164-450: The Wii U ( / ˌ w iː ˈ j uː / WEE YOO ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii . Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft 's Xbox One and Sony 's PlayStation 4 . The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support HD graphics . The system's primary controller
328-562: A Wii Party U Wii U Basic Pack bundle in Europe. It features a white Wii U console with 8 GB of storage, a white Wii U GamePad and Wii Remote Plus controllers, a Sensor Bar, and disc versions of both Wii Party U and Nintendo Land . On November 15, Nintendo also released a Skylanders: Swap Force Wii U Basic Set bundle in North America. It contains white Wii U with 8 GB of storage, Activision 's Skylanders Swap Force game,
492-424: A homebrew application for Wii Mode exists that enables GameCube hardware and GameCube controller support. A USB GameCube controller adapter with four ports was released exclusively for use with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and does not support any other Wii or Wii U games. The Nintendo Web Framework, unveiled in 2013, is a toolset that uses modern web technology ( WebKit , HTML5 , and JavaScript ) to simplify
656-581: A tablet device for the Wii. Production of the Wii U ended on January 31, 2017. On March 3, 2017, Nintendo released its successor, the Nintendo Switch , which retained and refined concepts introduced with the Wii U. Most of the Wii U's exclusive games were later ported to the Switch. The system was first conceived in 2008 after Nintendo recognized several limitations and challenges with the Wii , such as
820-590: A "Latte" graphics chip (GPU), as well as a SEEPROM memory chip. The Espresso CPU, designed by IBM, consists of a PowerPC 750 -based tri-core processor with 3 MB of shared L2 cache memory and clocked at approximately 1.24 GHz. Despite being based on the PowerPC 750, the Espresso also shares some architectural concepts with the POWER7 architecture, such as the use of eDRAM cache and being manufactured at
984-478: A 200% rise over August. From July to September 2013, the system sold approximately 300,000 units, which was up 87% from the three months prior. Despite only having sold 460,000 consoles since April, Nintendo maintained its 9 million Wii U sales forecast for the fiscal year through March 2014. Wii U software showed improvement in the Q2 period, reaching 5.27 million units, a 400% jump on the previous quarter. Nintendo credited
1148-487: A 45 nm node. The Latte graphics chip contains both a "GX2" GPGPU, which runs Wii U applications, and a "GX" GPU, which enables backward compatibility with Wii games. The GX2, designed by AMD, is based on the Radeon R600 / R700 architecture and is clocked at approximately 550 MHz. Its theoretical peak performance is 352 GFLOPS . It contains 32 MB of eDRAM cache memory, which can also act as L3 cache for
1312-682: A BD player. Japanese optical disc manufacturer Infinity announced the first "hybrid" Blu-ray Disc/(standard) DVD combo, to be released on February 18, 2009. This disc set of the TV series Code Blue featured four hybrid discs containing a single Blu-ray Disc layer (25 GB) and two DVD layers (9 GB) on the same side of the disc. In January 2007, Hitachi showcased a 100 GB Blu-ray Disc, consisting of four layers containing 25 GB each. It claimed that, unlike TDK's and Panasonic 's 100 GB discs, this disc would be readable on standard Blu-ray Disc drives that were currently in circulation, and it
1476-453: A December 2013 article, Chris Suellentrop of The New York Times argued that the Wii U was the only new console with a video game worth playing— Super Mario 3D World —which he described as being "the best Mario game in years". Despite the praise, he noted that "one great game won't save a console", and although other games exist on the Wii U, he admitted that its original lineup "was still pretty thin". Time writer Matt Peckham said that
1640-642: A European launch was cancelled. TVii was discontinued in North America on August 11, 2015 and was discontinued in Japan on November 8, 2017. The Netflix app was discontinued on July 1, 2021. The YouTube app was delisted from the Nintendo eShop on April 27, 2022, and discontinued on October 27, 2022. Wii Street U was an app that used Google Maps and released as a digital download on the Nintendo eShop . The software allows players to use Google Street View using
1804-549: A Portal of Power, three Skylanders figures, a collector poster, trading cards and sticker sheets, and a Nintendo Land game disc. The bundle was released in Australia and New Zealand on November 21. On November 26, 2013, the Wii U was released in Brazil. However, the system is only available in the black Deluxe Set in the region. On January 10, 2015, Nintendo announced that it would cease selling consoles and games in Brazil due to
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#17327731591341968-478: A black or white Wii U console with 32 GB of storage, a black or white Wii U GamePad, New Super Mario Bros. U and Wii Party U preloaded, a black or white Wii Remote , a Wii Sensor Bar , and a 30-day trial of the Wii Karaoke U service. The second bundle included all of the previous one's contents, additionally preloaded with Wii Fit U and including Nintendo's official Fit Meter pedometer (with
2132-425: A cable) typically have a SATA interface. More recent half-height Blu-Ray writers have reached writing speeds of up to 16× ( constant angular velocity ) on single-layer BD-R media, while the highest reading speeds are 12×, presumably to prevent repeated physical stress on the disc. Slim type drives are limited to 6× speeds (constant angular velocity) due to spacial and power limitations. The Blu-ray format has
2296-521: A chain reaction in the industry, with major American retailers such as Best Buy , Walmart , and Circuit City and Canadian chains such as Future Shop dropping HD DVD in their stores. Woolworths , then a major European retailer, dropped HD DVD from its inventory. Major DVD rental companies Netflix and Blockbuster said they would no longer carry HD DVD. Following these new developments, on February 19, 2008, Toshiba announced it would end production of HD DVD devices, allowing Blu-ray Disc to become
2460-510: A consortium founded in 2004, had been developing the DRM platform that could be used to distribute movies to consumers while preventing copying. However, the final AACS standard was delayed, and then delayed again when an important member of the Blu-ray Disc group voiced concerns. At the request of the initial hardware manufacturers, including Toshiba, Pioneer, and Samsung, an interim standard
2624-630: A day before CES 2008, Warner Bros. , the only major studio still releasing movies in both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc format, announced that it would release only in Blu-ray after May 2008. This effectively included other studios that came under the Warner umbrella, such as New Line Cinema and HBO —though in Europe, HBO's distribution partner, the BBC , announced it would continue to release product on both formats while keeping an eye on market forces. This led to
2788-511: A degree with personal computers , using similar component and system design, including standardization with main computer chip architecture. Consoles remain as fixed systems, lacking the customization options that personal computer components have, and most consoles include customized components to maximize space and reduce power consumption to provide the best performance for game playing, while lowering costs with reduced storage and memory configurations. Home video game consoles typically can play
2952-603: A dual-layer disc. It is similar in concept to the MiniDVD and Mini CD . Recordable (BD-R) and rewritable (BD-RE) versions of Mini Blu-ray Disc have been developed specifically for compact camcorders and other compact recording devices. " Blu-ray Disc recordable " (BD-R) refers to two optical disc formats that can be recorded with an optical disc recorder . BD-Rs can be written to once, whereas Blu-ray Disc Recordable Erasable (BD-REs) can be erased and re-recorded multiple times. The current practical maximum speed for Blu-ray Discs
3116-408: A firmware upgrade. This technology was later used on BDXL discs. On July 20, 2010, the research team of Sony and Japanese Tohoku University announced the joint development of a blue-violet laser, to help create Blu-ray Discs with a capacity of 1 TB using only two layers (and potentially more than 1 TB with additional layering). By comparison, the first blue laser was invented in 1996, with
3280-525: A format of rewritable discs that would eventually become Blu-ray Disc (more specifically, BD-RE). The core technologies of the formats are similar. The first DVR Blue prototypes were unveiled by Sony at the CEATEC exhibition in October 2000. A trademark for the "Blue Disc" logo was filed on February 9, 2001. On February 19, 2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray Disc, and Blu-ray Disc Founders
3444-563: A home screen consisting of a grid with shortcuts to games and apps, while the television screen displays a lobby (WaraWara Plaza) populated by other users' Miis . The two displays can be switched between the television screen and GamePad. Pressing the controller's "Home" button suspends the current game or app and opens the Home Menu: it shows basic information (such as the current time, controller battery levels, and notifications), and allows access to several "multitasking" functions, including
