YouTube Job Posting Points To Possible Console Distribution Plans

A new job posting for a Game Console Software Engineer by Google web-video subsidiary YouTube shows the company may be thinking of expanding its distribution of video content through game consoles. Youtube's videos are currently viewable through a specially-designed YouTube XL web site on web browsers for the PS3 and Wii. But the new job posting seeks an engineer to "build the next generation game-console-based TV experience with You Tube video content" and "integrate and optimize with distribution channels and devices including all major game platforms." The "compelling lean back experience" this engineer designs could include both "pay-per-stream" and ad-based monetization options, according to the posting. The position requires a programmer with at least three years of game programming experience on at least one published title as well as "deep technical knowledge of Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and/or Nintendo Wii." This job posting comes at a time when Netflix's subscription-based streaming video service -- which is available on all three home consoles -- added 7.7 million subscribers over 2010. Netflix attributed strong subscriber growth to the game system streaming just over a year ago, and claimed 3 million subscribers on the Wii alone last October. Subscription-based streaming TV and movie service Hulu Plus is also available on the PS3, with planned Xbox 360 support coming soon.