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Rumortoid: Big Wii title to ditch friend codes? photo

If you give two poos about online gaming, then you'll likely hate friend codes. It's a good bit of family-friendly PR for Nintendo, certainly, but it's a ridiculous pain in the arse for anybody who wants to the use the Wii's online capabilities for more than simply sending a little cartoon man to his friends.

Well, there's a rumor that one "major" Wii title is not fond of friend codes either, and has decided to bypass the whole ridiculous process. According to IGN's Nintendo Voicechat Podcast, the developer simply realized it didn't have to do the friend code thing, so isn't going to bother. 

As to what game this is, nobody knows for sure, yet. There was speculation that it might be The Conduit, but that game is supposed to be using the dreaded codes. Whether or not Nintendo will stand for this when it comes to the final push is another debate, because I'm not sure how willing the Big N is to simply have its precious system simply bypassed. 

I'm not sure if anything will ever come of this one, but hey, at least it'd be nice to see some developers resisting such restrictive online nonsense.


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30 comments | showing # 1 to 30

ryu89's Avatar
ryu89 at 01/14/2009 08:07
Any chance it might be Mad World? Is that going to be online?
cup of cocoa's Avatar
cup of cocoa at 01/14/2009 08:10
What?! The Wii has online capabilities? Why wasn't I told when I still had one...?
-PL-'s Avatar
-PL- at 01/14/2009 08:14
In before John B complains about Wii flamebait.
XYU's Avatar
XYU at 01/14/2009 08:15
Hmmm interesting... I'll have to see how this one plays out.
pascuz46's Avatar
pascuz46 at 01/14/2009 08:17
That would be nice, friend codes are an abomination to online gaming as we know it. But I wonder what game? You know what game its probably for! WII FIT! A girly game! After all, according 'THE Ubisoft' the wii is a girls console!

I kid, I kid!

No I'm going to go and play some PS3 a manly console!
spam's Avatar
spam at 01/14/2009 08:17
ea don't use friend codes
its that ea nation thing
Jonathan Holmes's Avatar
Jonathan Holmes at 01/14/2009 08:19
I don't think MadWorld has any online modes planned. It's supposed to have multi-player, but I think that's just for the ultra-violent mini-games.

As for friend codes, they never bothered me, but then again I loathe talking to strangers online.
megaStryke's Avatar
megaStryke at 01/14/2009 08:29
There have been a few games that have bypassed the whole friend code issue already. Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 uses EA's own servers for multiplayer, and Blast Works uses a central database from where you can store and download user creations after registering your console. I'm not aware of any other such games, but these two had no problems with Nintendo. Nintendo doesn't force their system upon anyone, but companies would need to provide their own servers and many just can't or won't do that.
Nick Chester's Avatar
Nick Chester at 01/14/2009 08:41
I'm pretty positive that it's not The Conduit. And like Jonathan said, I don't think MadWorld has online multiplayer. This is good news if it's true, and I think more devs should try to bypass the system. The biggest issue, for me, is not having a unified friend list. I'm not sure that's something that can be addressed at this point in the game, though.
craineum's Avatar
craineum at 01/14/2009 08:45
@Nick... well it could be addressed if they were all EA games, just use the EA Nation tag that has already been created for MOH. But then it is a solution for just one publisher. Damn you Nintendo...
Jonathan Holmes's Avatar
Jonathan Holmes at 01/14/2009 08:55
To add to Megastryke's list, I thought Boom Blox let you upload/download content without friendcodes as well. I'll have to check to be sure though. I haven't played the game since last year.
error2k2's Avatar
error2k2 at 01/14/2009 08:59
It has to be Monster Hunter Tri. The only way the game could work to it's full potential.
Highlar's Avatar
Highlar at 01/14/2009 09:51
Agree with megaStryke. EA uses the EA Nation for online for its games, and Nintendo has no problem with it. The only thing that holds (developers) from going this route, is that it requires dedicated servers from the developer company, and they can't use WFC then. Its a trade-off, I feel: cost vs. gameplay. A developer can go cheaper and use the WFC, but it gimps their online a bit and they have to use friend codes for full connection; or they could go full online mode with open communication, but they have to put their own servers onto the agenda and up the cost. Personally, I'm hoping that more companies go the latter route, as MOH:H2 online is great: no lag for me, smooth online play and connection, leader boards, gamer name, etc. A company just has to understand that once they have servers set up, they could use it for multiple games to connect through. And, don't forget, that games on Nintendo consoles buck the usual trend and sell steadily for a longer time, rather than gobbling up huge sales right away then dropping off to next to nothing.
Highlar's Avatar
Highlar at 01/14/2009 09:52
Oh, and I agree with error2k2, that I think it will be Monster Hunter 3. That has the be the biggest "online" game I know of in the pipeline outside of The Conduit (which, I have no idea how they are going to get the full voice chat connection they have wanted using friend codes).
John B's Avatar
John B at 01/14/2009 10:44
@-PL-:

Not in this case. ;) I never truly understood the need for friend codes. It always seemed to be a bit too "nanny state" for me. Then again, if you look at the tards that infest 360 and PS3 on-line gaming, I can't say that I'm *too* surprised.

I'm more curious about the glory that this article is being given. I could play against others in SSBB without needing to give friend codes out. Someone else mentioned Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, and I'm pretty sure that neither of the Guitar Hero required giving out friend codes. You needed to activate your unique game code on-line, yes, but that's not quite the same thing.
megaStryke's Avatar
megaStryke at 01/14/2009 11:16
Guitar Hero required you to swap friend codes, yes.
MiOdd's Avatar
MiOdd at 01/14/2009 11:20
@ Jonathan Holmes

Boom Blox allowed trade levels without any additional Friend Codes but you still needed to register friends via the Wii Message Board.
Face's Avatar
Face at 01/14/2009 11:21
Alright! I'm going to sue Nintendo so hard when I get molested by predators in that game.
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 01/14/2009 11:25
Blast Works didn't use friend codes.
John B's Avatar
John B at 01/14/2009 11:38
Does GH:WT requires codes? I haven't tried it but I just checked the manual and is says to "invite your friends or play with others online". How can you play with others who apparently are not your friends if it requires friend codes?
flabzilla's Avatar
flabzilla at 01/14/2009 11:39
Friend codes are only half the problem like nick said there is no unified friend list when i'm on the wii I can't see if my registered wiicode friends are online, I dunno what there doing, I can't instant message them to check.

I have to log into the exact same game, clicked on the connect option at the same time as my friend to be able to see them.
flabzilla's Avatar
flabzilla at 01/14/2009 11:43
@John B most WFC games include search options for connecting to friends and then a worldwide or continental search option.

Continental and Worldwide search for random players but usually feature zero communication between the players.
Dyganth's Avatar
Dyganth at 01/14/2009 11:46
I agree with error2k2, most likely Monster Hunter 3/tri-
Timstuff's Avatar
Timstuff at 01/14/2009 14:45
Nintendo seems to have no problem with de-regulating every other aspect of game development for their system, so I can't understand for the life of me why they require friend codes for each game. They don't regulate game quality, so why do they regulate online infrastructure?
Johnny Justice's Avatar
Johnny Justice at 01/14/2009 16:06
perri's Avatar
perri at 01/14/2009 16:40
Definitely Monster Hunter 3. Wonder if it will apply to the port of Monster Hunter G aswell? Anyways, friend codes wouldn't be that bad if they didn't have them for every game, also, I'm not a big online guy.

Pascuz, your a man's console.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 01/14/2009 17:13
simply redundant.

Just kidding.

*crosses fingers for the Conduit anyway*
Artemus's Avatar
Artemus at 01/14/2009 17:32
Friend codes are not very friendly...
Mentok the Mindtaker's Avatar
Mentok the Mindtaker at 01/14/2009 18:03
Please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op, please be starfox with online co-op.
mistic's Avatar
mistic at 01/15/2009 01:07
I hope its the conduit since I don't have enough wii-friends to play a decent FPS-match online :p
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