Wii U passing on DVD, Blu-ray

If fact, there will be TWO XBOX N3D one Blu-Ray compatible and the other a cheaper proprietary model. Both will read the same discs!

smart guys, dvd, blurays ,are all gonna be gone very soon. netflix/hulu is the future

Nintendo isn't including a case to cover the Wii U because, "cases cost extra money. gamers can just put a bag over the system or just be careful not to damage it". Lol. Like DVD playback is some super pricey feature.

I have a WII and I use the classic controller. I avoid the WIImote as much as I can.

I don't get why this is a big issue, the thing is mostly likely going to have netflix on it.

Yeah I'm thinking they may want to have someone coach Iwata before he does interviews LOL He just gave a stupid practical reason. Yes, I understand that they want to keep cost down, and he has a point that most people already own dvd or blu ray players, but he fails to understand today's consumer. The more they can get out of their purchase, the more appealing an item is. Nobody buys an iPad, iPhone or iPod, as overrated as they are (yeah I said it LOL), to just function in one capacity. The fact that you can do multiple things on electronic media devices makes them even more valuable than in comparison to what they were meant to do. I have a PS3 and once my DVD player broke, I have not felt the urge to replace it because I can do it all on my gaming system, including go on Netflix and what not. I know plenty of 360 and PS3 owners who will attest to the fact that the more the system allows you to do, the more cooler it is.

It doesn't matter Wii U doesn't play dvd/bluray. lol 90% of people who own Wii, own a PS3 or 360 or all 3. regardless one of your systems plays dvd/bluray lol. I like nintendo direction so far :P

And that is why ps3 and xbox rule

That decision really seems dumb considering that dvd playback is pretty much standard at this point for everyone but Nintendo. At this point it's stupid to use a Dvd storage format period and call its console next gen. You can bet that even MS will use a different high compacity storage disc next round even if it isn't basic Blu-ray. The fact is the Wii-U having Dvd playback is appealing to parents buying a Wii-U for their young kids' room when it doubles as a Dvd player for those Disney Movies. lol That's a bad move on Nintendo's part as usual. Screw the controller, most developers did use the original Wii's controller. MS and Sony will probably both have Dvd playback as it's a rather appealing feature. Why have a ton of unnecessary electric components on your entertaiment stand when you only need one or two that do the same thing. The Wii-U should be the center of entertainment not a second thought.

What an epic fail Nintendo. As games expand their graphics and online content, etc, you need bigger discs! Wow, bad move :(

@dre256x Well, it IS next gen for Nintendo! But heres the thing about hating the controller, A LOT of us made fun of the Wii controller.. we didn't think it would work, it looked funny, etc. But at the end it made sense! I'm thinking thats what Nintendo is going after in their controller/tablet/monitor thingy. It may make bat-sh*t no sense now, but after some time it will. remember N64 controller how it was a giant step away from the SNES controller and when GC controller came out, that was really weird considering the buttons were all not the same shaped! Going back on topic, no DVD in this day of age isn't too big of a deal. BUT they should pass those savings on the consumer cause if this costs $349, why wasn't there a video format support!? Having DVD capable support is DIRT CHEAP to the point where it should be in ALL things that has an optical drive.

well at least there's retail game.

I can't say I use my gaming system as a DVD/Blueray player but I know people that do, not the best move I would say

@prioritymail cut the cost? lol how much more would it cost with a DVD player? not much...

I don't really see this as a big issue, then again I already have a Bluray player, and am not in need of those extra devices built in. It's almost as if Nintendo would rather keep it's chosen format for gaming,which really doesn't bother me. I buy my gaming systems for gaming, nuff said.

I just don't know where nintendo is going with this system anymore.

They are doing the same thing they did with Wii which did use DVDs just couldn't play them back because Nintendo didn't release the software to support. So now they are using the same 50 GB discs as blu ray its just they aren't paying for the licensing fees to have the blu ray playback on their system software..

@suprsolider First off, thanks for the insult. You're a cyber-bully, so let's move on. Your opinion is as good as mine. We'll just have to wait and see. Remember my name, I'll remember yours. If I'm right, you owe me $100 for the insult and for being wrong. What do you say?

Don't we all have enough systems with the ability to play movies? Really people. Were going to complain about this. This doesn't affect me at all.

EPIC FAIL Nintendo.... nuff said.

NINTENDO went in E3 with the SONY mentality we made it will SALE! Now they are having second thoughts.

Still no basic DVD playback. The Wii U is Nintendo's third DVD Rom console. The playstation 3 and Xbox 360 can play basic DVD's and CDs. PS2 and Xbox before them. Nintendo is now starting to look very outdated. This is your third Disc based console. Still not providing a basic extra the ability to play DVD or Blu-ray discs. This is a mistake Nintendo if only as an image issue with Wii U.

@decoy1978 You call this system next-gen... What a Joke, a new controller interface doesn't mean next gen. Well i guess you can say its next gen for Nintendo as they are on a totally different console cycle than the others.. But in the end this system will get ports after ports with slapped on controller gimmicks. Third parties have this mentality that only Nintendo makes money off there system and this is doing nothing to change that.

@prioritymail This cuts costs for Nintendo, but proprietary formats are more expensive to manufacture for publishers. That means Wii U games made by third party publishers will tend to be shorter (less discs) or user lower quality textures/graphics to make up the difference.

