Stream Movies to Your Wii Without a Disc Today

[Greg Tito]

Stream Movies to Your Wii Without a Disc Today

You can now download the Wii Netflix Channel to get your movies beamed directly to your brain over the intertubes.

That's right, no disc required! Previously, Wii-users and Netflix subscribers were able to stream "Watch Instantly" movies to their little white console with a special disc. That clunky service debuted this March, but now, only 8 months later, Nintendo has made the Netflix Channel available for free download in the Wii Shop Channel. You will still need a Netflix subscription of at least 1-disc out at a time or $8.99/month. Wii-users are then further limited by the resolution available but thankfully most of the "Watch Instantly" back library isn't HD capable anyway.

Sony is also rolling out its disc-less Netflix service on the PS3 later today [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104407-Netflix-Losing-the-Disc-and-Upgrading-on-PS3], allowing all current-gen consoles the ability to stream movies instantly. Xbox 360 owners have enjoyed Netflix streaming since 2008, but that didn't stop Nintendo from saying that the Wii was all about family time.

"At this time of year, consumers have a near-insatiable demand for family entertainment," says Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America. "And this simplified Netflix access will help bring families together more quickly, more easily and in more ways than ever before."

Netflix is just as excited as CEO Reed Hastings says, "The availability of Netflix right on the Wii Menu adds significantly to the ease and convenience that attracts our members to the Netflix streaming experience and is an important step in our efforts to continuously improve the service."

I hope that Netflix improves its interface for finding movies to watch via consoles other than watching what's on your "Watch Instantly" queue. I don't know if the Wii or PS3 will allow the fancy searching through Netflix library that Susan Arendt discovered in her preview of the upcoming Xbox 360 dashboard update [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-escapist-presents/2101-Preview-Xbox-Dashboard-Update-2010], but that would be a big step towards making the service that much more awesome.

Permalink

 

[Delusibeta]

And with that, one of Microsoft's excuses for increasing the Gold price has gone poof. And honestly? Aside from ESPN, it's the only excuse that held water (both the Wii and the PS3 had a browser for your Twitter and Facebook needs).

 

[icyneesan]

I don't see the point of adding all these features (streaming movies, facebook, twitter, etc) to consoles, dont most people have computers and a internet connection?

 

[Pingieking]

Sweet, now there is a use for the Wii.
BUUURRRRNNN!

Yeah, just had to do it. No hostility to Wii and Big N fans.

 

[AaronDemoncia]

heh i can immagine nothing scarier to a non microsoft developer than having someone accidentally enjoy a game on a computer and spontaniously turn into microsoft zombie ¬.¬

 

[Pingieking]

And with that, one of Microsoft's excuses for increasing the Gold price has gone poof. And honestly? Aside from ESPN, it's the only excuse that held water (both the Wii and the PS3 had a browser for your Twitter and Facebook needs).

Why do they need an excuse? Nintendo and Sony just aren't quite as good capitalists in this limited case (not saying that they don't know how to make money). The point of being capitalist is to squeeze as much $$ out of the consumer as possible, and MS is doing quite well by increasing the gold price.

 

[DustyDrB]

Hmm, this might let me feel better about letting my Gold subscription run out. Of course, that's going to be a while. I re-upped when they had a year of Gold for dirt cheap. I want to see how the ESPN application works, though. If they show some baseball games, then I might keep it.

I don't see the point of adding all these features (streaming movies, facebook, twitter, etc) to consoles, dont most people have computers and a internet connection?

Most people (myself included) would rather watch movies and shows on our TV. As for facebook and twitter: I don't get that either. Seems like a lot of effort to type things out with a controller rather than a keyboard.

 

[Susan Arendt]

I don't see the point of adding all these features (streaming movies, facebook, twitter, etc) to consoles, dont most people have computers and a internet connection?

Not everyone enjoys watching TV and movies on their computer. Some people like to watch things with friends.

 

[Sephychu]

Does it look piss poor like other times spent trying to watch videos on the computer? I hope not. :/

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Not American. Kill me now. Oh wait, BBC iPlayer. :-D

I think that's actually a very good substitute. Still, movies on demand would have been nice as well.

I don't see the point of adding all these features (streaming movies, facebook, twitter, etc) to consoles, dont most people have computers and a internet connection?

Not everyone enjoys watching TV and movies on their computer. Some people like to watch things with friends.

BURRRRRRN!

I kid your majesty, I know I'm not funny. Please don't throw me in the unicorn pit again your Nerdiness, I still need to heal from last time...

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

Wow, Netflix must be pretty smug nowadays. They've got Ninty, Sony, and Microsoft all in the same basket now...

 

[jp201]

And with that, one of Microsoft's excuses for increasing the Gold price has gone poof. And honestly? Aside from ESPN, it's the only excuse that held water (both the Wii and the PS3 had a browser for your Twitter and Facebook needs).

They don't have any NFL with the ESPN sports on 360. The most popular sport in the USA is not on your sports package? Fail

Also great that its coming to the PS3 my favorite system now