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Wii to receive original downloadable games

Beginning early next year, WiiWare will allow developers to sell smaller-scale new games to consumers through Wii Shop Channel.

The latest generation of consoles is entirely on board the digital distribution trend, as Nintendo today announced WiiWare, a new service that will allow developers to create and sell original downloadable games for the Wii. Previously, Nintendo's digitally distributed games on the system were limited to the Virtual Console rereleases of older titles.

Like the Xbox Live Marketplace and online PlayStation Store before it, WiiWare is being touted as a way for developers with small budgets to try out original, innovative, and smaller-scale games without the investment and risk of creating a title to be sold at retail. The first WiiWare games will arrive early next year and will be available to customers through the Wii Shop Channel.

In discussing the new service with Newsweek's N'Gai Croal, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said developers would be able to use existing Nintendo software development kits to build WiiWare games. Fils-Aime also said that Nintendo would have final control of pricing for WiiWare content, though such decisions would be made with input from the publishers and developers.

354 Comments

  • fighterguard

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 1:37 pm GMT

    No need for hard drive, as many of you say. Remember that the Wii has an SD card expansion slot. So, technically, the Wii will have and infinite ammount of memory, since SD cards have become very cheap and high-density lately. A 2GB SD card is around 20 bucks.

  • MSG-Deathscythe

    Posted Aug 30, 2007 10:18 am GMT

    i hope nintendo will just allow plugging-in any available cheap hdd to the wii's usb drive ... just like the ps3.

  • p_angelofdeath

    Posted Aug 29, 2007 11:39 pm GMT

    Yeah!!! Baby!!!!

  • Sacred-Snow

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 8:59 pm GMT

    Cool.

  • dbowlin17

    Posted Jul 16, 2007 2:20 pm GMT

    When this happens a hard drive is needed

  • Polishgamer411

    Posted Jul 13, 2007 8:06 pm GMT

    Fullmetal1andy and jw7103, i dont think either of you are right. i thought they sell those wii micro sd mem cards for a reason, dont u think??? besides that, i think the wii ware is a great way for nintendo to cash in and for wii owners to get cheap fun games, since almost all wii games are like $50.

  • jw7103

    Posted Jul 13, 2007 3:38 am GMT

    if you look on the back of the console there are 2 usb ports surely you can connect an external usb hdd to the console and use that to store information

  • Fullmetal1andy

    Posted Jul 2, 2007 8:55 am GMT

    maybe nintendo will make a heardrive for the wii to hold all the wiiware and downloads for wii

  • Captainintendo

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 11:06 am GMT

    sweet. i just wish the Wii had more space to store all of these downloads

  • makryu

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 6:52 am GMT

    "Squirrel

    Yes we have all heard, but not all of us are thieves or digital pirates. Most of us want to support the gaming industry and rightfully pay the developers for what they have created. Plus this story is about new content made especially for download."

    They've already been paid for the classics a long time ago. The consoles where these games were developed are dead. I can't see where it's harming the industry (especially playing the games that aren't available for download). And there was someone complaining the classics weren't available yet, that's why I made the comment.

  • Thorpe89

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 6:10 am GMT

    I remember them saying about this a while a go. It's good to see this going one step closer now.

  • -Squirrel-

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 10:24 pm GMT

    "makryu

    Anybody ever heard of emulation? The classics are all out there already"

    Yes we have all heard, but not all of us are thieves or digital pirates. Most of us want to support the gaming industry and rightfully pay the developers for what they have created. Plus this story is about new content made especially for download.

  • gonzalezj1

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 9:57 pm GMT

    Finally!

  • rexdeaz

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:52 pm GMT

    when will we see the first cross-downloadable service game? will cloning clyde 2 be available on wiiware, the playstation network and xbox live arcade? Only time will tell..........................................................................

  • gorilaboy

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:28 pm GMT

    Hard Drive? Expanded Storage? Anyone else think these might be intro'd at E3 now, since we'll probably need more space for all these downloads?

  • kappareign

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 6:06 pm GMT

    classics and now new games too... sounds great

  • Lord_Artix

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 5:52 pm GMT

    Better late than never I guess. Now let's hope we can find some new classics.

  • Kcube

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 1:08 pm GMT

    Sounds good.The first game on it should be Bookworm Deluxe...that game owned and would be good for the remote.

  • cobrax80

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 12:08 pm GMT

    Awesome!

  • ChrisDude1218

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 11:59 am GMT

    Sweet. Just wish it came a little earlier, but hey. Better than nothing. Can't wait.

  • Merl57

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 11:25 am GMT

    neato hope the price isn't insanely inflated as it is now for downloadable games.

  • sentay0

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 10:29 am GMT

    Shweet!

