Nintendo not letting developers use Wifi connection yet

[Ikohn4ever]

this is from an IGN article on Tony Hawk Down Hill:

"Gamers hoping for an online component, however, are in for bad news, because one isn't planned. Activision would not say why, but IGN has separately learned from multiple development sources that Nintendo will not release Wii Wi-Fi Connection libraries to third parties until early 2007, which means that no third party launch title will have an online mode."


if true, this has to be the worst move yet. I mean if they want companies to put online into a game, they shouldnt stop them. Does this mean that no game will have it or does this mean that Nintendo wants to monopolize the online play. I am prob not goin to get madden or COD3 now because of this and if Wii sports doesnt come with the system and isnt online I dont think I will be getting it.

Also I remember Red Steels guys saying it was goin to be online, so I dunno what to think. I guess wait till Sept 14th to find out.

[Man with the Plan]

How does red steel work online?

[sonderiaom]

This sounds like an interesting plan. On one hand, that means that First-party games would get more play and sell more. As well, the network could be "refined" by Nintendo for the heavy traffic that they know would be coming. On the other hand, everyone spending as much money as they will, will be pissed that the 6 games available to them directly from nintendo would be the only online games for a while.

[RedvsBlue]

Just when you think Nintendo is started down the right path for online, they go and do this.

[dothog]

While I don't think this will come close to hindering sales (as others have noted, the WiFi Connection isn't as big a deall as the game control interface), I do think this is one of the few missteps Nintendo has made regarding the Wii.

I realize they have lots to control, but WiFi capability would have been part of a perfect launch. However, it's still a damn fine launch in terms of the numbers they'll have ready to ship and the press they've generated for what is essentially a tricked-out GC.

I'm wondering if maybe the Virtual Console system still isn't up in the air, too. It's clear that it is going to happen, but it's surprising to me that Nintendo hasn't given us more of a peek into the titles we'll have access to via VC. Especially given that they've been pushing their launch titles and upcoming games on us so much--you'd think that they'd be tempted to sneak the VC titles in as "launch games."

Anyhow, good thread. This is good evidence of the fact that maybe Nintendo honestly doesn't have as solid a handle on some things regarding the Wii as we thought--things such as the WiFi, the Virt. Console, and most importantly the launch details we were all clamoring for a few days ago.

Still, from all reports it sounds like they've got the manufacturing end straight, and with a decent launch library lined up also we can't be disappointed.

[Spades22]

Actually the online play was the main reason I wanted the Wii, well they actually both go together. The controller and online are equally important. If I have the controller and no online, I cant have fun with multiplayer online, if I have online and the normal controller we've seen forever, its same ol' same ol'. Well I wont be getting the Wii anymore at launch...thats for sure, all the games aren't going online, so I'll wait awhile till they get some sense in their heads.

[dothog]

Well I wont be getting the Wii anymore at launch...thats for sure, all the games aren't going online, so I'll wait awhile till they get some sense in their heads.
I can understand you not wanting to buy it if you assumed that online was a big part of the Wii.

I definitely expected some kind of online gaming through the Wii (I was hoping for a big improvement on what we saw on the DS), but I'm getting in there mainly for access to Wii first-party titles, trying out the new control scheme, and playing the shit out of Virtual Console titles and my old GameCube games on the Wii.

And though your experience is certainly valid, I think more customers are going after the Wii for one of the reasons I listed than they are for online gaming access. That's not to say that we didn't expect online support of some kind in the launch titles, it's just to say that for a majority of people the online gaming component of the Wii is currently (at least at launch) a very small drop in the bucket.

[zyblorg]

I'm one of the people who's more interested in the interface over the online capabilities, but this news still worries me. Wii had some good momentum going, but this is the sort of thing that might turn people off. After all, the XBox 360 has really gotten it into people's heads that online is a big component of the next-gen experience. And with PS3 being online enabled... well, it just seems like this is a mistake, and that the Wii won't look so hot.

If Wii doesn't pick up momentum out of the gate, I'm worried that this is going to be the GameCube all over again.

