The Wii may lead the console wars in terms of units sold, but its lack of downloadable video content is a big disadvantage in the long-term—Microsoft and Sony continue to add titles to Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. But the Wii may get streaming video capabilities soon, according to Curt Marvis, Lionsgate Entertainment’s president of digital media. He told Variety that the Wii would be a “big marketplace for digital distribution,” and that the platform could launch “as soon as this year.”

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Nintendo hasn’t made any statements about streaming video or downloads in the U.S., but it does plan to launch VOD on the Wii in Japan this year; the issue is that it will be a closed ecosystem, with a limited library of subscription and ad-supported content. A similar service here would need to be more open to compete with the Xbox 360 and PS3; the Wii also doesn’t support HD, and its small hard drive would make storing video a moot point. But streaming video is definitely an option, and with more than 16.2 million Wiis in the U.S., the Wii would be a lucrative new distribution channel for studios, particularly those like Disney, Dreamworks and Warner Bros. that have a full roster of family-friendly content. 

Photo Credit: Ian Muttoo