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#17327731591343608-428: A laser can be focused is limited by diffraction and depends on the wavelength of the light and the numerical aperture of the lens used to focus it. By decreasing the wavelength, increasing the numerical aperture from 0.60 to 0.85, and making the cover layer thinner to avoid unwanted optical effects, designers can cause the laser beam to focus on a smaller spot, which effectively allows more information to be stored in
3772-479: A limited edition Lego City Undercover Wii U Premium Pack bundle. Both European bundles featured a 7-day trial of the Wii Karaoke U service. Nintendo did not cut the price of the Wii U in Australia or New Zealand nor did it release any of the previous bundles in the regions. On October 31, 2013, Nintendo introduced two new Wii U Premium Pack bundles in Japan, called the Family Set. The first included either
3936-443: A limited edition The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Wii U Deluxe Set bundle. The bundle included a black Wii U console with 32 GB of storage, a black Wii U GamePad decorated with a golden Triforce and other thematic symbols, a download code for the game and, in North America, a digital copy of The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia , a collector's book about The Legend of Zelda series. In Europe, Nintendo also released
4100-955: A maximum bandwidth of 12.8 GB/s. This is 20 times the amount found in the Wii . Of this, 1 GB is reserved for the operating system and is unavailable to games. The memory architecture allows the CPU and GPU to access both the main DDR3 memory pool and the eDRAM cache memory pool on the GPU, removing the need for separate, dedicated memory pools. The console includes either an 8 GB (Basic) or 32 GB (Deluxe (NA) / Premium (WW) ) internal eMMC flash memory , expandable via SD memory cards up to 32 GB and USB external hard disk drives up to 2 TB. The Nintendo Wii U can also use DVD-RAM for extended storage over USB. The Wii U features 802.11 b/g /n wireless network connectivity and support for Fast Ethernet with an accessory, Bluetooth 4.0 ,
4264-429: A multitude of games, offered either as game cartridges (or ROM cartridges), on optical media like CD-ROM or DVD, or obtained by digital distribution . Early consoles, also considered dedicated consoles, had games that were fixed in the electronic circuitry of the hardware. Some facets may be controlled by switching external controls on the console but the games could not be changed themselves. Most home consoles require
4428-457: A new console would have to be developed to accommodate significant structural changes, but ideas on which direction to take for the new console led to a lot of debate within the company, and the project started over from scratch on several occasions. The concept of a touchscreen embedded within the controller was originally inspired by the blue light on the Wii disc slot that illuminates to indicate new messages. Miyamoto and his team wanted to include
4592-478: A pre-recorded video, the possibility of a new Super Smash Bros. game was teased, and Electronic Arts ' then-CEO John Riccitiello appeared on-stage to discuss the company's prospective plans for products on the Wii U. Prototype hardware and a series of tech demos were available to attendees, showcasing gameplay concepts and the technological capabilities of the console—including a The Legend of Zelda -themed graphics demo, and New Super Mario Bros. Mii . In
4756-410: A production basis, allowing for the development of a denser storage format that could hold higher-definition media, with prototype discs made with diodes at a slightly longer wavelength of 407 nanometers in October 1998. Sony commenced two projects in collaboration with Panasonic , Philips , and TDK , applying the new diodes: UDO (Ultra Density Optical), and DVR Blue (together with Pioneer ),
4920-1071: A proprietary high-density optical disc format co-developed with Panasonic . The format is similar in design and specifications to a Blu-ray , with a capacity of 25 GB per layer, but the discs themselves have a soft, rounded rim. Unlike previous Nintendo consoles, game manuals were only available digitally. The console is region locked ; software purchased in a region can be only played on that region's hardware. New games in Nintendo's flagship franchises (including Super Mario , Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda ), as well as several Wii series games (including Wii Sports Club , Wii Fit U and Wii Party U ) have been released, in addition to many original games and third-party-developed games. Nintendo has received third-party support from companies such as Ubisoft , Sega , Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment , Activision Blizzard , and Capcom , and various independent developers such as Two Tribes . As of late July 2016, there have been 39 first-party and 118 third-party Wii U games physically released in
5084-479: A red positioning/addressing laser (650 nm). It was to offer MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265), and VC-1 encoding, supporting a maximum storage capacity of 6 TB. No systems conforming to the Ecma International HVD standard have been released. The company responsible for HVD went bankrupt in 2010, making any releases unlikely. A boutique Blu-ray label or specialty Blu-ray label
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5248-455: A resolution of 1440 × 1080 pixels, with Ultra HD Blu-ray players extending the maximum resolution to 4K ( 3840 × 2160 pixels) and progressive frame rates up to 60 frames per second. Aside from an 8K resolution ( 7680 × 4320 pixels) Blu-ray format exclusive to Japan , videos with non-standard resolutions must use letterboxing to conform to a resolution supported by the Blu-ray specification. Besides these hardware specifications, Blu-ray
5412-501: A separate game controller, and may support multiple controllers for multiplayer games. Some console games can only be played with special, unconventional game controllers, such as light guns for rail shooters and guitar controllers for music games . Some consoles also possess the ability to connect and interface with a particular handheld game system, which certain games can leverage to provide alternate control schemes, second screen gameplay elements, exclusive unlockable content or
5576-522: A series of home video game consoles begins in a generation and lasts to another generation, it is listed in the generation the series began. This list does not claim to be complete. This list does not include other types of video game consoles such as handheld game consoles , which are usually of lower computational power than home consoles due to their smaller size; microconsoles , which are usually low-cost Android-based devices that rely on downloading; retro style consoles ; or dedicated consoles past
5740-613: A single dedicated game, such as home Pong consoles. Documented consoles of this generation can be found at list of first generation home video game consoles . 128-bit (SIMD) 128-bit (SIMD) 128-bit extensions Blu-ray Blu-ray ( Blu-ray Disc or BD ) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-definition video ( HDTV 720p and 1080p ). The main application of Blu-ray
5904-476: A small screen to provide game feedback and status messages to players (similar to the VMU for Sega 's Dreamcast ). Much later in development, this was expanded to a full screen that could display the game being played in its entirety, a concept that was suggested but not financially viable earlier in the project. Public rumors surrounding the console began to appear in 2008, with speculation of an upcoming revision of
6068-561: A smaller area, thus enabling it to read information recorded in pits that are less than half the size of those on a DVD, and can consequently be spaced more closely, resulting in a shorter track pitch, enabling a Blu-ray Disc to hold about five times the amount of information that can be stored on a DVD. The lasers are GaN ( gallium nitride ) laser diodes that produce 405 nm light directly, that is, without frequency doubling or other nonlinear optical mechanisms. CDs use 780 nm near-infrared lasers. The minimum " spot size " on which
6232-519: A standard DVD keep case , generally with the format prominently displayed in a horizontal stripe across the top of the case (translucent blue for Blu-ray video discs, clear for Blu-ray 3D video releases, red for PlayStation 3 Greatest Hits Games, transparent for regular PlayStation 3 games, transparent dark blue for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games, transparent green for Xbox One and Xbox Series X games and black for Ultra HD Blu-ray video releases). Warren Osborn and The Seastone Media Group, LLC created
6396-524: A task force was created three months prior to conduct a study concerning an extension to the Blu-ray Disc specification that would add the ability to contain 4K UHD video. On August 5, 2015, the BDA announced it would commence licensing the Ultra HD Blu-ray video format starting on August 24, 2015. The Ultra HD Blu-ray format delivered support for high dynamic range video that significantly expanded
6560-510: A television screen or computer monitor, and to an external power source, to play video games on using one or more video game controllers . This differs from a handheld game console which will have a built-in screen, controller buttons/features, and a power supply like a battery or battery pack. Earlier home consoles were typically built from a selection of standard and highly customized integrated computer chips, packaged onto circuit boards and cases. Over time, home console design has converged to