[RedvsBlue]

I'm one of the people who's more interested in the interface over the online capabilities, but this news still worries me. Wii had some good momentum going, but this is the sort of thing that might turn people off. After all, the XBox 360 has really gotten it into people's heads that online is a big component of the next-gen experience. And with PS3 being online enabled... well, it just seems like this is a mistake, and that the Wii won't look so hot.

If Wii doesn't pick up momentum out of the gate, I'm worried that this is going to be the GameCube all over again.
Actually, if you remember the Gamecube did have plenty of momentum out of the gate but then it lost steam. It was somewhat difficult to find for a while (not as bad as 360 or PS2 but still not readily available).

[Strell]

Considering Nintendo has pulled this kind of shit before (not telling N64 devs about beizer curves, limiting number of games per month in the NES days), this doesn't come as surprising, especially when we've heard about devs not getting information on the Wiimote speaker.

It is a truly boneheaded thing to do, and I hope they get this out ASAP.

Embrace the fact that people want to play online, Nintendo, and that they want to play other developers' games in addition to yours. You already gloated about millions of logons with Mario Kart DS, so what makes you think you don't owe it to the people helping your system out that same sort of access?

Do I think it's a huge deal? No, not really. But it's still dumb.

[RedvsBlue]

Considering Nintendo has pulled this kind of shit before (not telling N64 devs about beizer curves, limiting number of games per month in the NES days), this doesn't come as surprising, especially when we've heard about devs not getting information on the Wiimote speaker.

It is a truly boneheaded thing to do, and I hope they get this out ASAP.

Embrace the fact that people want to play online, Nintendo, and that they want to play other developers' games in addition to yours. You already gloated about millions of logons with Mario Kart DS, so what makes you think you don't owe it to the people helping your system out that same sort of access?

Do I think it's a huge deal? No, not really. But it's still dumb.

Nintendo seems to have a very odd relationship with their third party developers. They seem like they want to simultaneously want to get them excited about their products and then see how far they can alienate them away at the same time.

I agree though, this isn't really a huge deal but on the same hand, it doesn't help.

[topnotch97]

the way i see it Nintendo wants developers take advantage of the non-Wifi capabilities of the Wii. meaning making the games more fun. and the online capabilities of the game would be secondary.

coz right now, developers are making everything about their games as online gaming, rather than what the games should stand for.

i mean do you really need to be online in order to play the game? might as well use your own PC and play LAN games.

my 2 yens.

[Dr Mario Kart]

The infrastructure just might not be all set up and completely tested yet. I believe Live as we know it didnt launch along side the original xbox, and they turned out "OK".

I would find it a strange decision for them to have it ready but withold it simply to force test the Wii concept indepedent of online play, though I dont much care for online gaming one way or the other.


In any case, no one in the media harms Nintendo like IGN, so we'll just have to wait for another source on that.

[botticus]

Sigh.

This wouldn't be bad if we could assume that, for example, Activision would beef up the single player of COD3 in the absence of multiplayer, but what will actually happen is it will just lack multiplayer.

Let's hope SOMETHING uses Wi-Fi out of the box.

[Plinko]

Sounds like a bad move on Nintendo's part...but since I'm one of the 5 people left in America that lives in a spot where you can't get high-speed internet, it doesn't effect me that much.

[Ecofreak]

my 2 yens.

Just to be picky, "yen" is both singular and plural at the same time so it does not need an "s" at the end.

[Wet Ninja]

The infrastructure just might not be all set up and completely tested yet. I believe Live as we know it didnt launch along side the original xbox, and they turned out "OK".

That's what I was thinking. They might not be sure about the ability of the WiFi service to handle a lot of titles just yet, so they might want to limit the number of online titles until they can test it more. They can gradually phase in more and more online titles, gradually ramping up the capabilities of the service as needed.

