It’s official: More people stream Netflix content to their televisions via PS3 than any other device worldwide. This is a major milestone, and one we’re particularly proud of considering the myriad Netflix-compatible streaming devices on the market, from other gaming consoles to smart TVs and internet-connected set-top boxes.
To demonstrate why our partnership has been so valuable for both PlayStation owners and Netflix users, we asked Netflix CEO Reed Hastings to offer some further insight:
PS3 first introduced Netflix in November 2009, and since then it has become a primary development platform for the Netflix streaming experience, giving PS3 owners early access to many new features that come to other platforms later. For example, PS3 was the first computer entertainment system to offer Netflix in full 1080p video resolution with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital Plus™ surround sound and to offer post play, second screen controls, on device sign-up, and alternate audio options including subtitles. PS3 is currently the only platform to experience a new voice user interface called “Max” that’s currently being tested.
PlayStation remains a huge admirer and supporter of Netflix’s focus on quality and customer service, and we’re clearly not alone: with more than 30 million streaming members globally, Netflix has earned an irreplaceable slot in the modern living room. And we’re proud that this innovative service has found its biggest success on PlayStation 3.
We won’t stop here. Our joint development will continue to produce innovations that further demonstrate PS3 as the true home for entertainment in the living room. For example, earlier this year PlayStation and Netflix expanded their partnership by bringing the Netflix experience to PlayStation Vita in the United States. This enables PS3 owners to start watching a movie or TV show on Netflix, pause it, and seamlessly continue watching on PS Vita’s beautiful 5-inch high-def OLED screen.
We look forward to working with Netflix on further innovations that will keep the PlayStation experience the best in the living room. What’s your favorite TV show or film you’ve discovered on Netflix? I’ll be interested in reading your comments.
Really wish you could respond to peoples comments directly on this blog. Comments like #6.. how could this possibly be bad news? Its an entertainment system, not JUST for games. If it was JUST for games, it wouldnt play videos ,music and have an internet browser.
@killaruna
you r right, i was even using linux before on my ps3 before they remove “install other os”.
ps3 isnt just to play games, you can save all your pictures, music, and video. video call with friends.
the PS3 is just awesome.
and full of possibilities :)
@50 i agree. That new release thing needs to be updated.
Thats actually sad if you think about it, Less people are using a game system for GAMING, all that really means. I have people I know on my friends list that are on Netflix 90% of the time. That’s actually pretty sad to say we have the most netflix streamers, bc it only means people aren’t really gaming
@45, Expired, My X is gathering dust, too, lol but I can’t resist the siren call of new Skyrim DLC so…..
@49 Satnamji, you know, I thought I was imagining it but I recently bought Kung Fu Panda from PSN even though I already own it on blu ray and digital from iTunes. Yes, I love it that much & I want the SD on my Vita. Anyway. Over my PS3 the movie just dazzled. I thought Sony had tinkered with it because it was more vibrant than ever & I’ve watched it 15 times on blu ray. So maybe you’re all right about video on the PS3.
@ryumoau
I have seen you and your rather harsh comments on almost every PSB post. I usually just ignore it, but such blasphemous slander of gunslinger girl is unacceptable. This is the best anime, and show, I have ever seen. it is in no way “teeny bop,” whatever that is. Perhaps if you had actually taken the time to watch it, you would not be making a fool of yourself to anyone who’s actually watched it. I suggest that everyone watch it because it is a touching, inspiring, though slightly depressing story that will make u wish there were more than 2 seasons. I had to read the manga to finish the story and it was well worth every second of my time.
One of the things I always hated was not being able to see everything like on the pc. I hate goin to the pc to add to queue then go back to console just to watch it. When redbox’s digital service goes live, hopefully we get it on ps3, and that its much more improved compared to netflix. I hate having to wait for competition just to improve another, but it gives us better choices.
Now make the Netflix app native Dolby 5.1 like Crackle , Amazon ,Vudu and Hulu apps are.
I don’t understand the dismay that gaming consoles are being used for more than the original purpose. I don’t think it destroys gaming. I think it helps, because being multi purpose helps some people justify large expenditures in the first place, allowing the opportunity for many of those people to try gaming. I started in “gaming” by getting a wii (yes, laugh all you want) for the exercise games, tried “real”games like Zelda Ocarina & that hooked me real good. Bought a PS3 because the blu ray made it multi-purpose & it has a real controller, played Drake’s Fortune pre-trophy patch & I’ve never looked back since. Gaming is my top hobby by far. It’s all good.
