Nintendo: Free Wireless for All | Will it work??

[wildnuts02]

Just read this http://ds.ign.com/articles/656/656195p1.html which confirms what we have all been hearing for a while. November 14th is right around the corner. Do you think this may be a strategic way to take away from the 360?

Do you think all these free hotspots around the country will benefit Nintendo in the long run? Aka, good or bad investment?

I for one applaud Nintendo for this - at least they are trying to compete the Xbox Live dominance. Sony is just sitting on its asss on this one.

[Strell]

I think it will work if Nintendo pushes it hard enough with advertising. They are going to need signs and massive exposure to make sure everyone can easily identify hotspots and connect readily. I want to walk into Starbucks and see a sign telling me that Nintendo Wi-Fi is available and hot.

On a somewhat related note, I weep for Nintendo's customer service line. They are about to get much busier.

[Ecofreak]

"Nintendo will also use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service for its next generation Revolution console when it ships sometime in 2006."

Ooooh yea, that's where the action's gonna be. Beware, Xbox Live. Bwa'ha'ha'ha!

[David85]

Starbucks Wifi is not free, so no Nintendo will not use that.

I see no problem with what Nintendo is doing. Unless you are in the middle of no where and poor. But in that case you won't have a DS anyways.

[Strell]

Starbucks Wifi is not free, so no Nintendo will not use that.

'Kay, bad example, I was just trying to pull a place that would have Wi-Fi already existing, and being that I've never beein in a Starbucks (I hate coffee and it's culture), I was just guessing. :)

I probably should have just said "a cafe or coffee shop or airport" or something.

[Blind the Thief]

I wonder if that USB thinger they announced will work for your Revolution as well as your DS? That would be cool...


...man, I'm so stoked on this. Only about a month away, too...

[wildnuts02]

Starbucks Wifi is not free, so no Nintendo will not use that.

I see no problem with what Nintendo is doing. Unless you are in the middle of no where and poor. But in that case you won't have a DS anyways.

The Starbucks WiFi isn't free...because it's T-mobile right?

[mtxbass1]

How many topics do you make in a given week OP?

[wildnuts02]

How many topics do you make in a given week OP?

as many times as i get laid a week

[mtxbass1]

as many times as i get laid a week

You really need to stop masturbating then.

[wildnuts02]

You really need to stop masturbating then.

lol. god i knew you'd fall for that.

anyone actually have opinions on the topic...?

[Ugamer_X]

Just read this http://ds.ign.com/articles/656/656195p1.html which confirms what we have all been hearing for a while. November 14th is right around the corner. Do you think this may be a strategic way to take away from the 360?

Do you think all these free hotspots around the country will benefit Nintendo in the long run? Aka, good or bad investment?

I for one applaud Nintendo for this - at least they are trying to compete the Xbox Live dominance. Sony is just sitting on its asss on this one.
Strategic way to take away from the 360? Compete with Xbox Live?

Are you fucking retarded?

[wildnuts02]

Strategic way to take away from the 360? Compete with Xbox Live?

Are you fucking retarded?

okay genius...explain to me why this: releasing an unprecedented free and nationwide wireless gaming network, with an infrastructure built for compatibility with a console that is going to directly compete with a system that is coming out 8 days later (and who currently dominates the online console gaming market )

- isn't strategic? it's just coincidence?
-could infringe on MS's online gaming market share in the long term? (an elementary understanding of economics required here)

yeah, i'm fucking retarded you bitch ass fanboy.

and yeah i have a 360 preordered.

[Ugamer_X]

yeah, i'm fucking retarded you bitch ass fanboy.

:rofl:
People don't realize it, but this is the best time to be on the internet. Every four or five years when the slew of new consoles are released, you get to read the best intraweb fighting known to man. Don't let moments like these pass you by guys, after next year it won't happen again until 2011-ish.

[banpeikun]

:rofl:
People don't realize it, but this is the best time to be on the internet. Every four or five years when the slew of new consoles are released, you get to read the best intraweb fighting known to man. Don't let moments like these pass you by guys, after next year it won't happen again until 2011-ish.http://www.mavav.org/images/banners/mavav_white.gif

Just out of curiosity, why do you use that for your sig?

[mr ryles]

thank god for the usb plug in thing, I live in some small hick town where there are NO wireless hotpots, actually I take that back there is a hotel that has wi-fi so I could go to their parking lot, but besides that I am glad for the usb plug in thinga majig

[Ugamer_X]

http://www.mavav.org/images/banners/mavav_white.gif

Just out of curiosity, why do you use that for your sig?
This is why:
http://www.mavav.org/resources/

Look at the typical report card for a child who plays videogames, disturbing stuff.

[banpeikun]

This is why:
http://www.mavav.org/resources/

Look at the typical report card for a child who plays videogames, disturbing stuff.That report card is ridiculous. I had fantastic grades, as did my video game playing friends. Of course, this was like more than a decade ago, so maybe it's a different situation now. But that page is all over making bold statements (especially that report card) with nothing to back them up.

