Nintendo: live TV, movies not 'provocative' enough to pursue

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime downplays the importance of non-gaming features on systems, in spite of growing interest in video streaming on consoles.

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What has Microsoft's marketing department been focusing on with Xbox 360 this holiday? It certainly wasn't video games. Instead, the company opted to showcase all the non-gaming features of the system. Now you can watch YouTube videos on your TV! You can watch live TV, rent UFC fights, and stream content from a variety of entertainment partners, Microsoft proclaimed.

While PS3 and Xbox 360 have been adding new non-gaming features over the years, Nintendo remains opposed to joining the fight. Why? "If the consumer wants live TV, they can get it through the options they have today," Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime commented.

"We always ask the question, ‘What can we do that’s new and provocative?’ And we will continue to think of new and provocative experiences for the user," he told AllThingsD (via Joystiq). Apparently, being able to deliver multi-function machines isn't "new" enough for the once-market leader.

Oddly, while Nintendo believes it doesn't need to offer non-gaming services, Fils-Aime points to "the inclusion of Netflix" as one of the reasons "the vast majority of Wiis are set up on the main TV in the living room." Consumer research group Nielsen showed that gamers are increasingly interested in streaming video--and Wii owners actually consume the highest percentage of video, compared to rival platforms. (Wii owners spend 33% of their time watching videos.) Netflix's delayed deployment on Wii (later than Xbox 360 and PS3) seems to directly contradict Fils-Aime statements.

Hulu Plus will also be available on Wii and 3DS soon--months after the PS3 and Xbox 360 already received the service.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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  • reply
    December 26, 2011 10:00 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Nintendo: live TV, movies not 'provocative' enough to pursue.

    Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime downplays the importance of non-gaming features on systems, in spite of growing interest in video streaming on consoles.

    • reply
      December 26, 2011 10:01 AM

      "We're not in the business to make money. We're in the business exploiting the Mario and Zelda franchises to the maximum"

      • reply
        December 26, 2011 10:36 AM

        [deleted]

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          December 26, 2011 11:08 AM

          Yup. And Skyward Sword. And Mario Kart 7. Nintendo still makes so many great games.

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        December 26, 2011 11:01 AM

        Much worse than grinding Halo into the ground.

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          December 26, 2011 11:06 AM

          Yes but at least there are third party games out. I'm not just owning a Halo box.

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            December 26, 2011 11:22 AM

            As an owner of a Wii, PS3, and a computer, Halo / Gears are really the only things that the 360 offfers beyond those and they're really not enough to even mildly spark my interest.

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              December 26, 2011 11:30 AM

              yeah but that's because there's so much crossover between PC and 360. if you didn't have a gaming machine you'd find the 360 considerably more useful, methinks. nintendo's consoles are, excluding a couple exceptions a generation, the delivery system for that gens mario/MK/zelda/SSB

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            December 26, 2011 11:27 AM

            It may as well be for me. Pretty much the only exclusive besides trials hd that I cared for.

            At least with the Wii I still enjoy their 'tech demo' Wii sports and resort. I enjoy excite truck and crossbow training as well.

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            December 26, 2011 12:32 PM

            NMH is one of the best games of this generation.

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      December 26, 2011 11:12 AM

      Skyward sword is so good. I wish they'd sell zelda and the team to some other company that isn't afraid of technology.

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      December 26, 2011 12:36 PM

      They have netfix on their console what else should they be doing

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      December 26, 2011 4:10 PM

      They'll have the hardware to do this with the Wii U....it'll just be a matter of a software update.

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        December 26, 2011 4:51 PM

        Nope. Wii U is just a Wii with few extras. Wii==Gamecube^2 and WiiU==Gamecube^2.5

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          December 26, 2011 5:41 PM

          I'd say hardware upgrades, brand new original bluetooth controller and motion sensitivity with 512mb NAND flash memory, wifi, a proper central hub, widespread online support, digital downloads, messaging, video streaming, media viewing, channels (weather, internet etc.), avatars (miis) and full size dvd discs constitute a bit more than "Gamecube^2".

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            December 26, 2011 6:40 PM

            CPU power will be on par or above that of 360 & PS3...all you need is that and an ethernet port for streaming video.

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              December 26, 2011 6:45 PM

              Everything I've read says that it'll be 50% faster than a PS3. It's Nintendo though, they'll use it well. How next gen stuff ports over will be a big question, but I'm sure it'll do well enough.

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          December 26, 2011 9:26 PM

          Wow, look how wrong I was :( oh well, Happy end of 2011!

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      December 27, 2011 8:05 AM

      to me, its a sign that Nintendo is soon done with this system and is admitting that the quality of video through the system is garbage... :) Oh well... I havent bought a nintendo since the SNES...

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