  • DJ_Quack_Quack

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 10:20 am GMT

    If those original low budget games make good use of the nunchuk remote . I'll buy those games.

  • cfamgcn

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 9:57 am GMT

    Great news for Nintendo this week, huh?

  • ThickMcRunfast

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 9:54 am GMT

    It's about goddam time. Now, we need game demos.

  • makryu posted Jun 28, 2007 9:36 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    makryu

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 9:36 am GMT (hide)

    Anybody ever heard of emulation? The classics are all out there already

  • rockinrobot1991

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 8:55 am GMT

    Symphony of the night, Ultimate MK3, and Street Fighter II' Turbo HD Remix (minus the HD, of course) should all make it (and with Xbox live's low storage cap, should fit).

  • foola12

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 8:36 am GMT

    THIS SOUNDS AMAZING! Hopefully they will make pretty good games and will only cost like 100 points orsomething. Now i finally have a good reason to buy a wii points card!

  • thug_angel123

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 8:19 am GMT

    oh let the games be cheap most of the downloadable arcade games are just rippin off...

  • Chromeo_basic

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 8:15 am GMT

    Thanks Nintendo! Now...could I possibly get demos/trials of these, and regular Wii games? I'd REALLY enjoy the option of actually PLAYING the game before plunking down my hard earned simoleons on it! Gracias!

  • Talandar

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 8:02 am GMT

    Actually, el_ken, Microsoft was the first to put up original games online. Perhaps you've heard of Geometry Wars?

  • Smoke0

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:58 am GMT

    How come every new game console has to include orginal downloadable games? The orginal Wii games aren´t going to give the games on X-Box 360 & PS3 a fight for the money

  • mitu123

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:40 am GMT

    I thought Sony creates original games on their PS Network el_ken, like Calling All Cars!

  • Hawk456

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:36 am GMT

    Cool.

  • el_ken posted Jun 28, 2007 7:22 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    el_ken

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:22 am GMT (hide)

    Once again Ninty innovating the concept...Sony, are you ready to copy this new stuff???

  • Flawie

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:12 am GMT

    Focus on getting the actually CLASSIC VC games out there first. THe list of games that SHOULD be on the VC is loooong. If I want original downloadable games I go to my Xbox 360. On the Wii I want the old school console classics not even more indie content that in 9/10 is not good anyway. Not so great news for me personally. I rather keep waiting for Terranigma on the current VC instead.

  • sphinx-shadow

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 6:46 am GMT

    This is great and all but i still want a DVD Channel.

  • Narroo

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 6:45 am GMT

    N+ anyone?
    I hope that comes to the Wii.

  • dmish82

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 6:16 am GMT

    This could have some potential. I foresee a lot of puzzle games at first.

  • Dualmask

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 6:12 am GMT

    Sounds like a really cool concept that can help independent, imaginative developers get their game ideas out there.

  • mrmajora

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 5:50 am GMT

    Wait so when is this thing coming out? It was announced today but it said not until early next year. What's going on? Also I barely understand what they're talking about.

  • wiidominance

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 5:20 am GMT

    well ... this is really the first real move for the whole Channels concept from Nintendo ...

  • siberdib

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 5:14 am GMT

    Great stuff, another step forward. only problem is where are all these games going to go??? Changing SD cards sure is annoying.

  • TQ_NintyNoE

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 5:09 am GMT

    Awesome, can't wait to download some Original games. Heck, it'd be possible for new MegaDrive or NES games to be made even, exciting stuff!

  • kbaily

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 5:06 am GMT

    The Wii is a great place for game designers to experiment with new and innovative ideas and it would be great to see something like "flow" or "Roboblitz" come to the Wii where they have a better chance to appeal to a casual crowd.

  • Np_Pro

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 4:58 am GMT

    WiiWare would be good for the summer drought of new games.

  • boodarni

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 4:57 am GMT

    بهترین کنسول جهان Wii

    Translate:

    Wii is the best consol in the World

  • TrumpyTheDog

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 4:36 am GMT

    Just thought I'd try and jog his memory of the reason people buy GAMES consoles for, Sony seem more obsessed with the Blu-Gay player and adding frilly accessories like Home to worry about the main reason people buy a GAMES console in the first place.

  • Poison_Me_Rum

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 4:22 am GMT

    "Stammalamma: Welcome aboard, Nintendo! Ooh, I've got another new and revolutionary idea for ya; what if you included capabilities to play actual DVDs (that new disc-based video format) in your system too! "

    Nintendo were originally going to put a DVD player within the Wii, but decided against it for a two simple reasons:

    1. To cut costs so they could have the cheapest machine possible.
    2. Pretty much every home has a DVD player, seeing as they are so cheap now.

    I agree with TrumpyTheDog on the games, sorry, GAMES thing.

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