Netflix is everywhere. At this point, I'm just waiting for them to announce that their streaming movies and television shows are now available directly behind your eyelids whenever you close your eyes. Well, until the ocular implants arrive, we'll just have to settle for the service being available on nearly every internet-cable device known to mankind. Starting today, Netflix is available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop, even as subscribers become irate over the the service's new pricing structure.
Netflix is obviously no newcomer to game consoles; the service is already available for streaming through Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Wii. Nintendo had previously announced that Netflix would eventually show up in the 3DS eShop, but it looks like today's the day you'll get to check it out for yourself.
"Nintendo is a terrific partner with Netflix," Reed Hastings, Netflix chief executive, said via press release. "We're excited to extend the partnership to include streaming on Nintendo 3DS."
Now, you might be thinking to yourself, "wow, this means I can watch movies in 3D!" Unfortunately, that isn't the case, at least for the time being. The streaming content will only display in plain, old 2D on the 3DS upper screen. Nintendo's press release claims that you'll be able to watch additional "select" movies in 3D, "soon."
The new 3DS application comes on the heels of pricing changes that are being met with considerable ire from some Netflix subscribers. Previously, Netflix basically offered two pricing options: a streaming-only service and a discs-in-the-mail (with variables on how many discs could be check out at once) that included the streaming option for "free." Now, you'll have to choose between a $7.99 streaming-only plan, a $7.99 discs-only plan, or both for a hefty $16. That's nearly a 60% increase in cost for the plan that allows you to still receive both plans. No wonder subscribers are irritated.
Personally, I don't care about the discs much anymore. I've had the same DVD of "The Assassination of Jesse James" sitting on my counter for almost a year. A year. The only problem now is that I have to muster up a moment of non-laziness to mail it back.