6724-748: A total of four USB 2.0 ports, and an SD/ SDHC memory card slot. An additional power port is also included to power the Wii Sensor Bar , an auxiliary infrared emitter used by Wii Remote peripherals for motion tracking. Video output options include 1080p , 1080i , 720p , 576i , 480p and 480i , through HDMI 1.4 and component video ( YP B P R , D-Terminal and RGB SCART ) or 576i, 480i anamorphic widescreen through composite video ( S-Video , SCART and D-Terminal) . Audio output options include six-channel 5.1 linear PCM surround sound and analog stereo . The console also supports stereoscopic (3D) images and video. The Wii U GamePad
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6888-399: A vital part in keeping the technology affordable while allowing it to move forward. In an effort to increase sales, studios began releasing films in combo packs with Blu-ray Discs and DVDs, as well as digital copies that can be played on computers and mobile devices. Some are released on "flipper" discs with Blu-ray on one side and DVD on the other. Other strategies are to release movies with
7052-635: A white version of the Premium Pack in Japan, as well as an official battery pack and charger dock for the Wii Remote. The battery pack is capable of about 3 hours of gameplay before needing to be recharged. On July 25, the company released an improved battery pack for the Wii U GamePad. In contrast to the standard 1500mAh battery bundled with the console, the new 2550mAh battery pack increases longevity to between five and eight hours before needing to be recharged. On August 28, 2013, Nintendo announced that
7216-412: A working experimental Blu-ray Disc capable of holding 200 GB of data on a single side, using six 33 GB data layers. In 2007, Hitachi was reported to have plans to produce 200 GB discs by 2009. Behind closed doors at CES 2007, Ritek revealed that it had successfully developed a high-definition optical disc process that extended the disc capacity to ten layers, increasing the capacity of
7380-407: A write verification feature, similar to that of DVD-RAM , but brings this feature to a write-once disc for the first time. If activated, the correctness of the written data is verified immediately after being written so unreadable data can be written again. In this case, the writing speed is halved because half of the disc rotations are for writing only. "Write verification" is not an official term for
7544-443: Is 12 centimetres ( 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 inches) in diameter and 1.2 millimetres ( 1 ⁄ 16 inch) thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs . Conventional (or "pre-BD-XL") Blu-ray discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual-layer discs (50 GB) being the industry standard for feature-length video discs. Triple-layer discs (100 GB) and quadruple-layer discs (128 GB) are available for BD-XL re-writer drives. While
7708-682: Is a home video distributor that releases films on Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format, characterized by a specific or niche target market and collectable features like " limited edition " or "special edition" releases, deluxe slipcases or packaging, and other materials. Examples of boutique Blu-ray labels include the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), Arrow Films , Canadian International Pictures, The Criterion Collection , Kino Lorber , Severin Films , Shout! Factory , Twilight Time , Vinegar Syndrome , and
7872-537: Is as a medium for video material such as feature films and for the physical distribution of video games for the PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One , and Xbox Series X . The name refers to the blue laser (actually a violet laser) used to read the disc, which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs, resulting in an increased capacity. The polycarbonate disc
8036-485: Is associated with a set of multimedia formats. Given that Blu-ray discs can contain ordinary computer files , there is no fixed limit as to which resolution of video can be stored when not conforming to the official specifications. The BD format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association , a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion pictures. Sony unveiled
8200-626: Is compatible with all Wii games and Wii accessories such as the Wii Remote ( Plus ), Wii Nunchuk , and the Wii Balance Board . It is possible to migrate most downloaded software and save files from a Wii to a Wii U. Although Wii games can be displayed on the GamePad's screen, they can only be controlled using a Wii controller, and not the GamePad's controller. The Wii U is not compatible with GameCube discs or accessories, although
8364-405: Is not supported by Wii games. The Wii U is compatible with existing Wii Remote and Wii Remote Plus controllers, along with their Nunchuk and Classic Controller attachments. A combination of up to four Wii Remotes or Pro Controllers can be used simultaneously, and the console can theoretically support up to two GamePads. Most software requires a Wii Sensor Bar in order to use Wii Remotes with
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#17327731591348528-524: Is primarily focused on gameplay. In October 2009, Miyamoto said that Nintendo had no concrete plans about its next console, but thought that the new system would continue to feature motion controls and also expected its interface to be "more compact" and cheaper. Iwata also mentioned that the Wii's successor might be 3D-compatible but concluded that the adoption rates of 3D televisions should increase to at least 30% first. In 2010, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé commented that he felt "confident
8692-439: Is the Wii U GamePad , which features an embedded touchscreen , a D-pad , analog sticks, and action buttons. The screen can be used either as a supplement to the main display or in supported games to play the game directly on the GamePad . The Wii U Pro Controller can be used in its place as a more traditional alternative. The Wii U is backward compatible with Wii software and accessories. Games can support any combination of
8856-407: Is the console's primary controller : its main feature is a built-in 6.2 inch (15.7 cm) resistive touchscreen , which can be used as a companion to games being played on a television, or as a means of playing games on the GamePad itself without a television. The GamePad is designed to enable a concept referred to by Nintendo as " asymmetric gaming": in multiplayer games, a player using
9020-467: The DVD-Video specification has a maximum resolution of 480p ( NTSC , 720 × 480 pixels) or 576p ( PAL , 720 × 576 pixels), the initial specification for storing movies on Blu-ray discs defined a maximum resolution of 1080p ( 1920 × 1080 pixels) at up to 24 progressive or 29.97 interlaced frames per second . Revisions to the specification allowed newer Blu-ray players to support videos with
9184-472: The GameCube and 90% less than the Wii during equivalent time periods. During the month, total worldwide sales of the PlayStation 4 surpassed those of the Wii U. During the first quarter of 2014, Nintendo reported that 310,000 consoles and 2.91 million software units were shipped worldwide. During an annual investors' meeting, Satoru Iwata revealed Nintendo's projection of 3.6 million Wii U unit sales during
9348-517: The Nintendo Network platform for online services (replacing the friend code system of the Wii), enabling online multiplayer, downloading and purchasing games or apps via Nintendo eShop, video chat using the GamePad's camera and the Wii U Chat service, and other services. Up to twelve accounts can be created per console. A social networking service known as Miiverse was integrated into
9512-425: The Nintendo eShop , Miiverse, download manager, a web browser, and the user's friends list. To play Wii games, the user must enter "Wii Mode", a legacy mode that emulates the Wii's system software and Wii Menu interface. Initially, Wii Mode could only be used on the television screen, but the October 2013 firmware update enables Wii Mode to be used off-TV. Either way, Wii controllers must be used. The Wii U used
9676-459: The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One , among children during the holiday season. Following the release of Wii Party U on October 31 in Japan, weekly Wii U sales spiked to 38,802 units sold. On November 29, 2013, Nintendo of France deputy general manager Philippe Lavoué announced that the Wii U had sold approximately 175,000 units in France since launch. During the first two weeks of December, the Wii U
9840-490: The Warner Archive Collection . Boutique Blu-ray labels, which are popular among collectors and enthusiasts of film and physical media , have been credited as a factor in a "Blu-ray renaissance" dating back to at least 2018, with some consumers choosing to purchase films on physical formats in an age of digital streaming. Reasons some consumers prefer Blu-rays to streaming include higher video quality,
10004-469: The Wii Balance Board available separately). On November 1, 2013, Nintendo released a Mario & Luigi Deluxe Set in North America with the intention of replacing the original Wii U Deluxe Set, which included a copy of Nintendo Land . The Mario & Luigi bundle contains both New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U packaged as a "2 in 1" disc alongside a black Wii U console with 32 GB of storage and black Wii U GamePad controller. The bundle
