How do you feel about “Wii no Ma?”
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 8:43am by ナオミ
Yesterday Nintendo opened up a new page for it’s forthcoming Wii Video Service Channel “Wii no Ma.” The channel, which will be released in Japan on May 1st, allows you to populate a room with up to eight Mii’s to live in a real time virtual life while you watch and rate original videos that are delivered through the Wii’s internet connection.
But the “Wii no Ma” room isn’t just a stylish Japanese table and a slick flat-panel TV for your Miis to enjoy. You can also use the in room calendar to get information and trivia about different dates and holidays, and travel to different partner businesses (say a fast-food chain) to download coupons to your DS and use at an actual store, or even sign up for free samples to be delivered right to your door!
While all of these features are certainly intriguing, I honestly think it is too hard to tell wheather this channel will be useful or just a beautified internet advertising scheme until I’ve actually had it on my Wii for a while. Sure it is exciting that you can sync videos with your DSi to watch on the go, but not if the videos aren’t any fun to watch in the first place. And with the vague promise of original content and no established series or shows it’s really anyone’s guess whether the “family friendly programming” will have more in common with the Discovery channel, or a video-segment on Sesame Street. On the other hand, new and original content could be just what the Wii needs to push it ahead of competing consoles video-services that focus mainly on media you can buy and see elsewhere.
Sometimes I feel that Wii Channels are either extremely useful and get checked often, or are download once and are rarely opened again, but I actually rather enjoy Nintendo’s video efforts in the “Everybody’s Nintendo Channel,” and I’m looking forward to seeing what “Wii no Ma” will bring to its iconic table. But what do you think? Are you chomping at the bit for more console video-distrbution or are you already bored by the whole concept to begin with? Oh and one more question: in Japan getting coupons through your cellphone has become extremely common at chain-restaurants and there’s little doubt the DS coupons will be similarly received, but what about in other parts of the world? Would you be embarassed to belly up to the counter with your DS to demand a free drink with your meal? Or would you go to a place you’d never even been to just to take advantage of your DS’s newfound barganing powers?
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:57 am
I like the idea of having a Mii “fishbowl” of sorts, but can’t say it would be much use otherwise.
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:26 am
This is nothing more than market research disguised in the form of gimped on demand video. However, I’m sure the faithful will find some way to declare this as far exceeding what Sony and MS offer.
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:42 am
According to Kotaku, users will also be able to rate the videos, which should help weed out the bad stuff (in theory).
As for the marketing, I don’t care for it, but compared to the 360, the Wii has 0 marketing in the gamer’s face right now. Even with Wii no Ma, the marketing is at your choosing.
Even with content details, I give a big thumbs up to Wii no Ma and want in the U.S. sooner than later because a) it provides another useful service for the Wii, b) it offers potentially entertaining content, and 3) it is interactive. (Again, as much as I like my 360, the Wii menu provides more user feedback than the 360 NXE.)
I would like to see more adult content (by which I mean intellectually adult, not violence or sex), but my kids will be interested in this, especially if there is Pokemon involved.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:17 am
I’d love to get discounts in any shape or form for being a Wii faithful. Unfortunately, I doubt this type of service would appear outside the US-Europe-Australia line… Meaning, for example, that the US would get it but South America wouldn’t.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:23 am
“This is nothing more than market research disguised in the form of gimped on demand video. However, I’m sure the faithful will find some way to declare this as far exceeding what Sony and MS offer.”
Hey Jack, can this be considered spam? I mean it really has nothing to do with the story and is trying to foment fanboy wars. You can block my comments too, so long as everybody else is spared this froth-mouthed 14-year-old.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:29 am
Jeff is right, but I didn’t want to say anything. DaveRage is that guy who goes to the carnival with everyone just to complain about the mouldy 3 month old cheese stuck between his butt cheeks, why bother coming here and stinking the place out (the smell of hotdogs [good posts] is just overwhelmed) when you can do that at home? Better yet, take the cheese out of there. HOW do you poop?
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:39 am
“I’m sure the faithful will find some way to declare this as far exceeding what Sony and MS offer.”
Well it’s very plainly obvious by now that you’re a viral market plant from Sony (I’ve seen your posts at other forums). So no, I don’t think Nintendo’s offering can exceed your disturbing dedication to advertising.
Please go outside or something, DaveRage. Your frail body must be craving sunlight. Maybe you can walk to the store to buy a PlayStation game. Oh wait, you get them for free.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:48 am
So spam equals disenting opinion supported by facts? Very well, gulty as charged.
The fact is, this service has you giving Nintendo your birthday, blood type, and enjoyment level of every video thrown your way. So yeah, you’re probably right, this has nothing to do with market research. My bad.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:01 am
Nobody said it wasn’t. Anywhere. Are you talking to someone else?
I’d hate for Nintendo to find out i’ve been playing Pikmin! They JUST MIGHT make a Pikmin 3! THE EVIL MONEY GRUBBERS! I’d HATE that!
The fact is, nobody cares. People do care about the smell though.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:01 am
No spam = “However, I’m sure the faithful will find some way to declare this as far exceeding what Sony and MS offer.”
Nobody has said this. You are being an agent provocateur of a fanboy war. It’s not funny nor clever. Seriously, stop.
Or don’t, it’s your choice, but you are probably driving away commentators and readers because nobody can stomach your insufferable dogma in every single comment section.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:08 am
I have no dogma, but I’ve found over these last few months that trying to speak to fanbois about the pro and cons of their favorite system, is just as useless as debating someone regarding their religious dogma. No matter what evidence you provide, they simple cover their ears and scream.
