New Year heralds Wii Ware

Nintendo have announced this week that a game-creation service will be supplied to developers, allowing them to create new software for the Wii to be sold through the Wii Shopping Channel.

The first wave of Wii software content, to be known as WiiWare in the U.S., will launch in early 2008. Nintendo hopes that developers will be able to produce more creative games and offer than at lower prices.

Laurent Fischer, European Marketing Director, said: "Wii Software provides developers with big ideas, rather than big budgets, an easy and very accessible way to create new games and bring them to the marketplace, as well as offering great additional value for Wii owners who will be able to download fresh new games."

Nintendo have assured developers that the only limit to WiiWare is their imagination, and offers a simple method by which they can get their game to the public. Gamers wishing to download these games will be able to use their Wii Points to purchase them, mirroring the established Virtual Console system.

Further details about pricing options and upcoming projects will be announced at a later date.


To be fair, we knew this was coming, but it's a welcome addition to the Wii's innards. The tantalising Wii Software section to the Wii Shopping Channel will soon offer new ideas, mini-games and other distractions.

The potential of WiiWare is pretty damn close to unlimited, but the pessimist in me is hoping that developers will make use of it. This has the potential to rival XBLA and PSN, especially with motion control, but only if developers take advantage of it.

The first content won't be available until 2008, but I imagine we'll see the first hint of titles at this year's E3, as well as further details about how this system will work. Here's hoping WiiWare will be a regular occurrence!

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