Page 2
Yes, it is too late; now let me tell you why. I'm going to start off as Kenny did, and define for you all my definition of "too late". For me, the biggest meaning of this is bringing new things to the table. Nintendo has always stood for innovation, and that is even more apparent with the Wii, their new, revolutionary console. They want to do something new, something different then the medium, they want to bring it all to the table this generation, but tacking on online components is not innovative. Recreating what others have done, is not innovative. Nintendo is too late to the online game.
Xbox Live is the epitome of online gaming, and Microsoft knows this. Their pushing now for their "Live Anywhere", wherein you can chat with your online friends, compare scores, and check for updates no matter what medium your accessing it from. Multiplayer gaming of next-generation titles, Live Arcade games (of both the classic games and new games genre), and a friend system that actually works is where online gaming is at. Even Sony has taken notice, ditching their "let third parties deal with their own online" for something that is rumored to be similar, if not better then Microsoft's offering. Throw in the recent addition of downloadable PlayStation 1 games for the PSP, and Sony's online "HUB" is a complete package ready to compete against the venerable champion of Xbox Live.
Nintendo on the other hand, has their "free" Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Now, nomenclatures aside, the whole system just seems faulty. The "friend codes" is a laughable way of connecting with competitive users, and even if you want to try to meet new people via the internet, Nintendo has practically stopped any attempt at finding new gamers (Nintendo does not allow users of their online forum to pass along friend codes). Some of the greatest players I've played online in games have come from web forums or random matches themselves, but Nintendo doesn't even allow you to add gamers you've faced in random battles (which becomes extremely frustrating in Metroid Prime: Hunters). With both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 launching with Hard Disk Drives for storing content, it also seems like Nintendo is shooting themselves in the foot by simply including a pitiful 512MB of flash memory (though at the time of this writing, it is not confirmed how or if external storage devices may work for storing games and content). Then you have Nintendo's proud WiiConnect24, which sounds like a great idea, as long as you don't live in Europe. The British government is set to outlaw switches that allow TV's, DVD's, and other electronic devices (see: gaming consoles) from going into stand-by mode, which is what Nintendo's WiiConnect24 is expected to utilize. It was a good effort at least.
Sony and Microsoft are both focusing on gaming content and delivering great online experiences, wherein Nintendo is trying to hamper the experience over apparentness of being afraid to be sued. Parents need to control what their kids do online, not corporations, so not only is Nintendo late to the game, but their putting in a half assed effort.
It is absolutely not too late for Nintendo to take their console online. To say that just because Nintendo's entering later than Microsoft and Sony means that they won't bring anything new to online console gaming is ludicrous - this is Nintendo we're talking about, after all. I was disappointed with their online offerings on the DS, but I understand where they're coming from. Nintendo's always been a family-friendly brand, and to have that image tainted by somebody offering candy from a van isn't a risk they can take. Nintendo discourages Friend Code sharing on their own forums, but so what? Nintendo's forums aren't by any means the only method of communication over the Internet, and I know for a fact that it hasn't hampered my gathering the codes for my friends' games.
I'm of the opinion that Nintendo's much better off entering the game now rather than never. If Nintendo can find a way to make Virtual Console games playable online, there wouldn't be any contest about which company's online system is superior. Even a ladder ranking system would be fun and a quality use of WiiConnect24. Do I think either of these will happen? No. The potential's there, though, so I'm not ruling them out completely. The fact is that the Wii hold enormous possibilities for online innovation, and I don't see the 512 megabytes of flash memory being a hinderance, either. Case in point: Newegg's currently selling a 4 gigabyte SecureDigital card for $60. That's the price of a game for the Xbox 360 and presumably the Playstation 3, so logically enough a player could own three or four of these, should the need even arise to have over 15 gigabytes of data saved for the Wii. Honestly, I'm extremely excited about Nintendo's online future. The potential for innovation is astronomical.
