Last Friday, someone leaked thousands of Nintendo files on the forum 4chan. These files include design documents and what appears to be the source code for the long-discontinued Nintendo Wii.
The identity of the person who leaked the files is currently unknown, as is the file source. They seem to be detailed hardware and source code info for the Wii, as well as insider information about the Nintendo 64 console and the GameCube. Each component in the leak has the "datasheets, block diagram, and Verilog files." Verilog is a hardware description language that allows document viewers to understand how to make all the Wii components.
Also included in the leak are multiple ROMs for N64 hardware and test demos. Despite having been released in 1996, the N64 is still a surprisingly popular console, and the leaks are no doubt very exciting to the sizable fanbase the console still has. The leak contains 3GB of files, and rumor is that this is only the tip of the iceberg. Whether more files will be leaked is impossible to say, but there's no doubt that the information and files currently available are significant.
Although the Wii has been discontinued, the release of its source code might intrigue some people. The Wii was the highest-selling video game console in Japan until the Switch recently snatched the title, and there's no doubt that the Wii has had a huge impact on video gaming. It was many players' first console, or what got them into gaming.
Access to a console's source code may be tempting for people who want to build Wii consoles or emulators, however, this would put them at risk of a lawsuit from Nintendo. The company is serious about lawsuits and has not hesitated to sue ROM-hosting websites in the past. It's not a risk that's worth taking.
Regardless of how people use the leaked files, it's interesting to get a closer look into some of how Nintendo made these popular consoles. Nintendo Japan stopped repairing Wii systems in March, which was a sad sign for what many people see as a dying console. So seeing people excited about anything related to the Wii and the N64, even leaks, could be uplifting for those who still play with and enjoy these consoles.
The Nintendo Wii is available to play now.
Source: Kotaku