[botticus]

That's what I was thinking. They might not be sure about the ability of the WiFi service to handle a lot of titles just yet, so they might want to limit the number of online titles until they can test it more. They can gradually phase in more and more online titles, gradually ramping up the capabilities of the service as needed.
Fair enough... but in that case, Activision needs to not release COD3 until it can be Wi-Fi capable. It really makes no sense otherwise.

[Strell]

Ok, well if it's a technical thing or the infrastructure isn't in place, that's a completely different story than "Nintendo is being a bitch."

If we assume one way, then Nintendo is a bitch.

If we assume the other, then it's just IGN.com being a terrible fucking news house, and doing the 'net equivalent of sensationalism. And since I've gotten progressively more annoyed with them in the last year, this is just reassurement that my boycott seems justified. Manboobs McKenzie over there can't write a decent story and has all these bullshit contacts, but never bothers to act like anything more than Mary in the hall next to Suzy's locker.

He prolly does wear a yellow sundress at times, though.

I'd wager we'll see "WIIMOTE KILLS 31 PEOPLE IN FREAK ACCIDENT" someday on IGN, post launch. When what really happened is Reggie cockslapped half of them, while the other half melted in his glory.

At which point he cockslapped their remains.

[Mookyjooky]

They seem like they want to simultaneously want to get them excited about their products and then see how far they can alienate them away at the same time.

Ah! The "ATARI Technique", the last ones I saw using that was Sega during the Sega Saturn/32x fiasco. Good times.

[jkam]

Well if the system launches in October or November and they let developers have at online within the first quarter of 2007 I don't see it breaking them.

[ArthurDigbySellers]

As someone else stated, I don't think the WFC currently has the capacity to handle games like COD3 online. There is a major difference between 4 player Mario Kart and 16 player deathmatch. Since WFC is used mainly for bandwidth-light DS games, maybe Nintendo is biting off a little more than it can chew by trying to piggyback the Wii's online infrastructure on it.

If WFC can't handle battle mode or certain tracks in Mario Kart DS, do you think it could handle a full on FPS multiplayer match?

[RedvsBlue]

the way i see it Nintendo wants developers take advantage of the non-Wifi capabilities of the Wii. meaning making the games more fun. and the online capabilities of the game would be secondary.

coz right now, developers are making everything about their games as online gaming, rather than what the games should stand for.

i mean do you really need to be online in order to play the game? might as well use your own PC and play LAN games.

my 2 yens.

There's a lot of people out there now, myself included (to a certain extent), that feel that the fun part of games is online multiplayer.

Nintendo has repeatedly said that on of their reasons for this new console is to bring people together. What better way than online multiplayer?

Personally, I am a LOT more likely to buy a game if it has online multiplayer. That's why, despite being great games, I didn't buy Tomb Raider or Hitman. I'm not going to spend $40-60 on a game that I'll get 10 hours of gameplay out of and then it will sit on my shelf until I trade it in and lose money. I want to know that, when the mood strikes me, I can pick it up, throw it in and find a real human being to play again. I'll rent games without online multiplayer sure, but renting doesn't make game publishers very happy. Sure Nintendo's console has a unique control scheme but that says nothing about the replayability/lasting value of a title. Online multiplayer is a great way to increase the replayability.

[rajchakrabarti]

its all a lie... the wii doesn't exist. And zelda will never come out !!

[daroga]

As others have stated, I think has more to do with them needing to test and get things ready before letting the world at it. The Console WFC is going to be a far different animal than the DS version. Yes we may miss some titles being Wifi that would've been great like the DS had (Meteos WiFi anyone?), but if they can get things running slick rather than releasing 1/2 assed libraries to the 3rd parties, I think they would appreciate that a lot.

Sucks kinda, but patience generally pays off.

[evanft]

Fact: Nintendo has absolutely no idea how to handle online play.

[Ikohn4ever]

its all a lie... the wii doesn't exist. And zelda will never come out !!


Wii does exist, its just you need to find a golden ticket in a wonka bar to get and Zelda is getting changed into a fps and will be out on the gba

[jkam]

Fact: Nintendo has absolutely no idea how to handle online play.

