Nintendo Wii U

[Nintendo]

The Wii U Will Not Play DVDs or Blu-ray Discs

The Wii U plays games that run on a proprietary 25 GB format. As Kotaku previously reported, that's the same size as Blu-ray discs. But don't think that means the Wii U will run Blu-ray discs. Heck, it won't even run DVDs.


Speaking with investors and analysts, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that the Wii U will not play DVDs nor will it play Blu-ray dics.


"Wii U does not have DVD or Blu-ray playback capabilities," said Iwata.


According to the Nintendo honcho, "The reason for that is that we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray, such that it didn't warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies."


Nintendo's current console, the Wii, does not permit DVD movie playback.

http://kotaku.com/5812090/the-wii-u-will-not-play-dvds-and-blu+ray-discs


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Once again...no surprises here.

 

[GiraffeeDreams]

I think we all saw that coming...

 

[Nintendo]

Report: Developers Working With ‘Underclocked’ Wii U Hardware


Some more excuses?

 

[cinaed666]

The Wii U Will Not Play DVDs or Blu-ray Discs

The Wii U plays games that run on a proprietary 25 GB format. As Kotaku previously reported, that's the same size as Blu-ray discs. But don't think that means the Wii U will run Blu-ray discs. Heck, it won't even run DVDs.


Speaking with investors and analysts, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that the Wii U will not play DVDs nor will it play Blu-ray dics.


"Wii U does not have DVD or Blu-ray playback capabilities," said Iwata.


According to the Nintendo honcho, "The reason for that is that we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray, such that it didn't warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies."


Nintendo's current console, the Wii, does not permit DVD movie playback.

http://kotaku.com/5812090/the-wii-u-will-not-play-dvds-and-blu+ray-discs

Once again...no surprises here.

I don't really mind, I've got my xbox and usb dvd player to play dvds. If it can play my avi files I'm happy

 

[DaMummy]

wii also couldnt play dvds, nor could it support sdhc format for quite some time....didnt stop people from watching dvds and using sdhc cards on it, its pretty much the only way to hand out a feature w/o paying loyalties

 

[Nintendo]

Thanks to the HomeBrew Channel.

 

[DavidBowman]

I modified my Wii a long time ago, but I stopped following the progress of the homebrew scene a while back. Anything really good ever get ported/made to it?

 

[Blue Protoman]

Probably a lot if you look again. It got a port of Super Star Shooter (which is a clone of Super Star Soldier).

 

[Jourdy288]

wii also couldnt play dvds, nor could it support sdhc format for quite some time....didnt stop people from watching dvds and using sdhc cards on it, its pretty much the only way to hand out a feature w/o paying loyalties

Only the early models could do this IIRC, the newer ones mysteriously couldn't...

 

[DaMummy]

you are wrong, the only thing later models couldnt do is install bootmii to boot2

 

[Blue Protoman]

You sure you're not thinking of Dreamcasts and CD-Rs, Jourdy?

 

[Nintendo]

Having Multiple Wii U Controllers Are a Cost Issue

Nintendo = Face palm

 

[WizardStan]

So it seems that while it can theoretically support multiple controllers, they don't plan on making games that require multiple controllers because they don't want their customers to feel they have to buy expensive controllers, which is a smart enough move I suppose, but why nix it completely? If someone has two controllers and wants to play a game that would normally be split screen, take advantage of the fact that they have two controllers, just make sure there's a way to play with one (or even no) special controllers. Seems a little shortsighted to me.

 

[Nintendo]

If possible then 3rd party devs, surely can jump on this. Here's hoping. *crosses fingers and toes*

 

[Jourdy288]

You sure you're not thinking of Dreamcasts and CD-Rs, Jourdy?

Nope, I remember reading about this, earlier models of Wii could be modded to play stuff on DVD...


http://www.pcworld.com/article/157099/hack_how_to_play_dvd_movies_on_your_nintendo_wii.html

 

[DaMummy]

yes, and current wiis can be modded to do the same, there were time where it got disabled by nintendo, but that only lasted like two days

 

[elwing]

yep, it is possible to play DVD on the Wii, but both players are quite bugged when you need to browse through the dvd menu and switch languages, thing like that...

 

[Nintendo]

I absolutely cannot wait till Nintendo officially announces the Wii U's Japan launch date, because only then I will be booking my ticket to the land of the rising sun.

 

[GiraffeeDreams]

The Wii could play DVD's with a disc available through retail, I wonder if the WiiU will be region free?

 

[Nintendo]

I doubt Nintendo will go region free, because 3DS was surprisingly locked (99% of portable consoles are region free) and every other Nintendo home console in the past was locked too.