Now if they can just make the whole Netflix app native Dolby 5.1 just like Crackle, Amazon, Vudu and Hulu apps.
Could you update the Vita version to allow a “lock” feature where young children who like to tap all the fancy new gadgets cannot accidentally turn off their video?
Great now add 3D!!!
Netflix Canada has recently just got better by adding so many more movies and shows this month with their deal with WB I hope they can bring Young Justice on Netflix Maybe Man of Steel in the near future in 2014
There needs to be an option to turn off autoplay when watching TV series. Also, the second screen android functionality was broken with whatever the latest update was. Always get a timeout error now.
Other than that, PS3 is definitely my preferred device for Netflix.
How about still supporting the PS3? even if the PS4 comes out soon over 70 million and counting own PS3s and not many will own PS4 at first, especially if it’s expensive. And besides that, you don’t need to release a PS4 until the next Xbox comes out or unless the Wii U beats PS3. How about releasing a way to have cross voice chat available? universal game invites, universal custom music play back, new speedier OS, new “in game XMB.” A new, improved, perfected controller, current Dualshock controller needs work. A new, improved, perfected PSMove controller, it also needs work. Proper PSMove, Sixaxis and Eye support. New, improved, perfect Navigation controller, it needs work too. Four player Move and Navigation controller offline multiplayer combo. More USB ports. A port on controllers to connect headset like on 360. Improved Remote Play. Come on, I will never support more PlayStation products or believe what Sony says anymore because they don’t get supported, they don’t do what they say and they don’t add things to current products just so they can add it to future products.
@lisatsunami (#60): ” Bought a PS3 because the blu ray made it multi-purpose & it has a real controller, played Drake’s Fortune pre-trophy patch & I’ve never looked back since. Gaming is my top hobby by far. It’s all good.”
Iol. Same exact thing here. Bought a PS3 solely as a blu-ray player in fall 2007, having not played video games of any kind in over a decade. Downloaded the Ratchet & Clank Tools of Destruction and Uncharted 1 demos, played them 20 times each, then soon after bought the actual games. Now I consider myself a “gamer,” though not necessarily a very skilled one.
Yeah it’s great… i only wish we had an option to”Q” movies from within the ps3 app.
It baffles me the people who are infuriated about a gaming console being multi-purpose. What century do you think we live in?
Furthermore how exactly does it actually effect YOU how other people utilize their console? For me, my PS3 is an entire home entertainment package. I game on it, watch netflix and blurays, I even use it to stream music and movies from my laptop onto my HDTV. I’m making the most out of the 200 bucks I paid, and the quality of use I’ve gotten out of it and continue to get out of it FAR exceeds a value of 200 dollars. It’s enabled me to not pay several hundred more on cable or other electronic devices that only serve ONE function vs the multiple my PS3 can do in one go.
Do we get an award? haha
New Movies and TV shows allready. And put them into DTS 5.1 it sound so much better then Dolby lol.
Update the Store! :)
Overall I like the Netflix app,it has certainly improved over the past year. I’m not sure if anyone remembers the app before the current format, but the categories and search function were much more in depth ( much like the AppleTV version) and I do hope they get back to that someday. Otherwise, I enjoy it, as it’s pretty much the last thing I watch before I go to bed every night…
Lets make the vita compatible with iharmony so that the entertainment never stops rolling with a ps vita in you’r hands. Iharmony already supports ps3 why not the vita next. Thank You for the new info.
I love watching Netflix on my PS3. Much easier than using my laptop. Also, I like to switch back and forth between gaming and Netfflix and Crunchyroll. My favorite two shows I’ve discovered on Netflix are Soul Eater and Fruits Basket. Finished both in about 2 – 3 wks. That addictive.
I’ll be really impressed when Netflix is available in continental Europe.
The amazon appp is better 1st up it’s cheaper like by 12 dollars & you only pay once a year & not every month like neflix. Also on the movie side you can stream all new movies for amazon, not like netflix that doesn’t have current new movies & you have to wait for the disc to be deliverd.Amazon also has other perks for being with them as well.People are always talking about the price of something compare netflix & amazon do the math.
First, we love Netflix on PS3. Now that we have a Vita, we watch Netflix on that instead of the iPad2 because the Vita’s screen is sooo much better with regard to color accuracy and contrast ratio. That being said, the interface on the Vita is quite clumsy. Half-touch, half d-pad+button controls. Please make it use the touch controls in a better way. (Rear touch for scrolling and front touch for selecting would be great!)
