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Linux goes Wii

Brew you own?

Customer Success Testimonial: Recovery is Everything

Those enterprising folks at Game Cube Linux (GC Linux) claim to have developed a proof of concept version of Linux running natively on the best-selling Nintendo Wii games console.

The software exploits the Twilight Hack, a quirk in some versions of the Zelda game that lets external software to be loaded without performing hardware modifications. The hack fools the system into loading code from an SD memory card.

Nintendo has always been cagey about giving third parties access to the core of its machines and has made life difficult for homebrew developers. But increased homebrew activity around the Wii might herald a change. A software development kit (SDK) for Wii's Opera browser surfaced last year and Nintendo itself has hinted at plans to allow third party content later in 2008.

This will bring Nintendo more in line with its rivals. Both Sony with PS3 using Yellow Dog Linux and Microsoft with its Xbox allow third party developers to build software add ons, albeit with restrictions.®

Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Backup/Recovery

Latest Comments

Time to pick up a copy of Zelda...

I've got an Xbox softmodded to run XBMC- it's pretty much the centre of my living room experience. It was only moddable by using one of the Mechcommander discs that allowed a similar Linux hack to the one described here.

So come pay day it might well be time for me to pick up a copy of Zelda for safe keeping, till Wii homebrew progresses... my Wii, a USB hard disk and XBMC would be an incredible little living room addition..

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