Wii Internet system update — who cares?
Tuesday, August 14th, 2007 at 12:35am by Jack
It could have just been my Wii, through chance or some weird defect that barred it from receiving the full firmware update from last week, but tonight as I prepared for bed in my Nintendo fanman Mother Brain boss chamber bedroom the ol’ blue light flickered to life once again. That’s three times in the past week and a half, for those of you still up and keeping score.
Anyway, after I finished up my DVR’d episodes of Entourage and Flight of the Conchords, I fired up the Wii, flicked my ancient Phillips HDTV tube over to AV5 (the NES, DVD player and SNES/N64 combo have the other AV channels — as if you care!), and watched what my newly updated system had to offer.
It was an Internet update, seemingly supplied by Nintendo to supplant the previous update, which was freezing up Wii’s that had tuned into the Internet Channel. Note I said “freezing” and not “bricked,” which is a term the world has reserved solely for the Xbox 360 and its robust new 3-year warranty program.
The update took all of 5 seconds to complete. How do I know? Because as I fuddled around with my Dell AC adapter to plug in my company supplied Latitude D620 for extended Infendo posting power, I knocked over my wireless router AND the RCN cable modem to which it has been faithfully attached for the the past year, and it became unplugged. I had thought this was directly in the middle of the firmware update, and I became angry. My swearing — which is usually reserved for cheap online Mario Strikers opponents who just love to use Dry Bones and Toad dekes against my goalie — was deemed largely unnecessary when I got back to the Wii. The system update, you see, was complete; a parental warning was staring me in the face telling me that the Internet was a bad place and that Dateline NBC was probably outside my door catching a predator or ten.
That’s all chaff though. Unimportant banter. Why? Because as soon as the update was complete I wasn’t thinking at all about the Internet Channel, or the Weather Channel or the News Channel (although I did check the New Channel to see if my Wii’s online connection was intact). What I immediately thought was “who the hell cares?”
Now, please please please don’t confuse this post with an attack on Nintendo’s online strategy. It’s not Xbox Live, we all accept that. It probably never will be. There’s positives and negatives in that admonition, but they won’t be rehashed, analyzed or nit picked in this post.
What this post is, is an observation. A timely one at that; one that could not have been made without a few select events from last week and today. But before we can begin, I need you all to say something out loud: “Online play is not important.” UPDATE and EDIT: I’m not taking anything back from this post, but I think as things stand now I wrote poorly. So, here’s an amendment: “Online play is not as important today as you think it is, but will gradually grow in the future. It will always complement gameplay. Today, however… not so important.” The number support this position. I’m not saying it as a matter of opinion, I’m stating it as a matter of informed deduction. Keep reading to see why with the links to Xbox Live #’s.
Done? Great. You’re well on your way to at least understanding what I’m trying to get at here. Many of you won’t agree, I’m sure, but you’re wrong.
Now try something else. Remember when I said that ol’ clunker of an HDTV earlier? Good. Now say something else: “HD gaming is overrated and unimportant to the success of a system.”
Very good. Now stay with me.
What I’m going to do next is pretty crazy for a fanman, or fanboy, or even the message board zealot that I was back in 2005 when J B Cougar terrorized the then-exclusive message boards of Kotaku and Joystiq.com. What I’m going to do is use facts to dismiss whatever doubt remains in your mind about HD gaming and online play.
First, we learned last week that only 30% of Xbox 360 owners know their system is capable of HD. What this means is that even with all the marketing and Mountain Dew Halo 3 collector’s cans and HMDI ports, the overwhelming majority of Xbox owners do not know what their system is capable of producing on a screen. Who knows if that screen is itself capable of putting out 720p images, or even 480p, but that’s a question for another day. More than a year’s worth of HD marketing has gone to only 30% of the Xbox 360 population. That is a failure.
Want more? How about this: Only half of all PS3 owners know there’s a Blu-Ray drive in their system. Of that, HALF use it. Why is this important? Because when the PS3 sputtered earlier this year, company execs rested on their laurels, saying that the system could survive on its Blu-Ray chops. No one was listening. This is a failure for a failure of a system.
Second, today we learned that a third of these same Xbox 360 owners have never even heard of Xbox Live Arcade. GameDaily BIZ,which is like GameDaily.biz but isn’t British and hates periods, said this:
We present data here from a national online survey of 1800 U.S. households, of which 149 owned an Xbox 360, over 64% of whom indicate they play games online with their Xbox 360. We also present data that shows that 70% of owners have used Xbox Live Arcade – both to try free games, as well as to buy games. However, the larger group (42%) have only tried out free games. While 28% have actually bought a game at XBLA
But remarkably, 30% of Xbox 360 owners report that they have never even heard of XBLA. Considering these buyers of the Xbox 360 are serious, if not hard-core gamers, and all the attention given to XBLA, it is surprising to us that still almost a third of Xbox owners are not familiar with XBLA.
