Wii Speak’s retail availability is being curtailed and, if demand for it doesn’t improve – which doesn’t appear at all likely – Nintendo will phase out the microphone peripheral completely, reports GameSpot.
Nintendo confirmed Wii Speak’s limited retail availability as part of a phasing out of it altogether. However, the company told GameSpot that it’ll make additional shipments if demand for it improves.
Wii Speak enables voice communication with an entire room full of participants, rather than everyone using a headset. So this isn’t the end of all voice communication on the console. Nintendo’s suggested Performance Designed Products’ Headbanger Headset as a chat substitute on the Wii, useful in games like Call of Duty: Black Ops and the upcoming The Conduit 2.
There was no word on the fate of the Wii Speak Channel, however. A spokesperson said it’s still “being enjoyed by many gamers”.
Wii Speak Being Phased Out [GameSpot]
Ben J
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 1:50 PMI’ve had that thing since I bough animal crossing and have never used it once. Biggest waste of money, I don’t know why nintendo even bothered with it.
Sandra Gibson
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 2:22 PMI used it a bit with Monster Hunter and Animal Crossing. I can’t help thinking that it’d probably get used more if there was more developer support for it. Sort of like the Wii Motion+ I have ONE game that uses it.
Random
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 2:42 PMGreat idea, terrible execution, non-existant support. Like most Nintendo products these days, sadly…
Mr Waffle
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 3:01 PMAnd people criticised Kinect!
Hieronimus Kava
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 3:46 PMI got it bundled with Endless Ocean 2 when that game came out. I haven’t actually used it to communicate with anyone, but with the bundle from K-Mart, the game was actually cheaper ($64 on release day) than anywhere else, so I just got it.
The question now is why did I get Endless Ocean 2? hahaha just kidding, I quite enjoyed the game.
Matt
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 7:15 PMall you need to do is look at other nintendo products, and you’ll see they are pointless and have terrible support. Think how well the vitality sensor would go with support if or when it comes out
Joe Mama
Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 6:14 AMI got it with MH3, I don’t know why it was just bundled. Terribly useless thing, the speaker for chat was inside it so only people with a Wiispeak could hear you.