The really funny part about all of this is Nintendo has tested the waters with online play since the days of the NES and yet they are so far behind.

[dothog]

As someone else stated, I don't think the WFC currently has the capacity to handle games like COD3 online. There is a major difference between 4 player Mario Kart and 16 player deathmatch. Since WFC is used mainly for bandwidth-light DS games, maybe Nintendo is biting off a little more than it can chew by trying to piggyback the Wii's online infrastructure on it.
This is all very true, but the surprise in all of this is that Nintendo isn't realizing this until we're this close to launch. Or maybe it's that Nintendo doesn't particularly care and we're this close to launch.
If we assume the other, then it's just IGN.com being a terrible ing news house, and doing the 'net equivalent of sensationalism. And since I've gotten progressively more annoyed with them in the last year, this is just reassurement that my boycott seems justified. Manboobs McKenzie over there can't write a decent story and has all these bullshit contacts, but never bothers to act like anything more than Mary in the hall next to Suzy's locker.
I avoid IGN as well. I am hoping that eventually gamers become demanding enough of game journalists that the need for humor n' hijinx in game reviews and news is tossed to the wayside. IGN would say that they're just reflecting the attitudes of their reader (cheeky, I guess), but I don't think it makes the way they do their job any less annoying. IGN is a good example of how the internet can give an undue voice to the asstacular.
Fact: Nintendo has absolutely no idea how to handle online play.
They can see what their competitors are doing, and I'm sure they can understand "how to handle online play" in the manner you are discussing. People are ignoring the fact that Nintendo doesn't give a shit about that kind of online play. They don't want the X360 or PS3 model: Nintendo has it in their head that online play should be 100% safe and 100% free. These distinctions separate them from their competitors' ideas of online play and limit what Nintendo can do right off the bat.

[Vinny]

Dammit Nintendo... you got a good thing going, stop doing stupid shit (if true)!

[evilmax17]

Big deal.

2007 is only 2 months after they launch the system. I can live with 2 months of no Wi-Fi. I wasn't really chomping at the bit to play any of the launch games online anyway. However, rumors of Metroid being delayed would make sense, given this news.

Smash will have Wi-Fi, and that's all that matters.

[RedvsBlue]

Big deal.

2007 is only 2 months after they launch the system. I can live with 2 months of no Wi-Fi. I wasn't really chomping at the bit to play any of the launch games online anyway. However, rumors of Metroid being delayed would make sense, given this news.

Smash will have Wi-Fi, and that's all that matters.

2007 is when third parties can start developing online games for the Wii. Which means the games won't be available for it for quite a while after that.

[BustaUppa]

I can live with 2 months of no Wi-Fi."No Wi-Fi" is a bit of an extreme statment though. There will be Wi-Fi for all the first-party titles, correct?

I'm more worried about this for Nintendo's sake than my own, though. Wii could've had the edge whenever multi-platform titles were compared, due to the control interface. But without the online support, they lose that edge, and instead it becomes a question of what's more important to each gamer - the control interface, or online play. Choices that would have been a no-brainer in favor of the Wii will now be up for debate.

[Michaellvortega]

OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :::rips out hair:::

Holy shit, seriously WTF? What is Nintendo's God damn problem? This is most stupid thing they can do. Why should some one buy a third party Multi platform game for Wii? The Ps3/Xb360 versions are going to have superior graphics and online play. Now when the third party games don't sell well, the third party developers will say fuck it and start skipping Wii altogether like GC. It has been said time and time again by many developers the biggest competition on Nintendo systems is NINTEDNO.

[Dr Mario Kart]

Somebody call the WAAHHHMBULANCE.

First of all, this report by IGN has not been confirmed.

If it is true, there arent going to be enough systems as it is, so if anyone wants to wait to buy one, thats fine with me. More for us. Multiplatform normally sucks. Its about 3rd party EXCLUSIVES.

Graphics and Online play isnt the point. You've got lots (two) of nice alternative systems to buy if thats your biggest draw.

