[Rumour] Valve & EA Want Their Online Services On Wii U

[Hadrian]

Of course they do, I'm sure they'd love to do this on 360! Wanting is one thing but will either have a chance of getting these on Wii U what with Nintendo being Nintendo.

We received a tip from an EA intern with some very interesting information pertaining to the Wii U’s online system. Our source, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims that her information comes from a network engineer whom she is friends with. As with all news from anonymous sources, it’s difficult to determine its authenticity. But what we received sounds plausible and even explains Peter Moore’s relentless excitement for the Wii U.


It’s no secret that EA are helping Nintendo develop the Wii U’s online service. It will allegedly offer voice- and video-chatting support, leaderboards, and detailed friend lists that tell you who’s online and what they’re playing. The service aims to offer greater flexibility to publishers than Xbox Live, and EA . From our source:

Many publishers are happy with Xbox Live’s features, but they aren’t happy with how strict Microsoft’s guidelines are. Nintendo went with an open flexible approach with online because when Nintendo asked developers/publishers what they wanted in an online service, that was the number one thing they asked for.
​

But interestingly, EA are supposedly in talks with Nintendo to try and make Origin, their digital games distribution platform, a key element of Nintendo’s online strategy, too. EA would have the chance to bring Origin to the console space and win many new users while Nintendo see it “as an opportunity to rebuild relationships with Western gamers because they feel that only a massive western company such as EA nderstands what is needed to make an online service attractive to western gamers.”

According to our source, EA isn’t the only company looking into bringing its digital distribution platform to the Wii U – Valve, too, are interested in getting Steam onto it. But EA are “aggressively persuading Nintendo to go Origins exclusive with Wii U’s online so they can gain a competitive advantage over Steam.”

Our informant doesn’t know how Origin on the Wii U will differ from Origin on the PC, if at all. But if these talks about making it a fundamental part of the Wii U are really happening, it’s no surprise that Peter Moore is one of the most enthused Wii U developers out there.

What would be in it for Nintendo? Well I guess a lot more credibility (well with Steam...so far Origin has been worthless for me) and maybe we'll see Valve or EA titles being more of a certainty on the Wii U if Nintendo makes that part of the deal.

http://wiiugo.com/exclusive-ea-origin-to-be-a-key-element-of-nintendos-online-strategy/

 

[serpenter]

If they make it Origin exclusive, then why not just make it youtube exclusive, and google exclusive whilst they're at it. That would be a good idea, wouldn't it?
No. If they're going to offer a service, they shouldn't alienate alternatives like that, and getting steam on board could be just as good as getting EA.

I like the fact that they're pushing online like this, and that they're giving other companies more of a say, rather than being overly strict, but its important to have firm guidelines, and if they're pushing for more online, as it sounds, then blocking off other companies would also be a daft move.

Especially giving EA free reign over their online services =/
Very daft.

 

[KingVamp]

Did you blatantly coming and paste or something? Not just this thread, where the words can't be seen in the dark theme without highlighting.

Anyway, steam on it will be a great plus, not that I use it myself.
I think multiple online services would be awesome.

I just hope with such a online, that it wouldn't be abused.


If it all true that is.

@Hadrian

 

[Hadrian]

Did you blatantly coming and paste or something? Not just this thread, where the words can't be seen in the dark theme without highlighting.

After years of putting effort into posts I've decided to just do what everyone else does.

 

[BrightNeko]

I think steam would be the better route to go if it is an exclusive thing. Sure there is no talk of letting you play the games on those systems but steam has been around longer. An valve is pretty nice about letting everything work on everything.

 

[Foxi4]

No, no, no, OP. You're getting it wrong.

Nintendo is *being helped with* desiging *their own Online infrastructure*. It's not going to be EA's, it's not going to be Steam either, it's going to be a Nintendo proprietary system that may or may not be compatible with the forementioned ones.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

If they make it Origin exclusive, then why not just make it youtube exclusive, and google exclusive whilst they're at it. That would be a good idea, wouldn't it?
No. If they're going to offer a service, they shouldn't alienate alternatives like that, and getting steam on board could be just as good as getting EA.

There are plenty of Steam exclusives, people just don't whine as much since Steam basically made digital distribution on the PC. If Origin was first and Valve was just coming around with Steam and requiring people to register for it to play Half Life 2, TF2, Portal, whatever, people would be up in arms. In fact, I thought people were all grumpy over Half Life 2 requiring Steam activation.

