Nintendo wants to pimp your ride [update 1]
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Nov 15th 2006 at 6:25PM }
Nintendo isn't content to sit back and take over your living room (Wii, GameCube) or your pocket (DS, Game Boy) ... now they want your car too. Macsimum News (an Apple news site) covers the patent Nintendo filed in August to bring an in-car gaming system via installed hardware and a "Car Area Network" that can supposedly beam game information from the server to the game console. Although they say the wireless network could be between your game server (in the trunk) and the game console (in your backseat), they do mention that the system could possibly download new games and updates wirelessly. The controller looks a lot like the Virtual Console Controller, which in turn resembles the generic crapware that you find in hotels and on airplanes which play the absolute worst games imaginable. Seriously, if you're stuck on an international flight for something like 21 hours, you'll have more fun playing "count the seat threads" than you will using the in-flight game systems. If you're thinking about pimping out your ride, pick up a cheap GameCube, PS2, or Xbox and stick that in your car rather than waiting on this car game system to hit the market.
Next up: Nintendo in your bathroom (no Wii jokes, please).
[Thanks, metalliska]
[Update: we meant PS2, not PS3. If indeed there were cheap PS3s to be had, we'd be letting you know. Thanks, Back_lit]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Back_lit @ Nov 15th 2006 6:29PM
"If you're thinking about pimping out your ride, pick up a cheap GameCube, PS3..."
A cheap PS3?! Oh Joystiq, inform me how I may get a _cheap_ PS3 and I'll wear a sign advertising you on the street.
Riemann Lebesgue @ Nov 15th 2006 6:35PM
"If you're thinking about pimping out your ride, pick up a cheap GameCube, PS3, or Xbox and stick that in your car rather than waiting on this car game system to hit the market."
And you form this opinion based on the fact that its controller resembles a VC controller which in turn reminds you of some bad experiences you've had on airplanes? Geez, what an amateurish piece.
DiahrreaMan @ Nov 15th 2006 6:38PM
WTF!?? Nintendo, where are you headed to? Won't this increase car accident rates? You know, its not like drivers don't have enough distractions as it is, add videogame playing to the list.
STILL WAITING FOR GOLDEN SUN 3 DAMMIT!
MetaHuman @ Nov 15th 2006 6:38PM
Are you kidding? Maybe the LodgeNet Nintendo controllers aren't as great as the real deal (:P), but they had some pretty decent games (not to mention mostly 1st-party SNES and N64 games). Through those networks I first played The Lost Vikings and Super Punch-Out!!, among others. Oh, and Wii VC is cheaper than those, at each game being $8.99 an hour average. :P
I don't know if this will come to fruition, it sounds cool though. VERY impractical.
Crushed @ Nov 15th 2006 6:38PM
Nintendo allowed some company to make a DVD-player with a built-in GBA for cars last year.
daniel @ Nov 15th 2006 6:41PM
Hm... maybe thats what the WII2 will be, the Console Of The Car, instead of Living Room. Lol... the steering wheel controls the game!
JR @ Nov 15th 2006 8:26PM
It's just a patent. Nintendo files strange patents all the time. I doubt it will ever become a reality.
Jackson Pritt @ Nov 15th 2006 7:15PM
What a retarded idea.
Burnt Meatloaf @ Nov 15th 2006 7:24PM
This demands a patent?
JP @ Nov 15th 2006 7:28PM
ya, ive heard about 4 near-fatal car accidents in the last 2 weeks from people at school...
this sounds like such a safe, fun, idea... NOT!
Kelvin @ Nov 15th 2006 7:29PM
"Oh, and Wii VC is cheaper than those, at each game being $8.99 an hour average. :P"
You suggesting that the interior automobile is a good place to use a Wiimote?
Well I guess you can toolbox.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/11/13
Harry @ Nov 15th 2006 8:39PM
This is actually a brilliant idea for Nintendo. You people have any clue how much time the Japanese spend in their cars stuck in traffic every day? In-car entertainment has been available for years over there, and by doing this, Nintendo will definitely tap into what seems to be a very solid market. Nothing to appeal to the hardcore\fanboy gamer here, but definitely something that makes excellent business sense nonetheless.