Nintendo Still Figuring Out This Online Subscription Fee Thing

Some out loud thinking from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto could be telling of Nintendo’s plans to dedicate more energy to and demand more money for online gaming through the Wii and Nintendo DS.

Miyamoto tells Edge that the Wii maker is “desperate to realize” the core part of its online gaming biz. Should it follow Microsoft’s lead with tiered Xbox Live subscriptions or should it follow Sony’s rumored approach to offering a premium service?

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“Do we need to demand customers pay monthly fees to enjoy online activities?” Miyamoto told Edge. “Or give an online subscription that is free of charge, but then offer something extra for people that pay, so that they get some extra value? With these core business strategies I think we are less active than we should be.”

Miyamoto also says criticisms that Nintendo is slow to embrace online gaming are “unfair,” saying that “we always want all Wii consoles to be connected online, all the time.”

While I’d be hesitant to add another monthly or yearly subscription—particularly for my online gaming endeavors on the Wii and DS—if it helps us move beyond the Friend Code system, let me know where to sign up.

Miyamoto: Nintendo Could Charge For Online Gaming [Edge]

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