Nintendo Reportedly Striking Wii U Video Distribution Deals

Nintendo has apparently been in discussions with some of the top players in the world of content creation and distribution to make the Wii U much more than just a game console. In fact, it seems Nintendo may have ambitions as strong as Microsoft, as the Wii U may be able to run live streaming TV content from cable companies and individual cable TV networks.

A report from Adweek cites numerous unnamed sources as saying Nintendo wants to make streaming video an integral part of its next generation console, something that could potentially play very well with the touchscreen controller that is a focal point of the Wii U. Players could potentially watch a video on their Wii U controller while someone else is watching TV, essentially turning the controller into its own makeshift tablet.

It's a stark contrast to the Nintendo of the early 2000s, which said it was a dedicated gaming company and its machines were to be dedicated to gaming only. It was with that mindset that the original Wii was created, and now Nintendo has been pressured to create workarounds within the Wii's infrastructure to allow for things like Netflix and Hulu Plus apps. For the Wii U, it seems that additional non-gaming content is going to be part of the structure from day one.

[via Ars Technica]