There's a recent Q&A with Capcom's Director of Strategic Planning & Research, Christian Svensson, in which he discusses the company's success in the West, talks about Resident Evil 4 on the Wii, and the simultaneous release of Puzzle Fighter on the Playstation Network and Xbox Live.
What we'd like to discuss, however, is a very interesting slice of information regarding Nintendo's online presence, specifically with regards to offering downloadable original content.
In the most straightforward of terms, it's certainly a possiblity, one that Capcom are definitely considering. In the interview, Svensson states that "it's going to happen," and right now, it's a case of somebody at Nintendo's end turning on the "spigot" to make it happen. Awesome, we all know how quick Ninty are to get their online crap together.
It would appear that downloadable content for the Virtual Console is in the "when" stage, not the "if." This would certainly be a coup for the VC that offers nothing but straight up emulation in the face of enhanced classics and original content that Sony and Microsoft currently provide.
Turn on the spigot and hit the jump for Svensson's full thoughts on the matter.
RSS 
MORE IN OUR 
More from this author: 
Mmmm, content. I can't imagine having new original content on the VC. I'm already overwhelmed with original and retro content on the XLB, AND retro games on the VC. Isn't one online service sucking point/dollars off my credit card enough? ;)
Serious! For real!
Cause I hear about all these independent game companies coming out with interesting games, but I they never see the light of day because no company wants to pick them up.
And when talking about originality and crazy Bill Cosby mask wearing submarine captains you don't have to look too far with the Wii. But it'll most likely be another four quarters for Nintendo to dip their feet into that pool. I mean they're just taking their first baby steps into the online market now.
I swear their was some rumours/talks about a new wii channel for original games, can't remember where I heard it, but I swear something like this has been hinted before.
Enhanced classics? Like the broke ass Contra, which is a vertical screen oriented game?
I'm okay with the NES ports the VC is putting out.
Where's our Contra on that one?
I'm sure there's been talk of a channel for everything in the past. "Virtual kestrel racing" channel, "arse wiping" channel, "channel" channel.
WTFIJS channel, Abacus channel
Nintendo could have a "History Channel" dedicated to the history of gaming....and WWII movies.
My fucking God, an Abacus Channel would own.
They should really, really open up a channel that allows submissions of user created/approved flash games. No lag and all original content. It could be a start.
ABACUS!!!
my god im hung over...
No, please God no. Don't start the abacus thing again. I need a decent sleep.
On the topic though original downloadable content is a big concern for me. Sure it would be nice, and cool if you could get something on there yourself, but I'm more interested with the actual games that are coming out.
Sorry, that should read '*not* a big concern'
"But it'll most likely be another four quarters for Nintendo to dip their feet into that pool. "
Not sure about that, they already have the infrastructure in place to deliver that content to the consumer, all they need to do is set up a system to choose and license those original DL's from their devs. I mean, shouldn't anyone with a WiiDevkit be able to code DL games just like any other disc game? The lack of technical hurdles to jump could mean a new revenue stream for the big N right away. And what do we know (and hear over and over and over from a select few) about Nintendo's "new-gen" console and it's relationship with the mighty mighty dollar?
Wii should play Angry Nintendo Nerd videos non-stop... I would then say the ricks R@cks!
rockvillain: its called wiicade.com
Yeah, it's about bloody time. This was always talked about as a major use of the VC in the beginning before Ninty seemed to forget about it and started slavering after the cheap emu pickernic basket.
Like I keep saying about everything Wii though, I'm hoping for the big first party stuff in the second half of the gear to raise the profile and really kick everything into gear. A big dev. like Capcom would be perfect to rampage through the floodgates and blow them wide open. Someone at Nintendo needs to pay attention to this and start building them some kind of jet powered snowplough.
And yeah, the scene's already there, with some great sites like Wiicade doing the whole thing throgh the web browser. I'd like to see Nintendo working alongside some of that stuff for an online wing of it eventually, but they can't just let the homebrew guys do ALL the work for them.
@mandlebaum
yeah I go there every now and then, but I meant more of a downloadable service. I find that playing on wiicade.com and other flash sites the lag really screws up the gameplay (games like Flow and other bigger sized .swfs)
@ Crunshii
That would be amazing...I freakin love that guy..his recent bit with the 32X is priceless.
They need a firmware patch to allow programs to be run from the SD card. You can get a 2 gig card for less than the price of a GameCube memory card. If you could download/run software from your SD card slot, file size would be less of a problem.
The sooner this happens the better. Really looking forward to indie wii content. Wii developer certification is something I'd very much like for myself as well, but that's putting the cart ahead of the horse.
Original content is already on the way. An updated version om Impossible Mission for the VC is right around the corner.
obtw... some little birdy told me PS3 Home bowling > wii bowling.
"Needs more spigot"
Actually it needs more Pokeyman. You know, with the pokey and the man and the guy comes out of the thing. But it won't happen. These kids today, they listen to the rap music, which gives them the brain damage, with the hippin and and a hoppin and a bippin and a boppin, so they don't know what the jazz is all about. You see?
jello pudding pops.
SCORENESS!!! O:-)
I will let this one slide this time Mr. Jim Sterling...whoever you be!
I'd even be happy if these "original games" were arcade ports, seeing as some console ports of arcade games are inadequate, such as Final Fight.