Nintendo announced today in a press release that many of the Wii's online functions would not be available when the system launches in North America on Sunday. The release reveals the forecast channel will debut on Dec. 20, while the news channel (with content from the Associated Press) will debut Jan. 27 of next year. The release also suggested that the Wii's Opera browser would not be available for download immediately, saying "more information about the availability of the browser will be released in the coming weeks."Nintendo did confirm that 12 Virtual Console games would be available on launch day, including Donkey Kong, SimCity, Super Mario 64, Sonic the Hedgehog and Bomberman '93. The release also confirmed that new VC content would be released every Monday and established pricing for Genesis and Turbo-Grafx games at 800 points ($8) and 600 points ($6) respectively.
Of course what is perhaps the key online feature for a game console -- actual online game play -- still won't be available until next year, making a lot of this moot from a certain perspective. Still, this delay in more basic online functionality makes us wonder how well Nintendo's online strategy will be able to go from a practical standing start to keeping up with the big boys.
[Thanks Stephen]
[update: Original article said Jan. 17 for the News Channel launch. This has been fixed above.]
(Page 1) Reader Comments
Adding these things along the way will just make it seem like little bonuses you get throughout the first bit your Wii ownership.
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- BUT ITS ONLY A GAMING CONSOLE
- BIG DEAL
- ONLINE DONT MATTER
- ZELDA WILL KEEP ME BUSY
- WHATS ONLINE?
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I probably won't even be interested in playing Wii online until SSB:Brawl comes out.
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BF2 and WCIII can handle my online gaming needs until SSBB launches. Along with my various NiWiFi DS titles.
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the ps3 lines are crazy. 1000s lining up for twenty ps3's
they'll probably just stay in line for the wii. and piss me off.
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Give me just a sec, I'll get you a link.
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Although like alot of ppl said, ExiteTruck online would've been SWEET! But I will take what I can get and I will gladdly take my Wii.
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http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=11371
http://www.nwiizone.com/nintendo-wii/nwii/cnn-to-feed-the-wii-news-channel/
http://onnintendo.com/Index.aspx?page=1&post=48&year=2006&month=10
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Honestly, I can't say I'm surprised. Nintendo really is not the master of online, and you can't really compare them to the likes of Micorsoft in this regard: the latter company has been working with the internet for decades.
That said, I do look forward to playing games online with the Nintendo eventually - but it really isn't a selling feature of the console for me. That's what my 360 is for.
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Why would you be miffed about the online service not being up... the system isn't supposed to launch officially until sunday. Sony didn't even launch their U.S. service until earlier this afternoon. Calm down, take some deep breaths and just relish in the fact that you have the console 2 full days before the rest of us that don't work in the industry. Damn, I'd be bouncing off the walls just for that little fact.
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SHHHHH.. with all three consoles networked now, it is basically the end of compilation type dsics; its so much more profitable to sell piecemeal.
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Seriously. This stuff is fun to tell people about so they go "that's kinda cool," but beyond that I don't think anyone will actually be using it. My laptop sits next to me at just about every time during the day and I don't have to give up whatever's on the TV at the time to use it.
Online interaction/play that's game or Wii-specific could be useful, but this news or weather stuff is just fluff. Virtual console and online play are all that matters. However if online play is still down when games come along for it, I'll be pissed.
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"I have used some of these things (weather and news) to "sell" it to a few of my non-gamer friends."
I agree 100%! I used quite a few of these features to talk family and friends into purchasing a Wii, and now they won't even be able to use some of these features for almost two and a half months!?!?
If it's on the box, it should work from day one!
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http://www.nintendo.com/gamelist?start=1&oord=asc&osort=title&sort=&cmd=&toggle=&query=virtual&tf=&cf=&sf=Wii&ef=&rf=&pf=&mf=&af=&vf=&nf=
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Why would it be funny when those points are pretty much true? Does the truth amuse you?
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Yeah, that's pretty much what I thought.
I could be wrong but didn't the 360 have a delay on launch?
#3
Is your life so boring that you need to constantly troll Nintendo threads? I pity the fool.
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As for the browser, i'm actually dissappointed, my PC takes forever to boot up (somethings wrong with the RAM), and i was wishing for the instantaneous Boot times of the Wii to make this easier (although Opera will probably be available by Christmas)
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Backwards compatibility issues?
Downgrade from 1080i to 480p....
NO games...
Do you think people would still want the PS3 if they knew all of this up front? Not for $600.
However at $250 these minor issues are digestible.
Mostly because it is a game console... not an all in one mega media multiplex box targeted at complete domination of multiple markets that share no common consumer base...
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I spend at least 75% of my gaming time playing online via XBox Live, whether it's co-op with a friend (Marvel:UA and Gears of War lately) or competitive with friends and/or strangers (danger!).
I still plan on picking up a Wii after the holidays, but I may push it back a bit longer. Zelda awaits... and I shall wait patiently.
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I was able to go online within a week of buying my console on the Nov. 22. I think Live was enabled from Day 1. (I didn't go online right away b/c I opted to buy a wireless adapter, and didn't get around to it for a few days.) I dont' remember there being any delay at all.
I'm bummed about Nintendo's semi-lackluster online play. The fact that there's a good chance that none of the VC titles will have online play bums me out. As I've stated before, I want some online classic Bomberman! (Not that Xbox 360 game where there's no local multiplayer, though.)
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Where do you think CNN gets most of their stories from?
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Live was started with the Xbox around the 2nd year of its existence.
When the 360 launched, Live had already been around for 2 years. Therefore: no, there was no Live delay on the 360 launch.
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Wii doesnt come with a lot of the online functionality from the get go = So what!
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Even at $250, it's not worth it if there's no online play for a year, the VC has a poor launch selection and no online play, and even basic online functionality is missing. (How hard is it to set up a glorified RSS feed reader pulling Associated Press content?)
Microsoft can steal a lot of market share if its only competition is a couple of consoles that are feature-crippled at launch. The DS WiFi delay was forgivable because it was the best portable on the market; the Wii online delay won't be because it's not the best console on the market.
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Dude, I realize that AP, Reuters, and other large news agencies are where these news stations (such as CNN) get their news. That doesn't negate the fact that Nintendo has teamed up with CNN, not the Associated Press.
That's like buying a PS3 from GameStop (as if), and when someone asks you where you got it, you tell them, "I got it from Sony." Doesn't make sense, man.
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Blargh...another setback for Wii. But you know what? The 360 wasn't perfect and the PS3 sure as hell wont', but the Wii is no exception.
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Its not a year its a few months, look at a calendar, we are in mid november. If I recall correctly the 360 had a lousy arcade lineup at launch and for months to come while Nintendo is touting weekly updated to VC and an already strong launch lineup of new games. As far as online functionality goes, well thats why I have my computer, I never heard anyone making a big deal over the 360 not having a browser. Nitendo promised online functionality in the next few months, its not like it was cancelled altogether.
"Microsoft can steal a lot of market share if its only competition is a couple of consoles that are feature-crippled at launch."
Overheating consoles, red light of doom, lousy backwards compatibility. Microsoft has had more time in the market but they ran into some hitches in the beggining aswell, lets not forget about that.
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"Even at $250, it's not worth it if there's no online play for a year"
Last I checked from the second half of November to January was less than two months, not a year. But maybe I'm mistaken.
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I'm not gonna be picking up a Wii this year I don't think, but Nintendo's WiFi service on the DS works fine, so I have no concerns about how the Wii's multiplayer will turn out.
At least they aren't rushing some of these things out before they are ready.
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Heh, that wasn't there when I posted my comment.
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@ 49, great minds think alike my friend :P
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