Since I’m no expert, I’m going to ASSUME (which usually makes an ass out of you and me if we were journalists, but we’re not, so it’s ok), that the numbers are comparable to the PS3’s. Even if they’re slightly better for the PS3 it’s a moot point today, as the number of PS3 consoles sold are a pale shadow of what Microsoft has sold thus far.
Let’s bring it back though. Let’s bring it back to Nintendo. The Big N in Redmond has been positively lambasted by the gaming press for the better part of the past year for not offering both of these capabilities from the get go. Nintendo foolishly left out HD, they said, and would suffer for it. And when they suffered, they would rush to include it in a firmware update at a later time or release, *gulp*, another version of the Wii hardware! Tell me, oh great educated gaming gods, how a company can suffer from a lack of HD when the LEADING console — both in sales and time on the market — cannot make 70% of its owners aware of one of its signature features?
In light of this information I find the current “debate” about HD gaming and online play absolutely foolish. It is representative, again, of a gaming media that is a gamer first, and journalist second. Sure, they matter to YOU, but if that’s the case you are officially the minority, and therefore do not affect the strategies of these big powerful companies. Well, I take that back. Two off these three companies have decided to TELL you that online gaming and HD visuals are the future of gaming and make it central to their “video game console as a media hub strategy,” while one has decided to simply show you their product and let the masses decide for themselves what system is worth the investment.
Does HD work in gaming? Does online play? Of course they do. Look no further than BioShock on the 360 for proof that HD graphics can work in this generation — so long as the GAMEPLAY is addressed first and foremost by the developers! Hint: All signs and portents and little birds have told and shown me that it has been, at least in BioShock. And online play? I’d argue that Mario Strikers Charged is one of the most impressive and fun feats of online gaming in 2007 (penis-faced Mii’s be damned!). But online in that case is complementary to a very robust gameplay mechanic. What other noteworthy online offerings were there this year — that WEREN’T FPS online multiplayer?
Who would have thunk it though — a 480p widescreen soccer game on “last year’s hardware” running on a Friend Code addled pseudo-anonymous online system is currently kicking ass, no pun intended.
But even with Strikers success this Internet Channel update got me thinking about how irrelevant online gaming or functionality is to TODAY’s gamer. Will the watershed moment arrive next year, or 2009? Possibly. It might arrive on the day when people deem it “worth it” to buy not only a $2,000 LCD television, but also a $500 Blu-Ray DVD player for all those special movies they’ve seen advertised at Best Buy. But it’s not going to arrive this holiday, when the sales are going to start really counting and the installed base really starting to matter to the bottom line. That’s too bad for people who have made a investment, because I’m seeing developer dollars go elsewhere as the support for HD gaming and online play erode or, in this case, never materialize at all. People run the risk of being left with another Game Gear that plays TV shows, I think (i.e., something expensive and cool but largely worthless).
So forgive me for not caring one lick about online gaming. Do I enjoy it? I sure do, but I also know what a video game system is for, and that fun to play games are its core responsibility in my household. Online? HD? DVD playback? All great, but they are features of a video game machine, and I treat them as such. They hold a smaller % of the bigger pie, which for video game consoles will now and forever be dominated by fun factor, escapism, and imagination.
August 14th, 2007 at 12:40 am
wait…so we complain when it’s been to long since an update, and complain when they’re too often…i just don’t get it; any update is better than no update, imo
August 14th, 2007 at 12:44 am
So Nintendo was right all this time…
August 14th, 2007 at 12:51 am
yes i want more update.
August 14th, 2007 at 1:16 am
Wow, keep up that fanboy drivel, and you’ll lose this reader.
I’m sorry, I understand you don’t approve of MS and Sony’s strategies, and there is NO arguing that Nintendo is selling Wii’s far faster… but to say that HD and Online gaming (things that have been a staple, and main draw of PC gaming for a decade now) have no place in gamings future, is simply turning a blind eye.
No one owned DVD players ten years ago either. Does that mean they shouldn’t have been supported back then? The 360 and PS3 are paving the way for HD and Online gaming in homes. No, it’s not a main selling point now, but without some one pushing it, it would never catch on.
I happen to enjoy online gaming quite a lot, and have for the last 10 years or so.
The reason you see numbers like that, with people not even knowing the 360 can play DVD’s, is because people are largely FUCKING IDIOTS.
Catering ONLY to the “fucking idiots” of the world isn’t going to progress us very much.