Your sentence was a little hard to interpret so if I'm going off on a completely random tangent, please ignore.

 

[Deleted_171835]

If Steam ends up on the Wii U, it would instantly become a must-buy. Especially if Valve releases some games for it (Half Life 3!).

Origin, not so much.

 

[KingVamp]

No, no, no, OP. You're getting it wrong.

Nintendo is *being helped with* desiging *their own Online infrastructure*. It's not going to be EA's, it's not going to be Steam either, it's going to be a Nintendo proprietary system that may or may not be compatible with the forementioned ones.

But interestingly, EA are supposedly in talks with Nintendo to try and make Origin, their digital games distribution platform, a key element of Nintendo’s online strategy, too. EA would have the chance to bring Origin to the console space and win many new users while Nintendo see it “as an opportunity to rebuild relationships with Western gamers because they feel that only a massive western company such as EA nderstands what is needed to make an online service attractive to western gamers.”

According to our source, EA isn’t the only company looking into bringing its digital distribution platform to the Wii U – Valve, too, are interested in getting Steam onto it. But EA are “aggressively persuading Nintendo to go Origins exclusive with Wii U’s online so they can gain a competitive advantage over Steam.”

I thought I read it right.

Time to spam go to Nintendo support asking for Steam...

 

[Qtis]

This is cool and sad at the same time. Is Nintendo really in such a bad situation regarding online services that they can't make them themselves? Not saying that PSN/XBL are perfect, but at least they have done a lot by trial and error (and thus received know-how regarding online). Otherwise, cool that other devs can affect the outcome of online services on a next gen console. Maybe we'll even see specific online services for certain publishers/games? *Cross game chat!*


-Qtis

 

[Deleted_171835]

This is cool and sad at the same time. Is Nintendo really in such a bad situation regarding online services that they can't make them themselves? Not saying that PSN/XBL are perfect, but at least they have done a lot by trial and error (and thus received know-how regarding online). Otherwise, cool that other devs can affect the outcome of online services on a next gen console. Maybe we'll even see specific online services for certain publishers/games? *Cross game chat!*

Microsoft and Sony don't just make gaming consoles. They have experience with this sort of thing. Nintendo is a video-game company and has no prior experience with this sort of thing. The mistake they made was not consulting another company with experience on this sort of thing for help.

I don't mind a number of different online services as long as they are all linked together to one account. If one Wii U sign-in would allow me to play online in EA, Activision and Valve's (a big maybe) games, I would be happy. One large store with different sections for each digital distribution system would be nice too.

 

[Foxi4]

Seeing the commotion around Friend Codes first being separate for each game, then the exact same Friend Codes distributed per 3DS rather than per game, then DSi's being able to log on WFC only via WEP despite the fact that the console supports WPA, Nintendo's Star System and Nintendo Club accounts still not unified with the WFC account, basically NO nametags, separate Nintendo Points for each console, complete lack of Voice/Video chat other than in Pokemon Black and White and STILL no messenging system, I'd say I am quite pleased that Nintendo is being helped by people who actually *know* how to design such networks, and if the end product is compatible with Steam or Origin, or maybe even both for some great WiiU vs. PC vs. PS3 action then count me in.

 

[DeadLocked]

First reaction to title: "Valve and EA want..." NO GOD.
Second reaction: "their online services on Wii U." Oh phew. No teaming up.

 

[Erdnaxela]

Might be interesting, for Nintendo and gamers.
Wait & see, it's still a rumour.

 

[Gahars]

I could see Nintendo looking for third party aid in designing their online system (seeing what their previous attempts have been like). That part is plausible, at least.

As for the rest of the article... I don't quite buy it; only time will tell, I guess.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

If Steam ends up on the Wii U, it would instantly become a must-buy. Especially if Valve releases some games for it (Half Life 3!).

Origin, not so much.

Lololol Half Life 3. That's just...that's just hilarious! All kidding aside, I'd rather have Valve than EA as Valve...well they pretty much invented digital distribution, Nintendo would be crazy to go with EA.

 

[Midna]

Oh fuck no. EA? Those assholes want their proprietary spyware on the Wii U? Tell me it isn't so ;_;

I would kill for Steam on Wii U.

 

[Valwin]

It begins

 

[junkerde]

now it ends.

 

[Pyrofyr]

If they make it Origin exclusive I'm not buying it.

I love Nintendo, but EA can go fuck itself.