Walmart.com swims the video stream

SANTA CLARA, Calif.— Blockbuster and Netflix may face new competition from Walmart, as the retailer announced that it will launch digital online movie rental and video streaming through its acquired Vudu service.

The retailer is now offering 20,000 titles that can be viewed on almost any device with Internet access, from PCs to televisions to Sony's PlayStation3 and other Blu-Ray disc players.

This is Wal-Mart’s second try at competing with Netflix, as it previously offered a DVD-by-mail service but it stopped that service in February 2010. This time around it may find some success, as the company came under fire for raising the price of its combined DVD-by-mail and streaming video service to$15.98 per month.

"At Walmart, one of our key priorities is to provide a continuous channel for our customers, from our stores to our powerful e-commerce and social media platforms," said Steve Nave, SVP and general manager, Walmart.com.