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Netflix Streaming Coming To PS3 This Year

by on

Netflix starts taking reservations for free disc-based streaming solution for PS3.

This lady is looking at discs.
This lady is looking at discs.
Sony and Netflix have announced plans to deliver Netflix's instant streaming service, which allows users to watch a gang of TV and movies over the Internet, to the PlayStation 3. The PS3 will gain support for the feature later this year, and in addition to a Netflix subscription, it will also require the use of disc-based software, which will launch the Netflix interface. Or, at least, it will "initially" require use of a disc, according to the released information, which makes it sound like the feature could be integrated directly into the PlayStation 3 at a later date.

Netflix is making the discs available for free to its members, and those wishing to get on the list for a disc as soon as they're available can do so now at www.netflix.com/ps3.

This levels the playing field a bit more between the PS3 and the Xbox 360, which has had built-in support for Netflix subscribers for quite awhile now. Of course, the key difference is that on the 360, you need a paid Xbox Live Gold account on top of your Netflix subscription, whereas it will be freely available on the PS3 to anyone with a PSN account and, you know, Internet access.

It sort of makes you wonder if Microsoft will blink and decide to move Netflix to the Silver side of the wall. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say naaah. Unless the PS3 absolutely catches fire and continues outselling the 360 month after month, Microsoft probably feels like it's in a fairly safe position. OK, that last sentence makes me feel like some sort of analyst-type guy. Like I'm wearing a suit. I've got to get out of these clothes before I turn into a computer!

Oh, and in a related story, I've spent the last several hours playing Uncharted 2 and DAMNTHATGAMEISGOOD.
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+
Filed under:
PlayStation 3

126 Comments

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noextralife

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Edited By noextralife
@Linkyshinks: Its still abit of a bum deal with the 360 sky player, its looking like even if you already have a sky tv subscription your going to need to fork over an extra £9.75 per month for it, and your still only getting access to sky movies 1 & 2 and around 15 other channels, which is really poor considering the ammount of content US users get from nextflix.
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Linkyshinks

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Edited By Linkyshinks

Sky Movies are going to make films available on 360 sometime next year in the UK, but I don't know about other regions in Europe. I guess you will have to get your own services from your own countries.

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TwoOneFive

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Edited By TwoOneFive

"  DAMNTHATGAMEISGOOD" 
 
i think we have our new GOTY phrase

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JJOR64

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Edited By JJOR64

Netflix is spreading it's love all over now.

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ThePhenomenal1

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Edited By ThePhenomenal1

after being a gold subscriber of xbox live for 5 years i'm kinda considering not renewing in december. since i've gotten my ps3 i've been buying more games for it even if they're multiplatform. i've already gotten uncharted 2 and borderlands so far and i'll be getting modern warfare 2 on the ps3 and left 4 dead 2 on the pc. as far as i know i won't need to buy another 360 game till beyonetta and splinter cell are released. kinda depressing really.

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Pepsicolaboy

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Edited By Pepsicolaboy

sweet. except im not american....oh well ill just go watch netflix on my xbo..... oh thats right, we dont have that here either.
 
moving to america adds yet another +1.
 
Fuck uncharted2 is crazy good though...like, jesus.

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thecleric

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Edited By thecleric

Jeff you forgot to put DAMNTHATGAMEISGOODSON

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TOYBOXX

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Edited By TOYBOXX

It's difficult to compete against free. Microsoft really needs to step it up this time around. Hopefully they'll refocus on games again instead of Xbox Live features.

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Sathan

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Edited By Sathan

 The only thing that gives me pause about this is whether or not The PS3 Netflix player will run as well as the Microsoft Developed 360 Netflix player. Hopefully Sony helped to make it work as well as the 360 version. I would love for Netflix to work well on both my systems so I can stream Netflix in different rooms.

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Kajaah117

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Edited By Kajaah117

From the Playstation Blog:

 When the application launches next month, you’ll be able to access and watch thousands of Netflix choices directly through the XMB.

From Netflix.com.instantstreamingdisc:  

Your instant streaming disc for PS3 will automatically when it is available later this year.


So, Sony uses the word "application" and says it's coming next month. Netflix is saying the "disc" will be available later this year... so does that mean it'll be disc only for the foreseeable future? At first I thought the disc was just a way to get a month headstart, but that's definitely not the case. 
 
