TVii hitting Wii U tomorrow

TVii wasn't ready in time for the Wii U's launch and ended up slated to launch some time in December, which indeed it shall. The video-on-demand hub will hit the shiny new console on Thursday, Nintendo announced today, giving you a few days to master it before your relatives come around at Christmas and complain about how confusing new-fangled technology is.

TVii isn't a separate VOD service, rather a hub which draws video from existing sources. At launch, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, and cable and satellite services will be integrated into TVii, with Netflix and TiVo to follow in "early 2013." Netflix and Hulu Plus are already on Wii U but as regular apps, without all the fancy TVii trimmings.

It uses the GamePad for social features like posting messages to MiiVerse, Facebook and Twitter about what you're watching, and displaying data about what you're watching such as reviews or sports scores.

"After Dec. 20, you'll never look at your TV the same way again," Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime boldly declared in today's announcement. "Wii U owners have already experienced the transformative effect that the GamePad has on game play and social interaction. Nintendo TVii shows how the integrated second screen of the GamePad can also transform and enhance the TV viewing experience."