On the PS3, my main complaint is that 24fps content gets juddered to 30fps and it drives me crazy. (This is a general problem with playing downloaded/streaming video content on PS3.) Please fix this!
Secondly, Dolby Digital Plus is okay (I’d prefer DTS-HD @ 1.5+mbit/sec like other servies offer), but the bitrates for both the stereo and surround streams needs to go up. If we can get 256kbit/sec stereo and 640kbit/sec surround rates, that would be great. Right now, intelligibility of some programs is a huge problem requiring us to crank up the stereo. If we stream the same program from a DVD/bluray rip, it’s *much* easier to understand even on the Vita’s speakers.
Netlfix+PS3=Best
How about making it number one for HBOGO? And ESPN would be nice.
I dont use netflix but some of my friends list do. Congrats Sony! Cant wait to see what PS4 has to offer!
@60 I agree. All the people who are moaning about the PS3 being multi purpose are short sighted.
I would say most PS3 gamers are hardcore gamers. When I spend time with a game (completionist that I am) I spend hours on end, even if I have to work the next day lol. What does that mean? After 4+ hours of Dead Space you kind of need a break! Yes many of my friends are on Netflix a lot. So what?
Nothing wrong with watching a few shows to unwind. Like others have said also, it justifies the expense. I don’t think most people have taken advantage of half of what the PS3 can do. I use PS3 media server to stream movies, music and TV shows from my external drive. Cutting cable has never been easier.
Also don’t forget, some of us have families. Kids can watch some shows and then it’s game time.
Complainers gonna complain.
Congratulations PS3.
By the way, the Netflix app is solid. I have AppleTv and the PS3 app is superior. Also it’s stable. The Hulu app on the other hand Sucks with a capital S. I uninstalled it after multiple freezes and hard resets.
love it 75 movies on each catagory graphics are very impressive great for the ps vita i i recamend it.
I watch netflix every night with my ps3 over my xbox, the xbox app got annoying because it would start playing things I highlighted, making noise I didn’t want it to make. but still PLEASE sony don’t start doing app crap, I got a ps3 for games since xbox wasn’t putting out games, if you start the app crap i’l have to go for pc =\
@USRevenge2 No offense but please speak for yourself, I love to have apps on my PS3, if there is people that don’t like to have apps, well you don’t have to use them..
I remember reading something about Netflix and it’s lack of growth. Seemed bleak for the future of the product when compared to rising competitors.
Well we already knew Netflix was big on PlayStation. So are movies in my family.
That’s great. I prefer to watch on my Vita. And speaking of the Vita—I’m still waiting for Hulu Plus to show up…
The Netflix app as not only be great for me, it has brought my wife into using the PS3. Now she can’t even imagine a life without having that PS3 which is a great difference from the, “you don’t need one of those,” attitude she had before. lol.
A great show that i discovered from using Netflix is a BBC show called “The IT Crowd.” it is a great play on the IT guy in any organization. being one of those guys, I think its AWESOME!!
Well duh the Playstation version of netflix is the most used. Think about it… Xbox requires you to pay for live to even access netflix. Not everyone owns the same smart TV so none of those netflix apps will gain majority, and nobody uses the poor resolution Wii version. Unless everyone in the world hooks their PC up to their TVs like I do, it’s unlikely Playstation would NOT be the top distributer of netflix users.
I for one use netflix more on my PS3 than my smart phone, vita, or PC only because it’s more convenient and it’s on the big screen.
Netflix is my cable when I had cable it was 148 a month when I dropped it I only pay 7.99 a month for Netflix and it is awesome on my PS3.
I love watching Netflix on my PS3. However, in recent weeks I’ve come across a problem. Sometimes while I’m watching something the video will just keep pausing of stay paused. Hopefully a fix will come for that soon. Thanks, guys.
I LOVE THIS SERVICE! NETFLIX! IS AWSOME AND I CANT WAIT TO GET VITA! IT REALLY AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN DO! I CANT WAIT GET MY NETFLIX BACK ON! ITS FREE ON THE PS3 BUT YOU GOTTA DOUBLE PAY ON THE XBOX360! XBOX 360 IS GONNA LOSE WHILE PS3 WILL WIN!
Also Netflix needs to add the series House.