Tiny Discs, Big Impact: Why the GameCube Used Mini DVDs
Nintendo used proprietary 3.15-inch miniDVDs with under 1.5GB capacity for the GameCube to cut costs, shrink the console, and deter piracy, while enabling faster loading and a smaller drive. However, the tradeoffs included no DVD playback like rivals' systems and weaker third-party support, factors that likely limited sales compared with the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.