Topic: Details on WiiWare Games Coming

[WindyMan]

Tomorrow, Nintendo will reveal its plans for original downloadable games ... that won't be available until next year.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=13714

 N'Gai Croal and his Level Up news blog has got the scoop on Nintendo's new downloadable gaming service.  As of right now, WiiWare only has non-game software available, but soon it will be the launchpad for the original games Nintendo has promised are coming.  Nintendo will announce its future WiiWare gaming plans to the general public tomorrow (or today, if you're reading this on Wednesday).    

During a Nintendo developers conference held earlier this week, it was reported that Nintendo not only wants the big-name publishers on board (and they surely will be), but also smaller, independent developers.  Nintendo had stated from the beginning that the Wii was a platform that anyone could develop for, and now it looks like smaller development houses are finally going to get their chance to show what they can do on the Wii.    

As part of the Newsweek scoop, Croal got a chance to speak with Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's president, about the upcoming WiiWare announcement.  He said that Nintendo would set "appropriate pricing" for each game on the service, as well as check for bugs and compatibility (likely what it would normally do when certifying any Wii game, downloadable or otherwise).  It would be up to the individual game companies to handle the creation of the game and ESRB ratings process.    

The one sticking point to this development is that, according to Croal, the first WiiWare games from Nintendo or third party developers won't be available for purchase until next year.  This being the case, the timing of this announcement is curious indeed, especially with E3 coming up.  Even though games are six months away, at the minimum, why not wait until the big show to make such a big announcement?    

Nintendo World Report will have all the details on this exciting development as soon as Nintendo officially announces WiiWare gaming.

[NeoThunder]

I wonder if this means porting of games that weren't originally on old nintendo or 16 bit consoles like original arcade versions

[Kairon]

Darn. So I sent my "tip" in too late huh? *sigh*

[that Baby guy]

Alright, NWR, here's your chance to use your reporting clout to get us Mother 3.  GO!

[King of Twitch]

They mentioned "indie games" at E3 2005 and still have nothing to show for it. 2 years and little progress: the nintendo difference.

"why not wait until the big show to make such a big announcement?"

They must have enough material for a full E3 show already, with all their big guns fully playable

[Kairon]

Apparently, Nintendo likes to pace itself, and not try to do everything at once.

But with regards to the indie devs, it's pretty obvious what the hold up is: not enough dev kits. By far.

[BlkPaladin]

Well that is one of the reasons.  

[Alex.G]

Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
Apparently, Nintendo likes to pace itself, and not try to do everything at once.

Or anything at all...

What is the point of announcing this right now? To piss people off more?

[Michael8983]

Come on. Nintendo has only just begun rolling out some of the best Virtual Console titles and its best Fall line-up ever is just around the corner on top of surprisingly good Summer line-up topped off with Samus. This year is crowded enough and anything more would be over-kill. I say Nintendo is wise to leave WiiWare for 2008. Besides extra development time means it's going to be something better than just the usual cheap, generic, soul-less garbage you often see on cell-phones.

As for why they're announcing it now.
My guess it they're going to have a few to show off at E3. And I do think by next year they mean next January or February. To counter-act the usual post-holiday drought.

[KDR_11k]

I want SOTN on my desk by five!

[Smash_Brother]

I knew about this two weeks ago.

[UncleBob]

Where does this leave that C64 remake?

[Nephilim]

I dont think we have heard about mission impossable in a month or so anyway, not much word for a download content game