Play Netflix On Nintendo Wii, For Free!

This is the era of integration. Nintendo of America has signed an agreement with Netflix. Now Nintendo’s Wii owners with Netflix membership will be able to watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix directly to their TVs.

To enable their systems to stream content from Netflix, Wii owners will need a Netflix instant-streaming disc for the Wii console, which will be available at no additional cost to Netflix subscribers. Once available in the spring, the discs will be delivered for free by first-class mail.

This is a bit dent for Microsoft's Xbox business. Wii has emerged as the fastest-selling home console in history, and reaches more consumers than any other device that currently supports streaming movies from Netflix.

“Our research shows that 86 percent of all U.S. Wii consoles are located in the living room,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “The Wii console is the social hub around which friends and family members gather to play games and have fun. Soon both new and longtime Wii owners will enjoy the benefits of Netflix – and a variety of informational and entertainment options – by being Netflix members and connecting their consoles to the Internet.”

“Our goal is to offer Netflix members as many ways as possible to watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix right to their TVs and to give non-members more and compelling reasons to consider the service,” said Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings. “Joining forces with Nintendo, which has been so immensely popular with consumers since its introduction, is a very meaningful step in that direction.”

In December 2009, Nintendo sold well in excess of 3 million Wii consoles in the United States. Wii is the top-selling home video game system of this generation, and as such brings the Netflix experience to a broad and diverse mass market.