4cr had a post up today that made a really interesting, if not foreboding point. Basically, the post was more fuel to the fire meant to burn Nintendo consoles in effigy over the company’s lack of what many call a serious commitment to online gaming. But then the author had this to say:
Let me guess, full-blown chat is one of the features that you are reserving for upcoming “Pay and Play” titles?
I can see Nintendo coming out and saying that everything they’ve offered free of charge so far was exactly what they promised from the beginning, and was exactly what everyone expected a company like them to provide as an online strategy (read: lacking).
So, out comes Pay and Play and Nintendo can offer “premium online services” to those gamers who have been requesting them ad nauseum for the past two years. They can excuse the fact that you have to pay for it because online chat or 32-player battles are things that require a commitment from Nintendo that was “above and beyond what they promised with their free online package” or something along those lines.
It’s cynical, yes, and it really sticks it to the smaller percentage of Wii owners that require voice chat or text messaging in games, but it would make perfect business sense. Nintendo, after all, is a business with a goal of making money.
Quick question: Would you pay extra for voice chat or some other online feature in a Wii title? Which ones? Why or why not?