Nintendo's systems have always struggled to offer the same breadth of entertainment and streaming apps as rival consoles, though for a spell the Wii U reasonably well in that area. As the system heads towards its inevitable discontinuation, however, licenses and services could start to go offline.
That'll be the case with the BBC iPlayer app, a UK catch-up service for content from the Beeb. No doubt with pragmatism at the core of the decision, it's been confirmed that the app's service will end in early 2017; it had already disappeared off the eShop as a download a month ago.
We would like to inform you that due to an end in the license agreement between the BBC and Nintendo, as of 31st August 2016 the BBC iPlayer application on Wii U is no longer available to download from the Nintendo eShop.
The BBC iPlayer service will continue, for those users who have it installed on their Wii U console, until 16th January 2017, after which the service will be fully discontinued.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for enjoying the BBC iPlayer application on Wii U.
More and more TVs are 'smart' nowadays, it should be noted, and therefore include services and apps like these as standard. Nevertheless, some Wii U owners may be disappointed and miss out from early next year.
Hat tip to Ryan Millar for the heads up.
[source iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk]
Comments 44
yet the ps3 version is still working
This sucks. The iPlayer app on iOS doesn't support subtitles, but this one does.
That's nice...
I'm actually deeply disappointed in this.
Oh, come on. I use it a lot on Wii U. How come Sony can keep it on PS3, but Nintendo can't keep it on Wii U?
It never worked here in Ireland anyway. So you can't miss what you never had.
Did any one use this. Most TVs or satellite tv have this as standard in uk like sky or bt tv
@kamikazilucas my PS3 is still going strong. Money's worth also still play games online.
@UK-Nintendo I did as with Sky you need to download the program first before watching it. Still have it on my tablet but prefer it to be on the tv instead.
Seems like the Wii U support isn't going to be around long after the NX is released then....
That's a shame, I have other consoles which support it so it's not an issue for me, but I can imagine some people are gonna be disappointed by this. Heck there's gonna be people who use it and have no idea come January the servers die!
@bouncer0304 ok but it's quick depending on your internet connection.
I use my Wii U for iPlayer. This blows.
Sure, it was a free service, but this is another example of Nintendo handling it badly and not justifying the decision at all, same as the Wii online servers when Mario Kart 8 released.
I can only view this as another negative against the idea of investing in a 'current' Nintendo system again.
@gcunit What do you mean, do you mean the wii servers backed by Gamespy being taken down?
Waited ages for this to arrive and it's already going? Jeez...
@Smash_kirby Yes
I never use it! Ah well.
I dont know what they did differently on the WiiU version as opposed to the ones on my smart TVs and my digital box, but sometimes they can be glitch but the wiiU has always run quickly and without issue, it's a sad day for those who prefer to use it over the other versions
oh great, another app I use a lot gone. Plus other people use my Wii U for it here too, always works great.
I hardly used it but it was the best iplayer app I've used. Much better than its TiVo counterpart. Could have done with having full content though
@UK-Nintendo its surprisingly slick compared to the set top box versions but I never used it because it jeopardises off tv gaming.
This is Nintendo trying to ween us off the Wii U and onto the NX. They better not shut down their own servers for online games for at least 2 years post NX launch. As far as I'm concerned they poleaxed the Wii U early but we shouldn't pay the price for their screw up.
And yet the Wii version still works?
Well, could you at least have the NX version ready closer to launch then? Took years for the Wii U app to arrive....
The BBC obviously aren't wanting viewers. Plus, you'll need an account next year and have to pay anyway... No loss.
Netflix and Amazon Video still work a treat on the original Wii. I use them regularly. So either this is the BBC being lazy, or there simply aren't that many users of the app on the Wii U.
I know I never used it, hardly anything worth watching on it. I watch more BBC programmes on Netflix!!
@gcunit There wasn't too much that Nintendo could do with that given the DS and Wii games were unable to get updated. Games like Borderlands for the PC and other games using Gamespy required rather hefty updates. The only updates Nintendo has really been able to do for their games was the fix for Skyward Sword which was a save patch and not a game update. Wii and DS games were not designed to be updated.
Netflix for the UK?
@SLIGEACH_EIRE It made the BBC Three move to online only all the more cumbersome. I like to watch my telly on the telly.
@UK-Nintendo mine too i just started using my move i got in 2011
Having a smart TV means this doesn't affect me in the slightest, it's already built in along with Yahoo, Netflix, Amazon, Youtube and many others. To have it as a feature on a console was a nice bonus but I already had better means of watching it.
I don't really watch tv but this is ridiculous I'm sure a lot of people will use this
Not everyone has a smart TV, i got a decent LCD pre smart, and since it still works and has a good picture, I haven't changed it. Found the Roku works very well and cheap. Even cheaper now you can buy the same thing branded as a sky box. Pity, I was going to buy a Wii u in the inevitable price drop, and move the Roku upstairs. Checked out at the cube and missed the Wii too, so plenty of games for me to catch up on!
Who cares lol it's a games console not an eastenders console
My Freesat box has all the catch up services on it. Consoles are for playing games.
Eh, the new Top Gear isn't being produced by the BBC anymore so
@gcunit. I know that this is irrelevant. But that's a pretty awesome profile animation.
Aww bummer it's been a really good app on the Wii U hopefully the NX will pick it back up.
A real shame, it's great having an I-player connected to the TV. I don't want to sit at a computer to watch TV, so come January I my not use the BBC I-player much atall.
Well....this BLOWS!
@Smash_kirby I wasn't aware of that issue. Thanks for informing me
That sucks, I use it all the time. I guess it's only a minor inconvenience for me having to boot up the PS3 instead but it's nice having access to everything I use (YouTube, Netflix and iPlayer) in one place.
@gcunit You are welcome, I am happy to help inform others if I can.
@jimi But is Nintendo's responsibility to provide servers for their games, regardless of who shut them down.
It's since been explained to me that there was no way to update the Wii and DS libraries of games to utilise a different server, so I can see why the situation was harder, but if you're gonna use third party servers, that's a bit of a design flaw if you ask me.
It was a pretty pointless app if you ask me... we have two other devices in our lounge that can use BBCiPlayer, plus a DVR which we tend to use instead, so I can only remember having used it once... I'm more likely to use my laptop or phone for BBCiPlayer.
But there's always the possibility that they're just shifting focus onto creating a new version of the app for the NX, which might be more useful.
That's a big shame how will I watch Dr Who?
I'm disappointed by this. I use the wii u as my main media device. More than all other TV and gaming combined. Was hoping for All 4 and more applications. Expected to be using Iplayer a long time into the future. Will have to download all the TV players to the PS3 while I still can. Was planning to get an NX as my 4K player will probably be a PS or Xbox now. Planned obsolescence before your next console us out is not a smart move Nintendo. Bad one.
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