Microsoft's Xbox Live has been built around community and it's about to get a boost with the New Xbox Experience Launch. Sony has been spending years refining Home, its virtual world for the PS3. But what about Nintendo? When will the "Big N" finally provide its consumers with more community beyond simple Mii creation and sharing?
According to Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime, the company definitely hopes to make a bigger splash with the community aspect on the Wii. "Nintendo has always had a vision on community," he recently told Forbes. "The issue is that we define community differently than our competitors. ... Our consumers do want a sense of community, and we're going to deliver that--but in a way that is unique to Nintendo."
Unfortunately, that's about all the information Fils-Aime was willing to share. Further details about Nintendo's community plans will come at a later date, perhaps at next year's Game Developers Conference or E3.
Fils-Aime also once again addressed the ongoing supply and demand situation surrounding the Wii, and unlike past comments, this time he sounded more optimistic. "With Wii hardware, I think we've got a good shot at meeting demand during the holidays," he noted, adding, "With Wii Fit, I know we'll fall short. That's a product we have consumers lining up for each morning outside of our Nintendo World store [in New York City]."
Regarding third-party support for the Wii, Fils-Aime seemed to suggest that a number of companies still don't fully understand the console and what types of games to make for it. "I will be able to say our licensees 'get it' when their very best content is on our platform," he remarked. "And with very few exceptions today, that's not the case."
