Nintendo to introduce online play charges
Wii Points inflation
Nintendo has announced plans to rake in even more cash out of the Wii. It will begin charging gamers to play some video games online over the console's Wi-Fi link.
Dubbed Wi-Fi Connection Pay and Play, the service will see virtual red stickers added to certain titles to highlight to users that they must pay to play them online.
Although a formal pricing strategy hasn’t been detailed yet, Nintendo did say that gamers will pay for titles using Wii Points, the console’s virtual currency.
Gamers can already play lots of titles online for free and some content is expect to remain free of charge, but probably not the best stuff.
Nintendo’s not alone in charging users to access online content. Xbox 360 owners can already access games and other material through the console’s Xbox Live service, but gamers are offered a staggered pricing strategy. For example, the gold-level membership, which claims to offer exclusive content, costs £40 (€60/$80) per year, while access to the silver level is free.
COMMENTS
Sky
"OK, if you want to be anal about it, Its like Sky charging people to watch a channel that is broadcast on a satellite completely outside of Sky's control (e.g. Hotbird) just because they are using a Sky supplied receiver."
Which of course they don't do. Instead, they charge broadcasters to allow people to watch channels broadcast on a satellite outside of Sky's control using a Sky supplied receiver.
Nintendo = Paypal of sorts?
Maybe they're just creating a means for everyone to purchase 'gaming points' (or watever they eventually call em) for access to subscription based games such as MMO's and the like.
People are more likely the trust the big N with thier CC details on the nice friendly wii screen than screen in the game that pops up and asks for yer info.
It doesn't have to be all 'oh noes i can't play teh mario kartzoooooorsss'
Big effin deal.
The WoW effect!
Surely Nintendo are just allowing the established MMORPG finance model used by World Of Warcraft to work on their machine. This news just opens the door for Blizzard and Co to start developing games on a platform they couldn't consider before.
I'm sure Mummy has a tissue to hand for all those who are having a little cry right now, bless.
Oh dear....
I've never agreed with paying for online use of a game...If a game is 39.99 you shouldn't need to shell out another tenner a month to play it.
This doesn't apply to existing games :) only the new ones with red stickers (every game with internet play thats awaiting release from now on I bet).
Smash bro's and mario kart will no doubt have it...mmm bad move nintendo very bad move.....sounds like Nini are getting a little bit greedy.
@AC with a poor recapping habit
Your recap was merely a restating of your somewhat slanted opinions.
Let's recap first with regard to the story;
Nintendo is going to start charing for online gaming with games people already bought!? Bad move. As someone else pointed out, if you buy a game and it has an online component you don't expect to pay again for the same game. With MMORPGs you pay very little for the game (if anything) because the subscription fee is the point of the game. Bad move by Nintendo. Microsoft has a reputation for the whole nickel and dime thing. Now it looks like Nintendo wants to take the crown for it.
Now your recap....
Xbox - $50 a year for online gaming and downloads. Network purchasable games are extra. Silver doesn't get you much more than updates and promos. Many games are simply the Xbox360 update on earlier games, some new ones such as Gears or Bioshock.
PS3 - Free to play, no subscription charge to play or download. Network purchasable games are extra. Many games are updates on earlier generations games, such as GT5, FFXII, COD4. Some new games such as Resistance, MotorStorm or Uncharted. New to console franchise such as UTIII using keyboard and mouse a la PC gaming.
Wii - Some free to play, some not. Many old franchises in their umpteenth iteration. New games mainly group/activity based and not online.
PC gaming - rampant piracy making it hard for game publishers to justify PC releases. PC cost to run 'current' games is high thanks to GPU requirements. Microsoft charges $200 admission to Windows, though many games feature free online play. MMORPG games are big on PC, but cost $$ in subs.
Relative cost of each platform. Xbox360 and PS3 a wash, with Xbox 360 working out slightly more expensive in typical use configurations. Wii clearly the cheaper option. PCs with an upgrade at least every two year to remain current with PC gaming - expensive. Not forgetting the Windows tax, and should MS go the way it is moving, Windows Live (like XBL, but for PCs) will be a 'huge success'....
Relative evilness of each provider. Microsoft - Evil to the core, knows it does wrong and congratulates itself when it does it, knowingly supplied poorly tested products to consumers (Vista, Xbox 360, Windows ME, various versions of Office, Zune, IE, etc...). Sony - Evil division BMG limited to music (BMG is the provider of rootkits and DRM to the world...), remainder of organization has chaotic tendencies, painfully aware of wrong doings thanks to media/fanboy campaign. Nintendo - arrogant and vision oriented but not evil, immaturely thinks it can do no wrong.
