Reggie: Wii will not charge for online play

[Master of Ossus]

From arstechnica.

Nintendo of America's ebullient president, Reginald Fils-Aime, released some interesting information about the upcoming Wii game console in an interview with USA Today. Among other tidbits, he revealed that the console's online strategy will not require any service charges, other than the player's standard Internet connection fees.

"We will offer online-enabled games that the consumers will not have to pay a subscription fee for," he said. "They'll be able to enjoy that right out of the box." Fils-Aime also mentioned that the Wii will be WiFi enabled, so it will be able to join existing wireless networks without any extra cabling.

The online model for the Wii will be similar to the model for the Nintendo DS, which also contains WiFi support and free gameplay online. Nintendo will provide the servers for their own games, and presumably third party developers offering online support in their games will set up their own servers. This is in contrast to the model pioneered by Microsoft with the original Xbox, where a monthly fee is charged for access to the servers in exchange for matchmaking services, exclusive online content, and other features. It is not known if Nintendo will be offering any of these features with their online service.

Fils-Aime talked about other issues besides simply online play. He said that the visuals for the Wii would "look fantastic" but argued that better graphics alone would not bring in new and casual gamers to the market. Nintendo's plan is to expand the industry, and their goal is to "have as many teens and young adults as we have 40-plus-year-olds excited about the platform." Nintendo plans to achieve this goal through "massive amounts of hands-on activity," as well as advocacy about how Wii games are different from traditional games through the use of the console's unique motion-sensitive controller.

When asked about Microsoft's famous comment about consumers being able to purchase an Xbox 360 and a Wii for the price of a PlayStation 3, he played down the idea. "I'd much rather have the consumer buy a Wii, some accessories, and a ton of games, versus buying any of my competitor's products," he said.

[Sharpshooter]

Sweet. I'm more interested in updates to older titles for full online play, though - I would kill for a patch to F-Zero X that allowed 30-man races, or at least Gauntlet Legends...

[Bounty]

Fils-Aime also mentioned that the Wii will be WiFi enabled, so it will be able to join existing wireless networks without any extra cabling.

I love you, Nintendo. Have my babies

Then again, my DS never played nice with my router to begin with - I wonder if this'll be compatible with the USB>WF adaptor?

[DPDarkPrimus]

I wonder if the Wii will be able to serve as a wireless hub for your DS?

[DarkSilver]

I beleive they said that was the idea at E3 DPDP.

The Wii would remain online, when when powered down, and constantly obtain updates and demo's from the Nintendo Online system, which included DS demo's.

[Max]

I'm so happy with Nintendo's strategy lately. The Wii release won't come soon enough.

When asked about Microsoft's famous comment about consumers being able to purchase an Xbox 360 and a Wii for the price of a PlayStation 3, he played down the idea. "I'd much rather have the consumer buy a Wii, some accessories, and a ton of games, versus buying any of my competitor's products," he said.

Hahaha, I love that. =)

[Praxis]

From arstechnica.

Mostly the same stuff that Nintendo said at GDC 2004 (free online play, based on DS model [which had not yet been released yet but was coming soon], WiFi out of box).

I beleive they said that was the idea at E3 DPDP.

The Wii would remain online, when when powered down, and constantly obtain updates and demo's from the Nintendo Online system, which included DS demo's.

Correct, when the Wii is turned off it is actually on standby, using less power than a lightbulb, and remains connected to the internet and downloads updates and DS demos and stuff like that. The feature is called WiiConnect24.

[Equinox2003]

This is all good news, but I wonder when is it going to be for sale?

[Omega-185]

This is all good news, but I wonder when is it going to be for sale?

Most reports speculate that the console will be release in Novermeber before the PS3. IIRC the most likely dates are Nov. 2, 6, 20. Some speculation has placed the release date as early as Oct. 2.

[Praxis]

This is all good news, but I wonder when is it going to be for sale?

Collecting all the rumors and speculation and hints, everything points to late October/Early November.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

If I recall, wasn't it said more or less from the get-go that the Wii would have free online play, even back when it was still the Revolution?

[Praxis]

If I recall, wasn't it said more or less from the get-go that the Wii would have free online play, even back when it was still the Revolution?

Like I said, GDC 2004, before they had even revealed what the case looks like at E3 05 or the Virtual Console.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

That's what I thought: they're telling us stuff we already knew.

God damn it, I need some real news!!

[Praxis]

Well, it's nice to hear it repeated. A lot of the early Revolution info ended up being dropped- for example, in one of the first press conferences mentioning Revolution, they said it will be able to hook up to computer monitors. That feature was never mentioned again and it's pretty obvious they forgot about it.

[Pu-239]

The Wii better damn support WPA.