Stream (Ohga Shrugs)

Stream is the name of Nintendo's eighth generation console, and was released November 18, 2012. Notably, it is Nintendo's first console capable of supporting 1080p graphics, and has a complex operating system capable of multitasking.

History
Work on the Stream began in earnest in 2008. After experimenting with social features on the Revolution, Nintendo decided to build a console around a social network. This would eventually become an outgrowth of the Nintendo Network, and the Stream would constantly download data to connect players to a social network.

Information about the Stream first became available at E3 2011. The system shown was not the final version, but the features soon became clear. A tech demonstration of a bird flying was shown to emphasize the new system's graphical prowess. No games were confirmed, though several of the demonstrations shown eventually would be made or incorporated into games.

The Stream was released in America on November 18, 2012, in Europe on November 30, and in Japan on December 8. Consoles were sold in $300 and $350 skus.

Hardware
In addition to the rumble that has been standard in controllers for some time, the Stream's controller also contains six-axis motion controls, allowing for some games to be controlled by moving the controller.

The Stream has 2 GB of RAM, half of which is devoted to games and the other half of which is devoted to the Stream's other features, which include Nintendo Network, internet browsing, and controlling television sets.

The Stream's discs use Blue-Ray technology, and can hold up to 25 GB of data. Information about the CPU and GPU is currently limited.

The Stream is backwards compatible with all Revolution games.

Features
Unlike its predecessor, the Revolution, the Stream features an account-based system. Using said account, users can log into Nintendo Network and participate in a social network designed around individual games. These social networks are heavily monitored by Nintendo employees on a regional basis.

One of the Stream's more notable features is "Stream TV." Essentially, this application combines YouTube, Netflix, television channels, and other sources to provide a combined product, in which users can browse or search for content. It is also possible to seamlessly search search websites such as IMDB and Wikipedia for more information on the programs available.

The Stream is compatible with all Revolution eShop and Virtual Console games.

Games
The Stream is still very young, and thus has a limited library of titles. Launch games for it have included New Super Mario Bros U, Resident Evil 6, and Epic Mickey 2. In total, approximately 40 retail games are due to be released by the end of 2012 worldwide, with not all games appearing in all regions.