Nintendo Applies EA/Epic Strategy To Wii Speak

[Telefrog]

Remember the hubbub over EA and Epic's plan to "encourage" new retail buyers on their games by offering incentives (mappacks, roster updates, and actual endings) to their loyal fans? Nintendo is taking that to the next level. Wii Speak will only be for new buyers of the hardware.

But there’s a catch, a fine print surprise. There is a pamphlet packaged with the peripheral that includes a 16-character code, a “Wii Download Ticket Number,” to be used for downloading the Wii Speak Channel. According to the pamphlet, this code “cannot be replaced by Nintendo or your retailer if it is lost or stolen.”

A Nintendo rep further clarified to me that the channel won’t be able to be downloaded through any other means. You won’t be able to get it off the Wii Shopping Channel manually, nor would you be able to buy it. Essentially, the Wii Speak Channel will be available to new purchasers of the Wii Speak mic and that’s it.

Goodbye eBay and Gamestop!

[J Arcane]

Originally Posted by Telefrog

Remember the hubbub over EA and Epic's plan to "encourage" new retail buyers on their games by offering incentives (mappacks, roster updates, and actual endings) to their loyal fans? Nintendo is taking that to the next level. Wii Speak will only be for new buyers of the hardware.



Goodbye eBay and Gamestop!

Yanno, as stupid as this is, for some reason I feel compelled to point out that this is basically exactly how Valve's games or MMOs pretty much work. The CDs are pretty much there as a convenience to the user. You're mostly just buying a box with a CD key in it.

[JayVe]

I had the same problem with Phantasy Star Online. Came with a code that activated the game, and could only be used once.

Edit: Oh, and I believe this is the first time I've ever seen 'Ya know' spelled as Yanno. I like!

[Orca]

So it's essentially a one-use piece of hardware? That's kind of ridiculous, isn't it?

[J Arcane]

Originally Posted by JayVe

I had the same problem with Phantasy Star Online. Came with a code that activated the game, and could only be used once.

Edit: Oh, and I believe this is the first time I've ever seen 'Ya know' spelled as Yanno. I like!

I've heard it for years (though it's a bit of an antiquated spelling admittedly), but twice in the past few months I've had to actually explain to someone what it meant. One idiot on 4chan actually claimed it was some kind of insult or racial epithet and got all pissy with me (I myself just wondered what the fuck he was doing on 4chan).

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Orca

So it's essentially a one-use piece of hardware? That's kind of ridiculous, isn't it?

? What do you mean by one use?

It will work with Animal Crossing, The Conduit, and the Wii Speak channel. That's three uses right there.

[Telefrog]

Originally Posted by JayVe

? What do you mean by one use?

It will work with Animal Crossing, The Conduit, and the Wii Speak channel. That's three uses right there.

I think he means it will only work for the first user. No resale on the hardware.

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Telefrog

I think he means it will only work for the first user. No resale on the hardware.

Ahh. One use like a toothbrush... not a condom.

[UnderHero5]

Well, it will still be sold used. You just won't get access to a channel where you can sit and talk... You'd still be able to use it in any games that support it, which would be the only reason to use it, if you ask me.

I don't see people starting up the Wii Speak channel very often, just to sit and talk. That's what telephones are for.

I won't be buying the useless thing anyway, though.

[Iron Past]

Oh, okay. I thought you meant they were attaching a chainsaw to the mic and then offering useless sticker packs you can buy at the store.

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Iron Past

Oh, okay. I thought you meant they were attaching a chainsaw to the mic and then offering useless sticker packs you can buy at the store.

That, my good friend, is very clever.

[Sl1pstream]

Since channels are stored on your Wii and not your account, what happens if your Wii breaks or gets stolen?

At least DLC and Valve games are linked to an account and available for download at any time.

[quidmonkey]

If gaming were an industry where the used market couldn't be controlled, say furniture, then second-hand would be moot.

From a consumer's perspective, Nintendo's refusal to allow Wii Speak resells is not a vouch of confidence for its product. A quality product is itself its raison d'etre and the reason why a consumer would want to own it - forever.

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Baron Samedi

If gaming were an industry where the used market couldn't be controlled, say furniture, then second-hand would be moot.

From a consumer's perspective, Nintendo's refusal to allow Wii Speak resells is not a vouch of confidence for its product. A quality product is itself its raison d'etre and the reason why a consumer would want to own it - forever.

