PS3 Informer

Stream Netflix Without Disc on PS3? Coming this October

The good news is that PS3 owners may soon be able to take advantage of streaming Netflix movies on their console without the need for a disc. The bad news is that this feature could be limited to Playstation Plus subscribers. According to company spokespeople, the Netflix application for PlayStation 3 will launch this October, replacing the streaming PS3 disc Netflix subscribers currently use. This news was revealed in a Q2 earnings announcement last week. During the conference call the company suggested that it has ambitious plans to expand its offering to as many digital devices as possible. The Netflix CEO said that by the end of the year, the company should have Netflix's instant-streaming service running "on over 100 million devices in consumers' homes."

Playstation Plus subscribers, who currently pay around $50 to access free downloadable content, may be the first ones to get their hands on this convenient service. However, Sony has said in the past that the free PSN would retain all of the core functionality that paid subscribers receive, including things like trophies and cross-game chat.

Most PS3 owners would probably prefer to use a software update rather than a cumbersome disk to view their film content. However, if a subscription is required (as is with Hulu Premius Plus) some Netflix subscribers may just continue using the disc if Netflix and Sony allow that option.