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LOS ANGELES, May 13 (Reuters) - Video game maker Nintendo Co. Ltd. will introduce an online element for its GameCube this fall, executives for its U.S. subsidiary said on Monday, marking the company's cautious entry into the fledgling market for online console games.
Nintendo said it will offer dial-up and high-speed Internet adapters for the GameCube in the fall at a suggested retail price of $34.95.
Rival game console makers have already announced similar plans. Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox has a built-in broadband adapter and Sony Corp. plans to offer an adapter with both dial-up and broadband ports for $39.99 in August.
The first game to be available for online play will be Sega Corp.'s "Phantasy Star Online." Sega said on Monday the game is expected to come out this fall, the company said.
Publishers will be able to use the online feature for their games and keep any additional fees charged to users as a result, but online gaming for the GameCube will remain largely an extension of the console play, the company said.
"Nintendo's position is that online is a feature to extend the console and the gameplay, but in and of itself online does not make a game," Jim Merrick, a technical director for Nintendo's online efforts said.
Perrin Kaplan, a Nintendo vice president, said the company will not collect any additional revenue from online games and will not charge an access fee.
Game publishers themselves will be responsible for operating the online networks on which their games run, Nintendo said.
Nintendo will also promote its Internet adapters as add-ons for specific games when that makes sense but does not plan a major marketing blitz around the GameCube's Internet capabilities, executives said.
"We do believe online gaming will be viable at some point but we don't want to club the consumer in the head with it either," Merrick said.
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No Ninty games expected to be ready for launch though...just PSO....
Nintendo said it will offer dial-up and high-speed Internet adapters for the GameCube in the fall at a suggested retail price of $34.95.
Rival game console makers have already announced similar plans. Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox has a built-in broadband adapter and Sony Corp. plans to offer an adapter with both dial-up and broadband ports for $39.99 in August.
The first game to be available for online play will be Sega Corp.'s "Phantasy Star Online." Sega said on Monday the game is expected to come out this fall, the company said.
Publishers will be able to use the online feature for their games and keep any additional fees charged to users as a result, but online gaming for the GameCube will remain largely an extension of the console play, the company said.
"Nintendo's position is that online is a feature to extend the console and the gameplay, but in and of itself online does not make a game," Jim Merrick, a technical director for Nintendo's online efforts said.
Perrin Kaplan, a Nintendo vice president, said the company will not collect any additional revenue from online games and will not charge an access fee.
Game publishers themselves will be responsible for operating the online networks on which their games run, Nintendo said.
Nintendo will also promote its Internet adapters as add-ons for specific games when that makes sense but does not plan a major marketing blitz around the GameCube's Internet capabilities, executives said.
"We do believe online gaming will be viable at some point but we don't want to club the consumer in the head with it either," Merrick said.
----------------------
No Ninty games expected to be ready for launch though...just PSO....
That would be nice, but i can see using a 56K dial up connection for gaming could be laggy.
Or†ega wrote:
> Looks as though PS2 and Xbox could both be going down to the same
> price as the GameCube in the US this week...
And the PS2 has dropped to $199...
Surely this will lead to Microsoft dropping thier price as well...
And Nintendo have said they would cut thier price if Sony did.
Also reports that Microsoft plan to slash the price of the X-box...again in Europe...
> Looks as though PS2 and Xbox could both be going down to the same
> price as the GameCube in the US this week...
And the PS2 has dropped to $199...
Surely this will lead to Microsoft dropping thier price as well...
And Nintendo have said they would cut thier price if Sony did.
Also reports that Microsoft plan to slash the price of the X-box...again in Europe...
Phantasy Star Online will be enough for us.. believe me :D
See you in the game :P
See you in the game :P
Looks as though PS2 and Xbox could both be going down to the same price as the GameCube in the US this week...
I can't wait for the Gamecube to go online. Wether or not it's going to be good though, remains to be seen...
LOS ANGELES, May 13 (Reuters) - Video game maker Nintendo Co. Ltd. will introduce an online element for its GameCube this fall, executives for its U.S. subsidiary said on Monday, marking the company's cautious entry into the fledgling market for online console games.
Nintendo said it will offer dial-up and high-speed Internet adapters for the GameCube in the fall at a suggested retail price of $34.95.
Rival game console makers have already announced similar plans. Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox has a built-in broadband adapter and Sony Corp. plans to offer an adapter with both dial-up and broadband ports for $39.99 in August.
The first game to be available for online play will be Sega Corp.'s "Phantasy Star Online." Sega said on Monday the game is expected to come out this fall, the company said.
Publishers will be able to use the online feature for their games and keep any additional fees charged to users as a result, but online gaming for the GameCube will remain largely an extension of the console play, the company said.
"Nintendo's position is that online is a feature to extend the console and the gameplay, but in and of itself online does not make a game," Jim Merrick, a technical director for Nintendo's online efforts said.
Perrin Kaplan, a Nintendo vice president, said the company will not collect any additional revenue from online games and will not charge an access fee.
Game publishers themselves will be responsible for operating the online networks on which their games run, Nintendo said.
Nintendo will also promote its Internet adapters as add-ons for specific games when that makes sense but does not plan a major marketing blitz around the GameCube's Internet capabilities, executives said.
"We do believe online gaming will be viable at some point but we don't want to club the consumer in the head with it either," Merrick said.
----------------------
No Ninty games expected to be ready for launch though...just PSO....
Nintendo said it will offer dial-up and high-speed Internet adapters for the GameCube in the fall at a suggested retail price of $34.95.
Rival game console makers have already announced similar plans. Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox has a built-in broadband adapter and Sony Corp. plans to offer an adapter with both dial-up and broadband ports for $39.99 in August.
The first game to be available for online play will be Sega Corp.'s "Phantasy Star Online." Sega said on Monday the game is expected to come out this fall, the company said.
Publishers will be able to use the online feature for their games and keep any additional fees charged to users as a result, but online gaming for the GameCube will remain largely an extension of the console play, the company said.
"Nintendo's position is that online is a feature to extend the console and the gameplay, but in and of itself online does not make a game," Jim Merrick, a technical director for Nintendo's online efforts said.
Perrin Kaplan, a Nintendo vice president, said the company will not collect any additional revenue from online games and will not charge an access fee.
Game publishers themselves will be responsible for operating the online networks on which their games run, Nintendo said.
Nintendo will also promote its Internet adapters as add-ons for specific games when that makes sense but does not plan a major marketing blitz around the GameCube's Internet capabilities, executives said.
"We do believe online gaming will be viable at some point but we don't want to club the consumer in the head with it either," Merrick said.
----------------------
No Ninty games expected to be ready for launch though...just PSO....