Nintendo and iQue developed iQue Player specifically for mainland China and launched it in late 2003. The hardware was derived from Nintendo 64 but integrated into a controller that connected directly to the television. Instead of conventional N64 cartridges, games were distributed digitally and stored on a proprietary flash-memory card; they could initially be purchased through iQue Depot stations. The system received Chinese-localised versions of Nintendo 64 games. Its unusual format reflected the conditions of the Chinese market and made digital distribution a central part of a home console long before this became commonplace.