Nintendo has announced that Nintendo TVii, the free video streaming service designed for the Wii U video game console, is going to be launched in the United States and Canada Today. Nintendo TVii will allow Wii U owners to access all the available programs in their home-entertainment setup, including content from their cable or satellite companies.
TVii is available as a free update to the Wii U. No additional equipment is needed to get the service up and running. Nintendo originally planned to launch this TVii alongside the Wii U on November 18. Later the company decided to postpone the release, and promised to launch the service in December.
Nintendo TVii will provide a single interface for cable or satellite television and web-based video services using the Wii U GamePad as a universal remote. Users will be able to search across all their video sources for a particular show, search by genre, access their favorite programs or get recommendations on what to watch. Besides, Nintendo TVii will offer new “second-screen” experiences (similar to Xbox SmartGlass) with built-in social sharing options to Facebook, Twitter and Miiverse (Miiverse is Wii U’s online social network that allows players to make Mii avatars).
Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo America President and COO, said, “You’ll never look at your TV the same way again. Nintendo TVii shows how the integrated second screen of the GamePad can also transform and enhance the TV viewing experience. Welcome to the new world of TVii.”
Nintendo hopes with Nintendo TVii the company will make content discovery easy. TVii will initially support Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus, and will add Netflix and TiVo in early 2013.
Source: Nintendo (Press Release)
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