Wii News Goes Live Tomorrow

Set to launch globally

Posted by Staff
The 'before' shot
The 'before' shot
The Wii News Channel is set to go live tomorrow. The service will be rolled out globally and feature a format similar to the Weather Channel, SPOnG has been told.

The content will be provided by worldwide news service, The Associated Press, and will consist of mainstream content rather than offering games-only content.

All gamers will need is a Wii and a broadband connection. There will be no subscription charge nor advertising for the foreseeable future. "It's not a source of revenue," a source at Nintendo UK told SPOnG.

The News Channel will have a similar format to the Weather Channel. It will feature a global map which can be scrolled across using the Wii Remote and will allow gamers to zoom in on particular regions for local stories.

The AP has a two-year contract to provide news and photos to Nintendo, which will be accessible through the already available Opera browser. Japan is the only region that AP won't be covering. Its content will be provided by Japanese news service Goo.

The service will be partially rolled out across Europe tomorrow, SPOnG was told. Those regions not connected will get full access later in the year. The UK coverage should, however, be fully operational.

Both the news and weather channels missed the Wii launch in December.


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