There is plenty of room for online play and HD gaming, along with offline play and SD. To imply that they are worthless, just because the majority hasn’t adopted them yet, is simply fanboyish, and goes to prove that you don’t really know what you’re talking about.
Having online play and HD graphics does NOT hurt a games fun factor, by the way. Just as having NO online play and SD graphics do not improve the fun of a game.
I love games, period. This site, and a lot of the editorials you’ve been posting have been getting more and more anti-gaming, pro-Nintendo. Pretty damn sad… that I even read all of that garbage. For the record, I don’t even own an HDTV, but I’m smart enough to realize that HD gaming and media is the natural progression of things. Shouldn’t you still be using a black and white set? I mean, you don’t need color to have FUN, right?
August 14th, 2007 at 1:58 am
Take Jack the fanman out of the equation, and the point still stands (assuming I’ve interpreted it correctly). Here’s why, sans a Nintendo slant:
Early reviews pin BioShock on 360 as a mega sleeper hit. It’s a first person-shooter without multi-player (gasp!) nor online play (double gasp!). But it’s getting early accolades based on a compelling story, unique gameplay, and superb visuals.
The point is I like online and HD too, but only secondary to gameplay. It’s ridiculous for a company to hijack those featurettes and push them as major gaming agendas. Just silly.
7 million people are on Xbox Live (including free accounts). Maybe 3 million on PS3 and Wii combined for a total of 10 million at the moment. About 250 million play home consoles. That equates to less than five percent of the market caring enough to play games online which only adds to Jack’s argument (however skewed it may be to prove a point).
And just for the record (and in all due respect), threats to leave the Infendo community don’t make the publisher or editors take your comment any more seriously. Well-thought out comments do that in and of themselves.
August 14th, 2007 at 2:00 am
I think he was stating that they have no use in the future of console gaming. Don’t get me wrong when I want to play a game full of cinematic scenes and enhanced HD graphics I will do it, but I will be doing it on my PC. I have never viewed a home console as a means of playing the best looking and most exciting online titles. My PC handles those types of things.
August 14th, 2007 at 2:05 am
I love pizza so much.
August 14th, 2007 at 2:58 am
I wonder if there is HD pizza coming in the future, I mean, there’s gotta be!
My nephew got a xbox360 for his birthday and I was telling him how he needs a HDtv and a broadband connection to really get the full experience, he understood and told my cousin that and he got angry I was lying to the kid, I’m pretty sure it was more a thing about money that telling the truth to the kid, but who cares, the thing is gonna blow up anyway….
I don’t think HDTV and Broadband is the future of gaming, IT IS THE PRESENT, just that not everyone has it or needs it.
August 14th, 2007 at 3:37 am
I agree with the comment that the PC is the flagship for all things on-line or high def. If my Wii can allow a few games to be played on-line, than great, but that’s not what I really care about. Give me a really good, really fun single or multi-player game anyday over a pretty good on-line game. Now, when Brawl comes out, that might change things a bit. I mean you’re talking about probably the best game of any system, now allowing on-line battles. Now that’s sweet. But, even if Brawl didn’t offer on-line play, I still think that 99% of the people who are going to buy it would have bought it anyway. As the original article mentions, on-line and high def are really nothing more than extras. The big N is more than proving the point that what most customers want is one simple thing - fun games, regardless of whether or not you can play over the internet, or how crisp the graphics are.
August 14th, 2007 at 4:32 am
Saying that Online and HD have no place in the future of gaming is stupid. Saying they’re not relevant to the mainstream populace yet? That’s justified.
August 14th, 2007 at 5:25 am
Maybe i read the article wrong, but I think some people are misconstruding what Jack’s point was.
He never said that HD and online gaming had no place in the future of gaming. He merely stated that they will remain features to gaming, not staples.
Fun factor and creativity will always remain the quintessential ingredients to an awesome game. If a game does not have multiplayer, its not gimped because multiplayer is a feature like HD, like online. It doesn’t make the game on its own.
Features makes games better, but they don’t make them good. If I put the best seasoning on a piece of moldy steak, it will taste better than without it but it still won’t taste good.
Sony and MS strategy with their consoles seem to me like they’re trying to sell the best condiments in the world, but Nintendo is more interested in selling the freshest and best cuts of meat.
August 14th, 2007 at 5:32 am
I don’t think HD is the future.
I think that whatever the future is, we haven’t seen it yet. Before HD becomes mainstream, something else will hit that’s bigger and better. HD will be left in the dust. People who are shelling out major $$ on today’s technology are going to be severely burned when it’s surpassed.
August 14th, 2007 at 6:13 am
It’s a shame UnderHero5 had to say “fucking idiots” in explaining what was otherwise a very good point; one I completely agree with.
