Reginald Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's new president and CEO, has been interviewed by USA Today and has revealed some of Nintendo's online plans.
The company's new boss was eager to stress that online gameplay is viewed by Nintendo as an integral part of each title and will therefore not carry any additional charge. Specifically, when asked about the possibility of a subscription model he replied: We view online gaming as essentially an enhanced way to enjoy the gaming experience and drive more sales of hardware and software.
Fils-Aime also added, It's the same premise. We will offer online-enabled games that the consumers will not have to pay a subscription fee for. They'll be able to enjoy that right out of the box. The Wii console is going to be Wi-Fi enabled, so essentially, you'll be able to plug it in and go. It won't have hidden fees or costs.
The Nintendo U.S. President also offered a useful insight into how Wii will be promoted worldwide, It's going to be massive amounts of hands-on activity, as well as showcasing exactly how Wii games are different. We're going to create advocacy. We're going to make it so that everyone who tries the Wii experience talks to their friends and neighbors. It's going to be a really provocative sight to be seeing teens and 20-year-olds and 40-year-olds and 50-year-olds talking about how different this experience is.
Finally when Mr. Fils-Aime was asked to comment on Microsoft's view that people should buy an XBox 360 and a Wii he said: I'd much rather have the consumer buy a Wii, some accessories, and a ton of games, vs. buying any of my competitor's products.
