PlayOn Makes Wii U a Big Presence in Home Entertainment

The Wii U's launch has been a little less than overwhelming of late, especially in light of the fact that the Xbox 360 recently outsold it during its own launch. But the folks at PlayOn have announced a little something extra that's going to make the Wii U look a whole lot better.

PlayOn is not only offering its service for the Wii U; it's also offering it up free for a year for Wii U owners who want in.

PlayOn looks to widen the field by allowing users to use their PC as a middleman of sorts, letting users stream content from their PC to their Wii U, making it a bit easier to watch actual television – as well as the streaming services that the Wii U already offered – on a full-size screen from a game console.

While the Wii U already had a pretty reasonable package of streaming choices, including standards like Netflix, Hulu (News - Alert) Plus and Amazon Video on Demand – not to mention the vast library of video that is YouTube – PlayOn looks to tear the metaphorical doors off and offer up much, much more.

How much more? Well, as it turns out, not only will PlayOn allow users to get regular Hulu access –offered at no charge (only Hulu Plus users pay anything to get access to a wider variety of material) – it also offers up a set of channels previously unavailable anywhere on the Wii.

Users can get in on Comedy Central, HBO Go, Food Network, and several others to a total of around 50 different channels. 

Installation is fairly simple, with users needing to only install PlayOn on their PC, then follow a handful of on-screen instructions to get PlayOn to interface with the Wii U. But for those out there using an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, don't despair, as PlayOn reportedly works with those game systems as well, making the Wii U another in the roster rather than a distinct competitor.

While the free year deal is only good for Wii U users – the offer can only be redeemed through the Wii U browser by December 24, 2012 – a lifetime license for PlayOn can be had for just $39.99. Those putting down $59.99 will get access to PlayOn's PlayLater, a DVR specifically geared toward online content, and at $69.99 (plus $9.99 for shipping), users will even get a free Roku HD box included with purchase.

It's looking like a good value indeed, especially for those who have been considering dropping their cable television provider or for those who want to get a little extra value out of their new Wii U system. Since PlayOn even boasts a 30-day money back guarantee, it's a safe bet to give this one a try, as the cash can be safely refunded.

Wii U users get it even better with their free year trial.

PlayOn just might be the service that some people have been waiting for, and saving money on entertainment is seldom a bad idea. With a new generation of gaming systems coming up, cutting the cable now with PlayOn may be a smart way to save up cash for Microsoft (News - Alert) and Sony's next offerings.