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#173277315913410168-448: The high cost of doing business in the country . On May 30, 2014, Nintendo released a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (U.S.) / Premium (WW) Set bundle in Europe and North America. It features a black Wii U console with 32 GB of storage, a black Wii U GamePad, a copy of Mario Kart 8 , a Sensor Bar, and special edition red Wii Wheel (North America only). Additionally, registering the game on Club Nintendo before July 31, 2014, presents
10332-548: The "format war" ended, Blu-ray Disc sales began to increase. A study by the NPD Group found that awareness of Blu-ray Disc had reached 60% of households in the United States. Nielsen VideoScan sales numbers showed that for some titles, such as 20th Century Fox's Hitman , up to 14% of total disc sales were from Blu-ray, although the average Blu-ray sales for the first half of the year were only around 5%. In December 2008,
10496-565: The Advanced Optical Disc. It was finally adopted by the DVD Forum and renamed HD DVD the next year, after being voted down twice by DVD Forum members who were also Blu-ray Disc Association members—a situation that drew preliminary investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice . HD DVD had a head start in the high-definition video market, as Blu-ray Disc sales were slow to gain market share. The first Blu-ray Disc player
10660-562: The Blu-ray Disc specification has been finalized, engineers continue to work on advancing the technology. By 2005, quad-layer (100 GB) discs had been demonstrated on a drive with modified optics and standard unaltered optics. Hitachi stated that such a disc could be used to store 7 hours of 32 Mbit/s video (HDTV) or 3 hours and 30 minutes of 64 Mbit/s video ( ultra-high-definition television ). In April 2006, TDK canceled plans to produce 8-layer 200 GB Blu-ray Discs. In August 2006, TDK announced that it had created
10824-472: The Blu-ray Disc version of Warner Bros.' The Dark Knight sold 600,000 copies on the first day of its launch in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. A week after the launch, The Dark Knight BD had sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide, making it the first Blu-ray Disc title to sell over a million copies in the first week of release. According to Singulus Technologies AG, Blu-ray
10988-458: The CPU. The GX, originally designed by ArtX , contains a 1 MB and a 2 MB bank of eSRAM cache memory. The Latte chip also includes a secondary custom ARM9 processor with 96 KB of SRAM memory that handles system tasks in the background during gameplay or while the system is in sleep mode , and dedicated hardware audio DSP module.The console contains 2 GB of DDR3 system memory consisting of four 512 MB DRAM chips with
11152-491: The Deluxe (U.S.) / Premium (WW) 32 GB model would drop in price from US$ 349.99 to US$ 299.99 in North America. The price drop took effect on September 20, 2013. In Europe, Nintendo did not confirm a formal price cut since individual retailers set their own prices. However, starting October 4, 2013, the company reduced the wholesale price of the system to retailers. Coinciding with the system's price cut, Nintendo released
11316-485: The Deluxe (U.S.) / Premium (WW) bundle. The Basic bundle contains a white Wii U with 8 GB of storage, a white Wii U GamePad , stylus and an HDMI cable, while the Deluxe (U.S.) / Premium (WW) contains a black Wii U with 32 GB of storage, a black GamePad and stylus, an HDMI cable, and adds a Nintendo Network Premium subscription, the Nintendo Land game (except Japan), as well as stands for
11480-531: The Digital Entertainment Group, the number of Blu-ray Disc playback devices (both set-top box and game console) sold in the United States had reached 28.5 million by the end of 2010. Blu-ray faces competition from video on demand and from new technologies that allow access to movies on any format or device, such as Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem or Disney's Keychest . Some commentators suggested that renting Blu-ray would play
11644-502: The GamePad may have a different gameplay objective and experience than other players. The GamePad's display contents are rendered on the Wii U itself, and streamed wirelessly as video to the GamePad. The GamePad also supports near field communications ; cards and specially-designed figurines, such as Nintendo's Amiibo line, can be used with the GamePad to interact with games. In Japan, it can also be used for contactless payments from eShop with Suica cards. A new Wii U Pro Controller
11808-448: The GamePad, Wii Remote , Nunchuk , Balance Board , or Nintendo's Classic Controller or Wii U Pro Controller. Online functionality centered around the Nintendo Network platform and Miiverse , an integrated social networking service which allowed users to share content in game-specific communities. Critical response to the Wii U was mixed. It was praised for its innovative GamePad controller, improvements to online functionality over
11972-572: The GamePad. Upon initial release, the software was available for free until October 31, 2013, and the software was ended altogether on January 29, 2016, when it was announced that service for Wii Street U would be discontinued effectively on March 31, 2016. Wii Street U was announced in 2013 as part of Nintendo 's Nintendo Web Framework , and is one of the first applications to use it. Wii U games could be downloaded digitally through Nintendo eShop , or at retail on physical media. Retail copies of Wii U games are distributed on Wii U Optical Disc ,
12136-460: The Nintendo console, but not anywhere near as many as we are for PlayStation or Xbox". At E3 2013 , Ubisoft revealed that it was not going to make any more exclusives for the Wii U until sales of the console improved, though it stated shortly thereafter that it was still a "big supporter" of the Wii U, and planned to release as many Wii U games in 2013 as it did in 2012. In July 2013, Bethesda Softworks announced that it had no games in development for
12300-525: The U.S. for fear of unauthorized copying. However, personal computers with Blu-ray recorder drives were available. In October 2009, TDK demonstrated a 10-layer 320 GB Blu-ray Disc. On January 1, 2010, Sony, in association with Panasonic, announced plans to increase the storage capacity on their Blu-ray Discs from 25 GB to 33.4 GB via a technology called i-MLSE ( maximum likelihood sequence estimation ). The higher-capacity discs, according to Sony, would be readable on existing Blu-ray Disc players with
12464-607: The US. By comparison, the original Wii sold 435,000 in January 2007, also two months after launch. Initial sales numbers in the U.S. and other territories were lower than expected, resulting in Nintendo cutting sales projections for fiscal year 2013 by 17%, from 5.5 million to 4 million; the system actually ended up selling 3.5 million units. During the first quarter of 2013, Nintendo reported that 390,000 consoles and 1.73 million software units were shipped worldwide. From March to June 2013,
12628-426: The United States were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales. Blu-ray's competition includes video on demand (VOD) and DVD. In January 2016, 44% of U.S. broadband households had a Blu-ray player. The information density of the DVD format was limited by the wavelength of the laser diodes used. Following protracted development, blue laser diodes operating at 405 nanometers became available on
12792-640: The United States, Nintendo sold its entire allotment of over 400,000 units and sold a total of 425,000 units for the month of November, according to the NPD Group . It also sold over 40,000 consoles in the UK in its first weekend. In Japan, over 600,000 Wii U units were sold during December 2012. Nearly 890,000 Wii U units were sold in the United States after 41 days on the market. From the Wii U's launch till December 31, 2012, Nintendo reported that 3.06 million consoles and 11.69 million software units had been shipped worldwide.In January 2013, Nintendo sold 57,000 Wii U units in
12956-477: The United States, when comparing the month of June 2013 to the same month in 2014, Wii U software sales were up 373% and console sales were up 233%. The record would be surpassed in November 2014 by Super Smash Bros. for Wii U , which sold 490,000 copies in the United States during its first three days of availability. According to Nintendo of America, December 2014 was Wii U's biggest month in terms of sales in
13120-413: The United States. Hardware sales increased 29%, and software sales increased 75% in comparison to December 2013. Home video game console A home video game console is a video game console that is designed to be connected to a display device, such as a television , and an external power source as to play video games . While initial consoles were dedicated units with only a few games fixed into
13284-434: The United States; both figures are the lowest for any Nintendo console. A total of 103.53 million Wii U games have been sold worldwide since September 30, 2022, with ten games surpassing the million-unit mark. The highest selling game is Mario Kart 8 at 8.46 million units, followed by Super Mario 3D World at 5.88 million units, and New Super Mario Bros. U at 5.82 million units. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
