Hollywood executive expects streaming movies, TV on Wii this year

by JC Fletcher { Mar 12th 2009 at 9:15AM }

Lionsgate's president of digital media, Curt Marvis, believes that streaming movies and TV will be available on the Wii this year. It doesn't really sound like a strong belief, or one that he can back up with any evidence: "I think when we see the Wii come into the market with the ability to stream movies," Marvis told The Cut Scene, "which I think is maybe going to happen as soon as this year, I think that's going to be a big marketplace for digital distribution."

So when, and if, that does happen, Lionsgate is on board. The Cut Scene points out that Marvis does refer to the Wii streaming movies as opposed to downloading them, which suggests that he may be familiar enough with the platform to understand its limitations.

Of course, it is a fact that streaming TV is coming to the Wii, both in the form of Nintendo's own "Wii no Ma Channel," which will provide original content from Nintendo, and Fujisoft's Minna no Theater Wii, whose offerings seem limited to content of Japanese origin, like anime and Ultraman. It's possible Lionsgate could be expecting to make a deal with Fujisoft, or that another service is imminent. Of course, it's also possible that he's guessing there will be a Wii movie service this year because he wants there to be.

Tags: lionsgate, minna-no-theater-wii, movies, streaming-video, wii-no-ma-channel

Related From Joystiq

Digital Foundry analyzes Wii Modern Warfare, deemed 'functional'
17 days ago
EA says Wii software performance weaker than anticipated
17 days ago
EEDAR predicts Nintendo dominance, weak GTA and Brutal Legend performance in October sales
19 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

koehler83 @ Mar 12th 2009 9:27AM

Not in Canada

coffins outside the door @ Mar 12th 2009 9:31AM

Tru dat. Double true.

flanker22 @ Mar 12th 2009 4:22PM

whats the point, low ass resolution output ftw.

Hardy @ Mar 12th 2009 7:27PM

How economy isn't as big of a mess as yours, and mass profit is mass profit.

But I would imagine Rogers and Bell would get pissed, and our government, being the pus&&es that they are, would not allow Nintendo to have this service in Canada.

Pvt. Joker @ Mar 13th 2009 11:33AM

Isn't Canada still on beta-max or something?

Lord Negatron @ Mar 12th 2009 9:38AM

You mean i can watch movies from my console!? WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF NEXT!?

: /

Markez @ Mar 12th 2009 11:32AM

VHS tape deck on your console.

Callsign @ Mar 12th 2009 9:45AM

DVD playability first plz.

Morbo- (PSN: ummfada) @ Mar 12th 2009 9:46AM

In Glorious 480p

Lee @ Mar 12th 2009 11:24AM

In quick to download, less time needed to buffer the stream, 480p.

Tiptup300 @ Mar 12th 2009 1:43PM

But still.......480p, some people have the internet to play higher resolution files.

And 480p looks like poop on a 50"

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Mar 12th 2009 9:47AM

Something tells me streaming on the Wii is going to suck ALL ASS. Even if they get it to cache enough of the movie on an SD card some how, Withe the Wii being Wireless by default most people are going to have some connection issues from time to time

BxGT @ Mar 12th 2009 11:51AM

Movies in 480p usually take up to 700 mb so that means the average wii user can only hold up to 3 movies on a 2 gb stick.Also (correct me if i am wrong) the wii uses 802.11g which theoretically can only go about 54mbps.that's about 4 hours for a movie to download.

Mr Khan @ Mar 12th 2009 12:30PM

Considering that 54 mbps is faster than all internet services in America except FiOS, i don't think that will be a problem except for the sainted few to whom FiOS is actually available

Cody @ Mar 12th 2009 9:50AM

I definitely like the idea of streaming media to a gaming console over downloading it. The Nintendo Channel is perfect with that. I got my computer hooked up to my 42" Bravia if I want to download a bunch of shit.

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ Mar 12th 2009 2:21PM

yea me too. i have my computer hooked up to my HDTV with a hard drive full of Movies, Music, and TV Shows (with XBMC managing them). plus i can already download movies on my 360 or download or stream them from the internet on my PS3. this seems a little too little too late. (plus 480p max doesn't have me chomping at the bit either).

Pvt. Joker @ Mar 12th 2009 4:03PM

Me Three
42" panasonic Plasma
and ive got my PC, PS3, and DVR all set up through HDMI
and ive also got muy wii, and Ps2through composit though they dont get much use :*(.

Azsro @ Mar 12th 2009 9:52AM

You mean, i can watch Tv from my console???

What da hell, its the FUTURE111!!!!

Shimrra @ Mar 12th 2009 10:02AM

I know the quality might not me up to par with BlueRay but to think, how many US owners are there of the Wii. The impact that streaming movies will have to the market can jump way beyond what people might have ever expected.

Obie @ Mar 12th 2009 10:03AM

Nice, but I don't think it will be up to par. Even those little flash movies in the Nintendo channel take forever to load, and they are choppy and compressed.
Meh.

Dijkie @ Mar 12th 2009 10:35AM

Haha, as if Nintendo ever got ANYTHING done in one year.

bhengh @ Mar 12th 2009 10:48AM

I'd be very happy if they just got Joost or Hulu to work on the Wii.

friedriches4 @ Mar 12th 2009 10:51AM

I'm sorry, this just sounds terrible. Where I come from, we call this blatant profiteering.

