Nintendo's next game console, the Revolution to support DVDs

May 15, 2005

While most game consoles have supported the playback of DVDs, CDs and offered other non-game related features, Nintendo had a policy that game consoles should be for games and nothing else. Even their disc based GameCube will only play back its proprietary 3" discs. However, this is set to change as they have publicly announced that its next generation game console, code-named the 'Revolution' will not only be backwards compatible with 3" GameCube discs, but will also play standard video DVDs. If you copy, please show your appreciation by linking back to cdfreaks.
The Revolution will be very compact at about the thickness of 3 regular DVD cases and slightly longer, thus making it Nintendo's smallest game console to date (excluding handhelds). The console will operate in both a vertical and horizontal standing position. It also features wireless Internet connectivity, quick start-up, silent operation and low-energy consumption. Finally, Nintendo has confirmed that the Revolution will be available in 2006.

"Nintendo is good and cute...and there's nothing wrong with that," he said. "They'll be a competitor, but in a different category almost. I don't think they have the same ambition that either Sony or Microsoft does in the more mainstream interactive entertainment space."

Bach's words were presumably based on Nintendo's long-standing policy that game consoles should be for games, period. This philosophy was at the core of the company's current-generation console, the GameCube, which uses a proprietary three-inch disc format, versus the DVDs used by the PlayStation 2 and the current and next-gen Xboxes.

However, it appears that will soon change. In a statement on its official Web site, the company "stated loud and clear that [it is] not to be overlooked in the next-generation home console race." Nintendo announced that its new console, code-named the "Revolution," will play DVDs and be backward compatible. "Nintendo's legions of loyal fans will be happy to learn that Revolution will be backward compatible, playing both Nintendo GameCube three-inch discs, along with its own standard, double-layered DVD discs in the same self-loading media drive," said the company.

I remember a while back when Nintendo insisted on sticking with cartridges, however as cartridges were expensive to produce, Nintendo moved on to its own proprietary disc format. They did this mainly to avoid piracy, which lasted quite a while. However, cartridges did have a few advantages in that games were fully loaded within a second or two of powering the game console on, scratches did not affect readability and they were pretty much idiot proof.

Source: CNET Games & Entertainment