Hulu on PS3 Requires PlayStation Plus Subscription

[Logan Westbrook]

Hulu on PS3 Requires PlayStation Plus Subscription

If you want to watch Hulu on your PS3 [http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-3-120-GB/dp/B002I0J4VQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278433938&sr=1-1], it's going to cost a little bit more than you might have thought.

The first third-party service announced [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101780-New-Premium-Service-Brings-Hulu-to-Consoles] for the PS3 since the launch of PlayStation Plus will require the premium membership to access. Tucked away in the source code for the "devices" section of the Hulu Plus site, Technologizer [http://technologizer.com/2010/06/29/playstation-plus-required-for-hulu-plus/] found a small disclaimer which read: "The instructions below will help you install Hulu Plus on your PS3. Note: you must be a subscriber of the Playstation Plus Network."

At the time of its discovery, no one was sure whether the disclaimer was genuine or not, until a Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5576022/rumor-hulu-plus-requires-playstation-plus-subscription] reader who had obtained an invite code for the preview confirmed that Hulu Plus required a PlayStation Plus account. This means that on top of the $120 a year that Hulu Plus costs is at least another $50 if you want to watch on your PS3.

Now, there's nothing unreasonable about this - It's not dissimilar from Netflix on Xbox Live, which requires a subscription on top of a Gold membership - but it's a first for the PS3 platform. I can't imagine that Sony will make existing services like Netflix PlayStation Plus exclusive but it seems safe to assume that any new services for the PS3 will require a premium subscription.

Source: Technologizer [http://technologizer.com/2010/06/29/playstation-plus-required-for-hulu-plus/] via Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5576022/rumor-hulu-plus-requires-playstation-plus-subscription]


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[Skops]

Who gives a shit about Hulu? I DEMAND MORE KEVIN BULTER VIDEOS UPLOADED.

 

[Woodsey]

Isn't Hulu a free service?

Just use a bloody computer then. Honestly, how they get away with charging for free services I don't know.

 

[Sparrow]

Gawd. The fanboys are going to go crazy with this. INB4 Play$tation.

[sup]...it's not even that big a deal, either. It's just Hulu for christ sake.[/sup]

 

[Cynical skeptic]

"hulu! Where you can watch low quality streams with random commercial interruptions!"

I can't stand that shit when its free.

 

[Scizophrenic Llama]

Isn't Hulu a free service?

Just use a bloody computer then. Honestly, how they get away with charging for free services I don't know.

Actually they are starting Hulu Plus. So on top of needing the Playstation Plus deal, you'd have to spend $10 a month for Hulu Plus to access it on the PS3.

What they plan on restricting to free users, I don't know, but it'll suck.

 

[uppitycracker]

Of course it requires playstation plus. If you people think that anything worth getting out of the PSN, aside from online play, is going to be free anymore yer just fooling yerself. They'll do everything they can to make you need it, how else are they gonna make money from it?

 

[HSIAMetalKing]

As long as they don't force me to PS+ for Netflix, we're cool.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Yet another reason for me to completely ignore this service.

As far as those saying that you can just watch it on the computer, there's a difference between watching Hulu shows on a ~22" computer screen with computer speakers and watching them on a 36+" HDTV with a surround sound audio system. Also, not everyone has the ability (or the desire) to hook up their computers to their big screen televisions.

 

[RanD00M]

Hulu isn't even available here in Iceland anyway.So my Give-O-Fuck a meter is near the bottom.

 

[Jared]

Well, not surprised. They said it was coming eventually so was only a matter of time really.

 

[Something Amyss]

I never really gave a damn about Hulu anyway.

Honestly, though, I can't see this as any different from paying for Netflix and paying for Gold to use it on Live. Which I do, by the way. I'm not trying to be partisan here.

 

[Cynical skeptic]

Yet another reason for me to completely ignore this service.

As far as those saying that you can just watch it on the computer, there's a difference between watching Hulu shows on a ~22" computer screen with computer speakers and watching them on a 36+" HDTV with a surround sound audio system. Also, not everyone has the ability (or the desire) to hook up their computers to their big screen televisions.

Well, its extremely easy to do, so the "ability" thing is out the window.

Don't understand why you wouldn't want to, either.

and who the hell uses "computer" speakers?

Also, from my current perspective, my 36" HDtv is smaller than my 22" monitor.

 

[Hiphophippo]

Use a third party program to get hulu to work on playstations. Problem solved.

 

[Jumplion]

Gawd. The fanboys are going to go crazy with this. INB4 Play$tation.

[sup]...it's not even that big a deal, either. It's just Hulu for christ sake.[/sup]

Which fanboys? The 360 one or the Ps3 ones? 'Cause I can tell ya now, I doubt any of my legions of Playstation fanboys are gonna give two whet-willies about this, being the insane ripoff that it is.

So, in short summary; Hulu? You can piss off.

 

[Sparrow]

Gawd. The fanboys are going to go crazy with this. INB4 Play$tation.

[sup]...it's not even that big a deal, either. It's just Hulu for christ sake.[/sup]

Which fanboys? The 360 one or the Ps3 ones? 'Cause I can tell ya now, I doubt any of my legions of Playstation fanboys are gonna give two whet-willies about this being the insane ripoff that it is.

So, in short summary; Hulu? You can piss off.

The 360 ones. In retaliation. It's always the PS3 ones that say "Micro$oft", I'd assume they'd think of it as a form of payback.

 

[Virgil]

I can't imagine that Sony will make existing services like Netflix PlayStation Plus exclusive but it seems safe to assume that any new services for the PS3 will require a premium subscription.

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the disc-less Netflix application on the PS3 is Playstation Plus exclusive. That would limit non-Plus members to putting the disc in every time, while the Plus membership competes directly with Live Gold.

 

[Deofuta]

What's Playstation Plus? What's Hulu? Why do I care about any of this??????

Then why are you posting here?

OT: Makes sense, although it will probably not be a popular opinion for the Ps3 owners who thought they wouldn't see the day they would be having to purchase the equivalent of XBL Gold.

Am I guessing correctly here that if you purchase the Hulu plus than the commercials in the show are removed?

 

[Truly-A-Lie]

I thought the plan was always that new features would be PS+ exclusive. Leaving the regular PSN as a basic entry service with free online, but for those who want it to do more they'll pay for it. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Cynical skeptic]

What's Playstation Plus? What's Hulu? Why do I care about any of this??????

Then why are you posting here?

Honestly, it did need to be said. Streaming in any favor is a pile of crap, hulu being just a step above mining youtube for mst3k.