Nintendo promises more user-friendly Friend Codes for Wii U
Fils-Aime insists it will be "a lot simpler" this time.
While the Wii U will hold on to its predecessors' much-maligned Friend Codes for online matchmaking, Nintendo plans to make the system much more user-friendly this time around, according to NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aime.
Speaking to Kotaku, Fils-Aime confirmed that "there are friend codes, but it's not the existing friend code system".
"What do I mean by that? Here's what I mean: you will be able to identify people as friends and have a certain level of interaction vs. a different level of interaction for the more general population," he continued.
"The method by which you identify someone as a friend is a lot simpler than what's happening today with Friend Codes."
He didn't offer more concrete detail on exactly how it will work but when asked whether gamers accustomed to the more streamlined approach favoured by Sony and Microsoft would be happier with the new set-up he replied, "Yes, they will be."
Elsewhere in the interview, Fils-Aime confirmed that there will be no compulsory achievements system for developers to adhere to. "That is not our philosophy," he said.