Nintendo president Iwata shoots down Wii MMO rumors
Thursday, February 7th, 2008 at 9:42am by Jack
Guitar playing canines around the world went silent today as news from Nintendo President Satoru Iwata all but confirmed the company had no plans to pursue MMO games for the Wii.
However, Iwata also said Nintendo would pursue MMO development only if the title could appeal to people of all ages, from “5 to 95,” just like a Christmas song. I’ll chalk his comments up in the “maybe sorta but not really” column.
A “game” like Second Life might spring to mind at this point, but the Nintendo chief dismissed a similar venture on a Nintendo platform out of hand. Basically, Iwata believes that “MMOs aren’t accessible to people without a fair degree of computer literacy, and that Nintendo would want to successfully cross that bridge before considering going the MMO route (Joystiq).”
I’m inclined to agree, but then again that’s probably due to the fact that I consider MMO and their vile MMORPG cousins massive wastes of time, life and money. You guys out there may feel differently. Leave your thoughts on Nintendo’s anti-MMO stance in the comments.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:06 am
i’m pretty disappointed by this. i mean, i’m not a huge mmo fan but i think it’s a neat idea for a wii (or ds) based mmo.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I think PC should stay home to MMO games, with games consoles, it should be limited to a set number of players, for the huge kinds, 32 or 64 player, any more than that on most games is just unneeded, and when it is needed, it may as well be on PC for the PC literate ’cause it’s when you get to the huge number of players that Iwata is right, it gets complicated for everyone, only some people can keep up.
Then again though, I’ve played games like FlyFF with people from all ages playing, one minute there was a 9 year old beating Aibatts up, the next some 45 year old was doing the same.
I suppose how its set up, a game like second life is jut too real and should never go anywhere near consoles, the amount of liars on games like that, that can actually really affect people in the real world is phenomenal. A lot of things that happen in second life shouldn’t be anywhere near accessible to all ages… Something the Wii and DS especially, were created for.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:55 am
I don’t really care for the existing batch of MMOs, but I’d love to see Nintendo’s take on the genre.
That is, assuming, I don’t have to enter a friend code for everyone who logs onto the server in order to interact with them.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
A MMO isn’t really like a needed thing but…
“Basically, Iwata believes that “MMOs aren’t accessible to people without a fair degree of computer literacy, and that Nintendo would want to successfully cross that bridge before considering going the MMO route”
What happened to hardcore support?
February 7th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I think a 3rd party needs to take up the slack. Raving Rabbids World anyone?
BWAAAAAH!
February 7th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Really an MMO is not a good idea… now animal crossing would be a good idea. But really is it really an MMO? Second life is very lame… Not even close to hardcore support. It’s just bad because money framing is a problem. ETC….
February 7th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
I think MMO”s are lame, but Nintendo is far lamer for rejecting the genre.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Pokemon MMO?
February 7th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I find the statements ridiculous, especially when Jack used Animal Crossing to illustrate this article! What about Animal Crossing: Wild World?? That game is practically an MMO, it just needs support for more players!
Why does Iawata think that Animal Crossing would need a fair degree of computer literacy??
February 7th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I hate MMO’s. My friend stopped playing FF11 because it was taking valuable time he could be spending with real people. I think mmo’s could be good if they were accessible and didn’t take so much freakin time
February 7th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I think they do have an MMO in the works, but it’s a competitor to PlayStation Home using Miis, and appeals to an audience from 5 to 95.
It is not like animal crossing.
Either that, or Nintendo is refusing to back away from the philosophy that brought us Friend Codes.
February 7th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
On the other hand, if Nintendo isn’t going to enter that market, someone else ought to do so on their console. There’s certainly demand.
Please do it without Friend Codes.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Normally, I’d disagree with Nintendo about something like this, as I think there is already an installed fan base in MMOs. But, without a feature like voice chat or any real supported way of communicating (even through text), a Nintendo MMO would fall apart very quickly. Nintendo’s obsession with online safety would not mend well with the MMO formula.
I’d like to see them try and experiment with it, though. I don’t necessarily think Animal Crossing is the proper route to take, but it’d be interesting to see what kind of property they come up with.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
No MMO Animal Crossing? No MMO Super Mario World? That’s really too bad. Could have been great.
Seriously, Friend Codes? WTF.
February 8th, 2008 at 12:27 am
I heard about a wii animal crossing, look on google. still its realy lame nintendo rejecked a animal crossing mmo…. maybe it will still come out…. AHHH! WHY did they put a animal crossing pic on the front?!
why the new smash bros has a animal crossing stage?! I CANT STAND IT!!!