13448-446: The Wii U a compelling video game system which lacks focus, citing Nintendo Land as "ideas act[ing] in service of the technology". Ben Gilbert of Engadget states that Nintendo delivers on its promise of releasing "a modern HD gaming console" but notes that "there are also some major missteps and half-baked ideas: a befuddling Friends List/Miiverse connection, a complete lack of many system-wide console standards (group chat, achievements,
13612-456: The Wii U had focused too much on the GamePad, to the extent that some consumers mistook the device as an accessory for the existing Wii rather than a component of an entirely new platform. Trinen ensured that future promotional material for the console, including its packaging, would emphasize both the Wii U console and GamePad. The Wii U was originally released in two bundles: the Basic bundle and
13776-429: The Wii U to be an eighth-generation console, with many citing the hardware's processing speed. However, Fils-Aimé has noted that similar comments were made in 2006 when the Wii first launched. Following the launch of other eighth-generation consoles, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One , in November 2013, some critics suggested that the Wii U would continue to struggle as it lacked the third-party support of its rivals. In
13940-706: The Wii U was the system of choice to pick up during that Christmas season, praising the console's game lineup, affordable price, Off-TV Play, the absence of subscription fees for its online services, backward compatibility and media features. However, he noted that the system still needs a price cut and an improved first and third-party software lineup. CNET also noted that the Wii U had a better lineup of games and lower price in comparison to its competitors, mainly due to its one-year head start. By December 2019, Nintendo reported life-time sales of 13.56 million Wii U console units and by September 2022 103.53 million software units worldwide. During its first week of release in
14104-529: The Wii U would launch in Japan on December 8, 2012. Later that day, Nintendo announced that the North American launch date would be November 18, 2012. Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo Australia also announced that the Wii U would be released in both regions on November 30, 2012. In an interview with GameSpot the next day, Nintendo of America's Senior Product Marketing Manager Bill Trinen admitted that Nintendo's pre-launch marketing and presentations of
14268-488: The Wii U's long-term viability had been called into question. In February 2014, Nintendo revealed that the Wii U had improved about 180% in year-over-year sales in the United States due to the launch of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze , which sold 130,000 copies. By February 26, Wii U sales had surpassed those of the Xbox 360 in Japan. In March 2014, Nintendo sold just over 70,000 Wii U units, tracking it down 50% less than
14432-524: The Wii U's system software; it allowed players to interact and share content in game-specific communities using their Mii as an avatar. Miiverse allowed users to share accomplishments, screenshots, drawings and hand-written notes. Select games are integrated with Miiverse, where social interactions can also occur within the game, or appear within their content (such as in Splatoon , where drawn posts can appear as graffiti on walls in its settings). Miiverse
14596-428: The Wii U, with Bethesda VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines explaining: "It depends on the games that we are making and how we think it aligns with that console, and how the hardware aligns with the other stuff we are making". This explanation was later refined to being largely due to the hardware. Contrarily, Activision has stated that it will "do everything they can" to support the system. At the end of July 2013, Asda ,
14760-444: The Wii home entertainment console has a very long life in front of it" and declared that a successor would not be launched in the near future. After its E3 2010 presentation, Iwata revealed to the BBC that Nintendo would begin announcing a new console once it ran "out of ideas with the current hardware and cannot give users any more meaningful surprises with the technology". Later, at an investor's meeting, he disclosed that Nintendo
14924-407: The Wii scheduled for 2011 known as the "Wii HD", that would support high definition video and have a Blu-ray drive. However, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata later stated that he saw "no significant reason" to include HD into the Wii and that such an addition would be better suited for a successor. Miyamoto also expressed Nintendo's interest in working with HD graphics, but clarified that the company
15088-434: The Wii successor would "offer something new for home game systems." He also confirmed that the device would not launch in fiscal year 2012, meaning that it would release after April 2012. In early June, Nikkei issued a report confirming earlier rumors that the new console would feature a controller with a 6-inch touchscreen that would give tablet-like controls to games, as well as a rechargeable battery and camera. Project Café
15252-400: The Wii, backward compatibility with Wii software and peripherals, and price. However, it was criticized for its user interface and functionality, and the GamePad's short battery life. It had low sales , primarily credited to a weak lineup of launch games , limited third-party support, and poor marketing including the lack of distinguishing the unique functionality of the GamePad from just being
15416-465: The ability to play non-game disc-based media) and a game controller that lasts only 3.5 hours", and stated that he could not give a complete assessment of the console with online components such as Nintendo TVii missing at launch. Similarly, TechRadar praised the system's GamePad functionality and HD graphics, but criticized the limited battery power on the GamePad, and the insufficient number of top-tier launch games. Some industry figures do not consider
15580-465: The ability to transfer certain game data. The first commercial video game console was the Magnavox Odyssey , developed by a team led by Ralph H. Baer and released commercially in 1972. It was shortly followed by the release of the home version of Pong by Atari Inc. in 1975 based on the arcade game. A number of clones of both systems rushed to fill the nascent home console market and
15744-429: The ability to use the GamePad's infrared functionality to tune a set-top box to a particular program. The app also provided integration with IMDb , Rotten Tomatoes , and Misplaced Pages to provide additional information, and social connectivity through Facebook , Twitter , or Miiverse. TVii was made available with the Wii U's release in Japan on December 8, 2012, and in North America on December 20, 2012. Following delays,
15908-469: The aforementioned game consoles can play back regular Blu-ray Discs. In the mid-2010s, the Ultra HD Blu-ray format was released which is an enhanced variant of Blu-ray compatible with the 4K resolution . Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and players became available in the first quarter of 2016, having a storage capacity of up to 100 GB. By December 2017, the specification for an 8K Blu-ray format
16072-444: The amount of content that can be stored. Given that the Blu-ray Disc data layer is closer to the surface of the disc compared to the DVD standard, it was found in early designs to be more vulnerable to scratches. The first discs were therefore housed in cartridges for protection, resembling Professional Discs introduced by Sony in 2003. Using a cartridge would increase the price of an already expensive medium, and would increase
16236-576: The best-selling console to date with over 155 million units sold. Microsoft, fearing that the PlayStation 2 was threatening the competitive edge of the personal computer, entered the console space with its Xbox line in 2001. Internet connectivity had become commonplace by the mid-2000s, and nearly all home consoles supported digital distribution and online service offerings by the 2010s. With Sony and Microsoft's dominance in hardware capabilities, most other major manufacturers have since dropped out of
16400-440: The buyer a free Wii U game from a selection of four in North America and ten in Europe. The bundle was released in Australia and New Zealand on May 31. In June 2015, the basic Wii U was discontinued in Japan, and replaced by a 32 GB "Premium" set that includes white hardware and a Wii Remote Plus. Nintendo had planned to diminish production of the Wii U ahead of the release of the Nintendo Switch . Nintendo formally announced
16564-570: The company and founded Activision , becoming the first third-party developer. Activision's success led to a rush of new developers creating games without any publishing controls for these systems. The market became flooded with games, and combined with the rising popularity of the personal computer and the economic recession of the early 1980s, led to the video game crash of 1983 in the U.S. market. Nintendo , which had released its Family Computer console in Japan that year, took several cautionary steps to limit game production to only licensed games, and
16728-646: The console and controller and the Sensor Bar (except Japan). The Wii U launched in North America priced at US$ 299.99 for the Basic Set and US$ 349.99 for the Deluxe Set. The system launched in Europe, Australia and South Africa, with European pricing set by retailers. The system launched in Japan priced at ¥ 26,250 for the Basic Set and ¥ 31,500 for the Premium Set. On July 13, 2013, Nintendo released
