Nintendo pushes back DVD-playing Wii for Japan, again

While those of us 'round these parts have pretty much given up on the idea of a DVD-playing Wii a long time ago, folks in Japan have had some cause for hope based on promises from the company that such a system was, in fact, headed for the country sooner or later. It seems like they're now about to enter the acceptance phase as well, however, as Nintendo has just announced yet another delay to the system with no word about an eventual release date. According to IGN, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata would only go so far as to say that due continuing worldwide supply constraints on the current Wii, "the priority is on the current model." One thing getting a boost in availability, however, is the Nintendo DS 1Seg TV tuner, which Nintendo says will get a retail release next month after previously only being available online.

[Via Joystiq]

[thedesolate1 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:13PM]

Fan boy flame war in 5...4....3....2.....1.....

[Sora267 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:37PM]

sucks! is MUCH MUCH better.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Jun 30th 2008 4:13PM]

The wii doesn't play dvds?

[Reader @ Jun 30th 2008 10:08PM]

I have one and I didn't even know that... Not sure what that says about me, but it's true.

[Andy Anonymous @ Jul 1st 2008 3:58AM]

No. Should it? Between my dedicated player and various other devices, I already have, like, 5 DVD players. I'm cool with the Wii just playing game discs.

[Lyle @ Jun 30th 2008 4:14PM]

Who the hell cares?

[John B @ Jul 1st 2008 12:15AM]

Well, if you don't then feel free to keep it to yourself. Quite frankly, we don't care that you don't care. :P Some people -- horrors!! -- might actually be interested to know this! Just because you don't doesn't mean that it shouldn't be posted. So, if you have nothing constructive to say, just STFU.

[initialxy @ Jun 30th 2008 4:18PM]

It makes me wonder what storage media Nintendo's next console will be using.

[Pochi @ Jun 30th 2008 6:26PM]

I would guess they could just put out a box like the Roku, charge a few bucks per download, sit back in their chairs and relax the day away. Chairs made of Yen.

[Plothole @ Jun 30th 2008 7:23PM]

They could go a similar route as they have the last two... taking a standard format, and slightly modifying it. Only instead of DVD, it would be a variation on blu-ray. OR maybe they'll use one of those new mutli-layer DVDs that can hold up to 47GB (or something like that).

[tojfs7931 @ Jun 30th 2008 10:25PM]

maybe 8 track tapes?

[Phil Ringsmuth @ Jun 30th 2008 4:19PM]

Meh, Japan also got the Panasonic Q, and look how well that went.

[N30 G30 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:21PM]

um... shouldn't this just be a software update?

[King Mustard @ Jun 30th 2008 4:25PM]

I believe the optical drive the console uses is too small for DVD media.

[martin @ Jun 30th 2008 4:43PM]

thats what i was thinking all along too. no one is going to pay any extra to support an old format, why not just bundle in a hd-dvd drive for shits and giggles

[Richard Lai @ Jun 30th 2008 4:54PM]

@King Mustard: Would you care to clarify your comment? The drive is no different to normal drives apart from the way the discs are read.

The Wii does use DVD-based media, so N30 G30 should be correct in saying that it should just be a software upgrade, else it might require a hardware decoder. Other than that, another possible reason for why Nintendo is delaying this is perhaps because of licensing issues to the DVD Forum?

[Fuzzball @ Jun 30th 2008 4:56PM]

@King Mustard
The Wii can physically accept DVD discs, it just doesn't know how to read them. The Game Cube was the one that couldn't physically accept CD and DVD sized media.

I agree with N30 G30 that given the technology that's in the Wii, it should be no more difficult than doing a software update. Personally I would have much more preferred the Wii to play DVDs than have to go out and by some bulky chepo DVD player when mine died.

Yes, I am still waiting for BD players to come down to something reasonable. For the price they're at now, I've considered just getting a PS3. However, most of that is moot since a BD player will come after a nice HDTV which will come after getting a house.

[Totalfixation @ Jun 30th 2008 5:07PM]

The Wii DVD drive in fact can read DVDs in fact it can read DVD movies right now. All you need is a mod chip for it, load MFE Media player and your set. Its a poorly made DVD app but it still works.

On a side not, my belief why Nintendo does not want to allow DVD playback. Should they allow it, it means the system must recognize copied DVDs. This could create a loophole in the source code to allow playbacks of backed up games as well.

