Nintendo, AOL Enter Into Online Agreement

Thanks to IGN Cube for their story that Nintendo of America have reached an agreement for AOL to be the 'official preferred ISP' for GameCube. Nintendo have apparently informed IGN that "...developers who choose to create online games for GameCube will be licensed AOL connectivity software that will enable their games to connect online through AOL", but Nintendo also clarified that "...this does not indicate the unveiling of a new online gaming approach from Nintendo", making this partly an oddly cryptic co-marketing announcement, rather than any major breakthrough.

Comments

Oh great

[Anonymous Coward]

A new marketing campaign. I need more coasters.

Say it ain't so!

[redgopher]

Nintendo partnering with AOL?
C'mon, that's like Ghandi partnering with Satan!

How can Nintendo make such a poor decision? Don't the Japanese hear stories of how hellish AOL's connection speeds and busy signal rates are?

I must be dreaming...

Let's hope our good ole Nintendo realizes the errors of their ways soon, and before too much money is lost!

Re:Say it ain't so!

[bigman2003]

This actually makes a lot of sense.

Both companies are aiming at the same 'simplistic' demographic.

"We make games that are easy to understand, and you can pick up quickly"

"We get you on-line, no matter how dumb you are"

People always complain that the Xbox and PS2 are less 'accessible'. So I think that Nintendo has found a good partner.

Re:Say it ain't so!

[NanoGator]

"How can Nintendo make such a poor decision? Don't the Japanese hear stories of how hellish AOL's connection speeds and busy signal rates are?"

Nintendo has stated before that they won't do on-line until they can make it reasonable for the player. They don't feel that a per month subscription is a good idea. AOL's big enough (and available enough) that they can probably work out a close to free approach. Maybe paid for advertising or something?

I didn't immediately balk at this story. An alternative provider doesn't immediately pop into mind. Remember that Nintendo's not after the niche audience here.

Sounds better for Nintendo than AOL

[tessaiga]

According to the article, AOL agrees to advertise Gamecube games by "spotlight[ing Nintendo products] on key AOL and AOL Time Warner websites". In return, Nintendo bundles more AOL coasters and agrees to feature AOL as their ISP of choice for internet games they don't plan to develop. We all remember Nintendo reporting that, unlike Sony and Microsoft, "We still don't see online gaming as a mass-market thing".

The same IGN press release announcing the partnership even rushes to point out that "this does not indicate the unveiling of a new online gaming approach from Nintendo. Nor does it signify that we have changed our position on the current business viability in the online console gaming field." Unless I'm missing something here, sounds an awful like saying "Yep, we'll use you if we ever want to go online, but we don't, so we won't."

My Take Between The Lines (Salt Grain Included)

[Babbster]

I see this "partnership" as being something brought on by developer dissatisfaction with Nintendo's online strategy thus far. I expect that Nintendo chose AOL as a viable stopgap solution giving them access to already existing middleware that they can give to developers, without having to invest any additional money in R&D to get a solution out themselves.

I would further theorize that Nintendo sees this as a way to shut people up about Gamecube online connectivity which I don't think they're going to support to any large degree in this console generation. I think they've decided that they're not really going to make any money on GC connectivity, so there's no point in developing anything permanent for it.

If Nintendo is actively pursuing any online plans, they are probably slated for the next console. You know, the next console which they've now pledged will not come out later than Sony or Microsoft despite their early assertions that the Gamecube would have a much longer lifespan than the average home console.

My prediction for Nintendo's TRUE entry into the online arena? I'm glad you asked (haha). With their next console, Nintendo will roll out with Internet capability built in. At launch, it will have at least two first-party, online-playable games which will be playable through Nintendo's brand-new online service. Further, that service will cost about the same as Xbox Live (matching any price increases that MS implements over the next two years).

Nintendo has made their position regarding online play quite clear. They aren't going to commit until they figure out a way to make money on it, and I don't think they believe an online capability for the Gamecube is a money-maker.

Probably more good than bad... (I hope.)

[FauxReal]

Well my first reaction was *groan* "I can't believe they'd partner up with such a retarded ISP." But then I realized... "Oh, wait... I'm a net savvy slashdot reader... I'm not exactly the AOL target market." Which would be families who like things easy and homogonized... kind of like AOL users. It's not like Nintendo is going to force people to use AOL. They might provide free coasters in their console boxes. Either way, I think it helps Nintendo because it would give them in your face exposure to the millions of AOL users. Who knows maybe the cute goodness of Nintendo will bring a little more family fun into the home instead of bloody frag/crash/shoot fests. (Not that I'm apposed to that type of gaming fun... It's just not so appropriate for 12 year olds.)

Re:Probably more good than bad... (I hope.)

[sabinm]

What is probably going to happen (whether in this iteration of Nintendo's console or the next) is that AOL will offer a service much like XBOX Live's newly integrated browser with buddies and all. So instead of paying 29 a month for a gui for you internet service, you get 29 or 15 or 10 a month for a Gaming ISP, that is a clone of Xbox live out of the box. Think of it. AOL already has content delivery, streaming movies, and broadband to spare. Why not piggy back on it and make a viable gaming platform without having to rely on independent gaming companies or digging too deep into your pockets to do so. It is a intelligent move by Nintendo, to get *instant* online capabilities, and a coup for AOL time Warner, because there will be a whole new demographic (a growth area at that) that will subscribe to their AOL service.

Plus AIM is one of the superior IM clients out there.

Not simplistic.

[Inoshiro]

Nintendo is working towards producing games that have an easy enough control scheme, but contain a great depth of gameplay (good examples of such games are Ico, Pikmin, Monkey Ball, Animal Crossing).

It's a good decision because gaming won't be free of people who decry its "violence" and won't be free of stygmatization until it's at least as mainstream as movies. Nintendo revived gaming in North America. Sony made it 3D. Now Nintendo is trying to make the initial barrier less so more people can game.