Latest Wii U Update Finally Brings an End to TVii

Having recently pulled the plug on its TVii service for Wii U, Nintendo has finally removed the HOME screen icon for it in the latest system update.

The last trace of TVii will disappear when Wii U software version 5.5.0 is installed bringing closure to the once promising television platform – a concept which was outlined for the Wii U in its very early days. Unfortunately it never launched further than the United States where in its short existence TVii would allow users to stream original content from Nintendo as well as accessing a hub to the best streaming content from major services including Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Also See: Nintendo Wii U: TVii Service Announced with US Consoles

Despite the potential to not only be a great addition to the Nintendo entertainment ecosystem but also offer its customers a feature to compete with the console market leaders such as Xbox and PlayStation, the service didn’t really get the nurturing it needed to succeed and seemed like an afterthought while those rivals were creating all round entertainment machines. But let’s consider this is Nintendo we’re talking about and they’ve always been about gaming first and foremost, which has been viewed as short-sighted in the evolving console landscape.

Also See: Nintendo Cancels Wii U TVii Launch in UK and Europe

Once support for the third-party streaming hub ended in 2014 it was clear that the service was no longer a priority for Nintendo and would soon be for the squash. Fast forward a year and TVii is now being completely swept under the rug and that defunct icon will be a bittersweet eyesore no more.

Of course, this means nothing much to we Britons who never even got to enjoy TVii but it’s disappointing to know we now never will.

It’s not all gloom and doom, however. The Wii U system update will also bring with it the usual stability and usability improvements. Whoo-hoo!

For the official word on the removal of the TVii icon and the recent update tweaks for Wii U the Nintendo website has the full details.