Sony's PlayStation Network Said Close to Deal for Hulu Service

[AranhaHunter]

Sony Corp. is close to an agreement to carry a paid TV service from Hulu LLC on its PlayStation 3 video-game console, two people with knowledge of the talks said.

The partnership could be announced as soon as next week, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the arrangement hasn’t been made public.

Patrick Seybold, a spokesman for Sony’s PlayStation Network in Foster City, California, declined to comment, as did Christina Lee, a spokeswoman for closely held Hulu. The website plans a $9.95 a month subscription service, the Los Angeles Times reported previously.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-0...v-service.html

Honestly I would rather they included this service with PSN+ instead of having it as a separate service.

[jamclaur]

That's stupid unless it's completely commercial free.

[androvsky]

Originally Posted by jamclaur

That's stupid unless it's completely commercial free.

Presumably, it would be (it better be) the rumored premium Hulu that allows viewing of every episode of every series, not just the new ones. I don't recall if it's rumored to remove the ads too or not.

I'm curious if they'll allow the free version of Hulu on the consoles, since currently some content providers object to it being available on a TV. If it's just the free version of Hulu on my PS3, I can keep using PlayOn while laughing at Hulu's hubris.

[UK_fan_05]

There is talk of having to get a subscription to access Hulu, so it won't be free. There is also talks of adding Hulu into the PSN + service, included in the $49.99 cost.

[IStoleYourUsername]

Why can't we watch it now on the PS3? What's the difference of watching it on the PC or the TV, it's practically the same.

[Shin-Ra]

Originally Posted by AranhaHunter

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-0...v-service.html

Honestly I would rather they included this service with PSN+ instead of having it as a separate service.

Sure, if it's realistic for Sony to include it in PSN+ without limiting what they can add to the service in the future, but it should be offered as a standalone service without PSN+ too.

[SleeperAgent]

If this allows access to all a shows episodes without commercials I would pay the $9.99. Otherwise it's just the same as the PC version and I'll watch for free. This would be the tipping point that got me to buy PSN+ though. Sony should jump on it to get the profits.

[UK_fan_05]

Sony should have had this deal done before they announced PSN+. It should be added to it so more people will pick it up.

[androvsky]

I'm kinda surprised so many people want this to be part of PSN+. It's probably going to be a stand-alone app like the MLBtv app, with its own subscription fee. There's no reason to force people to subscribe to PSN+ to use it.

And it's too expensive to work into the PSN+ subscription. You can't expect a $120 a year service from Hulu to be offered for free as part of a $50 a year service from Sony. A discount for early PSN+ users, maybe.

[UK_fan_05]

Originally Posted by androvsky

I'm kinda surprised so many people want this to be part of PSN+. It's probably going to be a stand-alone app like the MLBtv app, with its own subscription fee. There's no reason to force people to subscribe to PSN+ to use it.

And it's too expensive to work into the PSN+ subscription. You can't expect a $120 a year service from Hulu to be offered for free as part of a $50 a year service from Sony. A discount for early PSN+ users, maybe.

The proposed price for Hulu on PS3 is $9.99 according to several sites. If it's true, then it could easily be added to PSN+. It would be something that would get more people to buy into it.

[binarymelon]

Originally Posted by eagle_fan_05

The proposed price for Hulu on PS3 is $9.99 according to several sites. If it's true, then it could easily be added to PSN+. It would be something that would get more people to buy into it.

That's 9.99/month isn't it?

[Septimus Prime]

So—as I have never used Hulu, ever—what, exactly, would I be getting with this service? Would I be able to cancel my cable TV with it, keeping in mind that I watch mostly History and Discovery Channel, or are only select shows available?

[SleeperAgent]

Originally Posted by eagle_fan_05

The proposed price for Hulu on PS3 is $9.99 according to several sites. If it's true, then it could easily be added to PSN+. It would be something that would get more people to buy into it.

Exactly. A LOT of people would sign up for PSN+ if this was included and Hulu would still be making money off it. As a standalone a lot less people will sign up for it. Hulu is still free on PC with ads. Why bother paying 9.99 a month for it when you could get Netflix and have access to thousands of movies as well on any device it supports?

[UK_fan_05]

Originally Posted by binarymelon

That's 9.99/month isn't it?

Yeah, I believe, might be a year Probably a month though.

[UK_fan_05]

Originally Posted by Septimus Prime

So—as I have never used Hulu, ever—what, exactly, would I be getting with this service? Would I be able to cancel my cable TV with it, keeping in mind that I watch mostly History and Discovery Channel, or are only select shows available?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulu

You could cancel your cable, but you would have to wait a day or 2 for shows to be added to Hulu I believe.

Just did a quick search and I see Pawn Stars and Deadliest Catch are on Hulu, so other History and Discovery shows should be on there too.

[UK_fan_05]

Originally Posted by SleeperAgent

Exactly. A LOT of people would sign up for PSN+ if this was included and Hulu would still be making money off it. As a standalone a lot less people will sign up for it. Hulu is still free on PC with ads. Why bother paying 9.99 a month for it when you could get Netflix and have access to thousands of movies as well on any device it supports?

Agreed.

[androvsky]

Originally Posted by SleeperAgent

Exactly. A LOT of people would sign up for PSN+ if this was included and Hulu would still be making money off it. As a standalone a lot less people will sign up for it. Hulu is still free on PC with ads. Why bother paying 9.99 a month for it when you could get Netflix and have access to thousands of movies as well on any device it supports?

note: I'm assuming that this Hulu subscription is for the long-rumored premium Hulu, with access to every episode of (hopefully) every series they currenty have, and probably a better selection of movies too. And no ads.

I don't think they can offer the free version of Hulu even with PSN+ because of the whole TV ad revenue thing with content providers; it's why Hulu's blocked on the PS3 browser. The new contracts they'd have to work out probably resulted in the premium version of Hulu. I think the premium version is probably all that will come to consoles, and it looks to be far too expensive to slip into PSN+ or Live without an additional fee.

It'll end up as a similar situation as Netflix, the pricing and content are likely to be competitive. You wouldn't want to make the standalone Netflix app PSN+ exclusive, would you?