Nintendo's latest Wii peripheral, which boldly thrusts the console into the newfangled "voice over IP" era, comes with a minor catch. A redeemable "Wii Download Ticket Number," included with the Wii Speak microphone, grants access to the
Wii Speak Channel. Unfortunately, the code only works once, locking secondhand purchases out of the dedicated chat-to-your-friends channel. According to
MTV Multiplayer, the channel will not be available through any other means, and Nintendo will not replace lost or stolen codes.
If you were keen on conversing with your Wii pals outside of supported games (i.e.
Animal Crossing: City Folk), you'll either have to buy new
as of Nov. 16th, or invest in one of those
telephone things. On the bright side, telephone numbers are even easier to remember than friend codes.
[Via
Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Burritoclock @ Nov 13th 2008 1:51PM
Why?
Heh (Mr. ESC, living in the hearts of us all) @ Nov 13th 2008 1:52PM
And Nintendo won't let us use regular headsets again why?
J @ Nov 13th 2008 2:02PM
The only sense I can make of it would be that Nintendo wants mommy & daddy to be able to hear when little Johnny gets solicited to do dirty things by 1144 8797 1346 9996 3165 1313 5647 4687 6554 7788 7041 1154 1145 9988 7774 8878 4446 3125.
heypaul @ Nov 13th 2008 2:13PM
Wave hello again to the new Nintendo. They've had a taste of your money... and they love it.
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 2:35PM
It really ties back to the software this is bundled with: Animal Crossing. It was a social game from the beginning (despite continued restrictions against total MMO-dom), and it would necessitate multiple people talking from one Wii to another
The Wii Speak Channel reflects that as well.
The Fatass of Kickassness @ Nov 13th 2008 3:41PM
According to Animal Crossing reviews, you can hook up regular headsets to WiiSpeak
Henry @ Nov 13th 2008 1:56PM
Nintendo! Stop with the f**king peripherals, and work on actual GAMES!
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 2:35PM
Which they are doing. So the rage is for....?
Blazur @ Nov 13th 2008 2:37PM
He probably meant to say "good" games.
samfish @ Nov 13th 2008 3:14PM
Are you somehow implying that Sin & Punishment 2 will be anything less than fucking awesome?
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 3:15PM
Opinion again.
"Good" is very subjective
Haggard @ Nov 13th 2008 3:28PM
Indeed, it applies to Mario Galaxy but not to Wii Music.
McWeen @ Nov 13th 2008 1:56PM
LOL
Garrett @ Nov 13th 2008 2:00PM
there's nothing wrong with this at all.
baby sea tuna @ Nov 13th 2008 2:20PM
"there's nothing wrong with this at all."
/sarcasm
There, I fixed it for you.
Dirty @ Nov 13th 2008 2:04PM
Now that Im no longer a wii owner, I just find this stuff funny.
squirtforce @ Nov 13th 2008 2:17PM
AMEN TO THAT!
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 2:21PM
わたしたち は あなた を したいません. さよなら.
more languages to come
Dirty @ Nov 13th 2008 2:28PM
Yeah we wont miss you either when Nintendo is no longer reported on this page because they only make casual games for children and old ladies.
Khan your fanboyism is admirable, but you've gotten a bit on the annoying side as of late.
Blazur @ Nov 13th 2008 2:34PM
Word. Leaving that crap in the dust was the right move.
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 2:36PM
If it's any consolation, the general level of jackassery around here as begun annoying myself more as of late. My reaction is only proportional
baby sea tuna @ Nov 13th 2008 2:52PM
Because God knows Nintendo has done nothing to deserve that level of criticism from the people that have kept them in business for the past 20-odd years.
*Please*
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 3:00PM
Sure they may have changed, but the key is that many of the attacks against them are baseless, grounded in speculation, based upon fallacies, or pure and unmitigated bullshit
This is a legitimate dick move of theirs, one that they deserve to be called out for, but others are not, and yet they still get called out for reasons that don't exist (my favorite is the "no games" argument still)
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 13th 2008 3:34PM
Watching Mr. Khan implode is great fun. Keep up the good work people.
Ungamer @ Nov 13th 2008 3:47PM
"Watching Mr. Khan implode is great fun."
Almost as fun as it was to watch you implode a half year ago.
Anywhos, yeah, this is kind of BS. Doesn't have an effect on me, though, because (unlike most Joystiq posters) instead of bitching, I find ways around things like this.
Homebrew Channel + WAD Manager FTW
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 3:49PM
implode?
Nah. I haven't imploded 'till i start the ad hominem attacks
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 13th 2008 3:52PM
I don't ever implode, I just don't give up when I get swarmed by nintendo fanboys and no one else chimes in. I'm just not that kind of guy.
Ungamer @ Nov 13th 2008 4:00PM
When you do it, it's 'not giving up'
When others do it, it's 'blatant idiotic fanboyism/hating'
Review your post history. You went crazy for a while there, reminded me a bit of posters like Killjebus or Summercamp or Jack of No Trades.
ahh, thats some vintage Joystiq right there. I wish we could go back to the old Joystiq, where seldom would a comment thread be derailed by folks who simply spew hatred and stupidity without explanation - and get upvoted for it anyway (not you Tmac, now I'm talking about the blatant trolls that frequent this site).
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 13th 2008 4:26PM
That's where you're wrong though. All of those people defend their beloved console to the death, something I haven't done before. I'm always attacking the wii, that's it really.
