One Million Wii Users "Participate" in Netflix

[Andy Chalk]

One Million Wii Users "Participate" in Netflix

Less than a month after it went live, Netflix [http://www.nintendo.com] streaming video system, although he wasn't entirely clear on what "participated" actually means.

When Nintendo and Netflix predicted [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97431-Netflix-Coming-To-The-Wii] at the time that Wii users would "embrace the Netflix service only gradually."

But according to Fils-Aime, the uptake has been even faster than it was on the Xbox 360: Less than 30 days after going live, nearly one million users have "participated" in the system, he told CNBC. Whether that refers to people who have actually watched movies on their consoles or just ordered the free Netflix disc, however, was left unspecified.

It took roughly three months for the Xbox 360 to hit the million Netflix users mark, but the service on the Microsoft console also requires a subscription to GamesIndustry [http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live/], but a more recent study indicated that more than half actually had a connection.

via: Yahoo! Finance [http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Nintendo-Almost-1-Million-Wii-siliconalley-739043355.html?x=0&.v=1]


Permalink

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Couldn't they just have added a channel?

Either way. One million DVD orders is pretty big. Used or not.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

I like the Netflix on the 360 better. Mostly because I don't have to order a disc for it. Congratulations Netflix, but there could have been an easier way.

 

[Jared]

Couldn't they just have added a channel?

Either way. One million DVD orders is pretty big. Used or not.

Yeah...thats a huge base to start on off...well, seems it was profitable. Go figure

 

[tehroc]

Who bought the Wii? Casuals. Who likes to watch movies? Casuals. This is a no-brainer of course it was a success.

 

[craddoke]

I've tried both the Xbox and Wii versions of Netflix and there's no doubt that the Xbox version is superior in every way (indeed, because of the Xbox version of the service and Hulu, I've cancelled my cable television subscription). The requirement that the DVD remain in the Wii to use the service is not very user friendly - and will doubtless require periodic disk replacements - and the Wii controller is inferior as a navigation device - although that should be obvious to anyone who has used the Wii controller for any task. Still, I suppose it's a good thing that Wii users have this option (more users = more streaming content for everyone).

 

[The_Amaster]

I like the Netflix on the 360 better. Mostly because I don't have to order a disc for it. Congratulations Netflix, but there could have been an easier way.

Not their choice. They have an exclusivity deal with MS for the purely online streaming service, so they have to use a physical disc, just as a kind of a client. Service on the PSN is the same

Also, I'm loving my Netflix on my Wii

 

[shadowstriker86]

i'll tell you exactly why people would prefer it on the wii rather than the 360: You dont need to pay an extra service fee (xbox live) to use netflix. So what if you have to have the disc inside the wii, is that so much of a burden? Are you telling me you'd rather pay an extra 10-15$ on a system that has to have an extra 100$ attachment to use wireless internet?

 

[Quaidis]

Netflix on the Wii is a fine service. No problems with the disk (You take as much effort to pop in a game, so no sweat lost on that one), it plays fantastically, and Netflix subscribers no longer have to watch WatchNow Netflix movies on their computer. This was a plus all around.

 

[MR T3D]

story:
-try wii netfilx
-looks rather poor on HDTV
-fuck this
-use up-converting DVD player, better quality

i'll tell you exactly why people would prefer it on the wii rather than the 360: You dont need to pay an extra service fee (xbox live) to use netflix. So what if you have to have the disc inside the wii, is that so much of a burden? Are you telling me you'd rather pay an extra 10-15$ on a system that has to have an extra 100$ attachment to use wireless internet?

except wired internet is faster, better for gaming, and if you're playing on xbox, you should get live anyway, it's not like it costs the average 360 user more to use the netflix, and its HD quality and DL'd right off the web.
better service, not costing average user any more, it's a better deal to me.

but then, I play games online.

 

[Quadtrix]

I'll be trying it when I get a credit card. They won't even let you have your 14-day free trial unless you give them a credit card number.

 

[Crotalus viridis]

The requirement that the DVD remain in the Wii to use the service is not very user friendly - and will doubtless require periodic disk replacements - and the Wii controller is inferior as a navigation device - although that should be obvious to anyone who has used the Wii controller for any task. Still, I suppose it's a good thing that Wii users have this option (more users = more streaming content for everyone).