"Well, we've got these mediocre action movies... what else can we do to profit from them?"
"Wouldn't it be great if we could tap into the Wii's install base?"
"Our movies aren't really suitable for that auidence... and besides, can the Wii even handle that? It doesn't even have DVD playback."
"Money."
"Oh, never mind. Let's do it!

Pvt. Joker @ Mar 12th 2009 1:03PM

Hey, ive got a better idea Nintendo...why dont i watch movies on my PC, PS3, or DVR...or hey you know ive got a huge ass DVD collection why couldnt you make your product play DVD's...hey i loved RE for the (q)wii(r) and it was a lot of fun playing 15 year old games on your product but hey im not complaining...waving my arms around like a retard sure is fun.

Michael T @ Mar 12th 2009 10:59AM

Obvious troll is obvious.

Although, good on you for "(q)wii(r)." That's a new and different bit of trolling (to me, anyway).

Markez @ Mar 12th 2009 11:39AM

I don't know what to say, Joker, other than that you're probably 13 at most, and/or just a huge douche regardless. Go try and pick up chicks, fatty.

Pvt. Joker @ Mar 12th 2009 12:59PM

sorry, wasn't trying to offend or "troll"...i just dont have much respect for nintendo...hate me for it.

Paul @ Mar 12th 2009 11:01AM

PlayOn is also another contender to having streaming video on the Wii.

Sisyphus @ Mar 12th 2009 11:08AM

I'd love to be able to steam Netflix or something similar. I have no need for yet another DVD player, so I'd rather they not waste time and money licensing the codecs for DVD playback.

Lee @ Mar 12th 2009 11:25AM

This is a mega good idea given the number of systems out there.

Arkitekt @ Mar 12th 2009 12:03PM

The Wii will never have DVD playback, the hardware is not capable of that. They removed DVD playback capabilities when it was made which lowered the cost. If you want DVD playback so bad use your PC/DVD/DVR/360/PS3 chances are you have at least one of those (which conveniently is exactly what Nintendo though when they removed DVD playback.. imagine that)

For DVD playback on the Wii they would need to produce an external device that would reminisce of the 360's HD-DVD player.

However, streaming media would be nice. There is not hardware needed in the lines of dvd playback, just an internet connection. Although if you have a PS3 or a 360 streaming media on the Wii might pale in comparison.

Bear @ Mar 12th 2009 4:26PM

What about the homebrew guys that play DVDs out of their Wii?

Arkitekt @ Mar 12th 2009 12:11PM

oh and BxGT, you are correct 802.11g is generally 54 Mbps, thats megabits per second, not megabytes though. your average high speed internet connection is anywhere between 1.5 Mbps and 10 Mbps. It would stream to your Wii via your wireless router alot faster than it would download.. no need to worry about that.

1 megabit = 1,000,000 bits
based on a 8 bit sized byte = 125,000 bytes or 125 kB (kilobyte)
54 Mbps roughly equals = 6,750 kBps

Stuart Cruickshank @ Mar 12th 2009 12:33PM

I can already stream TV on my wii its called the BBC iPlayer.

Mr Khan @ Mar 12th 2009 12:33PM

I'm still very interested to see what this original content from "Wii no Ma" will bring.

thediminished5th @ Mar 12th 2009 1:08PM

"The Wii will never have DVD playback, the hardware is not capable of that."

Um... I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with hardware capability and everything to do with the cost associated with the software licensing.

Arkitekt @ Mar 12th 2009 1:30PM

Although licensing im sure was taken into consideration, in 2007 Nintendo announced the plans to release a Wii version with DVD playback capabilities. They did say the new model would use the CinePlayer CE DVD Navigator software engine but also stated that it would take more then just a firmware update to implement the technology and that it would not be possible on the current model (read: hardware limitations)

andreasdahl @ Mar 12th 2009 2:02PM

I thought there homebrew hack a year back or something like that, which allowed for DVD playback (?)..

thediminished5th @ Mar 12th 2009 2:12PM

Yeah, there is a homebrew hack for DVD playback, which seems to contradict Nintendo's statement.

Arkitekt @ Mar 12th 2009 1:08PM

well you should have great respect for nintendo.. if you were old enough to have played the NES or SNES you would realize that Nintendo is the reason we have gotten the 360 and PS3.

Pvt. Joker @ Mar 12th 2009 1:20PM

well i had fun with those systems...and they seem like a bunch of fellers over there...and congratulations to them for that...i enjoyed some of the titles on the wii, including RE4...but for the most part felt disapointed with the medium promised against what it actualy had to offer this time around...id welcom an open discussion about your paticualr feelings and why you happen to feel they are more valid than my own...i should reieterate since you seemed to have missed it from my first post that i did enjoy playing games from my childhood on the wii system...but i was kinda disapointed with the games from this gen...again, sorry if my opinion upset you.

Pvt. Joker @ Mar 12th 2009 1:31PM

make that a "smart bunch'a Fellers over there".

tkAshur @ Mar 12th 2009 1:26PM

two bucks says this will be out before an ACTUAL storage solution is found...

And didn't someone hack the wii to play dvds already?

Diskoboy7 @ Mar 12th 2009 1:37PM

Yay, Mad Men!

EXTREME Seph @ Mar 12th 2009 2:22PM

Wait, before they start talking about streaming TV to the Wii, how about they force a bunch of ISPs to get rid of bandwidth caps. If you can rent movies, download games (Mostly talking about PC games here), stream TV, etc...then what is this bull crap with bandwidth caps that some ISPs force on people? Some future we live in... (But it could be partially the US's fault for not updating their infrastructure fast enough.)