"At E3 2005, Nintendo showed off its next-generation console, then code-named "Revolution." Besides being the successor to the GameCube, the machine was to be the first Nintendo console to offer the potential for DVD playback. (NOTE: Panasonic did make a DVD-playing GameCube known as the Q for sale in Asia.) Games for the Revolution, which has since been rechristened the Wii, would come on discs the same size as DVDs, and not the smaller, proprietary-format discs used by the GameCube. So when the console was first announced, Nintendo announced that the console was capable of playing DVD movies, although it would require an "attachment" to do so. The inclusion of possbilty DVD support was a major change of course for Nintendo, which had previously derided attempts by rivals Microsoft and Sony to bill their consoles as online-enabled multimedia devices. But when Nintendo announced a whole host of functions for its next-gen device today, many industry-watchers felt the company had finally embraced the concept of a console being used for other forms of entertainment than games. Then, a funny thing happened. Nintendo released the final specs for the Wii--and nowhere did they mention anything about DVDs. In fact, the company described the console's disc drive as: "A single self-loading media bay will play single- or double-layered 12-centimeter optical discs for the Wii console, as well as 8-centimeter Nintendo GameCube discs." The omission of any mention of DVDs let some to believe that Nintendo had decided to abandon any attempt to have the Wii support DVD playback. As it turns out, those skeptics were right. Today, Nintendo confirmed to GameSpot that the Wii will have no DVD playback, and will not have an option for a DVD dongle or add-on in its current form. "They were originally considering an external [DVD] attachment," a rep for the company said of the Wii's designers. "But because the price of DVD players has dropped so much and they have become so commonplace, Nintendo saw no need to create extra hardware options that would drive up the cost for consumers." That said, other than the multimedia features, the Wii remains largely the same as before. It will still sport four GameCube controller ports, two GameCube memory-card slots, two USB 2.0 ports, and an SD Card slot. Its IEEE802.11 Wi-Fi capability will let it communicate wirelessly with the DS handheld or the Internet, and it still doesn't have high-definition video output, though it will support component and S-Video output. A complete run-down of Wii's technical specifications--quoted directly from Nintendo--is below: WII Launch Date and MSRP: Nov. 19, 2006, in the Americas at an MSRP of $249.99. Color: White. Size: About 8.5 inches long, 6 inches wide and less than two inches thick (157mm x 215.4mm x 44mm). Controls: "Up to four Wii Remote controllers can be connected at once using wireless Bluetooth technology. The wireless signal can be detected within 10 meters of the console. Both the Wii remote and Nunchuk controllers include a three-axis motion sensor. The Wii Remote controller also includes a speaker, rumble feature and expansion port, and can be used as a pointer within 5 meters of the screen. The Wii Remote controller has a power switch, plus pad, A, B, Minus, Home, 1 and 2 buttons. The Nunchuk controller includes an analog control stick and C and Z buttons." The Look: "The Wii console features a compact design that...can be displayed either vertically or horizontally." Media: "A single self-loading media bay will play single- or double-layered 12-centimeter optical discs for the Wii console, as well as 8-centimeter Nintendo GameCube discs." Channels: "The Wii Channel Menu is the main gateway for a variety of...interactive multimedia, entertainment and communication functions." Communication: "The Wii console can communicate with the Internet even when the power is turned off. The WiiConnect24 service [content and game updates] even if the system is idle. Users can connect wirelessly using IEEE 802.11, or with a USB 2.0 LAN adaptor. The Wii console also can communicate wirelessly with the Nintendo DS." Virtual Console: "The Wii console will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The Virtual Console also will feature a 'best of' selection from Sega Genesis titles and games from the TurboGrafix 16 console. It also will be home to new games conceived by indie developers." The Specs: "The Wii console has 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi capability. A bay for an SD memory card will let players expand the internal flash memory. Design was optimized with state-of-the-art processing technologies that minimize power consumption, keep the console compact and enable the 'sleepless' WiiConnect24 mode." CPU: "PowerPC CPU (code-named "Broadway") Made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process, jointly developed with and manufactured by IBM." Graphics Processing Unit: "Being developed with ATI." Other Features:"Four ports for Nintendo GameCube controllers. Two slots for Nintendo GameCube memory cards. An AV Multi-output port for component, composite, or S-video." http://www.gamespot.com/news/6157685.html " To me I dont really care if the Wii cant play any DVD I mean really some of us has like 3 to 8 systems that plays DVD and it also shown me that Nintendo dont really care of joining the DVD/console club.:110:
I don't think DVD playback is a major concern, you can get a DVD player for next to nothing nowadays. DVD playback would have meant royalties to be paid on each Wii and as a result a higher price point for something that is more of a commodity than a competitive advantage. Game is all we want, though I don't really get the usefulness of the Wii channels. Let's just play games shall we??? Sabre
I still dont get this weather channel thing... Dont really see the point when i can just look out the window and i for sure aint gonna be turning it on at 7am to check just before i leave. I have the internet and news channels on tv for that. The only thing i could see it being usefull for would be like say Shenmue with real time weather from where you live. So it would be like playing shenmue 24/7 in clouded over cold and raining all the time for me.