I will just use my laptop or Xbox 360 as a DVD player, not that I watch a lot of DVDs, anyways.

if thy do over price this console im pretty sure the 1st gen wii will still b on top

You gotta cut costs everywhere you can, especially when you use a tablet as a game controller.

wii u its just a up gradable version of the wii like the the original 360 the fat one an now we have a better slimer 360 with mo more red rings, and also the fat ps3 an now we have a slimer ps3, im pretty sure the wii u wont b goin no where caus its not a whole new console its just the same wii wit some new upgrades.

Problem is memory rom, with the games becoming more and more big how can they imagine put it only in DVD sizes. Come on Nintendo! That's why Sony took the first step with Blue Ray on PS3. U guys are unbeleiveble!!!

No blu-ray? What kind of games are they going to make? I remember NINTENDO 64 and how they had limitations do to the amount of memory a cartridge could hold. NINTENDO scrap the WII U, do some more R&D and up the hardware. There is a difference between Wii U and WII your not going to be able to play WII U games on WII.

who doesn't have a DVD player already anyway? Also, Netflix in HD will most likely be on it. This will also cut costs on the manufacturing of the Wii U, which means a better price tag at launch for us.

At the end, this better be a cheap next gen system or Nintendo will get flack for not supporting DVD. I'm talking $299 cheap here and no more than that.... otherwise my only question that will arise is, "So your telling me for 4 BILLS it does NOT play DVD..... kthksbye!"

Jack@sses... They should come out of the console business already, they show a system where they damn right know its them alone will take full advantage of it... This should have being the Wii plain and simple, now they are giving us another watered down system that will be topped easily in the next 2yrs. Noticed at e3 all they did was talked about the controller, because they know the system power is lacking (oomph).. Just hope this one fade faster than wii.. I'm a Nintendo fan, but in all honesty there games rock but there systems sucks.. Apple should buy them out, lol

Great. Now I'll need 8 discs to play a final fantasy game just like the pathetic 360 does Sigh. Years later and the PS3 is STILL superior

Don't really care honestly. With the PS3 and XBox 360, I have enjoy gaming devices that already play DVD and Blu-Ray. So I agree with Nintendo in this case. It's pretty pointless to add it for this system.

it'll have Netflix and HD video, so it isn't necessary.

I agree that it would be pointless to add a DVD or Blu-Ray player.

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

Nintendo has always been only about gaming. This shouldn't come as a surprise.

So that means Nintendo will remain building the cheaper console, GREAT!

I dont care about wiiu non DVD/BD playback... but the Game size = dvd size is a joke........ too small

Honestly, I have too many DVD players. I'm not surprised Nintendo doesn't care about putting in a Blu-Ray or DVD drive, considering the Wii already has Netflix streaming, which will obviously be ported over to the Wii U.

@parrot_of_adun You don't get it, Sony moved to DVD because it had copy protection and to ADVANCE technology and to promote the idea of a home theater games console, not the only solution but to introduce gamers into that because Sony could afford it, Nintendo stuck to Cartridges because it was difficult to pirate, they made GameCube mini disc to prevent piracy or give them pirates a hard time. Sony then, after they realized how much profit they helped generate for DVD creative companies, made Blu Ray to again help curb piracy, Toshiba made their own format for the same competing reason and there was NO REASON for Microsoft to not contract Toshiba other than being greedy bastard monopoly owners. Nintendo Wii U and any Nintendo games console is made to play games, VIDEOgames that is the primary focus, not movies in disc form unless Netflix turns into NetfliXXX, the point being it has to be a games console safe for the primary target audience, families.

thats understadable

As long as its got Netflix on the Wii U, I could care less.

I've never bought a video game system to play movies. Nintendo doesn't loose points for lack of DVD / Bluray playback. Instead they loose points where it counts. A next gen system with a disc as big as a DVD and 8GB of internal memory to download stuff is a joke and a half.

I never expected it to have one anyways. As long as it has NETFLIX it will be ok in that area.

They keep slipping up here... If the WiiU is to succeed, they'll need multiple controller per system, and video playback. So let's hope this changes before launch. If the WiiU just used DVD's or BD's instead of a proprietary format, that might eliminate the extra cost the licensing would bring in the first place. Video playback isn't necessary for most of us, but it seems like the silent majority would look down on such a thing.

Also there is no reason to expect a DVD or a Blu Ray player from Nintendo, they only make games they are not a home theater marketing company like Sony or like Microsoft.

"When Microsoft and Sony were engaged in the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray format wars at the beginning of the current-console generation, Nintendo opted to abstain from video playback entirely with the Wii." What utter Bullcrap F.U.D. from gamespot. Microsoft chose not to support Toshiba's HD-DVD because they were not bothering to care about progressive technology or allowing another company to make a profit as well as that the Xbox360 was rushed out. Sony is part of the founding creative force on Blu Ray and Nintendo is just a small company that although they make alot of money its not the same as Sony's income or company size and nowhere near the same league as the income that Microsoft makes from their Operating System sales monopoly. Get your facts straight and stop making gamers believe that these new technologies could have easily been affordable for Nintendo. Had Microsoft bothered to care, they would have waited and shipped a DirectX 10 GPU based console two to three years later with Sony following suit as Sony stated back in 2000 that PS2 was a 10 year lifecycle. and Nintendo would have benefited from three years later (2008) technology. All three consoles would have been very different.