The Fat Lady Goes Wii

Like it's littler cousin the Nintendo DS, Nintendo's Wii console will leverage the Opera Web browser for Internet access.

Norway’s Opera Software has announced that Nintendo’s forthcoming Wii gaming console will leverage its Opera browser for Internet access. The game console will enable online navigation via the Wii’s innovating wireless motion sensor controller, and users will be able to move the cursor on screen just by moving the remote: no buttons required.

Nintendo has already licensed Opera for its Nintendo DS handheld gaming device, and the software is scheduled to be available for the DS in Japan by mid-year, although no worldwide launch has been announced.

“Nintendo is clearly visionary in leading the gaming industry into the new era in gaming, and a wonderful partner for Opera,” says Jon von Tetzchner, Opera’s CEO. “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Nintendo, and work with them to deliver the best gaming experience on the Wii console and the Nintendo DS.”

Nintendo selected Opera for the DS because it offers a secure browsing environment which supports Web standards and is widely compatible with existing Web sites; presumably, similar consideration prompted its selection for Wii, and Nintendo will be able to leverage engineering from its Opera-for-DS efforts.