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No 3rd Party Online Support for Wii Until Next Year? 85

Posted by Zonk from the non-optimal dept.
Via Joystiq, a preview for Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam at IGN. Such a thing isn't really news, of course, but down at the bottom of the article there is some distressing information. According to IGN, third party online support for the Wii will have to wait until next year. Joystiq points out that this could mean launch titles like Monkey Ball, Blazing Angels, and Call of Duty 3 may be offline-only.
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No 3rd Party Online Support for Wii Until Next Year? More

No 3rd Party Online Support for Wii Until Next Year?

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  • IGN's accuracy (Score:4, Insightful)

    by chrismcdirty ( 677039 ) on Friday August 25, 2006 @01:46PM (#15980389) Homepage
    IGN also reported that the release date and price would be revealed at the Leipzeig Games Convention. They also throw so much hype into untrue stories, I'd take this story with a grain of salt until it is confirmed by multiple sources.

    • Re:IGN's accuracy (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 25, 2006 @02:03PM (#15980550)
      You can't spell ignorance without IGN!
    • People have already updated Wikipedia pages with this "fact", linking to the IGN page for reference. One section about expected launch titles [wikipedia.org] already states that "None of the launch titles will have online play."

      Personally, I can't see this happening. With their experience with the DS, Nintendo should be prepared for online games, and with their experience with third party developers (Vicarious Visions, Taito), Nintendo should be prepared to get third-party games online. Can they get away with split-scr

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by famikon ( 994709 )
      I no longer take anything IGN says to heart. Especially if its about the Wii. They've been tossing out some retarded unconfirmed news this year.
  • I won't be able to get it before 2007 anyway. Demand will be huge and even people who lives in USA and preorder it may not get it before Christmas (Remember Xbox 360, that cost twice as much).
    On the other hand, Wiimote's innovative gameplay and the training complex games will demand may be enough for you to ignore online playing, at least for a few months.
    • I wouldn't go making assumptions until we know the release date, and see how well Nintendo can perform. With the low (relative) cost of the Wii, Nintendo can make many more of them - and so should be able to get many more Wii's than PS3s into stores. I wouldn't be surprised if the Wii is only the only "next-gen" console that consumers can just walk in and buy off the shelf come mid-December.

  • Audience (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Shadow Wrought ( 586631 ) * <shadow.wroughtNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Friday August 25, 2006 @02:02PM (#15980545) Homepage Journal
    I think people overestimate how many people take advantage of online services to begin with. How many of the million Xbox live users are only there because they got it for free and are no longer active once they have to pay? And, having to wait until next year? That's what, four months away at this point with the console's release date not even announced yet? So you might have to wait 2 whole months for third party online games and that's supposed to be a deal breaker? No, a $600 price tag on a console not in production with only marginally better graphics for the next year or two is a deal breaker, this is not.
    • Xbox Live downloads have exceeded iTunes downloads. I have a 360, and the only game I have that I don't play online is Oblivion.
      • Xbox Live downloads have exceeded iTunes downloads

        Really? Around E3 Xbox Live announced they had surpassed 24 million downloads. This came several months after someone one the iTunes 1 billionth download content. 24 million is certainly a lot, but it is still 1/40 of iTunes.

        • First of all, regarding online functionality, it's hard for me to go back to other consoles, which don't have the same level of features as Xbox Live. If it weren't for the free demos, I never would have realized how kick ass Dead Rising is. I'm also a big fan of the Xbox Live Arcade games and the whole achievement system. Granted, a lot of these ideas come from the PC-side of things, but to finally have them in the console space is very exciting.

          That said, this announcement only said that 3rd party online

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by pl1ght ( 836951 )
      This generations success will be built upon a good online foundation. Just look at the Xbox 360, its online has been successful beyond imagination. This is definitely not positive news for Nintendo any way you try to put it.

