Lag. Connection failures. No in-game communication between players. An address book full of friend codes, not just per friend, but per game as well. The inclusion of bots that seamlessly take over from dropped players, so you never know if you’re playing a human or not.
There’s no shortage of reasons that Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection sucks for online gaming, but you’d think that the company would at least be working on improvements. You’d probably be wrong.
After referencing tiny, incremental improvements to the system in Mario Kart Wii — namely, you can now skip one of the infamous Friend Codes, and online opponents now actually have names and faces — 1UP spoke to Nintendo’s PR manager Eric Walter about the future of Wii online.
But though 1UP provided him every opportunity for a simple “we’re working on it,” Walter instead gave the gaming community some of the most unsatisfactory answers we’ve seen since Microsoft’s Aaron Greenburg told us the 360 would do approximately jack to compete with the PS3.
Let’s have a look:
1UP: Can Nintendo players expect better network performance (less lag and quicker match-ups) in Super Smash Bros. Brawl further down the line, or is the current quality of online play final?
Nintendo: As with the launch of any online-enabled game, everyone wants to play at once, which puts a strain on the pipeline. We have seen dramatic improvements every day since launch.
Translation: We’ve found that the longer we wait, the more people become frustrated and give up. Then everyone else gets dropped less often!
1UP: Nintendo’s first party titles have been known for their workmanship, but the online components of Nintendo games thus far seem not to have been subjected to the same rigorous approach. Is that a reflection of Nintendo’s ambivalence toward online gaming, or is it the learning curve of bringing Nintendo into the online sphere?
Nintendo: There are different ways to define online. For example, our library of nearly 200 downloadable classic titles via the Virtual Console has no equal. Secondly, WiiWare is the most democratic approach to game development offered by any manufacturer. Finally, I think the online experience playing Mario Kart Wii or Super Smash Bros. Brawl will match the fun factor of anything out there today — and appeal to a lot more people.
Translation: We don’t care so much about online gaming per se; we’re too busy converting our old ROM collection into shiny new dollar bills.
1UP: Many Nintendo gamers are disappointed with the communication options in Nintendo online games — the Friend Codes, lack of universal friends lists, lack of chat, etc. Are these barriers in place meant to protect younger players?
Nintendo: Different services do things differently. Nintendo’s three goals for Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection are to make the service free, easy, and safe. These goals are there not just for young players, but also older ones and new players. Nintendo is bringing a lot of new people into the world of video games, and we want to reduce barriers while making the online experience as enjoyable as possible.
Translation: Of course we don’t want to get sued by irate parents, but that phrase lacks panache. How about this? In order to appeal to a broad audience, many members of whom are entirely unused to gaming, we need to make the system as complex as possible. Much better.
While we suppose Nintendo could be working on a secret fix for online Wii woes, the message seems pretty clear — right now, they just don’t see the point in doing so.
Tags: Eric Walter, Mario Kart Wii, Nintendo, Online, spin, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, wii
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