Sony confirms Netflix for the PlayStation Vita

Surprising no one, Sony announced at its CES press conference that the new PS Vita portable gaming system will feature full access to Netflix’s roster of instant streaming movies and TV shows.

Writing at the official PS blog, SCEA Senior Vice President of Business Development Philip Rosenberg said he expects the Vita to take after its big brother the PlayStation 3, which remains a top choice for Netflix instant streamers.

“The addition of Netflix streaming to PS Vita’s unique, powerful gameplay experiences gives users even more access and flexibility to the content they want, when they want it and where they want it,” said Rosenberg.

Sony’s chief competitor in the handheld game system space the Nintendo 3DS gained Netflix support a few months after it hit shelves.

Sony and Netflix both had a rough 2011. The former shut down its online infrastructure the PlayStation Network for weeks following a catastrophic data breach that compromised 77 million users’ personal information, while the latter suffered big subscriber losses, foundering stock prices and Qwikster.

Despite the lukewarm commercial reception in Japan that failed to top last year’s 3DS launch, Sony claims it’s sold half a million PS Vitas in three weeks. Both machines reached the milestone in their opening weeks, but Nintendo’s glasses-free 3D device failed to deliver consistent sales, forcing the Kyoto company to take a bath and drop the original $249 price tag to a more mainstream-friendly $169.

No word on exactly when the free app will come to the PS Vita, but as its February 22 NA release date creeps closer Sony may reveal more soon.