While I do love the editorials on this site, recently things are becoming a bit too fanboyish for my liking, and for the most part I usually grumble away to myself but this post was just too much to ignore.
I’m seeing a bit of a shift in the Nintendo community with the way they argue… they’re doing something the big Sony supporters did in the PS2 era; arguing with numbers and numbers alone.
Just because the numbers are on Nintendo’s side doesn’t mean everything they’ve done is right. The fact that a smaller percentage of the world own a ps3 compared to that of Nintendo’s percentage, and that a small percentage of current 360 owners don’t know about a certain feature all sounds like marketing problems. Rubbish sells well if marketed right; ask the Spice Girls. I am NOT saying the Wii is rubbish; it just so happens I love it, but it is not perfect.
Look at it this way…
When Nintendo wasn’t doing so well, MS and Sony still learnt a great deal from Nintendo despite the numbers claiming they were “not doing things right”. In that same way, as much as you claim HD and Online is not important because “the numbers say so” Nintendo, you would think, are observing their every move and are learning a lot from the now underdogs. Will those features play a bigger part in the next system Nintendo release? Of course they will. Why? For the same reasons Sony “copied” features Nintendo implemented; they do make a difference.
August 14th, 2007 at 6:43 am
Favourites >> Infendo >> Delete
August 14th, 2007 at 7:02 am
No offense, but did anyone actually read all the way through?
No place in gaming, ever? I don’t think I ever said that. Right now, it’s unimportant. Later, in 2008 or ‘09, sort of important — but still complementary to gameplay! Did anyone see the BioShock example I cited?!
I’m baffled by some of these responses, but I read every one, as always.
August 14th, 2007 at 7:46 am
LOL@ RIDICULOUS FANBOYS and their articles!
=)
There is no FUTURE, in the PAST.
Lets play now in the present with HD and Online gameplay and if we want, we can go back to the old golden days of the PAST.
August 14th, 2007 at 7:55 am
I definitely read your article all the way through
I even read your last comment all the way through!
It’s not a bad thing to disagree though… I think it’s good to encourage debate.
That said, if you say things like “Right now, it’s unimportant” people will react, because that is very different to saying “right now, it’s not as important”.
And react is what I will do…
Change in the market is gradual and what you think is unimportant now will pave the way for the 2008/2009 years that you mention.
Also, online play and HD are 2 very separate features and personally, I don’t think they should be bundled together in an argument so sloppily.
I’m more concerned with online play…
Much of the “Fun Factor” you mention, in Nintendo’s games, come from the multiplayers and having that fun factor accessible in more than one way (either by meeting up offline or online) is a good thing.
Even Nintendo know that which is why we have Mario Kart DS and Mario Strikers (to name a few), and that is why they were in such a hurry to tell the gaming press that Mario Kart was one of the fastest adopted online games.
I agree with you that it’s definitely not the be-all and end-all but “unimportant” it certainly isn’t.
August 14th, 2007 at 8:17 am
I agree with the very first comment by Jared.
August 14th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Marc, you are positively a breath of fresh air this morning. Good points, and thank you for picking up on the 2008-2009 thing. The features will grow in popularity, but they will always be secondary.
Solid points on online as well, although the numbers don’t lie: Currently, there is relatively mild demand for online functionality in a video game console.
Will the numbers go up? Absolutely. But gradually, as you say, and not at the pace that some corporations are trying to make us believe. And if games like BioShock take off… well, hold the phone. What ever will people say then? One play FPS with a story worth reading?! That’s not supposed ot happen anymore!!!
August 14th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Look, consumers have obviously decided that two things are very important: gameplay and online play. The way of the future is not in HD, because it will eventually become obsolete. Online gaming, whether it involves buying games online and downloading them, or playing multiplayer games online, is obviously something that gamers want. That’s why 360 and Wii are selling so well. Why else would Nintendo start making online games like Pokemon and Strikers? C’mon, open your eyes man!
August 14th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Ok…you quote all these “surverys” that state basically that Xbox 360 onwers and PS3 owners obviously aren’t paying attention. But if you polled all the Wii owners, I wonder what results you would get. What I mean is, it’s obvious that a large number of Wii owners are the “new casual” fans that wanted a Wii for Wii Sports. So if you polled them on their favorite Wii game, what would be the percentage that it’s Wii Sports. How many would even say they have other games or even CARE about buying other games? Do most of these people even know what online gaming is? And how many would answer they got the Wii mainly because it’s much cheaper than the other 2?
