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EA May Have Gotten An Early Look at DSi, New WiiWare Announcement Today
Posted by AJ Glasser at 12:00 AM on October 4, 2008
"You're assuming we haven't already shown it to US developers," Reggie Fils-Aime chuckles.
I corned the president of Nintendo of America after spending all day being told that "no, I couldn't have an interview with anyone from Nintendo about the DSi because nobody knew anything about the DSi." I thought Reggie might be the man to ask, since he's the only one who had one at the whole event. And for all I knew, it was a hollow DS light with decals stuck on it to look like camera lenses.
"Wait and see," says Reggie. He pats the pocket of his coat where the DSi is kept from sight. "When the time is right... you'll see."
Rumor has it EA already has seen, getting their hands on the DSi as early as two weeks ago and is already hard at work on ideas for the platform.
And this is what we already know about the DSi:
It's a "third" Nintendo platform - not a "new" DS. If someone can explain to me how this works, please do so in the comments.
It's got two cameras, one on the back of the top side and one on the inside, sorta where the mic is.
It's got onboard software that can edit the pics you take.
You can save pics to SD cards and have a "daily personal diary," though only God knows who in the US cares about that...
You can put AAC music on your SD card and play it on your DSi.
There's yet more built-in software you can use to screw with said music, and with your own voice, should you record it.
The screens are bigger.
The whole system is smaller/lighter than the DS.
And that's pretty much it. They didn't reinvent the wheel; they're not trying the challenge the iPhone. And there still isn't an analogue stick. And no word on any sort of sticker printing, but if it did, I'm in.
I poked around the floor at the Summit and talked to a few DS-centric developers, to get their take on the DSi. The Nintendo kind wouldn't go on the record (jobs have been lost over less), but overall, people seemed intrigued and hopeful that it could produce some pretty good games.
Damn you, Tokyo, and you're being 12 hours ahead! You rob me of the chance to break good news (hell, any news) to the tired masses.
You also make me suffer with the knowledge that no matter who I ask, or how much I nag, I won't be getting any answers.
Maybe today will be better, I'm told they will be kicking off the second day of game play by announcing a "new " WiiWare game.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Mact
Posted 12:27 AM 4/10/08
"I corned the president of Nintendo of America"
And you still couldn't get any information out of him?
Mact
Mact
Posted 12:26 AM 4/10/08
@CockroachMan:
Because by showing EA you now show half the industry.
Mact
bassbeast
Posted 12:25 AM 4/10/08
The "third platform" idea is their backup just in case the DSi tanks. They said the same thing with the GBA/DS/GCN back in the day, but once the DS starting printing money, look how fast the GBA was ditched.
This time, if/when the DSi doesn't print money, Nintendo can simply shrug it off.
bassbeast
Do Kesubei
Posted 12:22 AM 4/10/08
I don't see it as a "new" platform at all. I doubt most developers will take advantage of the new features because the consumers won't give them reason to.
I do find it funny that the DSi has taken the place of the GBA, the former supposed "third pillar."
Do Kesubei
DorkimusPrime
Posted 12:22 AM 4/10/08
I suppose a "third" platform would mean that the DS Lite will continue to be manufactured and still play DS games.
But for it to be a third platform, it'd need to play games that the regular DS can't, I guess?
I dunno, weird.
DorkimusPrime
Shiryu
Posted 12:19 AM 4/10/08
Names were taken, asses were kicked, we were teased. Reggienator strikes again.
Shiryu
muu
Posted 12:16 AM 4/10/08
Isn't it a new platform in the sense that, while it'll play DS games it'll also play games made specifically w/ the camera in mind (most of which I assume will become cheaper downloadable games)? Picture recognition trading card games a la EoJ would definitely be a huge possibility as well, and I'd be damned if they don't release a Pokemon Card Battle DSi.
muu
duckncover
Posted 12:16 AM 4/10/08
href="#c8124197">CockroachMan:
EA own Bioware and they publish Valves titles, I doubt they are going to keep any details from them. When was the last time Blizzard made something for a console?
duckncover
CockroachMan
Posted 12:05 AM 4/10/08
EA!? Oh crap.. why couldn't they show it to Valve, Bioware or Blizzard first? :(
CockroachMan
Đipic
Posted 12:49 AM 4/10/08
@Đipic: Lite, rather, not slim. :p
Đipic
Đipic
Posted 12:43 AM 4/10/08
@antialias02: No one considers the DSi to be a new platform though, not even Nintendo. It's simply an updated version of the DS like the Slim was. It's no DS2.
Đipic
AndyboyH
Posted 12:41 AM 4/10/08
@muu:
That's almost medically necessary, especially since they already kind of tried it with the GBA e-reader and Pokemon TCG e-reader cards...
