Nintendo ramps up video streaming

Nintendo, which shied away from offering multimedia devices until long after its competitors, is getting more serious about video streaming.

The company has announced that its 3DS handheld system and the Wii will add Hulu Plus to their options before the end of the year. (No exact date was announced.)

The Wii is already the single biggest source for Netflix video streams, so the addition of a new service makes sense – and could be a big boost for Hulu, which has struggled to attract customers to its $7.99 per month premium service (in part because users still must watch ads with their shows after paying the subscription fee).

The addition also gives the 3DS a leg up on the forthcoming PlayStation Vita, which has yet to announce any third –party streaming services.

Meanwhile, Nintendo also announced it would enable 3D video recording on the 3DS starting late next month. The device can already be used as a 3D camera, but with the system update, users will be able to record stereoscopic 3D videos of up to 10 minutes. They'll only be able to play them back on the 3DS, however – not any other 3D capable device.