3 dollars are MAJOR royalties? you must be kidding! having one less dvd player and one more game machine able to read dvd is always welcome
well that's no bad news for me...if you need a dvd player buy one for 20$ new... it's ridiculous if people say that a console has to playback dvd movies. ever thought about what "video game console" means?
Well they were talking about shipping 4milion in the next few months. Thats what 12million dolars in wasted profit if they put it in. Now do you think they will lose 12million worth in sales by not including it in?
why? you have THAT much space under your tv set? i would love to make some room there by taking away a dvd player in exchange for a wii, that if it was capable of reading dvds obviously. this way i would have wii+dvd+videodecoder+sega saturn.... quite a orgy..... i always support things that can make more room and clean my place. wii won't help in that i see, so for 3$ out of a 250$ half rip off i won't get dvd playback? it's less that 1,5% of total cost come on! there's nothing wrong in your game machine being able to do various tasks.
250x4000000= 1000000000 dollars 3x4000000= 12000000 dollars net = 988000000 they would get 1,2% less. if they choose so for this reason stop calling sony greedy bastards; they are all the same
Why would I want to play DVDs on my Wii when I can play them on my Xbox, Xbox 360, PS2, PC, or DVD player? However it wouldn't be a bad idea to sell a software update to enable DVD playback or something. I'm sure some people would pay a couple extra bucks to use it to play DVDs. I'm only interested in the games, and I'm not so sure 250$ is a rip off. We have yet to see much of what the Wii really can do. We all know the numbers and that the CPU isn't that special or the GPU. Still it should be capable of making games much nicer than the current generation, even the Xbox. I would like to see just what Xbox games they are comparing to what Wii games. From the few videos I've seen Wii games run smooth, where as most Xbox games drop frames/don't run 60fps. Forinstance Halo 2 and many other FPS games.
The reason it annoys me is that, when I travel somewhere, it's nice just to be able to bring a videogame system and not a DVD player. It's too bulky. I am certainly willing to pay a few bucks more for that, plus a lot of people I know play DVD's on their videogame systems purely out of convenience.
DVD play functionality is an extra bonus so that i dont have to connect a game console AND a dvd player in the bedroom/computer room, for those few times that i do want to watch a dvd there. For me the lack of DVD playing functionality just makes the wii an extra bit less interesting. Although the price-tag and price of games versus the features of the machine are responsible for the most of that.
I never thought it would be true, but as my parents made it evident, DVD playback makes a console welcome in the living room. Parents fell to 360's media abilities, reading off usb devices and playing DVD movies. To this day, i hadn't allowed them to get a commercial DVD player, because their laptops have such drives, yet they never watched movies on their laptops. They like the couch. Now they like the 360. Nintendo, aiming at older people, including news, internet and weather channels for making a perfect center piece in the living room, has made a great omission not including DVD playback functionality. Once more, they were close, but no cigar
Well remember they can always sell something for it that lets you play DVD movies as I'm sure really all that is required is the software which could be added to the firmware. I think they said they wouldn't but things do change.
I don't think DVD playback is a major concern well that's no bad news for me I ready have DVD systems x-box x-box 360 ps2 DVD ram HD DVD DJ DVD for my stereo 2 DVD in pc mac powerbook g4 DVD HD DVD Blu-Ray HD
I've already got a few DVD players. I'd rather just use those then worry about paying a bit more for something I wouldn't use it on, anyway.
I never said $3 are major royalties, read my post again. I'm just saying DVD playback is too much of a hassle for the value it delivers. If Nintendo wants to include DVD playback in the Wii, it also means slightly increased in R&D, production, marketing... and then the DVD royalties, so you are looking at probably $5 to $10 cost in increase for Nintendo per Wii if they decide to offer DVD playback in the package at no extra cost. If you take the first batch of Wii (4 millions apparently) for the DVD royalties you're looking at $12 Millions in royalties, that you deduct from your profit indeed. Second solution for Nintendo increase the price of the Wii which could be a problem for them since they made tons of promising statements about price. Having more than one DVD player is cool indeed, but I didn't see the necessity in the Wii. Sabre
Seriously watching DVD on a console is for losers, if Wii had it youd only have Pro Logic II which is many years too old as far as home movies go.