[Vinny]

If anything, I think that Nintendo's Wi-Fi network will a lot of problems.

How do they plan to maintain a free network and remain so profitable? They don't exactly sell a million plus with each game they release...

What about all the bugs, cheaters, the majority age group of annoying 12 year olds who'll be playing games online and acting like idiots? Will Nintendo take care of them?

And I really hope their customer service stays up to it's current quality... they have THE BEST customer service ever, of any company.

[Quigoni]

Nintendo made an agreement with the company that supplies Wifi for McDonalds to have free wifi for the DS.

So basically they don't really have any maintenance. Making agreements is the smart way to go about this.

Really all they're doing is prepping their call center to handle all the... not so wise with routers and such.

[Strell]

Wait a minute....someone believes MAVAV is real? It was an elaborate joke made by a college student when his professor asked students to pull a believable hoax.

Go look it up yourselves.

[wildnuts02]

If anything, I think that Nintendo's Wi-Fi network will a lot of problems.

How do they plan to maintain a free network and remain so profitable? They don't exactly sell a million plus with each game they release...

What about all the bugs, cheaters, the majority age group of annoying 12 year olds who'll be playing games online and acting like idiots? Will Nintendo take care of them?

And I really hope their customer service stays up to it's current quality... they have THE BEST customer service ever, of any company.

I'm kind of worried about this too. I mean, this has got to come a significant cost. Even if they didn't lay down the infrastructure, they probably had to make tons of licensing agreements. I'd like to see this work. Healthy competition is best for us.

[wildnuts02]

Wait a minute....someone believes MAVAV is real? It was an elaborate joke made by a college student when his professor asked students to pull a believable hoax.

Go look it up yourselves.

ha ha. it's true http://a.parsons.edu/~dyoo/2002-3/interactivity/mavav/

rethink that sig

[Ugamer_X]

Wait a minute....someone believes MAVAV is real? It was an elaborate joke made by a college student when his professor asked students to pull a believable hoax.

Go look it up yourselves.
I've known this since I put it in my sig a year ago...I'd rather not have you destroy the illusion.

[Slash]

Xbox Live has less than 10% of Xbox owners on it. And that's including the people who don't actually pay for it (ie non-gaming accounts). That's very low. Broadband penetration has peaked- Xbox360 probably won't see much of a jump in Xbox Live players, if at all. Nintendo on the other hand is promising 90% coverage in the US for their free WiFi. And I'd say more than 90% of Revolution buyers will be in covered areas. Therefore, Nintendo, out of the box, will have many, many, many times more gamers playing online. It will be the first true online console that will see mainstream usage (Consoles since NES have had online play, but very rare and not remotely mainstream). Xbox Live will be nowhere near that as long as they charge for the service. Nintendo's is free and they give you internet for free. Everyone will be online with Revolution without having to deal with paying for an ISP, paying for Xbox Live, dealing with accounts and setups, etc. It's not hard, but it has to be brain-dead easy for console people. Otherwise we will get an Xbox Live situation, where usage is realtively low and the reason why PS2/GC didn't bother pushing their online play much at all.

[munch]

Xbox Live has less than 10% of Xbox owners on it. And that's including the people who don't actually pay for it (ie non-gaming accounts). That's very low. Broadband penetration has peaked- Xbox360 probably won't see much of a jump in Xbox Live players, if at all. Nintendo on the other hand is promising 90% coverage in the US for their free WiFi. And I'd say more than 90% of Revolution buyers will be in covered areas. Therefore, Nintendo, out of the box, will have many, many, many times more gamers playing online. It will be the first true online console that will see mainstream usage (Consoles since NES have had online play, but very rare and not remotely mainstream). Xbox Live will be nowhere near that as long as they charge for the service. Nintendo's is free and they give you internet for free. Everyone will be online with Revolution without having to deal with paying for an ISP, paying for Xbox Live, dealing with accounts and setups, etc. It's not hard, but it has to be brain-dead easy for console people. Otherwise we will get an Xbox Live situation, where usage is realtively low and the reason why PS2/GC didn't bother pushing their online play much at all.

please space out your sentences.

[Sweetbabyjezuz]

If anything, I think that Nintendo's Wi-Fi network will a lot of problems.

How do they plan to maintain a free network and remain so profitable? They don't exactly sell a million plus with each game they release...

What about all the bugs, cheaters, the majority age group of annoying 12 year olds who'll be playing games online and acting like idiots? Will Nintendo take care of them?

And I really hope their customer service stays up to it's current quality... they have THE BEST customer service ever, of any company.

Bugs/Cheaters/Age group/Idiots

this is different then other online gaming...how?

[Survivor Charlie]

It's all well and good, but Nintendo needs to remember that the machine and all it's bells and whistles need to turn a profit.