My point in all this is you seem to be fanboyishly jumping on these surveys to “prove” that Nintendo has it right, everyone else is wasting their time with their strategy, but as someone else pointed out, just because Nintendo is doing well doesn’t mean it’s because Nintendo is doing everything “right”. I would bet Wii owners are just as “clueless” about the Wii as 360 and PS3 owners are about their consoles.
August 14th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Great article and I agree with many of the points. I think a number of the people who are upset are forgetting that they are a part of that minority you mention. It’s not that they’re wrong, it’s that the majority of people have voted and their vote says HD and online play are secondary to just having a good time.
The thing about playing a video game on a console is that all you need to play is a TV with sound. Everything else from that point is just gravy. What I mean is, in order to take advantage of HD or online play you have to have all of the associated hardware AND know how to take advantage of the additional features. That to me is why they’re called features. In my mind, this is one of the reasons the PS3 is having such a tough time. It’s made out to be a blu-ray player that just happens to have the add-on feature of playing games yet surprisingly, half of PS3 owners don’t know about the blu-ray drive.
Personally I deem online play a more important feature than HD because it allows me to play against old college buddies and family. I would love if Wii Sports allowed online play for example. HD does have it’s place and for me it lies in games like racing simulations such as Gran Turismo. That’s the kind of game that for me, would be greatly enhanced if it were in HD (and yes, I do realize it’s in the works).
August 14th, 2007 at 9:34 am
You know what’s kind of funny? Look at the poll Infendo is running right now. You can see by looking at the results that Infendo fans are willing to pay extra money to have the Wii games look better on our televisions. In fact, it also looks like the majority of Infendo readers have HDTVs. As HDTV penetration gets deeper, especially amongst gamers, a console that doesn’t support HD is going to look antiquated. The Wii is treading a thin line right now. Any new console from Nintendo is going to need to support HD. Sure, it may not make games an “funner”, but think about it this way: After you bought a DVD player how often did you watch your old VHS tapes?
August 14th, 2007 at 9:38 am
If I could edit my previous post, I’d add the following at the end of my first paragraph
“This is regardless to whatever console they are using, game play is the real reason they got that system.”
Also
I think the same points apply to the Wii. So in response to ResidentialEvil, yes, the numbers would probably come out the same way for Wii owners which just solidifies the articles points. The *majority* of people purchasing a system because it has HD and/or online play. It isn’t relevant yet in the mainstream sense. This is exactly opposite of computers where online is probably the core reason the majority of computer buyers are buying a computer, to get on the Internet do browse, email and pay bills.
August 14th, 2007 at 9:53 am
You know who else thought HD and online play were insignificant factors in console gaming? Nintendo, in the last-gen console wars.
Can we PLEASE stop trying to condone Nintendo’s past mistakes and accept that ever so slowly, and even though they are mired in stupid systems like friend codes, they are finally making PROGRESS in these areas?
Yes, the average person/gamer/whatever does not have a 1080p-capable TV. Yes, they may even be so ignorant as to not even understand what their new gaming system is capable of. But the rest of us aren’t, and we want at least the option to use our fancy gaming equipment to its full potential. Give me Dolby Pro-Logic surround sound, give me widescreen, at least give me freakin’ 480p progressive scan, and when the game justifies it, give me unencumbered online play. The Wii is a wonderful system and getting these features in addition to its fundamental nature as an innovative console can only be a good thing.
August 14th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Oh and btw, please stop complaining about Wii updates. Who cares about an Internet update, you ask? Well, probably anyone who encountered this freezing glitch while browsing the ‘net on their Wii. Shouldn’t you people be HAPPY that Nintendo is addressing existing issues and making their fixes easy, quick and painless? STOP COMPLAINING!! It is so tiresome. And if you don’t want to download it, DON’T. Who’s forcing you?
August 14th, 2007 at 10:16 am
“Sure, it may not make games an “funner”, but think about it this way: After you bought a DVD player how often did you watch your old VHS tapes?”
Eventually, yes, DVD supplanted VHS. But not at first. At first it was seen as too expensive and the players were too much. However, I’d argue that there is a fundamental flaw in that comparison because low def to high def is nowhere near as much of an impact on people’s lives as VHS to DVD/cassette tape to CD was. With DVD, you fulfilled a need — no rewinding. Skip around. Scan at an incredible rate. Same with CDs. Many people today still struggle to see the difference between 480 p and 1080p. And this ignores the fact that many people are buying HD DVDs today without an HD DVD player. And then there’s upscaling, which for some people eliminates the need for HD players altogether.
With that in mind I say, as I did in the original post, that HD will have its day. Maybe even to the tune of a 20-30% market penetration. But later. Possibly not even in 2008 though. Not for the widespread market anyway.
