Surprise!

Last week’s official PlayStation Blogcast teased the arrival of a new on-demand video service for PlayStation 3, and, after much speculation, that feature has sneaked its way onto the system’s XMB today.

Those in North America will find a new icon under the PS3’s TV heading, unlocking access to Amazon Instant Video. From there you’ll be able to purchase and rent movies from Amazon’s extensive selection, adding over 100,000 movies to the PS3’s vast offering. Even better, Amazon Prime subscribers will be given the option to stream over 3,000 movies at no additional cost.

Amazon Instant Video joins an already extensive roster of on-demand options for PS3 owners, including Netflix and Hulu.