Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation, by comparison, run at 720p or 1080p, i.e. That amounts to just 640 by 480 (or 720 x 480, wide) lines of resolution in NTSC-based countries like the US. “Nintendo’s little-console-that-could, for all its game-related kudos, is strictly locked at 480p, the high-end spec for standard-definition TVs (sometimes called EDTV or “enhanced definition”). And as Matt Peckham from PCWorld’s Game On Blog points out, the Wii doesn’t do high-def video either: For starters, the Wii requires a Netflix disc, unlike the latest breed of Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, and other devices. Some critics have knocked the Wii’s streaming capabilities, which admittedly don’t compare favorably with newer, more advanced living-room hardware.
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They can order a free disc at the Netflix site.
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Wii owners need a broadband connection, a $9 or higher Netflix unlimited plan, and an instant-streaming disc to watch thousands of movies and TV episodes via the Internet. “Their feedback will ensure that we deliver a great experience to everyone when we launch,” writes company spokesperson Jessie Becker on The Netflix Blog. Netflix today announced that it has shipped instant-streaming discs to some of members for testing. "All of those things have taken a long time of experimentation and refinement.It’s no secret that Netflix has been gearing up to stream movies and TV shows via the Nintendo Wii console, but now it appears the launch is near. "The other platforms have a pretty consistent and well-known paradigm, but the Wii is unique," he said. Hastings said the Wii's unusual interface, as well as the specifications of its hardware, created technical challenges to getting the service to work properly. "Netflix is hoping more people will sample the streaming service and like it, and that it will ultimately limit churn," said John Blackledge, a senior analyst at Credit Suisse.Īnalysts have been expecting a deal between Netflix and Nintendo for some time. Terms of the Nintendo deal were not disclosed.Īs its digital service expands, Netflix subscribers who want to ditch, say, an expensive $25-a-month plan, which allows them to keep four DVDs at a time, may be more easily persuaded to cut back to a cheaper plan instead of canceling outright.
Netflix also hopes that the accessibility of its online service on devices like the Wii will encourage subscribers to stick around, helping it cut down on marketing expenses. But more of those people are also watching movies and shows online: more than 50 percent, up from 20 percent a year and a half ago when Netflix first started adding its streaming service to devices like the Xbox.
The company, based in Los Gatos, Calif., now has more than 11 million subscribers to its traditional DVD-by-mail business. The deal gives Netflix a prominent hat trick in the video game console market and underscores its recent emphasis on its digital streaming business. Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, said the Wii had always been primarily about bringing video games to the mass market, including people who normally would not play a violent shoot-'em-up or pick up a traditional video game controller.īut, Fils-Aime said, "from Day 1, we always had other capabilities within the console." The deal with Netflix, he said, "is a continuation of an effort to bring more and more entertainment to consumers who interact with the Wii." You want to remain connected to us," said Pelham Smithers, an independent video game analyst. "Nintendo is saying, look, we are doing all the same stuff. By adding Netflix to its service, Nintendo may be making a bid for customers who are considering switching.
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