Someone mentioned the Infendo poll. An astute observation. Of an audience that is cutting edge about technology. We are niche, and this post is an observation of that.
Someone else called Xbox people basically idiots for not knowing about HD and online play. How obtuse and ignorant. My dad, for example, has been in the tech industry for more than 30 years. But he still doesn’t care much or know all about Blu-Ray. I’m as gadget obsessed as the next bloke, but I still see no need on a marketwide scale for the technology yet. It’s like getting a prize in your favorite cereal; a nice little bonus, but I’m not too concerned if they forgot it because I have great cereal.
What I sought to do with post, and apparently failed at, was to convince people in the niche that they are niche, and that a wide, wide world of otherworlders is out there unconcerned with or ignorant of the features that have quite literally been forced into gaming. Now they are the majority, and will affect where dollars are spent. Tomorrow they will be the majority as well, and for some time to come.
Get used to it.
August 14th, 2007 at 10:25 am
@ fairlady: I don’t think I was dissing the system updates in this post…
August 14th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Certainly, the HD it´s not bothering me right now, but regarding online well, the more the merrier. Of course HD is the future becoming present slowly, but we are not there yet, so i would validate Nintendo´s BUSINESS PLAN to not include HD components and make a cheaper console, that move gave them some sales right?
Now the online experience is good, but not for every game, i keep reading stupid comments from time to time like, “WTF?Twilight Princess does not have online play? NO BUY FOR ME” Why would Link want to be online? There are some games that need to be, as Strikers, or Smash Brothers, but because Metroid as an example does not have an online mode, or even Mario Galaxy, does that make it a bad game? Or Nintendo a stupid company?Certainly not, sales numbers will prove that.
It´s not blind fanboyism, in my case,(as in Jack´s i guess) it´s admiration to a solid scheme from Nintendo to make money and in the meantime provide me with my favorite games. Now tell me that´s not working.
By the way, i have been enjoying my Wii non stop since i bought it, and i don´t have an HD TV, my first online game EVER has been Mario Strikers, and that´s fine, because i don´t have the time to play all day, i have a girlfriend, a job, a family, and less time to play every day, so for me, a hardcore gamer in his 30´s, Nintendo´s strategy is perfect. That´s my opinion.
August 14th, 2007 at 10:40 am
I needed the update because I have to use a LAN line. So whenever I would try to get on line it would freak out. Now it is working so I guess I’m going to go out on a limb and admit I am happy my blue light woke me up.
August 14th, 2007 at 11:22 am
To Jack’s point, of all the friends and family that now own a Wii, I’m the only one who has it actually connected using a component cable, the only way to get 480p enhanced definition, even though half of these people have widescreen HDTVs! The owners who had HDTVs hadn’t even changed the video setting to ‘widescreen’, so all the games looked stretched in their screens. They simply don’t care that the image from their Wii can look a LOT better even with their current hardware…
However, I still don’t understand the relationship between the system update referred to in the title and the relative triviality of HD resolution in gaming, Jack. The update had nothing to do with Wii’s resolution!
Also, if I understood it right, the study you quote and base most arguments from is siting only 149 Xbox 360 users (out of 1800 households). That’s hardly enough users to distill any significance from the percentages!
MicroSoft has all the actual complete numbers in their site… why not use those?
August 14th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Oh, and one of the current updates is the new Metroid Prime 3 previews… And there wasn’t even a mention of those!
August 14th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Invis, I wouldn’t quote MS numbers from a MS site for the same reason I wouldn’t quote IBM numbers about Linux from an IBM web site in the course of my day job. No objectivity!
August 14th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
All of these arguments about the importance of online gaming and HD are made from the perspective of a business. That is very valid, but guess what. I am not a business. I am a gamer.
I love online gaming. I absolutely love HD graphics. I also love fun gameplay. I want to see all of these areas advance. And Nintendo is doing a fine job advancing gameplay. But a lousy job at advancing other gaming technology IMO.
From a gamer perspective, a true gamer that loves to see his hobby advance in all ways, I respect each of the big 3 console manufactures for what they are doing.
Editorials like these are just come from close-minded company fans, not gaming fans.
August 14th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
For some reason all of my focus was on Flight of the Conchords.
August 14th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
How is pointing things out and making creating an informed opinion on something close-minded?
Anyway, JQ, you were rightfully distracted; it’s a great series.
August 14th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
“How is pointing things out and creating an informed opinion on something close-minded?”
You can create an informed opinion and still be close-minded, if the opinion is not based on enough varied perspectives.
You are basing your informed opinion on a survey that consisted of only 149 xbox 360 owners. 149. That’s almost anecdotal. Here’s some statistics that are just about as meaningful. I know about 10 people personally that own xbox360s, and all of them use the HD functionaltiy, as well as XBLA. And I play online games with them too. Maybe I should publish a report about this data.
