Miyamoto pondering paid online service

By Kyle Orland Published 8 May, 2010

Defends Nintendo's current online strategy.

Legendary Nintendo designer and head of Entertainment Analysis and Development Shigeru Miyamoto has said Nintendo may have to start charging directly for its online features in the future.

"Probably the other thing that we are desperate to realise is the core [online] business structure," Miyamoto said in an interview with Edge.

"Do we need to demand customers pay monthly fees to enjoy online activities? Or give an online subscription that is free of charge, but then offer something extra for people that pay, so that they get some extra value? With these core business strategies I think we are less active than we should be."

Nintendo currently offers free online play for some Wii and Nintendo DS games through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. While critics have compared that setup unfavorably to online offerings from Sony and Microsoft, Miyamoto defended Nintendo's efforts in the online space.

"It is true, though, that Nintendo hasn't been very proactive in developing such online activities as an MMOG," he said.

"But when it comes to our endeavours that try to take advantage of internet technology, where we can provide our customers with more fun and entertainment, then I think we can say we have been very, very proactive and well-received. And that attitude won't be changed at all in the future."

Picture of Kyle.

About Kyle Orland

Read more articles from Kyle by visiting the Kyle Orland archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (24) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Lusterpurge #1 2 years ago

    Hmmm. I wonder how people will react to paying to use friend codes.

  • jellyhead #2 2 years ago

    Paying for online access is not something that Iwata would get behind so i'd say it'll be free with value-added-services. Though to be honest nintendo need to do a lot of work to make something worth paying for when it comes to online infrastructure and integration.

  • dfunked #3 2 years ago

    If they had a massive back catalogue of essential online games then it might be worth it, but they simply don't

  • Cid #4 2 years ago

    I must be the only person who doesn't really have that much of a problem with the current online system.

  • Acrid #5 2 years ago

    @Cid

    You're not

  • djed #6 2 years ago

    ...because there isn't one.

  • Sharzam #7 2 years ago

    Paying for Live is ok as it really is the leader in online area and lots of things work. Hell even simple ideas like being able to talk to people that arnt in your game and joining games in progress work well with Live.

    However nintendo are so far behind both sony and microsoft that it would not work to charge, also of course the demographic how many house wives will pay a subscription for a online structure? Only those people that can see value in it, like core gamer markets will pay. Those people are unlikley to be using a wii for its online funcations.

    Iam not saying the wii online is bad as its fits a purpose but as soon as think charges it then starts to put it up againist sonys (funded via other means) and microsofts online services which frankly it pales to.

  • uglygamer #8 2 years ago

    Sure there's no problem charging like Miccrosoft. Improving the service is a must though.

  • jonsaan #9 2 years ago

    Sometimes they get it right, Mario Kart wii. Sometimes they don't, Animal Crossing.

  • MiniAmin #10 2 years ago

    I'm interested as to how they'd implement this and i'm excited as to how they'd market it. Everyone and their Grandma owns a Wii; imagine if Nintendo managed to get a majority of Wii owners gaming online...

    I think it'd have an effect on our internet infrastructure a bit like the iPlayer did when it was launched. Also I wonder if it'd prompt Sony to finally offer a paid PSN service as well.

    Why have I been negged? Nintendo introduced an new audiences to console gaming and I think they could introduce a new audiences to online console gaming as well. I'd love to see an increased diversity of gamers online. Don't just neg me; let me know where you disagree.
    Edited by 1 at 08/05/10 @ 23:54

  • JediMasterMalik #11 2 years ago

    Thanks for setting a precedent charging for fuck all Microsoft!

  • Incarta #12 2 years ago

    Hopefully they'll improve their online service before they'd charge us for it. Not that I like paying for online play *shakes fist at Xbox Live* especially if they decide to splatter the service with ads regardless of wether you pay or notl *shakes fist at xbox Live again*

  • jonsaan #13 2 years ago

    I would pay for a nintendo service that also included the rental of VC games for a 40 quid a year flat fee.
    Edited by 2 at 08/05/10 @ 12:38

  • alcides #14 2 years ago

    "Probably the other thing that we are desperate to realise is the core [online] business structure" probably? I think deshô here meant sure as hell.

    Before you think of making people pay, just make sure there's SOMETHING to charge for. Demos? Centralized ID? Achievements? DLC? The dead body of the guy who came up with friend codes?

  • smelly #15 2 years ago

    No thank you.

    I dont like online games. If I wanted online anti-social gaming, i'd play on the other 2 consoles.

    I buy nintendo for single play and local-multiplayer games. I dont buy pikmin to play against some foul mouthed pre-pubescent 12 year old - who thinks he's hard, online.

  • smelly #16 2 years ago

    >Demos?

    Hmm ok.

    >Centralized ID?

    Obviously

    >Achievements?

    *sigh*.. just because microsoft have them, doesnt mean EVERYONE has to rip them off. Besides they're completely pointless. I particularly hate the achievements which say "get 1000 gp for playing on an online game" - when i never ever ever play online (for reasons listed above).

    > DLC?

    Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo! And again... Nooooooooooooooooo!

    "Hey, instead of releasing that feature WITH the game which the kids are paying for.. why not release it as DLC, and charge extra for it! The kids will LOVE it as they think they're getting extra content.. but in reality we would've given it to them anyhow"

    >The dead body of the guy who came up with friend codes?

    Blame the media who think games are evil and a source for pedos for that one. Just nintendo covering their backs.

  • Stuz359 #17 2 years ago

    Online is severely limited by a lack of internal storage. Honestly, on the best features of Live and PSN is the ability to download Demo's and on the Wii it simply is not possible with the current hardware.

    DLC is another feature that would be limited on the Wii. I like DLC if it's worth it, if not, I don't buy it. Super Mario Galaxy 2 from the sounds of it could be almost entirely DLC (still be day one purchase). I hate DLC if it's obviously a way to cadge money out of the consumer though, things that should have been on the disc in the first place, but that's publishers for you.

  • Geordiemp #18 2 years ago

    Sounds like a complete failure to me, I thought the big N understood there audience and consumers.

    A family console for party games, people are hardly going to pay for online frag fests.

    Do you think he was being funny or sarcastic ?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #19 2 years ago

    I hadn't even thought about some kind of 'spotify for games' flat-rate virtual console (or xbla or psn) service. That'd be cool.

  • mowgli #20 2 years ago

    They have a "current online strategy"?!

  • JamieR #21 2 years ago

    Nintendo online service isn't good enough to pay for I've only ever checked the store out from time to time on it. I doubt they need the money with how many Wii and DS consoles they sell.

  • Phredreeke #22 2 years ago

    It's too late. They can't retrofit existing Wii games to work with a new online scheme. They're stuck with friend codes for this generation. And if Miyamoto thinks people will pay for it then he needs to lay off the mushrooms (See what I did there?)

  • Dan234 #23 2 years ago

    Whatever new online offering they come up with they'd need to offer me it for free to see if I like it or not, because with Nintendo's track record in online I'd need a lot of convincing. And they'd be charging me so I could have the same features that PS360 owners get for free, but only on some games because disc games can't be patched and Nintendo never retrofit new features into old titles.

    On the other hand they could completely overhaul the OS and come up with something fantastic, knock piracy on the head at the same time, and people would willingly pay for it.

    Which sounds more plausible?

    Thought so.

  • Mr_Brown #24 2 years ago

    I didn't think there was anything to charge for. Most online games have a basic online structure as it is. They should expand their online service, but should focus on making it free and stream lined in my opinion. I don't think many people really want the same things from Wii online than they do from Xbox Live and PSN.