Nintendo Wii to stream Netflix

Netflix streaming movies will soon be available on the Nintendo Wii, which will join Microsoft's Xbox 360 and the Sony Playstation 3 as video game consoles that can now double as movie machines. The deal was announced last night on the official Netflix blog.

We've seen reports suggesting that there are some 26 million Wii owners—more than any other game console—so this opens up a new market for Netflix. Streaming services will be available to Netflix subscribers with any $9-a-month and up unlimited plan. The Wii will need to be used with a special disc (available free from Netflix) to provide instant streaming. That's the same setup currently used with the PS3.

One drawback is that the Wii doesn't provide true HD. 480p, what we call DVD quality, is the highest resolution it can handle. But most streaming content isn't in HD yet, and much of the stuff that purports to be high-def looks more like DVD quality in our experience.

Netflix will be available on the Wii sometime this spring. There's no definite date yet, but you can sign up to be notified when it's here.

—Eileen McCooey