Oh well, putting a disc is my PS3 is still far more preferable over listening to the 360s fans and sifting through the pretty, but slow, interface.
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TehBuLL

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Edited By TehBuLL

w00t! USA USA USA!  America FUCK YEAH!

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Linkyshinks

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Edited By Linkyshinks

You should avoid bodily contact with Pachter in future. 

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Xeiphyer

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Edited By Xeiphyer

Itd be great if netflix came to Canada at some point too >_>"

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delta_ass

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Edited By delta_ass

That game is indeed good.

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yyZiggurat

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Edited By yyZiggurat

I want to be paid to look at discs.

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Hamz

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Edited By Hamz

Is Netflix a USA only thing? So us UK PS3 owners will have to wait until they introduce something else right? Oh well at least I still have the BBC iPlayer :D

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cartoons4andy

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Edited By cartoons4andy

I love streaming movies off the 360.  While the online selection need improvement, it has a bunch of TV shows and a few odd movies I've been having a hard time finding otherwise.  But now the PS3's free online service continues to just look better and better.
 
 Microsoft is just lucky that I happen to like the 360 controller far more then the PS3s ... and have already preordered Modern Warfare 2 for the 360.

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Edited By Crash_Happy

I suppose the use of a disk allows them to roll out the service without waiting for the next system update, but you could achieve that by having it downloadable from the PSN too. It escapes me. Unless MS had some contract with Netflix where they couldn't offer their service as part of another console, in that case using a disk could be seen as adequate seperation allowing them to start up before the 'exclusive' period lapsed?
Oh, I don't know.

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Andorski

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Edited By Andorski

Choosing to use a disc to launch the service is interesting.  You would think that they would release a firmware update to add in Netflix to the XMB.  You know Sony loves releasing firmware updates!
 
This really makes me wanna get a Netflix subscription.  I just wish their streaming service could expand into newly released movies.

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azteris

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Edited By azteris

This is great, but the disc part is a bit of a letdown. Hopefully they'll integrate it fully in eventually.

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mordukai

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Edited By mordukai
@Crash_Happy said:
" Disk required? Odd. "
Probably a temporary solution until Sony and Netflix work out an app or an integration into PSN. 
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CharlesAlanRatliff

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Edited By CharlesAlanRatliff

I suppose this will be useful if I ever let my Live subscription run out for some reason, and am still signed up with Netflix. The disc part kind of sucks though.
 
And glad to hear you are enjoying Uncharted 2!

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EvilTwin

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Edited By EvilTwin
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Edited By Crash_Happy

Disk required? Odd.

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mordukai

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Edited By mordukai
@Jeff:  LMAO. you are a funny dude Jeff. Which level so far is your favorite one? 
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Edited By jeff
This lady is looking at discs.
This lady is looking at discs.
Sony and Netflix have announced plans to deliver Netflix's instant streaming service, which allows users to watch a gang of TV and movies over the Internet, to the PlayStation 3. The PS3 will gain support for the feature later this year, and in addition to a Netflix subscription, it will also require the use of disc-based software, which will launch the Netflix interface. Or, at least, it will "initially" require use of a disc, according to the released information, which makes it sound like the feature could be integrated directly into the PlayStation 3 at a later date.

Netflix is making the discs available for free to its members, and those wishing to get on the list for a disc as soon as they're available can do so now at www.netflix.com/ps3.

This levels the playing field a bit more between the PS3 and the Xbox 360, which has had built-in support for Netflix subscribers for quite awhile now. Of course, the key difference is that on the 360, you need a paid Xbox Live Gold account on top of your Netflix subscription, whereas it will be freely available on the PS3 to anyone with a PSN account and, you know, Internet access.

It sort of makes you wonder if Microsoft will blink and decide to move Netflix to the Silver side of the wall. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say naaah. Unless the PS3 absolutely catches fire and continues outselling the 360 month after month, Microsoft probably feels like it's in a fairly safe position. OK, that last sentence makes me feel like some sort of analyst-type guy. Like I'm wearing a suit. I've got to get out of these clothes before I turn into a computer!

Oh, and in a related story, I've spent the last several hours playing Uncharted 2 and DAMNTHATGAMEISGOOD.