Wow, I feel like I've accidentally typed gamefaqs.com in my browser. The Wii controller operates the Netflix disc using conventional methods as well as with the IR pointer, and having to switch discs really isn't a big deal.

It's really cool. I've never had Netflix before, so when I scrolled through their list of available movies I was really surprised at the selection. Neat technology.

 

[CrystalShadow]

I've tried both the Xbox and Wii versions of Netflix and there's no doubt that the Xbox version is superior in every way (indeed, because of the Xbox version of the service and Hulu, I've cancelled my cable television subscription). The requirement that the DVD remain in the Wii to use the service is not very user friendly - and will doubtless require periodic disk replacements - and the Wii controller is inferior as a navigation device - although that should be obvious to anyone who has used the Wii controller for any task. Still, I suppose it's a good thing that Wii users have this option (more users = more streaming content for everyone).

Are we on the same planet?

When has a traditional game controller ever been a good input device for what are essentially menus?

Sure the motion controls are dodgy more often than not, but the pointer function works pretty damn well.

Then again, I haven't seen the netflix service on either system, so who knows.

 

[Little Duck]

The wii.
It can't play films like the other consoles.
It can't play games like the others.
It hasn't got music functions, no demo games here
No achievments to speak of and weaker social tools.

Yet it sells like free hot cakes and somehow manages to be more fun than the other 2.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

Here's my question, why is HD such a big deal to everyone? I've got Netflix on my Wii and it works just great. I've seen things in HD before and it really doesn't impress me all that much. Also, why would I bother paying extra for an Xbox Live account (which I don't have), internet service, and the Netflix membership? Personally, I've never been a big fan of paying extra for an online service for games. My PC does most of this without any extra costs.

 

[Kyrian007]

story:
-try wii netfilx
-looks rather poor on HDTV
-fuck this
-use up-converting DVD player, better quality

i'll tell you exactly why people would prefer it on the wii rather than the 360: You dont need to pay an extra service fee (xbox live) to use netflix. So what if you have to have the disc inside the wii, is that so much of a burden? Are you telling me you'd rather pay an extra 10-15$ on a system that has to have an extra 100$ attachment to use wireless internet?

except wired internet is faster, better for gaming, and if you're playing on xbox, you should get live anyway, it's not like it costs the average 360 user more to use the netflix, and its HD quality and DL'd right off the web.
better service, not costing average user any more, it's a better deal to me.

but then, I play games online.

Which is why I originally used a wired connection on my Wii. Until I bought a better router and found out that there is no noticeable difference in online play between wired and wireless Wii. Besides even Netflix acknowledges that most of their "instant" catalouge isn't in HD anyway.

 

[tk1989]

I've tried both the Xbox and Wii versions of Netflix and there's no doubt that the Xbox version is superior in every way (indeed, because of the Xbox version of the service and Hulu, I've cancelled my cable television subscription). The requirement that the DVD remain in the Wii to use the service is not very user friendly - and will doubtless require periodic disk replacements - and the Wii controller is inferior as a navigation device - although that should be obvious to anyone who has used the Wii controller for any task. Still, I suppose it's a good thing that Wii users have this option (more users = more streaming content for everyone).

Not... user friendly? I'm sorry, but does that make all DVD players "not user friendly" because you have to change the DVD every time you want to change the film you are watching? Wouldn't the same situation therefore be apparent with consoles...? I can imagine a common user now saying it: "Damn, my PS3 is so not user friendly; it expects me to change the disc every time i want to switch from Fifa to Killzone! Who thought of such an arbitrary method?!".

Your comment in regard to the use of the Wii motion device does not take into account peoples other opinions regarding navigation; whilst you may find the use of the IR sensor hard to use because it requires one to point the controller at the screen (in what is clearly an unnatural movement...) some people im sure find it a lot more efficient than moving a directional stick up or down.

Seriously, your comments are laughable. Not that I am not agreeing that the Xbox version isn't superior (I would assume so, although i haven't tested it), but it is on a more powerful system which has more features from which it can use to improve the experience; i would be extremely surprised if the Xbox version wasn't superior! But to put yourself in a position of supposed superiority by making the statements you just said is rather amusing and extremely pretentious!