Posted June 13, 2012 At least he's being honest, now I can move on and get over it. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata believes that the numerous years Sony and Microsoft have spent developing their online platforms has left Nintendo behind and that rushing to "overcome or catch up" to them wouldn't be a smart strategy. Wii U Screenshot At an investor relations meeting during E3 Iwata was asked how Nintendo's online strategy will differentiate, catch up to, surpass and compete with Microsoft, Sony, iOS and Android. Iwata answered by saying that current online gaming networks can't be replicated on the Wii U, and admitted the competition is too far ahead for Nintendo to catch up. "I think that what we see in terms of online gaming networks on existing dedicated gaming platforms is not particularly well suited to the approach Nintendo has taken," he said. "Therefore, I can't sit here and say to you that we can very quickly overcome or catch up to other companies, which began to work in the online field from many years ago and have been building these online networks on other platforms, and I don't think that would be a smart strategy, either." Instead of emulating its competitors, Nintendo will be using Miiverse as the foundation to build its online platform on. Although the Nintendo president enthusiastically described the various social applications of the Wii U Miiverse, he did not address aspects such as multiplayer, market transactions and connectivity. "We think that one fun area of possibility, as we have discussed, is for people not just to enjoy the games but also communicate with others about topics relating to the games," he said. "We also believe that the 'Miiverse' will serve the purpose of giving people an opportunity to discover other games that they haven't yet started playing. "In other words, please think that we have built an integrated recommendation engine into the Wii U system's main menu screen." In the interview he also confirmed that Wii U will support free-to-play games and microtransactions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 So that means we won't all get our account details stolen by hackers and not be able to play online for months? Cool, I'm up for that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 It just gets worse and worse! Way to fuck up big time Nintendo! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 In a way I see what Nintendo are saying. Microsoft and Sony have both built their online systems into what they are today. So for Nintendo to come right in and emulate it may be tricky. Thing is though - how difficult can it actually be? Surely they must know that if they want to win over some 'hardcore' gamers to this console then they have to at least be making progress in their online development. It seems they're not. Hmm. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 I hope this doesn't mean "we won't allow you to send messages or voice chat with friends while playing Nintendo games" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 That article doesn't really reveal anything Iwata hasn't already iterated. People should go back and watch Iwata's pre-E3 Nintendo Direct again. If you understand the point behind the Miiverse; the point behind trying to create a framework that is more of a 'social network' for users; the underpinning philosophy behind it that aims to address issues that have arisen from current frameworks... If you understand all that and just react with "well it's no XBL/PSN" purely because it's not trying to be, then I'm sorry but you're pretty much missing the point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 So that means we won't all get our account details stolen by hackers and not be able to play online for months? Cool, I'm up for that! Well at least we get a meaningful online experience on PS3...that's far more than a half arsed effort Nintendo will seemingly deliver. Also if Nintendo had a service worth hacking then I'm sure somebody could bring them down just as easily. Who we kidding hackers will bring down anything they but their mind to. In honesty this doesn't need to have been said by Nintendo. Just go about your business. It could be translation errors but I'd like to think they mean out of the box it won't provide this level of service. I do also not completely buy into his viewpoint....if you notice the difference between say what PS2 and Xbox offered online they made huge leaps to the next gen (ok Sony not as much as Microsoft but still a big leap from the likes of SOCOM's online offering on PS2) why can Nintendo not make the same leaps? They've had DS, Wii and 3DS all with their own robust and functional online services to tinker with for years. I like some of the social side to the miiverse but I still feel very much like the basics we take for granted with the in game XMB and hitting the xbox button on 360 will still be hard to do on Wii U. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) Misleading article is misleading. Here's the actual full quote from Iwata himself... Edit: Holy shit! How fucking unprofessional! They don't even link to the original source!!! See the original Nintendo transcript here: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/120606qa/02.html (page 2) On the other hand, though, I think that what we see in terms of online gaming networks on existing dedicated gaming platforms is not particularly well suited to the approach Nintendo has taken. Therefore, I can’t sit here and say to you that we can very quickly overcome or catch up to other companies, which began to work in the online field from many years ago and have been building these online networks on other platforms, and I don’t think that would be a smart strategy, either. We have been discussing what to do next under these circumstances and “Miiverse,” which I told you about in the pre-E3 Nintendo Direct presentation, is one of the new directions