I hope Valve's Steam wins out, if Origin gains exclusivity on WiiU it would be a terrible move...

Via NeoGaf:

Exclusive: EA Origin to be a key element of Nintendo’s online strategy?

Quote:

http://wiiugo.com/exclusive-ea-origi...line-strategy/

Forbes Interview with Reggie Fils-Aime

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2011/07/05/nintendo-reggie-fils-aime-wii-u/

Your online services are very different than what your competitors offer. Isn’t something missing, that you can’t offer the sort of experience I can get on Xbox Live?

I don’t think it is an issue for us, and here’s why. We’ve seen what our competitors have done, and we’ve acknowledged that we need to do more online, starting with the launch of our eShop on Nintendo 3DS, and we’re going to continue to build our online capability.For Wii U, we’re going to take that one step further, and what we’re doing is creating a much more flexible system that will allow the best approaches by independent publishers to come to bear. So instead of a situation where a publisher has their own network and wants that to be the predominant platform, and having arguments with platform holders, we’re going to welcome that. We’re going to welcome that from the best and the brightest of the third party publishers.

Something from NeoGAF...on a website that I've never heard of...getting a rumor this big?

I'm not clicking that link, as I'm not going to feed clicks.

@jakob187 said:

Something from NeoGAF...on a website that I've never heard of...getting a rumor this big?

I'm not clicking that link, as I'm not going to feed clicks.

It's well documented Nintendo have given developers free reign to develop their own online systems for the console, this however pertains to an integral system, which for the winner could potentially pull in vast profits given Nintendo's core audience numbers.

If there's no Spyware crap, I guess I could be OK with Origin, but I'd much prefer to have access to my current Steam accounts.

Who the fuck is WiiUGo and why should I believe a single thing they have to say?

And yeah, Nintendo working closely with EA of all people to develop the systems's online infrastructure sounds really likely.

@Contro: I remember hearing that Nintendo has been open to people developing online systems for it, but that platform already exists: the PC. If Nintendo wants to just reinvent the wheel with a new-fangled controller, that's good on them. However, trying to have Origin or Steam or whatever else anyone brings onto the system is just ridiculous. It means that Ubisoft would probably bring their shitty DRM onto the console...or THQ would bring their shit over.

@iAmJohn said:

Who the fuck is WiiUGo and why should I believe a single thing they have to say?

And yeah, Nintendo working closely with EA of all people to develop the systems's online infrastructure sounds really likely.

Yet again, it's well documented.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2011/07/05/nintendo-reggie-fils-aime-wii-u/

Your online services are very different than what your competitors offer. Isn’t something missing, that you can’t offer the sort of experience I can get on Xbox Live?

I don’t think it is an issue for us, and here’s why. We’ve seen what our competitors have done, and we’ve acknowledged that we need to do more online, starting with the launch of our eShop on Nintendo 3DS, and we’re going to continue to build our online capability.For Wii U, we’re going to take that one step further, and what we’re doing is creating a much more flexible system that will allow the best approaches by independent publishers to come to bear. So instead of a situation where a publisher has their own network and wants that to be the predominant platform, and having arguments with platform holders, we’re going to welcome that. We’re going to welcome that from the best and the brightest of the third party publishers.

I cannot think of a bigger combination of "meh" in the gaming industry than the WiiU and Origin

@iAmJohn said:

Nintendo working closely with EA of all people to develop the systems's online infrastructure sounds really likely.

Yeah, when the company is getting third parties like WB, THQ, and others to offer their games on Origin as well, it's definitely LIKELY. It's just that anyone looking at the source will say "BIIIIIG grain of salt".

It doesn't mean that there can't be discussion about it.

@BabyChooChoo said:

I cannot think of a bigger combination of "meh" in the gaming industry than the WiiU and Origin

I doubt any such system will be like the PC service, and do what that does. Nintendo have their own rules to abide by also, so any third party that comes on board will need to abide to certain privacy laws, already in place. I doubt EA or Valve will care.

If Origin will be on Wii U I will be very amazed.