After going back and reading this, it sounds to me that only the Wii Speak channel won't be available to second-hand buyers. The Wii Speak microphone (as far as i can tell) should still work for voice-chat within games.

I don't see people using a lot of Wii Speak for VoiP calls since it can't call a land line or Skype. It is as useless as the Wii message board function when it comes to real communication.

[Telefrog]

Originally Posted by JayVe

I don't see people using a lot of Wii Speak for VoiP calls since it can't call a land line or Skype. It is as useless as the Wii message board function when it comes to real communication.

Useless or not isn't the point. The argument here is that a feature is being witheld from secondhand buyers, regardless of how many may use it or not. Certainly, if you don't think you're ever going to use Wii Speak, you're free to go buy the mic off eBay and it won't be a problem for you.

The main problem I see with stuff like this (beyond being a bit shady) is that the general Wii consumer isn't very knowledgeable about this sort of issue. How many people will even know about this little "gotcha" waiting for them if they buy secondhand? How many people will understand the implications of the little pack-in slip warning?

Edit: Also, as I understand it, Wii Speak is one of those features that should be inclusive of the Wii's online interface. Why is it separate at all? Example: whether or not I pay for Live Gold service, the software to speak online is there on my machine. Selling my headset doesn't mean the schlub that buys it won't be able to access the VOIP service.

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Telefrog

Useless or not isn't the point. The argument here is that a feature is being witheld from secondhand buyers, regardless of how many may use it or not.

I dunno. I consider useless to be useless. If I got a bobblehead doll when I got my game, I'd consider it to have more value than Wii Speak... and I LOATHE bobblehead dolls. To each their own though.

It isn't like Wii Speak is unusable for a second-hand market. It will still work in games. You simply don't get the bobblehead. The free market will determine how much a used Wii Speak is worth.

Maybe I'm wrong, and Wii Speak is awesome software. I may have to come back here and eat my words.

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Telefrog

Edit: Also, as I understand it, Wii Speak is one of those features that should be inclusive of the Wii's online interface. Why is it separate at all? Example: whether or not I pay for Live Gold service, the software to speak online is there on my machine. Selling my headset doesn't mean the schlub that buys it won't be able to access the VOIP service.

Here again, I don't know why you are entitled to it. Sure, the competition has it, but why should it be built in? Wii was NEVER advertised as having voice chat.

Would I like it if every Wii came with the feature? Sure thing! But then I want every platform to have Xbox Live's cross-game chat and invites.

[Telefrog]

Originally Posted by JayVe

Here again, I don't know why you are entitled to it. Sure, the competition has it, but why should it be built in? Wii was NEVER advertised as having voice chat.

Would I like it if every Wii came with the feature? Sure thing! But then I want every platform to have Xbox Live's cross-game chat and invites.

The last part of my post wasn't an argument for the feature because of entitlement. That was just meant more as an observation as to how backwards Nintendo is about their whole online presence. I should've been more clear on that.

The essential issue for me is that Nintendo is limiting "first sale" rights by making a feature dependent on the original purchase. Sure, you can classify this feature as "useless", (and honestly, I suspect you're right) but this is an easy start to the next feature, and the one after that. What happens when the feature that gets sequestered isn't so useless?

This isn't even a "slippery slope" argument, as business is always predicated on the idea of what you can get away with before customer dissatisfaction impacts your bottom line. As we've seen with previous examples, there's very little consequence to unfriendly business practices when you have a monopoly on the platform.

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Telefrog

The last part of my post wasn't an argument for the feature because of entitlement. That was just meant more as an observation as to how backwards Nintendo is about their whole online presence. I should've been more clear on that.

The essential issue for me is that Nintendo is limiting "first sale" rights by making a feature dependent on the original purchase. Sure, you can classify this feature as "useless", (and honestly, I suspect you're right) but this is an easy start to the next feature, and the one after that. What happens when the feature that gets sequestered isn't so useless?

This isn't even a "slippery slope" argument, as business is always predicated on the idea of what you can get away with before customer dissatisfaction impacts your bottom line. As we've seen with previous examples, there's very little consequence to unfriendly business practices when you have a monopoly on the platform.

You are right, on many levels. I'm not interested in the channel, but I am interested in using the device for chatting during Animal Crossing. Maybe my post had a touch of sour grapes in it.

[quidmonkey]

On one hand, Nintendo may see it that offering the Wii Speak Channel for a price at a profit will not equal the loss to reselling. Given that Wii Speak = server costs, and NWFC is free, this may only be quid pro quo.