Netflix on Wii imminent as consumer testing begins

by Stevie Smith - Mar 26 2010, 12:35

Not that the Nintendo Wii really needs assistance when it comes to garnering mass market appeal… but the wildly popular home videogame console will soon be echoing rival platforms Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in offering its users ‘Instant Streaming’ access to Netflix.

More pointedly, if you’re a Wii owner and an early subscriber to the movie and TV delivery portal, chances are you’ve either already received, or soon will receive, an e-mail confirmation explaining that the mandatory Netflix disc required to access the service via the Wii’s online hub is on its way.

According to a post on the Netflix blog, the Wii-based service officially entered its test phase on Thursday of this week in order to enable the California-based company to gather and assess first-wave feedback, and also to “ensure that we deliver a great experience to everyone when we launch.”

In order to enjoy Netflix on the Nintendo Wii, service subscribers must have an existing Netflix account that’s also compatible with the ‘Instant Streaming’ service applied to the motion-sensing home console.

The imminent widespread arrival of Netflix on Wii follows on from the service launching on Sony’s PlayStation 3 console back in November of 2009.

The rollout on Sony’s home system unfolded in a similar vein, with a limited 100,000 Instant Streaming discs delivered to customers during an initial test period, before the entire service was opened to the public some five days later.

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