Nintendo unveils Wii U TVii service
Zack Fountain, Nintendo’s director of network business, announced details of the new Nintendo TVii service at yesterday’s Wii U press conference in New York.
Users will be able to navigate through hours of content via the second screen controller and can even record TiVo shows. Programming will be available from Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant Video for the US launch on November the 18th.
After the price and release date for the struggling company’s new console were finally revealed, journalists were taken aback by the surprise announcement for Nintendo’s latest ambitious project.
Nintendo have traditionally stayed away from experimenting with the online world, keeping their internet services minimal compared to their competitors, a stance which has brought them some criticism in the past. The power of the latest console allows the company the tools to offer a much wider user experience; the now-basic Wii falls far behind the capabilities of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3.
The service has drawn some comparisons to Apple TV but the Wii U will cost significantly less, with a basic package in the US costing $300.The service includes social functions, personalised recommendation for different members of the family and has the capability to offer some innovative second-screen experiences as demonstrated in the press conference.
Nintendo TVii will be included in every Wii U purchase with no additional cost or monthly fee. Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime called Nintendo TVii “the most different non-gaming initiative Nintendo has ever introduced.”
It is unclear how these American services will translate when the Wii U is launched in Europe on the 30th of November.
You can check out the promo video over on YouTube.