16892-401: The current leading manufacturers being Sony , Microsoft , and Nintendo , colloquially known as the "Big 3." Past console manufacturers have included Atari , Fairchild , Mattel , Coleco , Sega , NEC , 3DO , Fujitsu and SNK . A home video game console is a predesigned piece of electronic hardware that is meant to be placed at a fixed location at one's home, connected to a display like
17056-514: The data is stored lies under a 0.1 mm protective layer and on top of a 1.1 mm substrate made of polycarbonate plastic, compared to 0.6 mm on either side on DVDs. Sony also announced in April 2004 a version using paper as the substrate developed with Toppan Printing, with up to 25 GB storage. In January 2005, TDK announced that it had developed an ultra-hard yet very thin polymer coating (" Durabis ") for Blu-ray Discs; this
17220-427: The decision to exclude these formats was motivated primarily by patent licensing fees, and the fact that such functionality would be redundant to DVD and Blu-ray players that users may already own. The Nintendo TVii service allowed program listings from a user's television provider to be aggregated with online video on demand services into an electronic program guide with recommendations and search functionality, and
17384-419: The discs to 250 GB. However, it noted the major obstacle was that current read/write technology did not allow additional layers. JVC developed a three-layer technology that allows putting both standard-definition DVD data and HD data on a BD/(standard) DVD combination. This would have enabled the consumer to purchase a disc that can be played on DVD players and can also reveal its HD version when played on
17548-511: The dominant console type of the era, though not all consoles of those eras are of the same type. Some eras are referred to based on how many bits a major console could process. The "128-bit era" ( sixth generation ) was the final era in which this practice was widespread. This list only counts the first iteration of each console's hardware, because several systems have had slim, enhanced or other hardware revisions, but they are not individually listed here. The list also includes unreleased systems. If
17712-517: The electronic circuits of the system, most consoles since support the use of swappable game media, either through game cartridges , optical discs , or through digital distribution to internal storage. There have been numerous home video game consoles since the first commercial unit, the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972. Historically these consoles have been grouped into generations lasting each about six years based on common technical specifications. As of 2024, there have been nine console generations, with
17876-507: The end of its production on January 31, 2017. The ability to purchase content through the Nintendo eShop was discontinued on March 27, 2023. Online functionality was discontinued at 00:00 UTC on April 9, 2024, with the servers shutting down at 02:00 UTC that same day. The Wii U uses a custom multi-chip module (MCM) developed by AMD , IBM and Renesas in co-operation with Nintendo IRD and Nintendo Technology Development . The MCM combines an " Espresso " central processing unit (CPU) and
18040-405: The feature, only a description for what it does. The feature may be activated by default, as is the case in the disc writing utility growisofs . Deactivating write verification may be desirable to save time when mass-producing physical copies of data, since errors are unlikely to occur on physically undamaged media. The quality and data integrity of optical media can be determined by measuring
18204-632: The first Blu-ray Disc prototypes in October 2000, and the first prototype player was released in Japan in April 2003. Afterward, it continued to be developed until its official worldwide release on June 20, 2006, beginning the high-definition optical disc format war , where Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. Toshiba , the main company supporting HD DVD, conceded in February 2008, and later released its own Blu-ray Disc player in late 2009. According to Media Research, high-definition software sales in
18368-399: The first generation, which have games built in and do not use any form of physical media. Consoles have been redesigned from time to time to improve their market appeal. Redesigned models are not listed on their own. The list omits the more than 900 home video game consoles known to have been released in the first generation of video game consoles , those that were generally game consoles for
18532-399: The first prototype discs coming four years later. On January 7, 2013, Sony announced that it would release "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray Disc titles sourced at 4K and encoded at 1080p. "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray Disc titles can be played on existing Blu-ray Disc players and have a larger color space using xvYCC . On January 14, 2013, Blu-ray Disc Association president Andy Parsons stated that
18696-448: The first three quarters of 2007, BD outsold HD DVD by about two to one. At CES 2007 , Warner proposed Total Hi Def —a hybrid disc containing Blu-ray on one side and HD DVD on the other, but it was never released. On June 28, 2007, 20th Century Fox cited Blu-ray Discs' adoption of the BD+ anticopying system as key to their decision to support the Blu-ray Disc format. On January 4, 2008,
18860-529: The first two years (1997–1998) compared to 8.3 million high-definition software units (2006–2007). One reason given for this difference was the smaller marketplace (26.5 million HDTVs in 2007 compared to 100 million SDTVs in 1998). Former HD DVD supporter Microsoft did not make a Blu-ray Disc drive for the Xbox 360 . The 360's successor Xbox One features a Blu-ray drive, as does the PS4, with both supporting 3D Blu-ray after later firmware updates . Shortly after
19024-474: The fiscal year ending March 2015 ( March 2015 ) . On May 22, 2014, Nintendo France announced that sales were 50% higher compared to the last year. With Mario Kart 8 being Nintendo's biggest game launch, Wii U console sales reportedly increased by 666% in the United Kingdom, with the Mario Kart 8 console bundle representing 82% of the region's Wii U console sales for the week. NPD Group reported that in
19188-424: The framework for online multiplayer interactions, add-on content, as well as online distribution of applications and video games. Iwata mentioned that the Wii U GamePad would support NFC , which would allow the system to wirelessly interact with figurines and cards. It would also allow for microtransactions to take place wirelessly using credit cards with NFC support. On September 13, 2012, Nintendo announced that
19352-401: The general public's perception that the system catered primarily to a casual audience. With the Wii U, Nintendo wished to bring back core gamers . Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto admitted that the lack of HD and limited network infrastructure for Wii also contributed to the system being regarded in a separate class to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 , the Wii's competitors. It was clear that
19516-581: The hard coating, given that, according to the Blu-ray Disc Association, they offer the best tradeoff between scratch resistance, optical properties, and productivity. The Blu-ray Disc specification requires the testing of resistance to scratches by mechanical abrasion . In contrast, DVD media are not required to be scratch-resistant, but since development of the technology, some companies, such as Verbatim, implemented hard-coating for more expensive lines of recordable DVDs. The table shows
19680-440: The hardware business, but maintain a presence in the game development and licensing space. Nintendo remains the only competitor having taken a blue ocean strategy by offering more original console concepts such as motion sensing in the Wii and the hybrid design of the Nintendo Switch . Within the home video game console market, the leading consoles have often been grouped into generations, consoles that were major competitors in
19844-711: The industry standard for high-density optical discs. Universal Studios , the sole major studio to back HD DVD since its inception, said shortly after Toshiba's announcement: "While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray Disc." Paramount Pictures , which started releasing movies only in HD DVD format during late 2007, also said it would start releasing on Blu-ray Disc. Both studios announced initial Blu-ray lineups in May 2008. With this, all major Hollywood studios supported Blu-ray. Although
20008-460: The marketplace. There have been nine generations of consoles since the 1970s, with a new generation appearing about every five years. There are more than 1000 home video game consoles known to exist, the vast majority of which were released during the first generation: only 103 home video game consoles were released between the second and current generation, 15 were canceled. This list is divided into console generations which are named based on
20172-415: The maximum exploitable drive speed is 288 Mbit/s or 36 MB/s (also called 8× speed). A USB 3.0 interface (with proper cabling) does not have this limitation, nor do even the oldest version of Serial ATA (SATA, 150 MB/s) nor the latest Parallel ATA (133 MB/s) standards. Internal Blu-ray drives that are integrated into a computer (as opposed to physically separate and connected via