There is no question that Nintendo made the right choices from a business perspective. There was no way they could compete with MS in their online system (even Sony is having trouble there). And HD was just too expensive for them to take the risk given the position they ended last generation.
But to say online and HD are not important is being close-minded to the perspective of people with a passion for playing video games.
August 14th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
“Editorials like these are just come from close-minded company fans, not gaming fans.”
Hmm… I read the original article as a criticsm of the PS3/360 marketing choice to focus on high-end features that most of the general population are unable or unwilling to take advantage of. Instead of focusing on why the console is a must-have item RIGHT NOW, both the analysts and marketing teams have talked about potential and possibilities.
Both Sony and MS seem to be relying on big-name releases over the next year to validate their “feature focus” marketing. This is great news for serious gamers, who can expect some very exciting games in the not-too-distant future, but doesn’t change the fact that general sales will remain lower than expected until that validation arrives. (Honestly, don’t we all know somebody waiting to buy a PS3/360 until that one killer app comes out?)
Meanwhile, the Wii has some SERIOUS limitations but has managed to overcome those problems so far by working to appeal to the broadest audience possible. At the same time, Nintendo has managed to earn money with each Wii console sold instead of taking a short-term loss in hope of turning a future profit. Good for them, especially since the Wii will probably have a shorter lifespan than either the PS3/360 before needing to be replaced with something more powerful.
So perhaps this is a “company-fan” article. I’m certainly a fan of the business decisions that Nintendo have made this time around. However, I fail to see where the original article (which is nothing more than one person’s opinion, keep in mind) is “closed-minded”.
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Please note, my opinion is colored. Gaming for me involves mostly inviting friends over and having a party. HD and online gaming rarely come into play in this case - especially since I don’t even own an HDTV - so advancing gaming as a hobby (and more importantly, paying to advance gaming as a hobby) is not an interest of mine. Does that make me a Wii fanboy?
August 14th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
cygnus — “But to say online and HD are not important is being close-minded to the perspective of people with a passion for playing video games.”
Where’d I say that? Not important? Or not as important as people in this bubble of ours would have us believe? A slight distinction, but an important one nevertheless.
August 14th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
The market shows little desire for HD and full fledged online. Since the market is made up of those interested in gaming, then that means most gamers don’t care for HD gaming and full fledged online. At least, most people don’t see it worth paying the extra cost for it.
Even the PS2 has been outselling the HD systems.
Nintendo is delivering what the market wanted while Sony and Microsoft missed the boat. It’s that simple. Nintendo’s product is more pleasing to the market (of gamers) than Sony or Microsoft. This is why it sells more.
But I’d be careful, Infendo. Microsoft is infamous for sending out viral marketers. I don’t remember half of this nonsense when it was DS vs. PSP but now that Microsoft is involved… It is common that an Infendo type comparable site, let us say one that is about Apple, begins being seiged by the strangest commentators (who would show little interest in Apple or whatever else the site is about). Now, it is tough to discern the ignorant gamer from a viral marketer but one clear difference is that the viral marketer will keep attempting to pigeon-hole the site to define it as a “viral marketing site” or “propoganda site” and not seem interested in the discussion. Infendo should take pride if their site has been made a target; it shows someone considers the site a danger to their own agenda.
One unique element of this generation is that buyer’s remorse has never been so high. If somone is shelling out hundreds of dollars to Microsoft for Xbox Live or shelled out thousands of dollars for a new HD TV, naturally they will think HD and online gaming are *very* important. To do otherwise is to admit they may have made foolish use of their money. So the outcry is probably more that.
If you aren’t being criticized, then you aren’t doing anything. Jack should be proud because he said something that upset someone’s bee hive. Bees normally ignore you but only buzz and grow angry when you successfully hit the target.
August 14th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
^^
Well said! Interesting comments about the viral marketers:)
August 14th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
I think much of the confusion here stems from a stylistic issue: the main point of the article was innocuously nestled amid numerous provocative remarks. Like Marc, I take exception to the conflation here of the two separate issues of online play and HD.
I agree strongly that the choice to forego high definition graphics was the right one. In addition to the lack of standards, and the clear lack of interest on the part of consumers (low market share, use of RCA cables), which Jack ably demonstrates with anecdotes and research, there is the equally important question of graphical development costs.
High definition graphics are very expensive and drive game development costs. In turn, publishers tend to seek out proven ideas over novel or innovative concepts. The inevitable flood of sequels and copycat games threaten the industry with stagnation. Pretty boring unless you happen to really love shooting brown aliens in the face.