    • Re:Audience (Score:4, Interesting)

      by brkello ( 642429 ) on Friday August 25, 2006 @03:19PM (#15981265)
      Wow. Something that could be perceived to be negative about the Wii is reported and the highly moderated posts are the ones who rush to defend their actions. Not a surprise but it still bugs the living heck out of me. What this is saying is that third party launch titles will not be online. Yeah, games in the future will have it...but still it sucks that the Wii will be limited for those initial games.

      Listen, companies you love can do bad things. Companies you hate can do good things. If what IGN is reporting is true (big if), then this is a dumb move by Nintendo. The only good thing you can say about it is that at least it isn't something they plan to be permanent.

      As far as the whole "myspace" comment goes...saying that Nintendo is doing this to avoid pedophiles...give me a break. If there is a post in here where the government is trying to protect children from adult content, everyone runs around in circles screaming how terrible that is and how parents should be responsible (and I agree). But as soon as Nintendo does it, it is a good thing? I don't think so. I sincerely hope they don't force a similar "friend code" system on the Wii. It just makes it a pain in the butt to maintain friends and set up games.
      • PErspective does not equal defense. I'm not saying that Nintendo is doing the right, I'm saying that the negatives of no 3rd party support till early next year is are overblown. My basic point is that the Online gaming crowd is overrepresented online: as shocking as that may be. Xbox Live is great and doing well... but the Xbox 360 has yet to sell up to the levels it was projected to. Sony went from the wonderkid of NexGens in a heart beat over price. Nintendo has not only stated that they are targetti

      • If there is a post in here where the government is trying to protect children from adult content, everyone runs around in circles screaming how terrible that is and how parents should be responsible (and I agree). But as soon as Nintendo does it, it is a good thing? I don't think so.

        It really didn't cross your mind that there's a meaningful distinction?

        Government: I must pay for their censorship. I have no choice about whether I am affected by it: It applies to my actions taken with my (and others') private

  • Ok (Score:1)

    by Kelbear ( 870538 )
    This is bad news, no need for any commenters to try to spin it. I'm still going to buy a Wii.

    There's no reason to expect the Wii to be perfect. I hope this information is false. But if not, I'll just deal with it.
  • Why is it distressing? The Gamecube managed quite well without any online to speak of, and it didn't have the luxery of Sony constantly shooting itself in the foot.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by grumbel ( 592662 )

      Why is it distressing? The Gamecube managed quite well without any online to speak of, and it didn't have the luxery of Sony constantly shooting itself in the foot.

      Well, third place in a race of three, not very exciting. The reason why no Third Party online is important, is because it shows that Nintendo still has a problem with Third Party developers and in the end that is the only thing that will decide if a console is successfull or not. Nintendo can do the greatest Marios and Zeldas of all times, but u

  • So long as the Wii has Net capability by the time that Spore comes out, I'll be happy.

    I've got a cable modem and a b/g wireless base station and I'm dying to put those to the test ...
  • Folks, this is really a non issue, for a number of reasons:
    1. Nintendo's primary hits are always first party, especially at launch... especially at THIS launch. Zelda, Metroid, Red Steel, Wii Sports, Excite Truck, all first party. The first party list makes up a good 98% of the games sold at or around launch. Some of these games (Zelda), won't offer online play, because they're not the kind of game that would in the first place. 2% of sold titles not offering online play at launch is nothing to get worked u

    • PS2 had, what, 4 online games in its entire lifespan... only one of those (FF11) being anything close to a hit,

      Someone apparently hasn't been paying attention.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PlayStation_2 _network_games [wikipedia.org]

      Of all the PS2 online games, FFXI was not really considered a hit. The real hits were the SOCOM games (three of them) , or perhaps Star Wars Battlefront games (theres two of them)

    • # PS2 had, what, 4 online games in its entire lifespan... only one of those (FF11) being anything close to a hit..

