Nintendo: Our online system has significantly improved

The Wii's online system wasn't exactly exemplary.

Little to nothing is known about the Wii U’s online system except for the fact that we can expect some details in a few days time. The little we do know is that while speaking to Game Trailers, Reggie promised that the Wii U’s online systems would have all the capability of PSN and Xbox Live.

Now in an interview with Eurogamer, Nintendo marketing manager, Rob Lowe has assured us that they have made significant improvements to their online systems and that it will be significantly better than the Wii’s.

Rob Lowe explained that online gaming was more inportant now than when the Wii launched in 2006:

I think that in a similar way that we waited until HD technology was almost ubiquitous before we went in there with an HD console, it’s similar with the penetration of Wi-Fi… I think now almost every home has Wi-Fi or broadband. It’s a universal truth that everybody is connected online and that wasn’t the case when the Wii came out five years ago.

He used the 3DS’s improvements over the DSi to explain how much they have improved the Wii U’s online systems from that of the Wii.

We can’t talk about the details yet as Mr Iwata will announce those slightly later. But with the online of 3DS it’s obviously a massive leap on from where we were with DSi and DSi XL. It’s smooth, robust, it doesn’t drop in and out…

The friend code system has also been refined. It still exists but in the same way that you’d need to pair up with friends on PSN or Xbox live. Now it’s much closer to that kind of online gaming experience than what it was before. (editorial note: he is talking about friend codes in the context of the 3DS’s online system, not the Wii U’s)

What would you like to see in the Wii U’s online system?

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Comments, Reactions, and General Hooliganism

  1. Jmaster720

    WHO THE IDIOT WHO THOUGHT FRIEND CODES WAS A GREAT IDEA ANYWAY!!!!!!

    • Epic Kirby

      They just wanted to protect kids or whatever. Ninendo is very encompassing, they like their software to be accessible by everyone.

  2. George Tirebiter

    Feld0, please amend this article to point out that Nintendo did NOT jonfirm friend codes for the Wii U. You already said Lowe was basing his theory off of the 3DS, but it really needs to be highlighted to avoid “OMG, Nintendo failed again” comments.

    I mentioned this idea here a while back, but since Nintendo’s intent with FC’s was child security they should relocate it as an option in the Parental Controls section of the console. When disabled, the player would never have to deal with them unless playing with a protected child. That sounds wrong, but that’s how it would work.

    • zxride64

      What you said about the way to use the FC’s is the same idea i have for it.

  3. josh dale possible news

    wii U wont have dvd or bluray playback functionality

    http://www.videogamer.com/news/no_dvd_playback_for_wii_u.html

  4. josh dale possible news

    wii U hardware supports in theory upto 6 streaming controllers

    http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rumor/26828