20336-435: The new format, and they wanted a new DRM system that would protect more against unauthorized copying than the failed Content Scramble System (CSS) used on DVDs. On October 4, 2004, the name Blu-ray Disc Founders was officially changed to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), and 20th Century Fox joined the BDA's Board of Directors. The Blu-ray Disc physical specifications were completed in 2004. The recording layer on which
20500-423: The new format. New Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs hold up to 66 GB and 100 GB of data on dual- and triple-layer discs, respectively. Blu-ray's physical and file system specifications are publicly available on the BDA's website. According to Media Research, high-definition software sales in the United States were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales. 16.3 million DVD software units were sold in
20664-409: The notion of " bits " as a major selling point for consumers. The consumer adoption of optical discs with larger storage capacity in the mid-1995 led many console manufactures to move away from cartridges to CD-ROMs and later to DVDs and other formats, with Sony's PlayStation line introducing even more features that gave it an advantage in the market; the PlayStation 2 , released in 2000, remains
20828-424: The package that was adopted worldwide following the Blu-ray versus HD DVD market adoption choice. Because Blu-ray cases are smaller than DVD cases, more Blu-rays than DVDs can fit on a shelf . The "Mini Blu-ray Disc" (also, "Mini-BD" and "Mini Blu-ray") is a compact 8-centimetre-diameter (3.1 in) variant of the Blu-ray Disc that can store 7.8 GB of data in its single-layer configuration, or 15.6 GB on
20992-595: The process of porting games to the Wii U's GamePad and TV. It was designed to make web-based games easier to port to the system than it would to code specifically for the Wii U. Nintendo also released a custom Unity package to allow game developers to quickly make games on Unity for the Wii U. These tools are no longer available on the Nintendo Developer Portal, however users who have these tools downloaded are still able to use them. John Teti of The A.V. Club ' s Gameological Society considers
21156-437: The range between the brightest and darkest elements, an expanded color range, a high frame rate of up to 60 frames per second for a smoother motion appearance, an increase of the supported resolution to 3840 × 2160 for a more detailed picture, object-based sound formats, and an optional "digital bridge" feature. New players were required to play this format, and they became able to play all three of DVDs, traditional Blu-rays, and
21320-725: The rate of errors , of which higher rates may be an indication for deteriorating media , low-quality media, physical damage such as scratches, dust, and/or media written using a defective optical drive . Errors on Blu-Ray media are measured using the so-called LDC ( Long Distance Code s) and BIS ( Burst Indication Subcode s) error parameters, of which rates below 13 and 15 respectively can be considered healthy. Not all vendors and models of optical drives have error scanning functionality implemented. Pre-recorded Blu-ray Disc titles usually ship in packages similar to, but slightly smaller (18.5 mm shorter and 2 mm thinner: 135 mm × 171.5 mm × 13 mm ) and more rounded than,
21484-411: The same area. For a Blu-ray Disc, the spot size is 580 nm. This allows a reduction of the pit size from 400 nm for DVD to 150 nm for Blu-ray Disc, and of the track pitch from 740 nm to 320 nm. See compact disc for information on optical discs' physical structure. In addition to the optical improvements, Blu-ray Discs feature improvements in data encoding that further increase
21648-582: The same method used on standard DVDs. The first releases using the newer VC-1 and AVC formats were introduced in September 2006. The first movies using 50 GB dual-layer discs were introduced in October 2006. The first audio-only albums were released in May 2008. By June 2008, over 2,500 Blu-ray Disc titles were available in Australia and the United Kingdom, with 3,500 in the United States and Canada. In Japan, over 3,300 titles had been released as of July 2010. The DVD Forum , chaired by Toshiba ,
21812-403: The screen, while others reported that the controller would be similar to the GameCube controller and feature dual analog sticks, shoulder buttons, and triggers. On April 25, 2011, Nintendo released an official statement announcing a system to succeed the Wii to be released during 2012, and that playable console units would be present at E3 2011. Speaking at an investor's conference, Iwata stated
21976-491: The second-largest supermarket chain in the UK, confirmed that it had no plans to stock the Wii U, but would still stock games "on a title by title merit basis". Despite this, many specialist retailers continued to emphasize their support, with Game CEO Martyn Gibbs saying "We fully support all Nintendo products, including Wii U." Following the system's $ 50 price cut and the release of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD on September 20, 2013, Wii U sales in North America saw
22140-582: The size of Blu-ray Disc drives, so designers chose hard-coating of the pickup surface instead. TDK was the first company to develop a working scratch-protection coating for Blu-ray Discs, naming it Durabis . In addition, both Sony's and Panasonic's replication methods include proprietary hard-coat technologies. Sony's rewritable media are spin-coated, using a scratch-resistant acrylic and antistatic coating. Verbatim 's recordable and rewritable Blu-ray Discs use their own proprietary technology, called Hard Coat. Colloidal silica-dispersed UV-curable resins are used for
22304-428: The software growth to key first-party releases like Pikmin 3 and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD . During the third quarter of 2013, Nintendo reported that 300,000 consoles and 5.27 million software units were shipped worldwide. In October 2013, online retailer Play.com announced that its Wii U sales saw a 75% sales increase. The company also predicted that the Wii U would be more popular than its competition,
22468-478: The special features only on Blu-ray Discs and none on DVDs. Blu-ray Discs cost no more to produce than DVD discs. However, reading and writing mechanisms are more complicated, making Blu-ray recorders, drives and players more expensive than their DVD counterparts. Adoption is also limited due to the widespread use of streaming media . Blu-ray Discs are used to distribute PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One and Xbox Series X games, and
22632-414: The speeds available. Even the lowest speed (1×) is sufficient to play and record real-time 1080p video; the higher speeds are relevant for general data storage and more sophisticated handling of video. BD discs are designed to cope with at least 5,000 rpm of rotational speed. The usable data rate of a Blu-ray Disc drive can be limited by the capacity of the drive's data interface. With a USB 2.0 interface,
22796-471: The system sold approximately 160,000 units, which was down 51% from the three months prior. During the second quarter of 2013, Nintendo reported that 160,000 consoles and 1.03 million software units were shipped worldwide. In May 2013, Electronic Arts announced that it was reducing support for the Wii U and had no games in development for it, but then partially reconsidered this decision a few days later, with EA's CFO announcing that "We are building titles for
22960-527: The system's launch date. Key: on launch day In January 2013, Nintendo announced that NES and Super NES games would be made available for the Virtual Console service on the Wii U in April 2013 and would include the option to use Off-TV Play on the GamePad. On March 26, 2014, Game Boy Advance games were confirmed and started to appear on the eShop the following month. Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS games were added in April 2015. The Wii U
23124-538: The system, though some aspects, such as Off-TV Play and the Wii Mode, allow the Wii U GamePad to detect Wii Remotes. The Wii U does not support GameCube controllers – while a USB adapter accessory allows GameCube controllers to be used on the console in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U , it is not compatible with any other software. The Wii U's main menu has two main components: by default, the GamePad displays
23288-404: The tactile nature of owning a film physically, elaborate packaging, bonus features, and the desire to own or watch films that are not available in streaming services' libraries. While a DVD uses a 650 nm red laser, Blu-ray Disc uses a 405 nm " blue " laser diode . Although the laser is called "blue", its color is actually in the violet range. The shorter wavelength can be focused to
23452-432: The two days following the unveiling of the Wii U, Nintendo's stock fell nearly 10% to levels not seen since 2006. Some analysts expressed skepticism in regards to the addition of a touch-screen, expressing concern that the controller would be less affordable and less innovative than the original Wii Remote. When asked about whether or not the Wii U was going to support stereographic 3D via 3D televisions , Iwata stated that it
