Farewell, Friend Codes: Wii U to have single online identity and friends list [update]

Surprisingly, Nintendo wasn't the one to answer the question that's been at the forefront of our minds since John Riccitiello talked up the Wii U's online capabilities: Ubisoft recently told MTV Multiplayer that the system will get rid of the maligned Friend Codes system in favor of a single online identity (think: Gamertag). Players will also be able to build friends lists without the laborious process of swapping serial numbers.

The publisher reiterated the system's new, streamlined online network during a Nintendo developer roundtable, explaining that the studio is aiming for the Wii U to be Ghost Recon Online's backbone. The title will apparently play host to leaderboards, parties and a live activity feed of your Wii U friends which appears on the WiiPad. We'll press Nintendo for more info!

Update: From what we're hearing from Nintendo's developer roundtable, Ubisoft isn't absolutely certain if the Ghost Recon Online features they mentioned will actually make it into the game -- they're just features they'd like to see implemented. As far as the Wii U's unified online functionality, they wouldn't give any details at the developer roundtable.

Reader Comments (95)

Finally.

@libregkd - Right there with you, brother.

YYYYEEESSSS!!!!

what consoles have been missing!

@oolzie
I hope this catches on...

Yes!!!! Nintendo has finally reached 5 years ago!! I kid I kid..but this is great news!

@psnkillstrike

Yeah, but your name can only be four characters long!

w0000000000000000000000000000000t!

@xFenixKnightx

You shouldn't break character like that.

Now, all it needs are "Achievements/Trophies"... :P

@Ballistic H

It'll probably be something like.. balloons, or.. ponies, instead of trophies.

@Ballistic H

I'll lol if they name them Accomplishments.

@Ballistic H

Nooooo, we don't need MORE OCD e-peen contests on a nintendo console.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Badges wouldn't be bad.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Nah, Nintendo will do it with Stars. As in Super Mario Bros. Power Stars.

@libregkd It will totally be "Badges".

@libregkd thats exactly what i thought, it would work especially since they have pokemon, each gym win gets u a badge in the game but also an achievement worth points or w/e

@MyAbsolution

Pfft, buncha n00bs. They'll be Stars!

As long as they don't do stupid Platinum like trophies like PS3. Just keep it simple.

And you wonder what the sound will be when it pops up on the screen...

@Ballistic H

:-) I just pictured it.

Oh this is gonna be sweet! Yeah, Nintendo is back!

@Ballistic H

Either the 1Up sound or a Zelda "item found".

@xFenixKnightx
Stupid Platinums?
You mad?
They are the best thing that could ever happened, they describe exactly what kind of trophy hunter you are.
For example, if you have 1200 trophies and I have the same, it all goes down to see who has the most platinums, golds, well you get the point.
Just because you can't get any doesn't mean its stupid.

@eNriqeu

I've always been sour because of the Super Stardust HD platinum trophy where you must buy DLC to obtain it. If it's still like this in other games then yes, they suck! If not I apologize.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Trophies? Oh, you mean Achievements.

@A Sandwich
LOL He won't admit sony took the idea of achievements and came up with trophies.

@MyAbsolution U Accomplish?

@Sprinkled Cupcake
And so the idea of achievements came with skill points, didn't know that did you?

and @Fenix, SSD doesn't even have a platinum;
And NO, you don't need DLC to get platinums.

@xFenixKnightx

Let's not get crazy just yet

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

If I can collect "Ponies" on the new Wii U than it a day-one auto buy.

@Ballistic H
Think it could be like this.
A coin is a bronze
A mushroom is a silver
A fireflower is a Gold
And a 1 up or Star can be a Platinum!

@Ballistic H

They should be called medals.
and when you unlock them they points you get should be redeemable
againts star points. So you can actually use them to buy VC games and DLC etc.

@Ballistic H

Screw that. I don't want Nintendo's achievements to be 'ponies'.

'Unicorns' or nothing.

@MyAbsolution

"Accomplishments"

I actually laughed out loud and coughed a bit afterwards.

@Ballistic H
Really? No one mentioned carrots? I am dissapoint Joystiq.

@Ballistic H My pick is still for "Honors"

@eNriqeu hahaha you serious? trophies were a blatant rip off of achievements. i'm not at all a microsoft fan, but don't even try. :)

@XRZ36 annnnnndddd i completely did not notice this article was from 6 days ago. sorry for the email. :P

hallelujah!!

*clap clap clap*

This thing is sounding more and more appealing (name be damned).

@religiousjedi I love the idea of an activity feed on the WiiPad. This is getting interesting..

And with that said, I'm starting to feel optimistic about their online infrastructure.

@jtrjuwrue5iiejie5ijeie3i5 really, just from that? that's like saying "our company has a web page!".. ok...

@jtrjuwrue5iiejie5ijeie3i5

Not until Nintendo says it and then releases a press statement with the facts written down. And even then it is suspect until the system actually releases (see 3DS launch).

Bitch'n!

What I don't get is why didn't Nintendo tell us about any these online features or new specs of the their console?

IMO it was the worst console unveiling ever. C'mon Salesmen, sell me on it!

@MyAbsolution
They still have 1+ year to sell it to you. I'm sure they didn't say much because next E3 the console will still be missing important info.

@MyAbsolution because they want to wait till last minute to surprise thats how they do business. also they may be keeping information so other companies (cough Sony cough) wouldn't steal their ideas.

@eddoes
Yet they show off their controller, which is a pretty big deal. If instead just showing off an HD console it would allow Sony and everyone else to think nothing of it and ignore it. Then last minute "Oh yeah, we got this bad-ass controller." Sony and MS wont as much time to think about if they should add it in or not. Less time for the competition the better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ALwKeSEYs

@DarkSan00

I feel sad whenever I can predict what reaction video appears.

I came.

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Ghost Recon Online

Farewell, Friend Codes: Wii U to have single online identity and friends list [update]

Reader Comments (95)

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:53PM libregkd said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:22PM Nintendo Tim said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:54PM oolzie said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:28PM Manifest37 said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:54PM psnkillstrike said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 11:34PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:54PM xFenixKnightx said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 11:06PM Deone said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:55PM Ballistic H said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:55PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:57PM MyAbsolution said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:58PM Robot Bastard said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:58PM libregkd said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:59PM Chulipin said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:59PM Boring K said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:02PM ChronoSapien said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:09PM xFenixKnightx said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:12PM Ballistic H said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:16PM xFenixKnightx said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:45PM ironneko said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:45PM eNriqeu said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 11:24PM xFenixKnightx said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 11:32PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 11:49PM Sprinkled Cupcake said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 11:57PM Dance Mofo said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 12:06AM eNriqeu said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 12:41AM Timjoy said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 1:12AM EndynOmni said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 3:02AM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 4:35AM Istari Spartan said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 7:11AM mrmobius said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 4:26PM velocitystrike said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 6:13PM mcnichoj said

Posted: Jun 11th 2011 12:28AM FamousLastX said

Posted: Jun 14th 2011 9:55PM XRZ36 said

Posted: Jun 14th 2011 9:57PM XRZ36 said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:55PM SgtDookie said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:55PM religiousjedi said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:00PM Evin said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:55PM jtrjuwrue5iiejie5ijeie3i5 said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 10:05PM oolzie said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 11:22PM fohf said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:55PM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:55PM MyAbsolution said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 2:10AM Soiden said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 2:11AM eddoes said

Posted: Jun 9th 2011 3:09AM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:55PM DarkSan00 said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:58PM Papytendo said

Posted: Jun 8th 2011 9:57PM DekuTree said

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