TwEE @ Nov 13th 2008 4:43PM
"Nintendo is no longer reported on this page because they only make casual games for children and old ladies." Man, thats a fucking retarded statement, I cant wait till you people get tired of this hardcore/casual bullshit.. I swear I die a little every time I read one of those two labels..
Im not understanding the Mr Khan hate, Im not sure I ever see him be negative towards anything, he just seems to like Nintendo...But I guess when video games are now defined by a minority "hardcore" group who deem anybody who doesn't have a hate on for Nintendo to be showing unreasonable brand loyalty, then it makes more sense.
As for tmacairjordan87 he was a HUGE Nintendo obsessed (really really obsessed) troll for the longest time..
Billy @ Nov 13th 2008 2:12PM
Everytime I read about Nintendo's next move, I cringe, yet they continue to outsell their competitors by millions. It's sad.
I mean, this is just stupid. Why would Nintendo ever do something like this? What's the point? There is none.
Robert @ Nov 13th 2008 2:13PM
Once again, Nintendo proves that they are incapable of producing something that "just works". Every innovation they have introduced during this generation (and I will admit, they have been very innovative) has had some sort of string attached. Why can't I just buy a microphone and talk to my friends; it's been so long since I've connected with 8923-5780-1548-1988. Even Sony, with their less than stellar online support, allows me to do this.
FSK405K @ Nov 13th 2008 2:14PM
Nintendo: from Mario Brothers to Lehman Brothers.
Nomi @ Nov 13th 2008 7:32PM
I honestly hope they start losing money...I mean look at Sony and MS. They lost so much money on their consoles that they decided not to fuck around and do work on quality shit. What with the NXE and Home just around the corner.
Matt @ Nov 13th 2008 2:18PM
/Rolled-Up Newspaper
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 2:23PM
I mean, it makes sense that it's limited to owners of the peripheral only. Who else would be able to use it?
However, why a 1-use code per unit? All it does is kill re-sale value of this device (if that even existed)
Squirtforce @ Nov 13th 2008 2:33PM
I'm glad you're acknowledging the importance of being able to resell a Wii.
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 2:40PM
Hey, i'm not mad at the people who re-sell the Wii. I'm mad at the ones who make a big deal about it, like some sort of badge of honor
Dirty @ Nov 13th 2008 2:47PM
Its not a badge of honor so much as a warning.
Blazur @ Nov 13th 2008 2:48PM
This is a gaming forum. People come here to spout their opinions on anything that fancies their interest, and many who had high hopes for Nintendo are feeling disenchanted over the direction they're taking and feel inclined to rant. Much in the same way you feel the need to blatantly defend them.
You can't get mad at people for expressing their opinion. Perhaps you shouldn't feel so overzealous about defending a company and you won't get so angry at every gamer that's become disappointed with the Nintendo of today? Because if they continue in this direction I suspect many more will become disenchanted over time, and you'll likely have an ulcer over it.
Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 2:52PM
The fun thing about the opinion argument is that my opinion on their opinion is still an opinion, making it equally valid
opinion
John Z @ Nov 13th 2008 2:54PM
You're all taking this way too god damned seriously.
Dirty @ Nov 13th 2008 2:57PM
Your taking too serious. Did someone say onion?
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 13th 2008 3:35PM
I HATE ONIONS
RAGHHAHHAWJHDSKJFNDKJF
Monkeys Suck @ Nov 13th 2008 2:27PM
Well, I think this might drive more people to the dark side of the Homebrew Channel. Albeit not really for a dark purpose, cause, it is technically free...
ill trooper @ Nov 13th 2008 2:29PM
So strange. They are definitely on their own road. Not one I'm into.
Yakko @ Nov 13th 2008 2:29PM
Isn't this just begging for a "right to first sale suit"?
Blazur @ Nov 13th 2008 2:33PM
VoIP?!? That's some serious voodoo magic right there. What's next, they're gonna figure out a way for me to play games with my friends who are in a different state? I can feel the future is upon us, my gaming friends.
Nathan @ Nov 13th 2008 2:44PM
It's clearly to stop people selling them after finding out how rubbish they are.
AJBACK2FRAG @ Nov 14th 2008 5:25AM
Nintendo might be in the process of manufacturing electrical appliances that don't need to be replaced. In the next five years you may be buying a television that doesn't break a, what if at some point soon you'll be buying a microphone that you won't NEED to be replaced for a hundred years you certainly wouldn't need the receipt. Shit. Here in the good old U.S. of A. we've had a problem with recession. Some people myself included seem to think it has something to do with consumer confidence.
Microsoft is a company that I've heard of who has had alot of trouble because of negative consumer confidence because they sold a person something they knew was broken or would break but I don't think it's cost them just millions (billions?) I think it just might have cost them everything. I really believe that a consumers' trust and confidence is a thing that after you lose it,even if it's only 1 per cent you never one hundred per cent get back sure you might get five per cent back you may even get ninety nine per cent back but way down deep where it really matters never a 100 per cent back.I just don't think it's in us as a race of people. What electronical manufacturer could ever get say 85 per cent total consumer trust?In a hundred years 90 percent in 1000 years 99 per cent in a million years. One hundred per cent. I'm honestly truly deeply scared not because Nintendo has never sold me an electronic product that broke but Nintendo has never sold me an electronic product that THEY knew would break thereby giving me my 1 per cent consumer dissatisfaction.
The little tiny piece of twine on the carpet that I wished to God in Heaven I never saw. A little tiny piece of twine... Unless time you me or anybody else on this beautiful little planet of ours can prove... Nintendo is the only electronic manufacturer in existance that will be able to sell a spaceship w/ one hundred per cent consumer confidence. Spaceships that don't break.