12:34 PM
KobraHunter
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has confirmed that the Nintendo Wii U will not feature a DVD or Blu-ray drive when it releases in 2012. Nintendo’s reasoning: “enough people” already own them and it doesn’t “warrant the cost” to include it in the Wii U.
Here’s the full quote from a Nintendo investor Q&A:
“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.”
Fair enough, Iwata.
While I understand Nintendo’s stance on the matter from a cost-effective perspective, I can’t help but question if this is a smart move. You’re basically pushing customers towards your competitors if they want the full entertainment experience out of their video game console. Iwata is openly admitting that you can’t get that from the Wii U alone.
However, Nintendo’s stance on keeping the Wii U a gaming-centric console -- as they’ve done with all previous systems -- is admirable, and if it means a cheaper entry price for consumers, then so be it. Odds are Nintendo knows what they’re doing with this decision, it’s just strange to see them play catch-up to the latest technological trends like HD with the Wii U, yet not fully embrace current disc format technology.
Where do you stand on this news? Do you want the Wii U to be just a gaming console, or do you want the system to provide the entire entertainment experience? Sound off below!
Here’s the full quote from a Nintendo investor Q&A:
“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.”
Fair enough, Iwata.
While I understand Nintendo’s stance on the matter from a cost-effective perspective, I can’t help but question if this is a smart move. You’re basically pushing customers towards your competitors if they want the full entertainment experience out of their video game console. Iwata is openly admitting that you can’t get that from the Wii U alone.
However, Nintendo’s stance on keeping the Wii U a gaming-centric console -- as they’ve done with all previous systems -- is admirable, and if it means a cheaper entry price for consumers, then so be it. Odds are Nintendo knows what they’re doing with this decision, it’s just strange to see them play catch-up to the latest technological trends like HD with the Wii U, yet not fully embrace current disc format technology.
Where do you stand on this news? Do you want the Wii U to be just a gaming console, or do you want the system to provide the entire entertainment experience? Sound off below!
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