[Fathergamer]

No matter what some people might think, Nintendo is not stupid, a little shut-in and freakish sometimes , but they are so not going to do this without knowing that a profit will be waiting at the end.

Yes mistakes have been made by they big N in the past, but they always turn a profit, and pretty fast as well!
The same can not be said for Microsoft ans Sony ( as far as consoles go anyway)

Am i a fanboy?, um kinda!
Am i a blind Fanboy? , Hell NO!
I know the whole Wi-Fi thing will be an up-hill battle , but if anyone can do it , and turn a profit , it will be Nintendo!

[Vinny]

It's all well and good, but Nintendo needs to remember that the machine and all it's bells and whistles need to turn a profit.

Actually, most hardware makers lose money on the hardware and make it back in the software.:)

[undyingforce5]

Actually, most hardware makers lose money on the hardware and make it back in the software.:)

i thought the exception was Nintendo?

[wildnuts02]

i thought the exception was Nintendo?

That's right. this means that Nintendo is changing up it's traditional business model

[chosen1s]

I'm impressed. Good job Nintendo! I've been waiting for this since I discovered the "modem" port in the back of my old NES...

[Fathergamer]

That's right. this means that Nintendo is changing up it's traditional business model

I'm not sure they are yet, Nintendo has never been known for change (well as far as it's business side that is) ,so i still think the realy think they can turn a profit out of this somehow, but you never know times do change.;)

[encendido5]

Man, I hope this thing takes off. I'm really hoping for lunch hours at Bryant Park playing Mario Kart...

[Quackzilla]

This comming from the company that only a year ago said that internet gaming was a fad.

[Dr Mario Kart]

This comming from the company that only a year ago said that internet gaming was a fad.

I dont know if they used those words exactly, but they've certainly expressed their discontent with the way online gaming has been handled, and with 10%? of the xbox user base on live, they're right to question exactly how popular it is. They've dabbled with it in the past, and they've said that they wouldnt do it until they could do it right(or try, anyhow).

Personally, I'd prefer that no games be online. I'd rather development be focused on a better single player experience ::shrug:: If I wanted to interact with people, I'd go outside, where the day-ball is.

[Strell]

As said during the E3 reveal of the Rev CAG chat (I don't normally quote myself but this is pretty appropriate):

Me> Nintendo> Well we don't think Internet gaming is a big deal, but we're going to shoot for 90% usage by our userbase anyway

[Blind the Thief]

What about all the bugs, cheaters, the majority age group of annoying 12 year olds who'll be playing games online and acting like idiots? Will Nintendo take care of them?

Well, since I haven't heard anything about using the DS' microphone online, I'm doubting that you'll be able to hear the aforementioned annoying 12-year-olds.

The worst case scenario, you'll get jerks sending mean letters to you in Animal Crossing...and for the most part, that's going to be older jerks, since Animal Crossing doesn't seem like the type of game the "pre-teen who want to look older by using the word '$$$' a lot" would play...

[JSweeney]

thank god for the usb plug in thing, I live in some small hick town where there are NO wireless hotpots, actually I take that back there is a hotel that has wi-fi so I could go to their parking lot, but besides that I am glad for the usb plug in thinga majig

You do understand that you'll need a broadband connection to use that wireless adapter, right? It's not like the internet fairy comes and sets up magical link to the network when you plug it into your pc.

[Morrigan Lover]

Starbucks Wifi is not free

all Wifi is free with the Linux kernel and some know-how.

[encendido5]

I think he already has a broadband connection but doesn't have a wireless router. That's why he would need a hot spot or whatever to use the wireless. lol at internet fairy

[Strell]

all Wifi is free with the Linux kernel and some know-how.

Yes, I would like more information on such things please, if at all possible.

[punqsux]

after next year it won't happen again until 2011-ish.
i dont know, id say the next microsoft console is due out around 2008 ;)

[punqsux]

This comming from the company that only a year ago said that internet gaming was a fad.
how about a link to that chief?

this isnt the vs. forum, you cant just make up shit and pass it off as truth.

iirc they said something along the lines of online gaming not really beign ready at that point, but being the future.

but if you can provide a link, that'd be fine.

EDIT:
heres a quote from george harrison circa 2002:
"bottom line, if you look at online games today ? promise? Yes. Life preserver? Not yet."

[BIG5]

Hmm... free wireless for some, miniature American flags for others!

[Strell]

i dont know, id say the next microsoft console is due out around 2008 ;)

And it will come with three versions. One of them won't include the CD drive. OR a power cord. THERE WILL BE SUPER POWER CORDS, WITH FACEPLATES, BUT ONLY IF YOU GET THE PREMIUM VERSION.

Hooray!

[ryanbph]

hopefully it will be nationwide coverage

[Ecofreak]

hopefully it will be nationwide coverage

According to the IGN interview, they're going to test 6,000 McD's and then rolling it out nationwide. Expect it to be test in high density areas first.

Link: http://ds.ign.com/articles/659/659017p1.html