Rumour: Sony and Hulu to partner through PlayStation Network

by Stevie Smith - Jun 25 2010, 09:59

If current media whispers are to be believed, Sony’s PlayStation 3 videogame console will soon be adding to its multimedia credentials by embracing TV content served up by popular video service Hulu.

Citing two people closely aligned with the talks, financial news site Bloomberg yesterday revealed that a partnership announcement from Sony and Hulu could be forthcoming as soon as next week.

If this particular rumour tree bears fruit, PlayStation 3 owners are set to receive a subscription-based channel through Sony’s online PlayStation Network (PSN) that will carry primetime television shows on-demand.

It is perhaps telling that Sony unveiled its new PSN Plus service during last week’s E3 Expo in Los Angeles, a premium platform that could potentially dovetail with any such impending announcement regarding Hulu.

That being said, Sony has not yet provided any indication that a deal with Hulu is on the cards or whether it will or won’t be a component of the PSN Plus service.

PSN Plus will exist alongside the current free-to-access PSN platform, and will provide its online users with four free games every month as well as early access to playable demos, multiplayer betas and firmware updates for $49.99 USD per year.

According to a related report sourced from the Reuters news agency, Hulu is also planning to extend its reach towards both Microsoft’s Xbox 360 videogame console and Apple’s iPad tablet in an effort to monetise its content beyond the current ad-supported delivery model.

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