Wii gets DVD playback...in 2007

When Nintendo dished out its final specifications for the Wii, there seemed to be one glaring omission--DVD playback. With the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 touting built-in multimedia players, the Wii seemed to be only next-generation console unable to provide movie playback.

Now, less than a week before the Wii is even on shelves for the first time, it appears that those final specifications weren't so final after all. After weeks of speculation and Internet reports, it has been confirmed that the Wii will eventually get DVD playback.

Sonic Solutions, makers of the popular Roxio CD- and DVD-burning software, today announced that it has been chosen by Nintendo to provide "high-quality DVD movie viewing to a future version" of the Wii. Sonic Solutions says the new version of the Wii is expected in "the latter half of 2007."

When asked for comment, a representative from Nintendo confirmed the statement from Sonic Studios.

Nintendo has yet to make a formal announcement about the new Wii, and has not indicated whether DVD playback is part of a console redesign.