Nintendo Switch finally has a prominent streaming-video application.
Hulu announced on Thursday that its streaming-video service is now available to Nintendo Switch owners. Hulu subscribers who want to watch the service’s programming can download Hulu from the Switch’s built-in eShop. The download is free, but users will need to have a Hulu subscription in order to access content.
According to Hulu, both live TV and on-demand programming is available in its Switch app. However, they’re available in different packages. Hulu’s on-demand content is available for $8 per month. To add live-streaming programming to the subscription, users pay $40 per month for all Hulu content.
Hulu’s admission to the Nintendo eShop and Switch marks an important moment for Nintendo’s console. Since its release earlier this year, Nintendo Switch has been a gaming-first, and to some users, a gaming-only device. Competing consoles—including the Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One—all come with a variety of streaming apps, like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu, placing them at the center of the home entertainment mix. From one device, users can play video games, stream video, and listen to music.
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Adding Hulu puts Nintendo on a course to make Switch about more than gaming. It also opens the possibility of people using the console more than they might when no streaming options are available.
Still, while a prominent player in the streaming-video market, Hulu’s popularity pales in comparison to services like Netflix and YouTube. And at least so far, those offerings haven’t been announced for Switch, making them conspicuous omissions from what is otherwise a popular and highly praised console.