that Nintendo will be taking. We think that one fun area of possibility, as we have discussed, is for people not just to enjoy the games but also communicate with others about topics relating to the games. Even if they are in distant locations and not playing together in the same place or at the same time, they have an opportunity to “empathize” with one another. And we believe that the Mii characters that were born on the Wii console will become an important asset in achieving this. What he's actually saying here is that they're not going to consciously play "catch up" because they're not trying to replicate XBL or PSN, they're going in a different direction (the typical Nintendo attitude of marching to their own drumbeat) There's no admittance that the competition is ahead or admittance of defeat. That's the article author's own horseshit that he's put into Iwata's mouth here. Instead of trying to take on PSN or XBL head-on with fully open communication, achievements and everything that 12 year old dudebro fratboys love, they're trying to make a network that appeals to both the "casual" audience, the "core" audience AND the 12 year old frat boys. Edit: Please don't give shitty sites like C&VG clicks. In fact, just don't trust them period. Always read the original source! Edited June 13, 2012 by Dcubed Calling out bullshit unprofessionalism Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 I'll be happy as long as we get some great eShop-games like on XBLA and free online gaming. Everything else is just not necessary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 This really is just the media not actually paying attention...CVG is turning into the Daily Mail of UK gaming sites, and it's sad Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 Nintendo are setting up a new office block with an online infrastructure team in there don't forget, so they're actively investing R&D into this specific area, so, whatever is all I can say really... Sony and MS will eventually end up ripping off Nintendo's online structure. Fact. :wink: I think a lot of people looking to Nintendo to just replicate MS verbatim were just setting themselves up for disappointment, but were you ever really going to be anything other than a multi-platform owner? You can't have your cake and eat it unless you are so think on. At least they will have the option to update the system if they receive enough complaints/requests. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 So that means we won't all get our account details stolen by hackers and not be able to play online for months? Cool, I'm up for that! At least they get online in the first place! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 I still remain pessimistic and until Nintendo themselves announce the ability to talk with friends via cross chat ( talking to people is a big social thing ) they can kiss my overly hairy man butt when it comes to their online setup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 I still remain pessimistic and until Nintendo themselves announce the ability to talk with friends via cross chat ( talking to people is a big social thing ) they can kiss my overly hairy man butt when it comes to their online setup. Well Miiverse is something that's always accessible even while playing a game right? You can communicate across different games through that! (although voice chat is naturally still up in the air ATM) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 What is so good about cross game chat? i can understand in game chat on say rainbow 6 to improve the game experience, but trying to chat to your friends while playing a different game is just irritating. I tried it once while playing mass effect 3, i had to pause the game and then it was just a phone call on a console. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 Want a laugh? Check out this 8 page long cesspool that has developed on GAF as a result of this article http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=478278 This pic sums it up pretty nicely Good God! I'm so glad I left that place Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 Yeah. For cross game chat, can you not just call each other over Skype or something? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 Usher and who making a new album? I swear I didn't make that mock up!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 13, 2012 Well at least we get a meaningful online experience on PS3...that's far more than a half arsed effort Nintendo will seemingly deliver. Also if Nintendo had a service worth hacking then I'm sure somebody could bring them down just as easily. Who we kidding hackers will bring down anything they but their mind to. In honesty this doesn't need to have been said by Nintendo. Just go about your business. It could be translation errors but I'd like to think they mean out of the box it won't provide this level of service. I do also not completely buy into his viewpoint....if you notice the difference between say what PS2 and Xbox offered online they made huge leaps to the next gen (ok Sony not as much as Microsoft but still a big leap from the likes of SOCOM's online offering on PS2) why can Nintendo not make the same leaps? They've had DS, Wii and 3DS all with their own robust and functional online services to tinker with for years. I like some of the social side to the miiverse but I still feel very much like the basics we take for granted with the in game XMB and hitting the xbox button on 360 will still be hard to do on Wii U. I'm not flaming here I promise, but what IS this meaningful online experience? Because the PS3 and the vita are the slowest clumsiest online systems Ive ever owned. The wii and 3DS are faster and the 3DS has a better online store in terms of UI. The 3DS and the VC also produce the best digital download content going (this is highly subjective). More PS games are actually online, but is this the system or jus the developers? The only thing I can see is game invites and instant messaging. This is surely piece of piss to replicate. The other aspect is Playstation Plus, which is brilliant, but again more of an offer and actually a way to make money. I guess, in all honesty, barring the fact that Nintendo don't put games online very often; what actually would the Wii U be missing? Serious question. It sounds like all games will be downloadable, we now have accounts, it is easy to add friends and such, there are accomplishments. So what are people worried about will be missing compared to Sonys feature filled service? Again, I sound like I'm taking the piss, I'm not, I've always thought it when people bring it up, and I'm always a bit confused as to what is so good, other than the fact the most games are actually online. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 14, 2012 While I agree that it may be hard to catch up to Xbox Live (which is helped by a paid subscription), they should be able to do something to the level of the PS3, which has a fairly basic online system. In terms of eShop and stuff - since Nintendo announced that most main 3DS games will be downloadable, the 3DS is better than the Vita in this regard. Even through the Vita was pretty much designed for digital games, there is one massive flaw with it: 32GB SD Card: £15-£20 32GB Vita Card: £60 Not to mention that retail shops can have sales and offers on them. I wonder if sites like ShopTo will be able to sell the codes at a slightly cheaper price to the boxed games at launch, as it will save them on postage (they do instant codes for other things). Here is what it needs (rather than just what would be nice): - Online play (obviously) - Better join/invite system. The join function for the 3DS is quite poor. You shouldn't have to exit and re-load if you're currently playing the right game, and an invite option is very handy. - Voice chat - while I can see Nintendo making voice chat not available among randoms in games like Mario Kart, they should still make voice chat available among friends in the game lobby. - Fast messaging system (already implemented) - Account system so you can login on other consoles (confirmed) - Good shop, the Wii U will probably the easiest one to browse. Browsing Xbox Markeyplace form a console is awful (I have to use the website), and the PSN is fairly slow. Things that would be a nice bonus - Cross-game party chat. - A way to browse achievements for all games on the console (rather than having to go into each individual game to look at them). - A web store like Xbox Live, although this is unlikely as Sony don't even have one. - A big firmware update for the 3DS to enable accounts - linking the Miiverse, messages, friends, eShop. - Further to this - the sharing of Virtual Console games between Wii and 3DS. - Gift Games (I'm not sure if the 3DS does this, but the Wii does, right?) - Demos required for downloadable (not the full-retail downloads) games. All the bits under the "need" list should be pretty simple for Nintendo to implement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 14, 2012 To be honest, Nintendo have made major strides in the right direction. Toward the end of the Wii they've made all the right moves with online - including open voice chat in games that wanted to implement it. I think Nintendo aren't trying to replicate the other online systems, but build their own which will operate in a different way. I liked the Miiverse idea and think as long as they keep moving in the right direction they'll come up with something good and unique, which as Madeinbeats said will probably end up being ripped off by MS and Sony, just like motion controls and Miis did! The most important thing for me in online games on WiiU is voice chat and headset compatibility. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 14, 2012 I liked the Miiverse idea and think as long as they keep moving in the right direction they'll come up with something good and unique, which as Madeinbeats said will probably end up being ripped off by MS and Sony, just like motion controls and Miis did! Really ?! I'm sure the Sidewinder had motion control years before the wii came out. And Miiverse look like a cartoon version of PsHome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 14, 2012 I'm sure the Sidewinder had motion control years before the wii came out. And Miiverse look like a cartoon version of PsHome It looks noting like PS Home. I don't even know why PS Home exists or is still updated - it's completely disconnected from the entire console and software. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 14, 2012 Despite my issues with Nintendos online setup I do quite like the look of the Miiverse. It has that quirkiness to it that Nintendo are so good at doing. I hope the expand the world of the Miis a lot more though. I know they mentioned they will have more custom options this time around, but I really want them to go nuts with it. I'm still amazed at what people did with the Wii Miis with what little they had to work with. I really enjoyed that Mii channel on the Wii. It was nice to see the top 100 and then being able to transfer them to your console and add them to your games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 14, 2012 The thing is... Miiverse just sounds a bit like this forum, except you have to access it through a slightly clunky Wii Game Pad, and your posts might get censored and take longer to get through. Also the whole recommendation thing is a little bit... weak. I don't need to go to my Nintendo console for recommendations... I look at proper reviews, etc. If it's just going to be a way for Nintendo to say "Have you tried playing New Super Mario Bros U yet?" it'll be a bit disappointing. I don't like the way Nintendo treat multiplayer and online in general, as a treat. It should be standard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
