Nintendo: Wii storage a 'mainstream problem'

Every Monday, nearly without fail, Nintendo releases a new batch of original WiiWare titles or retro Virtual Console games for its massively popular Wii. Currently, Wii owners are able to delete and redownload any previously purchased content or save items to a limited-capacity SD card. However, that system is less than ideal for gamers wanting to play what they want, when they want, and fans of the Wii have been clamoring for some time for a more effective storage solution.

Last month, Nintendo seemed to turn a cold shoulder to the Wii gamers' plight. Speaking to UK-based Edge magazine, Nintendo Europe senior marketing director Laurent Fischer inflamed Internet denizens by saying that "geeks and otaku" were the only ones concerned about Wii storage.

While Fischer later retracted that comment, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has indicated that the ruckus following the statement has not fallen on deaf ears. Speaking to MTV's Multiplayer blog, the loquacious exec noted that Wii storage "is becoming much more of a mainstream problem, which is why we have a sense of urgency to solve it."

Wii storage has been an issue as much for fans as it has been for gamemakers. In April, Rock Band creators Harmonix noted that the reason why the Wii version of its popular rhythm game would not support downloadable content was because of its lack of adequate storage. "Come on Nintendo, we need a hard drive," bemoaned design director Rob Kay. "That's what we want. The whole problem is there's nowhere to store it."