AfterDawn: News

Wii's bizarre "VOD" service comes to Japan in May

After Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata let it slip earlier this month that a video-on-demand (VOD) service would be available soon for the Wii console in Japan, he also pointed out that it would come with a Nintendo twist.

The service will launch in Japan on May 1, but it doesn't seem like much of a VOD service. Dubbed "Wii no Ma", the channel is set around a virtual living room that can house 8 Miis.



The Miis can relax and watch programming Nintendo has come up with in conjunction with a Japanese ad agency, and supply ratings for the video material.

It also asks for personal details from the viewer, such as her/her age and blood type. It is unknown whether the service will launch outside of Japan, but it seems more like a market research experiment than anything resembling video-on-demand anyway.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 23 Apr 2009 20:28

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• 4 comments

• cart0181

  blood type? Now that is Bizarre.

  23.4.2009 22:43 #1

• babysatan

  WTF?!?!

  24.4.2009 13:46 #2

• ThePastor

  I think the Japanese consider the blood type to be socially relevant. Kind of like Zodiac signs.

  24.4.2009 18:09 #3

• cart0181

  Pretty soon it will be:
  "Please input your genetic sequence to confirm your registration."
  
  Like in GATTACA.

  25.4.2009 00:55 #4