Consider yourselves blessed, I’m outta here
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:17 am
No you’re not. You’re reading this right now.
And you’re not trying to speak to anyone. Nothing you’ve said has had anything to do with comments here. You’re making people up. We’re not stupid.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:19 am
Yeah but none of those fanboys are here in this comment section. You preemptively reached your hand you to block comments nobody was making, and in looking like a fool, you just thrashed about and threw stuff around and grabbed a load of goat shit.
Besides, you are not the appointed high priest and judge of what is being a healthy fan or what is fanboyism and what isn’t. You aren’t some kind of “moderate” or “unbiased mediator” just because you own everything or because you play devil’s advocate all the time. That’s just arguing for arguments sake and IS fomenting useless arguments.
And thank GOD you are leaving. Hopefully you meant the site instead of just this post. That’s very noble of you.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:28 am
This definitely sounds interesting, but is there any word that it will actually make it to the US? This sounds a lot like a Japanese only kind of service.
If it ever does make it over-seas, I would like to give it a try, though.
Like they say, it really can’t hurt, and it might turn out being an incredible system.
I wonder how many blocks of memory it uses. Even though the Wii has now opened up the SD card support, I still had to erase a channel or 2 to allow the temporary transfer of my games from the SD card to the Wii’s memory.
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Yeah, this sounds cool, in a Japanese sort of way. I’m not sure how well it would translate into the NA market.
As for the thread within the thread,
“This is nothing more than market research disguised in the form of gimped on demand video. However, I’m sure the faithful will find some way to declare this as far exceeding what Sony and MS offer.”
Then he goes on to say….
“So spam equals disenting opinion supported by facts? Very well, gulty as charged.”
Ok, so my question is, how is a statement that doesn’t “dissent” with the story get defined as a dissenting opinion. The original story never claimed the service WASN”T about marketing. So to say it IS, isn’t dissent, it’s just trying to be a douche (and succeeding).
And, I’m reading it a third time and am unable to find where is comment is “supported by facts”. It’s a shame that some comments are so absolutely delusional as to think a grieftroll comment is someone a dissenting opinion, or that said opinion is somehow fact.
I’ll agree with another commenter, I think daverage is just teasing us when he says he’s leaving. I don’t think we could be so lucky.
All that being said, I LOVE dissenting opinions, I just prefer they be shared in at least a SOMEWHAT productive way, such that they foster further discussion and understanding, rather than flame wars. But maybe that’s just me.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I enjoy marketing. Especially if I get free stuff.
If the hardcopy stuff arrives in my mail box and I have no interest in in whatsoever, it goes into the recycle box immediately.
Spam email goes auto-magically into the junk folder. (Why is it I never get spam that interests me but I get all sorts of flyers at my door that do?)
As long as this channel has an easy system to sift through what I am interested in and an easy method to get rid of what I don’t, then I am all for it.
Bring it on.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
I, for one, would not be embarrassed to whip out my DS Lite loaded with a coupon on a store or restaurant. In fact, I think it would be kind of cool… and it would give me an excuse to bring my DS along everywhere other than playing Pokémon on every break.
But is there even a minuscule chance that a service like this will come to the U.S.?? We are still waiting on baseball stats transmitted on real-time to our DS from every stadium!
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:12 pm
[...] Read the original here: How do you feel about “Wii no Ma?” – Infendo – Nintendo news … [...]
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Ah; Nintendo’s so called television killer some exec in Japan was shuddering in fear for was released. Now if this starts gaining some traction with third party publishers then I would be gravely concerned in the television business. Right now; I’m not going to trumpet this as a second coming just yet. I think we should temper caution with the release at this point and let Mr. Iwata explain the service himself further which I’m sure he WILL next week when Nintendo release their year end finances.
Then again; I think the television exec is hiding their real fear that he cannot come up with ANY good content anymore. I mean; has there been any decent shows lately on television since I don’t know…2005?! Maybe there was one or two and I probably missed it while playing the latest video game or was asleep getting ready for work.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Give it to me now. RIGHT-
NOW.
I’m a fanboy by nature. Shut up.
User-generated only sounds disappointing…
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Look at advertisements?
Perhaps this could be a way to spread news about games in a more sociable way than the Nintendo Channel?
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I thought the Wii was getting a video service where you can watch episodes of popular TV shows and stuff.
I even saw photos of it on the ‘net. I’m guessing this is not it.
April 24th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
How about downloadable demos for the Wii from the Nintendo Channel?
April 24th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
@John,
Too good to be true. Never gonna happen. But yeah, I’d love to be wrong.
April 24th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
@ gojiguy:
That’s out. In Japan. Which this seems to be coming to only. Did I mention they also have a TV accessory/app for the DS/i?
Sigh…
April 25th, 2009 at 7:18 am
I’m really excited about Wii no Ma’s potential. As Iwata has said, even though technologies today have inherent similarities, Nintendo does different things with these services than competitors are doing.
In my personal opinion, Wii no Ma is much more welcoming to the user than the X360 video marketplace. I can’t comment on the PS3 service because I haven’t used it.
I’m also really pleased that Wii no Ma does more than act as an on-demand video service. I’ve noticed in the images of the TV that there seem to be game shows and things. I’m hoping I’m not making a false assumption, because these interactions would be greatly appreciated.
Hopefully, this service comes here sooner than later.
Also, I need more channels on my US Wii. Digicam Print Channel? Will you ever arrive? Hell, I wouldn’t mind the fortune telling one, either.