Game consoles built streaming — until it outgrew them

image via The Verge

February 5, 2026, 4:30 PM

• •Netflix first launched an app for Sony’s PlayStation 3 in late 2009, with a twist: Initially, discs with the app were distributed to members.
• •By 2012, the PS3 was the most popular streaming device among Netflix customers.
• •PS3 was a cornerstone of Netflix's A/B-testing strategy because it allowed Netflix to swap out individual components and test features and design choices with subsets of its audience.
• •The number of households streaming with their smart TVs increased from 39 percent to 61 percent between 2018 and 2025.

Hulu is ending support for its Nintendo Switch app, and Netflix is discontinuing its app for the PlayStation 3, marking the end of an era for streaming on these consoles. Netflix's decision is particularly notable as the PS3 was once a key platform for the company's living room tech efforts. As streaming matured and smart TVs gained popularity, the reliance on consoles for streaming declined, making it less necessary for services to support older hardware.

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