on the ‘Watch Now’ service.
Microsoft has since done deals with companies such as Paramount, Warner Bros., MGM, and Universal which has seen the number of titles available for download, either to rent or own, on the Xbox 360 increase massively in recent months.
Video Offerings – PS3 and Wii
The other consoles have been playing catchup somewhat but haven’t been entirely left out of the loop. Sony unveiled its own video download service for the PS3 last year and NBC Universal content has since also arrived on the console.
Nintendo has a problem offering any kind of downloads on the Wii because it’s the one home console without a hard drive. But there are rumors NBC Universal is eyeing up the console, and you can already watch a specially designed version of YouTube optimized for the television on both the Wii and PS3. The Xbox 360 has no Web browser.
Netflix Expansion?
Netflix coming to the Xbox 360 but not the PS3 or Wii caused some consternation amongst owners of the latter two last year. But now, a job listing on Netflix has given a very strong indication that the company intends to expand outwards from the Microsoft console and become available on the other two home consoles as well.
PS3 owners have shown an interest in watching and downloading videos on their consoles, so this move would make perfect sense. The Wii is a little trickier because it’s an untried market, there’s that hard drive problem, and it only outputs in SD, meaning the quality of streamed videos on Nintendo’s console will be rubbish.
Conclusions
Netflix has suggested it will be heading towards a streaming-only service in the future, meaning it’s essential for the company to have its content available on as many home devices as possible. Games consoles seem made for the job.
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