Nintendo plans to add Netflix to its Wii console

[ZombieHorde]

The No. 1 video game console is taking a page out of the playbooks of the ones in second and third place.

Nintendo Co. announced Wednesday that it would add Netflix's movie-streaming service to its Wii console this spring.

Microsoft Corp. added the Netflix streaming function to its Xbox 360 console in November 2008. Sony Corp. did the same on its PlayStation 3 in November 2009.

As with Xbox 360 and PS3, the Netflix streaming service will be free to the more than 11 million people who already subscribe to Netflix's movie rental service.

The news was a head-scratcher for those who recall Nintendo's insistence since the Wii was launched three years ago that its console was not meant to be a general-purpose digital entertainment device, like the Xbox 360 and PS3. Unlike its competitors, the Wii cannot play Blu-ray discs or even standard DVDs.

In addition, Nintendo's device does not support the same high-definition video quality as the 360 or PS3.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/14/business/la-fi-nintendo-wii14-2010jan14

[semillama]

1. I believe the head of Nintendo made some dumb statement

to the effect that Wii users don't want HD. Yeah, maybe not for Wii games which aren't built for HD, but if you have a choice between HD and non-HD for streaming off Netflix, what are you going to chose?