Valve is a much better fit, it has a family like feel to it which fits well with Nintendo overall policy. I'd like to see them win. I could see them doing some very cool Nintendoey interface stuff, being big fans of the company, who have said they're eager to work on WiiU.

“We’ve always loved Nintendo. Now it’s a lot easier to look at Wii U and have it fit within that framework.”

- Gabe Newell

I hope Steam, I expect Origin.

EA are too greedy. I see no reason why both cannot exist on the platform, like with gamers PC's. Nintendo must surely see that it's better to give more options to users, but quelling EA's demands here may prove difficult.

@jakob187 said:

It doesn't mean that there can't be discussion about it.

When did I say there couldn't be? You sure are finding a lot of words to put in my mouth from me saying "I have never heard of this source that is saying things that sound preposterous so therefore I do not believe it."

@Contro: There's a big difference between Nintendo taking criticism to heart and being willing to work with publishers to give them the experiences they want to create (which is already hard to believe considering just how rigidly Nintendo has spent the past ten years handling online, be it in GameCube internet adapters being ridiculously expensive and hard to find (and I should know this - I have two of those damn Broadband Adapters!) or their complete unwillingness to budge from WiiWare's 40 MB cap that ultimately led to Team Meat bailing on putting Super Meat Boy out for it) and them turning things over cart blanche to an outside service like Steam or Origin. Nintendo has always been about doing things in house and their own way, why would they then pull a complete about face and get other companies into the fold, too? And really, what does any of this even mean? We're going to get the Steam/Origin UI? The friends list? The store? Will I be able to access all of the stuff I've purchased on either service on my Wii U? This all sounds like a lot of nonsense, especially to be coming out of this site no one has ever heard of with a great source like "a dude who interns for EA or something."

I hope Steam, I expect Origin.

Sounds like bullshit.

But I wouldn't put it past Nintendo to slap Origin on their next platform and expect it to work.

This seems unlikely, considering Nintendo fear the internet in the same way choir boys fear Catholic priests.

Origin on Wii U would be the final nail in the coffin of my disinterest for the Wii U. Those other nails being resistive touch, keeping the wii-mote and of course only one screen controller per system.

The thing that has me worried is that they are talking about letting all of these publishers use their own systems for their games. How is that going to work? Will I have to have multiple different accounts for each of the publishers systems all with different UI for finding friends to play with and matchmaking? If that is the case, no thanks.

@iAmJohn said:

@jakob187 said:

It doesn't mean that there can't be discussion about it.

When did I say there couldn't be? You sure are finding a lot of words to put in my mouth from me saying "I have never heard of this source that is saying things that sound preposterous so therefore I do not believe it."

@Contro: There's a big difference between Nintendo taking criticism to heart and being willing to work with publishers to give them the experiences they want to create (which is already hard to believe considering just how rigidly Nintendo has spent the past ten years handling online, be it in GameCube internet adapters being ridiculously expensive and hard to find (and I should know this - I have two of those damn Broadband Adapters!) or their complete unwillingness to budge from WiiWare's 40 MB cap that ultimately led to Team Meat bailing on putting Super Meat Boy out for it) and them turning things over cart blanche to an outside service like Steam or Origin. Nintendo has always been about doing things in house and their own way, why would they then pull a complete about face and get other companies into the fold, too? And really, what does any of this even mean? We're going to get the Steam/Origin UI? The friends list? The store? Will I be able to access all of the stuff I've purchased on either service on my Wii U? This all sounds like a lot of nonsense, especially to be coming out of this site no one has ever heard of with a great source like "a dude who interns for EA or something."

I really don't think the issues you raised will be present with WiiU, Nintendo are already showing signs of change in respect to their online strategy for 3DS, they're doing some really cool shit, stuff you don't even find on Live or PSN. Take Mario Kart 7 as a prime example, starting next month 3DS users will be able to create their own private servers, their own community page and have a selection of options a community creator can set, and you now add people to your community directly from your friends list eliminating FC's.

