Nintendo declines to confirm DVD Wii for US and Europe

Nintendo has declined to confirm whether a new version of the Wii with DVD playback feature will go on sale outside of Japan - despite a "worldwide agreement" with tech provider Sonic.

Plans to launch the new model were first announced last month, with Nintendo suggesting it was unlikely the machine would make it to the US and Europe.

But earlier this week, digital media software company Sonic Solution confirmed that its CinePlayer CE DVD Navigator will be included in the new Wii, which is due to arrive "in the latter half of 2007".

Now a Sonic spokesperson has told GamesIndustry.biz that it has signed a "worldwide agreement" with Nintendo, stating, "In terms of the specific details of the relationship, Sonic provides an SDK, which Nintendo users to incorporate DVD playback into their system.

"As the enabler of technology in Wii, Sonic does not define the implementation. Sonic provided Nintendo with its DVD playback SDK, which will be integrated by them to their specifications."

A spokesperson for Nintendo UK said, "We have previously confirmed that an enhanced version of Wii capable of playing DVD's would launch at some point in the future in Japan.

"This release simply confirms Sonic as the partner in that venture and that the new version of Wii will come to market in the second half of 2007. It does not confirm where it will launch. We are simply not making any further region specific announcements at this time."

UPDATE: Sonic Solutions has contacted GamesIndustry.biz to clarify the situation, stating that the phrase "worldwide agreement" should actually have referred to a "worldwide announcement".

"The agreement between Nintendo and Sonic Solutions will bring high-quality DVD movie viewing to a future version of the companyâs Wii gaming console," a spokesperson said.

"As the technology enabler, Sonic does not define the distribution or implementation models. These will be defined by our partner, Nintendo."