Nintendo Wii U Doesn't Have DVD, Blu-ray Playback

Nintendo has confirmed that its upcoming Wii U console will not support DVD or Blu-ray playback, as both features "didn't warrant the cost." As part of a Q&A session at E3 last week, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explained that the costs involved due to patents mean that the upcoming console will not be able to play Blu-ray or DVD discs, much like the Nintendo Wii. "Wii U does not have DVD or Blu-ray playback capabilities," Iwata said. "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." The company unveiled the new console at E3 last week, with the new controller which features HD graphics and a built-in 6.2" touchscreen, and is meant to offer "a new structure for home entertainment". Later in the week, the company was forced to admit that it put too much emphasis on the controller for the newly revealed Wii U console, noting that it "should have made more effort" to explain the console better.