Nintendo confirms Free Internet Play on Wii

[Mr. Analog]

Nintendo hopes Wii spells wiinner

USA Today interviews Reginald Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo.

Q: A few years ago, Nintendo made a conscious decision to lie low when Microsoft introduced Xbox Live and began promoting its subscription online gaming service. In retrospect, does that look like a good decision?

A: I wasn't here. What I can tell you is the way we've approached online play now is really with a view to the masses. With Nintendo DS (a dual-screen handheld player), for example, we offer free Internet play in a wide-ranging series of games. Our focus is getting as many consumers to enjoy that online experience as possible. And we've done that.

*Emphasis mine.

[Thorin]

Now to hear the price of the Wii.  Should be out soon, I hope.  I might actually get one for Christmas for the kids.  I wonder what I would do with the GameCube, though?  I might also be buying another TV

So the Wii will be wi-fi enabled?  I wonder if there'll be games we can play on the computer against people on the Wii.  That'd be really neat, although not at all sticking to what FEES-oe-MEY would want us to do...

[Lazybones]

Current word is that it will be  $170 US

[Thorin]

Wow, cheap.  I'm guessing $199 to $219 here, then.  Hopefully games aren't priced ridiculously expensively.  Maybe I'll just make the kids save up their allowance and buy it themselves

[Shayne]

I saw that $170US price as well, but the 1UP podcast had news from a retailer (leaked) that was $229US, so it really is anyones guess.  Its gonna be a cheap peripheral thats for sure (gamecube sli with a fancy magic wand).

Also the internat play on my DS isnt that great to say that its free is wonderful but to compare it to Live is like comparing a Yugo to a Veyron.  Though i doubt Nintendo has the resources to do what Microsoft did, Sony is attempting it with PNP (i think thasts what its called).