[Plothole @ Jun 30th 2008 7:13PM]

It's not that simple. If you want DVD movie playback [legally], you have to pay royalties on each an every console you include the feature in.

[deyanimay @ Jun 30th 2008 8:48PM]

just add support for any usb dvd drive that way someone can pick one up from any store or even use the 360s HD-DVD drive and nintendo ill not have to pay any extra fees.

[Jherez @ Jun 30th 2008 4:23PM]

Wouldn't it be cool to fast forward by swinging the wii-mote to the right?

[El Taco @ Jun 30th 2008 4:52PM]

no, not really

[Jherez @ Jun 30th 2008 4:58PM]

Update your sarcasm detectors dude.

[Eric @ Jun 30th 2008 4:23PM]

They claim that the Wii needs more than a software update for DVD playing...

Not that I care, anyway. I have a DVD player, I have a computer with a DVD drive that can be connected to the TV. By the time a DVD-playing Wii is released, I'm hoping Blu-ray players are under $200.

Besides, a DVD-playing Wii would cost another $250. That's an awfully expensive DVD player.

[El Taco @ Jun 30th 2008 4:50PM]

they claim it does, but it has been proven that it doesn't.

[animefan316 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:24PM]

Who cares about the Wii playing DVD's. It doesn't need too. Everyone has a DVD player, and if they don't they can buy one now for cheap.

[Matthew @ Jun 30th 2008 4:24PM]

I think the DVD ship has sailed...

...maybe nintendo should be glaring over at HD solutions for movie viewing, or just wait until its next gen, because i really doubt that DVD-playback is a deal breaker for anyone buying a Wii.

[Sora267 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:38PM]

It may be for those...three people who're looking into game consoles but have never owned anything which can play DVDs, including computers.

[kjb434 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:40PM]

The DVD ship will not have sailed until the Blu-Ray players and discs are competing directly with DVD.

So the public en-mass need a cheaper Blu-Ray player and discs, the increase in video and sound quality is not a reason to buy the technology.

[Tcsdomain @ Jun 30th 2008 5:12PM]

so what is hd? blu-ray?

too bad blu-ray is a SONY PRODUCT!

nintendo would be supporting sony for all of their consoles, lol what.

it's not like they haven't done it before IIRC the sound chips in the snes were developed by sony

[deyanimay @ Jun 30th 2008 8:51PM]

yeah but nintendo had a partnership with sony back then it wasnt until nintendo stiffed them that they made the ps1 and became a competitor.

[kastonie @ Jun 30th 2008 4:27PM]

im still waiting for that update to the gamecube to play dvd's

[Lowest Ranked @ Jun 30th 2008 5:16PM]

My Dreamcast is getting sick of VCDs. Please Sega, where's the Blu-Ray update?!

[hi @ Jun 30th 2008 4:29PM]

what i dont get is why everyone wants the wii so much. and before u low rank me read what i gotta say.
the wii is a beast when it comes to parties and all that good stuff. Yet there is a time when i want to plop myself infront of my 80" tv and excersice my thumbs and not my body. HAze wouldnt be fun if u needed to swing ur arms and what not

-from a wii owner

[kjb434 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:41PM]

What's wrong with moving around? From the sound of it, it just means you're lazy.

[Wwhat @ Jun 30th 2008 4:51PM]

Are you sitting down while you post this kjb434? or are you jogging with your eee pc and posting? :)

[Matt @ Jun 30th 2008 4:56PM]

Haze isn't fun, even without arm swinging. Badum-bum!

[fistpittingnork @ Jun 30th 2008 5:01PM]

Coming from another Wii owner I somewhat agree.

It's just general fun, very few games offer an entertaining story. Mario Galaxy, LoZ: TP, MP3, SPM, and Zack and Wiki are the only games (out of my 20 or so) that I really enjoyed playing and pick up every now and then. All other games are good for a rent, at best, but there's just too much crap coming out for it for anybody to really take it seriously.

Despite having emulators on my PC, the biggest reason I bought a Wii was VC, so I'm happy with my purchase, but I would be let down had I purchased it in hopes of exciting new gameplay. Too much focus on the controls and not enough on the game.

I have 6-7 games on Ps3, 20+ on Wii and my Wii hasn't been powered on in close to 2 months, my Ps3 has only been shut down for about 15 hours.