AndyboyH
supercrap
Posted 12:40 AM 4/10/08
Maybe they learned from pissing off all the companies they didn't show the motion plus thingy to. I'm still reserving my excitement till I see some..I don't know...games or something.
supercrap
zeroraveson
Posted 12:38 AM 4/10/08
@antialias02: Showing it to Blizzard *is* showing it to NBC, via the shared corporate parent of Vivendi Entertainment, lol.
Or was that the joke?
zeroraveson
furiku
Posted 12:35 AM 4/10/08
"And no word on any sort of sticker printing, but if it did, I'm in."
I'm right there along with ya! I recently got my Gameboy camera and printer.
Besides, they can't make this print stickers, it already prints money... see what I did there?
furiku
imbusion
Posted 12:33 AM 4/10/08
@Mact: Heh,I was thinking the same thing!...
Maybe he took the corn off of the cob first?... that would make it a less intrusive corning.
imbusion
antialias02
Posted 12:33 AM 4/10/08
@bassbeast: Well, if the Wii really is GameCube 1.5 and still considered to be a new platform, then the DSi would be a DS 1.5.... and could theoretically be considered a new platform.
antialias02
DragonNinja
Posted 12:32 AM 4/10/08
@DragonNinja: Meant to reply to CockroachMan
DragonNinja
tavora
Posted 12:32 AM 4/10/08
Simply, Nintendo wants to be a porn star, and keeps on trying to make references to their third pillar!
tavora
DragonNinja
Posted 12:31 AM 4/10/08
@Mact: Valve probably wouldn't care, they want to focus on PC and 360.
Hell, I don't really care for the DSi either, I can do most of what it does on my phone, maybe not as well as the DSi does but it still does it.
DragonNinja
antialias02
Posted 12:31 AM 4/10/08
@duckncover: No kidding. Showing it to Blizzard is just as useful as showing it to NBC. What are they doing to do with it?
antialias02
sc00t420
Posted 12:30 AM 4/10/08
@CockroachMan:
yeah they've all made tons of ds games right?
sc00t420
agies
Posted 1:13 AM 4/10/08
@Mact: Nobody puts Reggie in a corner!
agies
agies
Posted 1:12 AM 4/10/08
@DorkimusPrime: "But for it to be a third platform, it'd need to play games that the regular DS can't, I guess?"
Those would be the downloadable games.
agies
fearing
Posted 1:00 AM 4/10/08
Man, you didn't have to corn Reggie. If I knew what that meant, I might be scared.
By a "third platform" I think that means there will be games made specifically for it that won't work on older DS systems. Just a guess. Wonder if that means they'll up the graphics capabilities a bit. I don't know if it NEEDS it, but it'd be nice.
fearing
CockroachMan
Posted 12:57 AM 4/10/08
@duckncover: @Mact: @antialias02: Yeah.. I forgot how big the Evil Empire was :P
Well.. Blizzard remade Lost Vikings and Rock'n'Roll Racing to the GBA, I doubt they would make something to the DS but.. you know.. a guy can dream XP
The Japanese companies probably all know about this already, and those are the only western ones that I respect so..
CockroachMan
mlubczyk
Posted 12:51 AM 4/10/08
Has EA released anything on the DS that has been even remotely good?
mlubczyk
Mact
Posted 1:29 AM 4/10/08
@imbusion:
I thought that was standard.
What a horrible way to ruin good food.
Mact
Mact
Posted 1:29 AM 4/10/08
@agies:
I do believe you missed the joke.
Mact
Mact
Posted 1:28 AM 4/10/08
@tavora:
Of course they do!
With people like AJ Glasser running around corning their employees, they've got to prove they have some masculinity left in them.
Mact
Mact
Posted 1:26 AM 4/10/08
@AndyboyH:
Oh heavens no...
I love Pokemon, but the card game sucks.
Even if the cards are remarkably pretty, the game sucks.
Mact
dafunkk12
Posted 1:18 AM 4/10/08
It's been slow-coming on smartphones, but the Gizmondo (of ferrari-crashing, mafia fame) had this game in development:
+ Watch video
With the critical mass that the DSi may have over even the iPhone or Android-based phones, we just might see the catalyst for new Augmented Reality stuff. EoJ was just a tease.
dafunkk12
Great Merol
Posted 1:17 AM 4/10/08
You forgot to mention DSi has crappier battery perfomance than the DS...and the iPhone.....and the PSP slim (up in the air if it is as bad as original PSP).
Great Merol
cheeseboybeans
Posted 2:00 AM 4/10/08
Third Nintendo platform? I thought that was supposed to be the original DS so as not to write off the Game Boy...?
Fickle...
cheeseboybeans
Overlord44
Posted 1:59 AM 4/10/08
"It's a "third" Nintendo platform - not a "new" DS."
Like the DS was a third pillar? We all know that was a load of crap, and so will this be. DSi will replace DS Lite very quickly, like DS Lite replaced DS.
