Nintendo reportedly courting content providers for Wii U multimedia features

To the chagrin of some Nintendo fans who’ve watched the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 become multimedia powerhouses — complete with streaming video, online media stores, and social gaming features — Nintendo has stayed relatively laser-focused on gaming with the Wii. According to an Adweek report, this may change: Nintendo is currently courting major media companies for content distribution deals for its next generation console, with the company specifically looking to follow the lead of the Xbox 360 in this space. Aside from token Netflix (and now Hulu Plus) apps, Nintendo has kept its focus strictly on gaming — just as well, since the Wii’s SD output doesn’t exactly make it a great home theater component. Nintendo’s online gaming strategy has also long been a weakness; the company has nothing to compare with Xbox Live from both a social and gaming perspective. But if the reports that Nintendo spent much of CES lining up meetings with “top content companies,” we may see Nintendo’s next gaming system expand from the company’s typically tight focus.