I think it's safe to say WiiU will have similar online features.

I hope Steam, I expect Origin.

@Havox said:

The thing that has me worried is that they are talking about letting all of these publishers use their own systems for their games. How is that going to work? Will I have to have multiple different accounts for each of the publishers systems all with different UI for finding friends to play with and matchmaking? If that is the case, no thanks.

Very unlikely, Nintendo will aim to keep it as easy as possible, this is Nintendo we're talking about. They will probably use something akin to the community pages I mention above.

If they think the 3DS eShop is a step in the right direction for their online distribution, it doesn't give me much hope for their future. 
 
@Contro said:

I really don't think the issues you raised will be present with WiiU, Nintendo are already showing signs of change in respect to their online strategy for 3DS, they're doing some really cool shit, stuff you don't even find on Live or PSN. Take Mario Kart 7 as a prime example, starting next month 3DS users will be able to create their own private servers, their own community page and have a selection of options a community creator can set, and you now add people to your community directly from your friends list eliminating FC's.

I think it's safe to say WiiU will have similar online features.

@WinterSnowblind said:

If they think the 3DS eShop is a step in the right direction for their online distribution, it doesn't give me much hope for their future.

@Contro said:

I really don't think the issues you raised will be present with WiiU, Nintendo are already showing signs of change in respect to their online strategy for 3DS, they're doing some really cool shit, stuff you don't even find on Live or PSN. Take Mario Kart 7 as a prime example, starting next month 3DS users will be able to create their own private servers, their own community page and have a selection of options a community creator can set, and you now add people to your community directly from your friends list eliminating FC's.

I think it's safe to say WiiU will have similar online features.

You mean like every single Xbox/PC/PS3 game?

The finalised version of the eShop launches this month, what we have now is a filler service.

Please be more specific, what are you asking me?

I don't think it's a finalized version, just a more up-to-date one. I think the next logical step is an account system that isn't system-based. It's a big reason why they don't get a good chunk of that sweet, sweet DD money.

I don't think EA want non EA games on Origin. They want it to be an EA exclusive service. I can see Nintendo having their own download service on the WiiU, and having EA's pages branded as Origin, but the whole service won't be branded Origin. And even if it was, it won't be the same as the PC service, it'll just be branded as Origin. The same if "Steam" comes to WiiU. It won't be Steam as we know it on PC. It'll be an entirely new thing that is just branded as Steam for marketing reasons. In reality it'll make no difference whether Origin or Steam wins this. It'll be the same basic service, it'll just have different branding. And there is not necessarily any truth to this rumour at all. It's on a random site I've never heard of - it's more likely that they're just making shit up to get pageviews.

@WinterSnowblind said:

@Contro: If they're updating it, that's a good sign, but the thing never should have been launched in this state. And it was a statement, not a question. What Mario Kart is doing is good in that it's the first Nintendo game to really have a decent online infrastructure, but it's far from unique. The Xbox and PS3 provide features and options like that as universally as a standard system for online games, and most of them have specific websites for more in depth player profiles, etc. It's great that they're finally learning, but I'm not going to applaud them for something that's been the norm since 2005.

I know they shouldn't have, but they rushed it out as we all know, Also, there was another reason (below). Some aspects are barely decent, while others are just bad. The titles of some sections are just nonsense, they don't make things easier at all, whoever devised some of them really is an idiot.

@KingBroly:

That's what I meant, I only used that wording because when they released the current build they always said it was work in progress. The reason for the delay was Asus (PC making company) buying out the Taiwanese based company that Nintendo uses to develop these systems on both Wii and 3DS currently, The buy-up by Asus is good news as it means we are far more likely to get better quality systems now.

@Contro: The same nintendo that decided Friend Codes are a great idea?

I doubt it will be called Origin, Nintendo wouldn't allow another name from another company to be on their infrastructure. I do think that EA is or has already been commissioned to build out the infrastructure since internally I'm sure Nintendo realizes they do not have the capabilities or resources to devout to a good online system that mirrors XBLA or PSN.