Overlord44
Pandaschreck
Posted 2:28 AM 4/10/08
@mlubczyk: Today they released Zubo.. so far its looking really good.
Pandaschreck
stealthpengu
Posted 2:14 AM 4/10/08
@Great Merol:
yeah, if you use the BRIGHTEST setting.... so, unless you're playing outside under direct sunlight, i doubt you'll need it
stealthpengu
agies
Posted 2:06 AM 4/10/08
@Mact: I'm sorry, I read the internet too much and tend to gloss over typos, misspellings, and omitted words.
Alternately a corner would be the device one uses to corn someone.
agies
sircrowbar
Posted 2:31 AM 4/10/08
Wait, is it only AAC music that it will play, similar to the new version of the Photo channel? Not that I would use a DSi for a primary music device, but that seems rather limiting for it.
Alternate comment: The lack of .ogg support on all MP3 playing devices, including this, is super lame. :-\ The only device that I can name that even considered it was the Neuros, and that got discontinued in the first half of this decade.
sircrowbar
doobymoo
Posted 3:18 AM 4/10/08
So they are intent on splitting the DS market then?
doobymoo
sanyo
Posted 3:21 AM 4/10/08
@muu: Amen. I've wanted another Pokemon TCG video game (2 is Japan only) ever since the one on the GBC. I still have the Meowth card in its original packaging.
sanyo
hevensxj
Posted 3:20 AM 4/10/08
@sircrowbar: what im sure it wouldn't be that hard to find an mp3 to AAC converter
hevensxj
Foxstar Sixtail
Posted 4:04 AM 4/10/08
@sircrowbar:I'm pretty sure Windows Media Player can covert MP3's to AAC, so does the PS3, so it's not hard to do.
@doobymoo:It's not a 'split' unless you can't use the game on the older DS. What it could be is simply games which use the camera feature when in the DSi and when in then normal DS, don't. It has happened before, you could play Gameboy Color games with a older Gameboy, just fine, but without color.
Foxstar Sixtail
Kaizuden
Posted 4:19 AM 4/10/08
Hmmm... maybe that Mobile Metal Gear has a platform to be on now, since you know, it required a camera for the camo system. Oh if only Konami is thinking the same thing.
Kaizuden
samaine
Posted 5:13 AM 4/10/08
@CockroachMan:
Nintendo likely did show it to Activision to discuss about Guitar Hero's incompatibility with it... By extention, Blizzard would know about the device.
samaine
sircrowbar
Posted 5:07 AM 4/10/08
@Foxstar Sixtail:
@hevensxj:
Well, it's not that its hard to do. There a million easy converters. I just like going through unnecessary processes when I can. ;p
sircrowbar
boopadoo
Posted 6:36 AM 4/10/08
@Mact: It's all in the wrists...
boopadoo
Praetor
Posted 8:44 AM 4/10/08
@Praetor:
*compatibility
Praetor
Praetor
Posted 8:44 AM 4/10/08
The third pillar means that they will still make the DSLite because it still has the compatabilitiy to play GBA games. That is all.
Another new feature is that the audio/volume is apparently supposed to be better... whatever that means.
Praetor
-=}{oT~dEv1L 666=-
Posted 10:06 AM 4/10/08
Why EA? Why not Take 2? Or Activision? But anyway, I think Activision already seen the platform, and they're making a new GH game or something...
But Take Two? Chinatown Wars, bitches!
-=}{oT~dEv1L 666=-
Overlord44
Posted 5:56 PM 4/10/08
@Praetor:
The third pillar died a long time ago, man. It was insurance in case DS, being so different as it was, flopped - and everyone knows it. When was the last time Nintendo made a GBA game?
@Foxstar Sixtail: Transcoding? Ewww. Enjoy your loss of audio quality. Would it have been so hard for Nintendo to add MP3 support?
Overlord44
Foxstar Sixtail
Posted 6:14 PM 4/10/08
@Overlord44:AAC is better sound quality then MP3's, you missed that, right? And the last Nintendo published GBA game was three years ago.
Foxstar Sixtail
Praetor
Posted 12:47 AM 5/10/08
@Foxstar Sixtail:
Yes, but some people have vast collections of GBA games and still want to be able to play them, and some games require the GBA slot (Guitar Hero, etc.)
Praetor
Liraco
Posted 3:59 PM 5/10/08
The "third pillar" means that the DSi will unofficially but surely kill the DS/DSlite in the same way the DS as a "third pillar" slowly killed the GBA without them saying so (to make sure to get as many sales as possible out of the hardware from people who don't understand they'll need the new hardware to move on). So yeah... not a pretty picture. RIP GBA.
Also, you'd be surprised how many people would spend their entire SD card's memory on pics of themselves or pointless things for their "daily diary".
Also, if Augmented Reality were possible on the DSi that would be incredibly sweet.
Liraco