I also agree with the “meh” attitude regarding online updates. I played with the weather channel for a few days until I became annoyed that it was always 8-12 hours out of date on the ‘current’ conditions. I used the internet channel for maybe a week. It was fun watching youtube on the tube until I got annoyed with the out of date flash player and constant glitches. Even if it gets keyboard support I don’t see myself using the browser often (the other day I checked a gamefaqs faq while playing strikers to bone up).
However, where I disagree is that I think your and my indifference to Nintendo’s efforts does constitute an “attack” on the company’s online strategy. They are going in a different direction, but not really doing it seriously enough to make their offerings worth using. Also, I think the expanded audience Nintendo is seeking, regardless of current or past trends in online penetration, will demand online interaction. Look at the sustained dominance of Animal Crossing on WFC as compared to more ‘traditional’ games.
Personally, I’ve been anxious to play BWii for months (didn’t Reggie promise it in “early ‘07″???) and am starting to obsess over whether there will be voice chat for the co-op mode.
Peace,
TK
August 14th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
I have a HD TV with components cables and I’m fine that the Wii outputs 480p and is connected wirelesly… but knowing the Wii has some serious limitations is concerning to me, whats with the 88mb of ram ? c’mon there is no excuse for not having aleast 256mb or 512mb of ram, memorys are cheap these days.. the Wii’s gpu ”HOLYWOOD” is compared to a geforce2 maybe Geforce3 graphic card , Broadway is clocked at 729MHz why not upped that to 1Ghz ? no harddrive? the XBOX 1 has a 8gb harddrive, how much is it for an 8gb harddrive that couldve be included in the Wii’s hardware,
Im not knocking the Wii I love the system but those little upgrades wouldve done lots of difference without the need of HD.
I dont mined the Wii not having HD but Nintendo could’ve done better in other aspects of the hardware.. for handling better AI and better physics which equal a good game, a better game..
August 14th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
“Many people today still struggle to see the difference between 480 p and 1080p. And this ignores the fact that many people are buying HD DVDs today without an HD DVD player. And then there’s upscaling, which for some people eliminates the need for HD players altogether.”
Jack, what are you smoking? 1080i vs 1080p is hard to see. However, you show anyone who isn’t legally blind 480p and then 1080p and they will tell you which one is better.
Also, upscaling does nothing for image quality. I still don’t understand the buzz of upscaling DVD players… You can’t turn a 480p image into a 720p or 1080i image… My HDTV displays DVDs just fine, but DVDs don’t look as good as HD TV shows in 1080 or 720 glory.
With that aside, I agree that fun gameplay should be the main priority when it comes to designing a game or gaming console. Heck, I just downloaded a 7 year old game off of Steam because it looked interesting. Yeah, the graphics suck, but it’s fun. This is also a single player only game. However, if you can nitpick at Nintendo for two things it would be poor graphics and lack of online play. There are currently only 2 games that support online play (that I know of): Pokemon and Strikers. This is ridiculous for a console that has almost been out for a year. I was extremely upset when it was announced that Metroid Prime 3 wasn’t going to have online play. Will I still buy it? Yeah. Will I probably wait awhile longer and buy other games in its place? You betcha. I would have stood in line for a Metroid game with online play. One without is not worth the bother. Heck, I’ll play through the second one, now, before I buy 3…
Repeat after me: “Online play is extremely important”, “HD is icing on the cake” Sure, Nintendo is selling Wiis like hotcakes. Can you imagine how well they’d be selling if they had these two features?
August 14th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I dont know, if its just me but al my tv equipment, 360, 42 virea, sound system, wii are all in my bedroom…must they send these updates out at like 2 in the morning i am quiet annoyed by the fact that the light is so bright and annoying that it has to blink at 2am who cares at 2am about a nintendo update why cant they schedual it to fall into the timezone you live in and have it sent at noon or something so when you come home from a day of work…work that is a pretty strong word to use of what i do…i would rather see that blinking light then 2am i know i can turn that off but thats effort.
August 15th, 2007 at 1:40 am
I live in an extremely small town where the only other gamers are PC gamers.
Don’t you tell me online play isn’t important.
August 15th, 2007 at 4:55 am
@Jamaces , there is a feature in the Wii settings where you can turn the blue glow on or off, is located in wiiconnect24 called slot illumination. problem sloved.
August 15th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Kevin — “Repeat after me: “Online play is extremely important”, “HD is icing on the cake” Sure, Nintendo is selling Wiis like hotcakes. Can you imagine how well they’d be selling if they had these two features?”
No, they wouldn’t. Both additions would have increased the cost of the console and as a result would have destroyed Nintendo’s current strategy. You’re thinking inside the bubble again!