Wii Speak Channel only available to new Wii Speak-ers [Joystiq]

[DP ServBot]

Filed under: Nintendo Wii (http://www.joystiq.com/category/wii/), Online (http://www.joystiq.com/category/online/), Peripherals (http://www.joystiq.com/category/peripherals/)

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Nintendo's latest Wii peripheral, which boldly thrusts the console into the newfangled "voice over IP" era, comes with a minor catch. A redeemable "Wii Download Ticket Number," included with the Wii Speak microphone, grants access to the Wii Speak (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/wii-speak) Channel. Unfortunately, the code only works once, locking secondhand purchases out of the dedicated chat-to-your-friends channel. According to MTV Multiplayer (http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/11/12/wii-speak-channel-only-for-wii-speak-purchasers/), the channel will not be available through any other means, and Nintendo will not replace lost or stolen codes.

If you were keen on conversing with your Wii pals outside of supported games (i.e. Animal Crossing: City Folk), you'll either have to buy new as of Nov. 16th (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/08/nintendo-drops-more-wii-speak-details/), or invest in one of those telephone things. On the bright side, telephone numbers are even easier to remember than friend codes.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy (http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/2008/11/13/wii-speak-channel-download-tied-to-hardware/)]Wii Speak Channel only available to new Wii Speak-ers (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/wii-speak-channel-only-available-to-new-wii-speak-ers/) originally appeared on Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com) on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).

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[joshnickerson]

Okay, that's really kind of a dick move there Nintendo.

[j_factor]

Yeah, I don't see any reason for that.

[DigitalSpace]

Okay, that's really kind of a dick move there Nintendo.

Agreed.

[rbudrick]

What exactly is their point? If you can't use the channel w/o this device, what do they gain?

Perhaps the backlash will be severe enough for them to realize their stupidity, especially when they start getting hundreds of calls from Gamestop customers and employees.

-Rob

[joshnickerson]

I guess this is Nintendo's way of perhaps dissuading any third party microphones from being released, but still, it's stupid. What happens if my Wii burns out and I have to get a replacement? I have to blow another $30 on a new microphone, even if the other one is still working just fine? That's just f**king retarded.

Ask anyone, I'm a big Ninty fan, have been since 1986, but this is really a dickish move by them. UN-KUDOS, Nintendo! You've convinced me not to even bother with WiiSpeak.

In closing...
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b235/joshnickerson/messageboard/boourns.jpg

[kedawa]

Nintendo can get away with just about anything now that their target market is oblivious to this kind of shit.

[CosmicMonkey]

I've never understood this whole microphone business since the start. The competition are releasing webcams, so Nintendo release a... microphone? Especially compared to the PS3 Eye, which also has an accurate position sensing mic built in.

Or are Nintendo going to release a 'Wii See' webcam as yet another separate peripheral?

[XYXZYZ]

I can't wait to buy one of these, it'll look great on the shelf next to ROB, Virtual Boy and GBA printer.


Nintendo can get away with just about anything now that their target market is oblivious to this kind of shit.
Good point.

[Sabz5150]

Guess what I won't be buying!

Smooth move, Ex-Lax.

[c0ldb33r]

How does this work with Animal Crossing? Can you play Animal Crossing without one?

[joshnickerson]

How does this work with Animal Crossing? Can you play Animal Crossing without one?

It's completely optional.

[geneshifter]

Product DOA. Next.