[dothog]

First of all, this report by IGN has not been confirmed.

I thought this had been confirmed by developers.

I'll grant that this isn't a huge deal, but it muddles what has otherwise been a long streak of positive "buzz" for the Wii.

[Dr Mario Kart]

It has been confirmed by unnamed development sources according to IGN. If Activision or EA or Ubisoft would like to confirm that with any media outlet, including IGN, that would be fine.

[RedvsBlue]

It has been confirmed by unnamed development sources according to IGN. If Activision or EA or Ubisoft would like to confirm that with any media outlet, including IGN, that would be fine.

Well it isn't exactly a confirmation but Call of Duty 3 not having online mutliplayer for Wii does seem to support this news.

[Ecofreak]

What I am really waiting for is a press release by Nintendo explaining this rather bizarre twist. They cannot be so foolish as to make this decision without fully understanding how bad the PR would be and potential consequences of their choice.

Furthermore, wouldn't it be easier on everyone and save the speculation/flaming if they released an official press release in the first place rather than leave it to a media outlet like IGN which only has unnamed sources?

So until then, I call :bs:.

[rohlfinator]

As someone else stated, I don't think the WFC currently has the capacity to handle games like COD3 online. There is a major difference between 4 player Mario Kart and 16 player deathmatch. Since WFC is used mainly for bandwidth-light DS games, maybe Nintendo is biting off a little more than it can chew by trying to piggyback the Wii's online infrastructure on it.

If WFC can't handle battle mode or certain tracks in Mario Kart DS, do you think it could handle a full on FPS multiplayer match?
That shouldn't be the case... It's not a bandwidth issue, because 802.11b is faster than most DSL and cable connections. It shouldn't be a hardware issue either, since the Wii is more powerful than the Xbox and PS2, which were able to handle 16- and 32-player online games just fine.

The most likely reason is that Nintendo is still working out a few issues with WFC, and is using their first-party titles to finalize it before allowing third-party games. WFC will need to be heavily modified for the Wii to take advantage of the Virtual Console and the Opera browser, among other things. The fact that the DS's WFC works right now doesn't mean that the Wii version is completely finished.

[Weedy649]

coz right now, developers are making everything about their games as online gaming, rather than what the games should stand for.

i mean do you really need to be online in order to play the game? might as well use your own PC and play LAN games.

my 2 cents

Last time i checked games dont stand for anything, but they should be fun to play. Online isnt needed for a game to be fun, but the online portion of a game could mean the difference between something you will play for a month, or something you will play for a year.

As a gamer that should make a big difference in terms of what you are getting for your money.

Speaking of getting your moneys worth, i hate it when a console or game is supposed to have something and then doesnt deliver on that. I think its stupid that the 360 doesnt have full backwards compatibility and i think its stupid that the Wii wont have online play until next year.

Its gonna have to be a real good price for me to pick it up at launch now, but i doubt ill buy a new system just to play Zelda and Dragon Quest.


Also wasnt final fantasy crystal chronicles supposed to be a launch and online title?

[botticus]

Speaking of getting your moneys worth, i hate it when a console or game is supposed to have something and then doesnt deliver on that. I think its stupid that the 360 doesnt have full backwards compatibility and i think its stupid that the Wii wont have online play until next year.

Again, let's wait and see exactly what this means as far as online play. If first-party games have no online play, and WiiConnect24/VC is not online, then that is indeed a problem as far as delivering on promises. But I don't think they ever said anything about all games being online out of the box. A small distinction, but valid nonetheless.

I will be happy enough if ANY game has online play, so at least we know it's not broken.

[evanft]

They can see what their competitors are doing, and I'm sure they can understand "how to handle online play" in the manner you are discussing. People are ignoring the fact that Nintendo doesn't give a shit about that kind of online play. They don't want the X360 or PS3 model: Nintendo has it in their head that online play should be 100% safe and 100% free. These distinctions separate them from their competitors' ideas of online play and limit what Nintendo can do right off the bat.

And apparently, 100% dog shit.