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View Full Version : Wii Online - Gamespy and Nintendo Team Up


thelocaluk
13-03-2007, 03:40 PM
As part of its ongoing relationship with Nintendo, GameSpy has developed middleware technology to enable community features in Wii games.

GameSpy will offer the multiplayer technology to game publishers developing titles for the Wii. The middleware technology will make it simple for Wii titles to feature community features such as friend rosters, advanced matchmaking and ranking data.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GameSpy, a unit of Fox Interactive Media, announced today that it will provide multiplayer technology to game publishers developing titles for Nintendo’s Wii™ video game system. As part of an ongoing partnership with Nintendo, GameSpy has developed middleware technology to enable Wii titles to offer community features, such as friend rosters, advanced matchmaking capabilities and comprehensive rankings data.

"This partnership will expand our wireless community of players on Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection," said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Millions of Nintendo DS users have already logged on using GameSpy’s technology, and now Wii owners will be able to do the same in a fun and easy-to-use environment."

"Nintendo has been an invaluable partner and we look forward to expanding our relationship with them in the future," said Jamie Berger, Senior Vice President of Consumer Products and Technology for IGN Entertainment. "Our goal is to extend our ground-breaking work on the Nintendo DS to provide Wii users with the social, community and multiplayer tools that we believe will expand the online gaming experience to the mass market."

Pokémon® Battle Revolution, the first Wii game to utilize the technology, launches on June 25, with multiplayer features similar to those leveraging GameSpy technology in several Nintendo DS titles.

Prior to this development agreement for Wii, GameSpy and Nintendo brought gamers wireless community options for Nintendo DS™. The service provided an innovative network for portable video games, allowing people around the world to link easily and wirelessly to play games. The partnership represented GameSpy’s first foray into portable games.

thelocaluk
13-03-2007, 09:03 PM
It appears that future online gaming on the Wii will take place through this Nintendo gaming hub so you may want to start getting familiar with it if you've never visited this site before: http://www.nintendowifi.co.uk/global/index.jsp

huzzellio
13-03-2007, 09:32 PM
Looks like it's all DS at the moment. Any word on when the Wii online will go live?

thelocaluk
13-03-2007, 09:40 PM
Looks like it's all DS at the moment. Any word on when the Wii online will go live?
Not yet but it will be using the same portal the DS uses :wink:

huzzellio
13-03-2007, 09:41 PM
Looks good though. I play my PS2 online and can't wait to start doing the same with the Wii.

den's domain
22-03-2007, 03:31 AM
finally some online games! that's whaat I've been wating for!

thelocaluk
22-03-2007, 06:58 PM
This is sourced from WiiNetwork.co.uk (http://www.wii-network.co.uk/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1174584681&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&):

I emailed Nintendo asking them to confirm if there will be individual friend rosters for each game, as implied by the Falafelkid and GameSpy interview. Nintendo confirmed this through this email they sent me:

Hello,I can confirm that the Friend Code system in the Wi-Fi Connection (WFC) servicefor Wii will be the same as it was for the Nintendo DS, meaning game-specificFriend Codes and a separate Friend Roster are used in each game where playerscan play with identified friends. As with Nintendo DS, the system was createdto ensure the gaming environment is kept fun for everyone. We have heard from various others like you letting us know how they feltregarding Nintendo's implementation of Friend Codes in the Wi-Fi Connectionservice for Wii. I want you to know that we appreciate your passion andconcern. Let me assure you that your concerns have been heard and will beforwarded along. As always, keep an eye on our website (www.nintendo.com) forthe latest developments in Wi-Fi gaming as they are made available.Nintendo of America Inc.R.M. Rickets

If they have heard our concerns than why do they not address them by having a universal friend code system? I cannot see the justification for not having a universal friend code system. I accept that Nintendo know better than me on this matter and hopefully reasoning for their determination to have individual friend rosters comes clear when they fully announce their online strategy.

demondave
22-03-2007, 07:21 PM
lol we are gonna need a friend code section on here just for all teh different games

huzzellio
22-03-2007, 07:30 PM
This is bad :(

thelocaluk
22-03-2007, 09:19 PM
lol we are gonna need a friend code section on here just for all teh different games

Yeah, we're organise the forum to cater for the different games, plus organise our own Wiifind members only tournaments.

Rob
24-03-2007, 09:58 AM
thats taking the **** a little, but spose it has to be done, oh well. we need to try and make it less jumbled up as the wii codes tho.