Nintendo's Streaming Upgrade May Help Move More Units

By Matt Burns

Hulu Plus has long been missing from the Wii leaving Netflix (NFLX) as the only major streaming service on the gaming console. But that changes soon. Nintendo just announced that Hulu Plus will soon be available on both the Wii and the 3DS. The exact launch date wasn’t announced, but the release states that the service will hit “both systems by the end of the year.”

This comes as Nintendo (NTDOY.PK) is prepping for the next generation Wii, the Wii U. But that system isn’t going to launch for months and Nintendo still has to move Wii units while fighting off the 360 and PS3. Adding a major new streaming service like Hulu Plus will certainly keep some owners happy.

The Hulu Plus service costs $7.99 a month and opens access to content from ABC, NBC, Fox, Comedy Central, MTV and more. The service is often criticized for having a limited selection but more content is constantly being added. Between Netflix and now Hulu Plus, the Wii’s streaming lineup will be rather complete but still not has robust as the PS3 and Xbox 360, which got into the streaming game a lot earlier. Nintendo isn’t moving slowly again.

Neflix was already announced for the 3DS. Now, with Hulu Plus, the 3DS has an early lead on the PS Vita, which doesn’t have any 3rd party streaming support yet. Netflix or anyone else has yet to announce support for Sony’s (SNE) next-gen portable, leaving some wondering if it will ever come. Nintendo, however, has both Netflix and soon Hulu Plus streaming to its portable system, which might help the company move several more units.

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