While both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One allow owners of each console to stream gameplay via Twitch, the Wii U lacks the ability to do so. In an interview with Polygon, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime revealed the reason: it just isn’t fun to watch others stream gameplay.
“We don’t think streaming 30 minutes of gameplay by itself is a lot of fun,” said Fils-Aime when asked whether Twitch would make its way to the Wii U. “Your specific question of just purely streaming gameplay, what we’ve got to think through is, so what’s fun about that? From a consumer standpoint, what’s fun about it?”
According to Fils-Aime, in order for streaming live gameplay to be seen as fun, it must be focused and curated, with Mario Kart 8’s Mario Kart TV highlighted as an example. “Kart is fun because its a highlight of the race,” he said. “You can make some choices as to what parts are going to be shared. We think that makes it interesting, and obviously, the meme of the Luigi death stare is wonderful when that comes out of that type of experience. But in the end we’ve got to make sure that it’s fun.”
For Nintendo, Twitch live streaming is used in order for gamers to learn how to improve their own skills and learn any tips along the way. “So for us, what we’re doing at the Nokia Theater with the Smash Invitational, we loved that stream because that’s where you are able to see how these players perform, the moves they make, you can learn something,” said Fils-Aime. “That has value to us. And you can expect us to do more of that type of activity, highlighting our games and providing a forum for players to learn how to play better.”
Talking about Nintendo’s interesting stance, a Twitch spokesperson said, “In terms of content, Nintendo is a great partner who uses Twitch heavily, including broadcasting their Nintendo Digital Event and the Super Smash Bros Invitational on our platform and we look forward to continue to work closely with them on their streaming initiatives.”
Nintendo had a rather busy E3 this year, and you can read all about it as part of our E3 coverage.