      Only 4 titles? Ps2 online is bigger than you think. SOCOM 1, 2, or 3 ring any bells? That series is huge. Other titles off the top of my head- Everquest Online Adventures, Monster Hunter, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Frequency, Amplitude, Splinter Cell 2 and 3, Killzone, Madden NFL 2003,2004,2005,2006 (This is a BIG deal, as the Ps2 was the only way to get online with madden for several ye

    • But I thought Red Steel was being developed by Ubisoft and is NOT a first party title.
  • It took Xbox Live about a year before it even showed up on the Xbox and with the exception of the original Halo, that wasn't too much of a loss for the original Xbox. Or more recently, take a look at the DS taking a year before Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection came into play. Not many titles were really lost in the long-term.

    As long as Nintendo takes notes from Microsoft and Sony when launching their online service, the extra time spent should be a good sign. It's not like there isn't room for delays in the Wii'
  • My feelings are mixed on this. I am a very hardcore gamer, playing on all consoles and PC. I have played various MMO's as well, and have generally found that online play doesn't really add that much to the experience for me.

    This certainly isn't a dealbreaker on the Wii for me. Honestly, the only game I care that has online is Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I don't really need online play for anything else. And it's not like this will affect demo downloads or the virtual console, so no worries there.

    On th

  • If the way multiplayer on the DS is anything to go by it wont be as much fun as it could be. Go read about the "friend codes" business then tell me if you still care.

    Lets not forget the other silly choices Nintendo has made for wi-fi. Hopefully they'll fix them though and we might actually see WPA support in the Wii.

    • Using friend codes isn't a silly choice. It's something Nintendo did to protect younger players. It's also something I like. I use online play as a kind of "hardest" setting for games after I've beaten them offline. I don't care who I'm playing against.

      Obviously, there's lots of room for improvement for people who want different things from online games, but that doesn't make Nintendo's decision "silly". They're simply not aiming their online service at hardcore gamers, and that works for me.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by grumbel ( 592662 )

        but that doesn't make Nintendo's decision "silly"

        It is stilly because it cripples the online experience a lot without a good reason. Nothing wrong with Nintendo doing some child-protection, but then please do so without pissing of all the older gamers around. Online play on DS for me is pretty uninteresting, because its really no different then playing against some intelligent bots, better then nothing, but lightyears behind of what true online gaming is all about.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by LKM ( 227954 )

          It is stilly because it cripples the online experience a lot without a good reason.

          There is a good reason. Apple doesn't want children to be contacted by strangers online.

          Nothing wrong with Nintendo doing some child-protection, but then please do so without pissing of all the older gamers around.

          As I already said, they don't piss of all the older gamers. I'm definitely an older gamer, and I like friend codes and anonymous online gaming because I don't want to be harassed by 15-years-olds who have no

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by grumbel ( 592662 )

            There is a good reason. Apple doesn't want children to be contacted by strangers online.

            For protection a small portion of the user based, crippling online for *everyone*, is not a good reason, its simply lazyness to implement proper messures.

            As I already said, they don't piss of all the older gamers. I'm definitely an older gamer, and I like friend codes and anonymous online gaming because I don't want to be harassed by 15-years-olds who have nothing better to do than scream swear words and tell me how

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by LKM ( 227954 )

              For protection a small portion of the user based

              That's where you're wrong. They're not protecting "a small portion of the user base", they're protecting themselves. And unless you're Nintendo, you simply do not know how small (or, most likely, big) the amount of children using their service is.

              You know, if you don't want to chat, simply don't chat, but don't force everybody else to stop chatting just because you don't like it.

              There's no connection between friend codes and chatting. As I've said, Ani

  • The Wii will still have third-party online support before the PS3's price is dropped to something acceptable.
  • I am tired of hearing about friggin online games, I want some good games to play online once in a while.
  • The first title that was announced to have online content for the wii was Super Smash Bros Brawl [smashbros.com].
    From the page:

    There was a reason Smash Bros. was announced at the meeting.
    That was because when it was asked what product Nintendo would want to use to help it unveil its Wi-Fi Network, the first title
    on the list in both America and Japan was Smash Bros. So it was first decided to talk about Smash Bros. as an example of a Wi-Fi
    title, resulting in the game being announced before the development struc

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