Nintendo announces online gaming network

Added by on January 27, 2012

During a quarterly financial results meeting today Nintendo’s President, Satoru Iwata, announced Nintendo is creating an online gaming network.

Iwata said Nintendo plans to, “establish a platform where various services available through the network for our consumers shall be connected via Nintendo Network service so that the company can make comprehensive proposals to consumers.”

The new network is a departure from Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection, where users playing games like ‘Mario Kart 7’ could create communities that allowed them to establish race conditions and rules; anyone joining a community could participate in matches.

The new network, according to Iwata , called ‘Nintendo Network Service’ will be available to Nintendo’s 3DS and Wii U. Iwata said the network will allow players to create communities as before, yet will offer the capability to buy and download add-on content, referring to a game called ‘Tobidasu Pricla Kiradeco Revolution’ which is available to owners of the Nintendo 3DS. A game by Square Enix, called ‘Theatrhythm Final Fantasy’ and scheduled to be released by February 16, is going to offer downloadable music sold by Square Enix through the new network.

Iwata explained that Nintendo is planning to introduce a personal account system that will work with the new network. The personal account system allows several users to share one game system, yet maintain their own accounts.

Iwata added that software download sales may be offered through the network sometime in the future, although he added that the decision to implement the feature depends on factors that include Nintendo’s relationship with wholesalers and retailers.

Nintendo announced a 61% drop in profit during the quarter between October and December – a normally strong quarter for the company according to analysts.