23616-508: The video game industry suffered a small recession in 1977 due to this. The Fairchild Channel F , released in 1976, was the first console to use game cartridges , which was then used by the Atari VCS and several other consoles of the second generation and led to a second boom in the video game industry in the United States and around the globe. During this time, Atari Inc. had been sold to Warner Communications , and several programmers left
23780-449: Was "not the area we are focusing on." On January 26, 2012, Iwata announced that the Wii U would be launched by the end of the 2012 shopping season in all major regions and that its final specifications would be revealed at E3 2012 . He also stated that the console would feature a unified online system known as Nintendo Network , which would feature user account support as opposed to the use of friend codes. Nintendo Network would also provide
23944-430: Was "of course studying and developing the next console to Wii", but it was simultaneously keeping its concepts secret because it was "really important for [Nintendo's] business to positively surprise people." Fils-Aimé also stated that Nintendo's next home console would likely not feature stereoscopic 3D , based on the 3D technology Nintendo had experimented with. In April 2011, an uncredited source indicated that Nintendo
24108-509: Was a significant technical advance because a far tougher protection was desired in the consumer market to protect bare discs against scratching and damage compared to DVD, given that Blu-ray Discs technically required a much thinner layer for the denser and higher-frequency blue laser. Cartridges, originally used for scratch protection, were no longer necessary and were scrapped. The BD-ROM specifications were finalized in early 2006. Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator (AACS LA),
24272-575: Was able to introduce it, rebranded as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985 into the U.S. market. The NES helped to revive the console market and gave Nintendo dominance during the late 1980s. Sega took advantage of the newfound U.S. growth to market its Sega Genesis against the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the early 1990s in the so-called "console wars" and emphasized
24436-530: Was adopted faster than the DVD format was at a similar period in its development. This conclusion was based on the fact that Singulus Technologies received orders for 21 Blu-ray dual-layer replication machines during the first quarter of 2008, while 17 DVD replication machines of this type were made in the same period in 1997. According to GfK Retail and Technology, in the first week of November 2008, sales of Blu-ray recorders surpassed DVD recorders in Japan. According to
24600-605: Was also completed. However, this specification was for Japan only so that it could be used by Japanese public broadcasters like NHK to broadcast in 8K resolution for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. The Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD), described in the ECMA-377 standard, was in development by the Holography System Development (HSD) Forum using a green writing/reading laser (532 nm) and
24764-472: Was believed that a firmware update was the only requirement to make it readable by then-current players and drives. In October 2007, they revealed a 100 GB Blu-ray Disc drive. In December 2008, Pioneer Corporation unveiled a 400 GB Blu-ray Disc (containing 16 data layers, 25 GB each) compatible with current players after a firmware update. Its planned launch was in the 2009–10 time frame for ROM and 2010–13 for rewritable discs. Ongoing development
24928-472: Was founded by the nine initial members. The first consumer device arrived in stores on April 10, 2003: the Sony BDZ-S77, a US$ 3,800 BD-RE recorder that was made available only in Japan. However, there was no standard for pre-recorded video, and no movies were released for this player. Hollywood studios insisted that players be equipped with digital rights management before they would release movies for
25092-444: Was later released in Europe on November 8. On November 14, Nintendo released a Just Dance 2014 Basic Pack bundle in Australia and New Zealand. It contains a white Wii U console with 8 GB of storage, a white Wii U GamePad and Wii Remote Plus controllers, a Sensor Bar, and disc versions of both Ubisoft 's Just Dance 2014 and Nintendo Land . The bundle was later released in Europe on November 22. On November 15, Nintendo released
25256-515: Was moderated through software filtering as well as a human resource team in order to ensure that the content shared by users is appropriate and that no spoilers are shared. In order to facilitate this, it was initially stated that comments posted could take up to 30 minutes to appear on Miiverse. The Wii U supported online video services through apps, such as Amazon Video , Crunchyroll , Hulu , Netflix , and YouTube . The Wii U does not support playback of DVDs or Blu-rays ; Iwata explained that
25420-453: Was officially unveiled as the Wii U during Nintendo's press conference at E3 2011 by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé ; he explained that the Wii U would be "a system we will all enjoy together, but also one that's tailor-made for you". The rumored tablet controller was also shown at this time. No first-party games for the Wii U were announced during the presentation, but several major third-party studios announced games for Wii U in
25584-511: Was perceived as expensive and buggy, and there were few titles available. The Sony PlayStation 3 , which contained a Blu-ray Disc player for primary storage, helped support Blu-ray. Sony also ran a more thorough and influential marketing campaign for the format. AVCHD camcorders were also introduced in 2006. These recordings can be played back on many Blu-ray Disc players without re-encoding but are not compatible with HD DVD players. By January 2007, Blu-ray Discs had outsold HD DVDs, and during
25748-412: Was planning to unveil a successor to the Wii known as "Project Café" at its E3 2011 presentation. Café was claimed to be a high definition console, and to also have backward compatibility with Wii software. Conflicting reports also surrounded the console's new controller, with reports suggesting a tablet -like device with an embedded touchscreen and the ability to stream games from the console directly to
25912-567: Was published that did not include some features, such as managed copy, which would have let end users create copies limited to personal use. The first BD-ROM players (Samsung BD-P1000) were shipped in mid-June 2006, though HD DVD players beat them to market by a few months. The first Blu-ray Disc titles were released on June 20, 2006: 50 First Dates , The Fifth Element , Hitch , House of Flying Daggers , Underworld: Evolution , xXx (all from Sony), and MGM 's The Terminator . The earliest releases used MPEG-2 video compression,
26076-430: Was released alongside the Wii U. The Wii U Pro Controller is an updated version of the Wii's Classic Controller that is designed to appeal to " hardcore " players, with a more traditional GamePad design that resembles those used by the PlayStation and Xbox lines (and in particular, the Xbox 360 's controller ), and a claimed 80-hour battery life. The Wii U Pro Controller is compatible with supported Wii U games, but
26240-520: Was split over whether to develop the more expensive blue laser technology. In March 2002 the forum approved a proposal, which was endorsed by Warner Bros. and other motion picture studios . The proposal involved compressing high-definition video onto dual-layer standard DVD-9 discs. In spite of this decision, however, the DVD Forum's Steering Committee announced in April that it was pursuing its own blue-laser high-definition video solution. In August, Toshiba and NEC announced their competing standard,
26404-566: Was the best-selling Wii U month in the US since its launch, selling around 481,000 units. Independent estimates put the number of Wii U consoles sold by the end of 2013 between 4.5 and 5.2 million. During the fourth quarter of 2013, Nintendo reported that 1.95 million consoles and 9.96 million software units were shipped worldwide. In January 2014, citing lower-than-expected sales during the 2013 holiday season, Nintendo announced that Wii U sales forecasts for fiscal year 2014 had been cut from 9 million units to 2.8 million. In light of this announcement,
26568-409: Was the fastest selling Wii U game as of November 25, 2014. The Wii U was launched with 29 games in North America, 26 games in Europe, 25 games in Australia, and 11 games in Japan. Some download-only games were also available on launch day for the Wii U via Nintendo eShop . An additional 30 games were announced for release during the system's launch window, which included the three months after
26732-408: Was the top performing home console in Japan, with 123,665 units sold. After one year in the market, the Wii U had sold approximately 150,000 units in the United Kingdom. According to the NPD Group , Wii U sales in November increased by 340% over sales in October in North America, selling approximately 220,700 units sold in that month. According to several publications, including NPD Group, December 2013
26896-535: Was underway to create a 1 TB Blu-ray Disc. At CES 2009, Panasonic unveiled the DMP-B15, the first portable Blu-ray Disc player, and Sharp introduced the LC-BD60U and LC-BD80U series, the first LCD HDTVs with integrated Blu-ray Disc players. Sharp also announced that it would sell HDTVs with integrated Blu-ray Disc recorders in the United States by the end of 2009. Set-top box recorders were not being sold in
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