[Sudo @ Jun 30th 2008 4:36PM]

Is DVD playback really needed for the Wii?

[Gingerbread Man @ Jun 30th 2008 4:54PM]

I just think that it's the ease of the games and how easy it is to grasp. Have you ever tried to show anyone else who is not a gamer to play halo or Call of Duty??? Seriously, I tried to show my old man how to play Halo 3 and you know he spent the whole time turning in circles with his gun pointing to the sky and/or to the ground.

Later I showed my parents, the Wii when I bought it and they bought one right away. Get this, since then, on their own they have bought Mario Kart Wii, Guitar Hero, Paper Mario, and my dad heard about Rock Band and bought it on the first day. You know what it is to go to your parents house and see your Dad on the Drums and your Mom on the Guitar (Parents are about 50 years old)....its frikkin awesome lol!

[Gingerbread Man @ Jun 30th 2008 4:56PM]

I just think that it's the ease of the games and how easy it is to grasp. Have you ever tried to show anyone else who is not a gamer to play halo or Call of Duty??? Seriously, I tried to show my old man how to play Halo 3 and you know he spent the whole time turning in circles with his gun pointing to the sky and/or to the ground.

Later I showed my parents, the Wii when I bought it and they bought one right away. Get this, since then, on their own they have bought Mario Kart Wii, Guitar Hero, Paper Mario, and my dad heard about Rock Band and bought it on the first day. You know what it is to go to your parents house and see your Dad on the Drums and your Mom on the Guitar (Parents are about 50 years old)....its frikkin awesome lol!

[HAI 2 U @ Jun 30th 2008 5:16PM]

I bought a Wii to get my wife into gaming and to give us something to do on Friday nights. She has more games than I do ...

Her parents, my mom, and our relatives have had a go on the Wii. I bought my 14th ... and final Wii, three weeks ago. My mom has one, her parents have one ... almost everyone has one (my aunt and uncle haven't come around yet). They've figured out how to share Wii codes, call each other about games, talk trash ... it's crazy.

As Gingerbread said ... to show up for a visit and find your mother and your wife's mother downstairs trying to knock each other's block off playing Wii Boxing is so worth the $250 and is a bloody riot ...

[mike808 @ Jun 30th 2008 5:17PM]

Who cares about your parents playing on the wii? Much more "awesome" to watch your girlfriend playing the hula hoop game with the Wii Fit wearing a teddy and a thong.

Now *that* is frikkin awesome...

[Lowest Ranked @ Jun 30th 2008 5:25PM]

14th Wii?!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have officially located the source of the Wii shortage crisis.

[John B @ Jul 1st 2008 12:18AM]

I just bought my seventh Wii two weeks ago. All but two have gone to friends or family who have been having problems finding it themselves. It's not that hard if you are willing to go to stores on Sunday morning that aren't near heavily populated areas. That's when I managed to get four of the seven. The other three were at lunch time during the week. If you restrict yourself to weekends and evenings, forget it. I've had the opportunity over the past 1-1/2 years to get to more, but I didn't bother at the time.

[Loneredstar @ Jun 30th 2008 5:12PM]

To heck with all that you mean my n64 will not play dvd's?

[webterractive @ Jun 30th 2008 5:16PM]

Nintendo doesn't want to pay the DVD Forum for licensing, so this is the reason the media it uses for its games are a tad smaller then regular discs.

[greg @ Jun 30th 2008 5:25PM]

you know, Nintendo is starting to really annoy me. Its really ridiculous that they still have "supply problem." And I still can't believe they haven't fixed the storage problem. At one point I was considering buying a Wii, but now I'm getting an xbox.

[lawyer bird @ Jul 1st 2008 12:16AM]

i had an xbox in like, 2002. dude, c'mon!

[Vagrant @ Jun 30th 2008 5:52PM]

My guess is a licensing issue as well, since they pushed out that update for AAC music streaming instead of MP3.

Yes, it would be nice if the Wii also played DVD's. If it were really a monetary issue, I wonder if they could sell the update in the Wii Shop channel and you could spill out a few Wii Points. If you don't need the update, don't buy it.

(Remember, if this does happen, you purchased the Wii to play games and not watch DVD's, so don't cry if you have to pay.)