Nintendo Wii Connect 24 to use downtime for downloads

Nintendo may not have revealed the details we were hoping for in their Wii press conference earlier today -- like maybe the actual date the console will ship and how it will be priced -- but the company did manage to drop a few interesting nuggets, including an impressive list of titles that will be available at launch, along with some pretty nifty uses for the Wiimote (everything from conducting a virtual orchestra to fragging your foes). One tidbit that stood out was the announcement that the Wii will always be connected to the internet, using a service called Wii Connect 24. The service will allow the Wii to download game updates and other info while the box is in standby mode. We're not really sure we want our game console to be downloading directives while we sleep, but it can't be any worse than Windows AutoUpdate, right?

[Dennis @ May 9th 2006 3:17PM]

Just remove the laser death ray attachment before you go to bed, and you'll be all right, probably.

[Ming @ May 9th 2006 3:23PM]

If it turns on the TV by itself and starts playing a Pokemon commercial, I'm going to Wii my bed...

[dsharp @ May 9th 2006 3:24PM]

lol :)

[Taylor 2 @ May 9th 2006 5:08PM]

Just say it has something larger than a memory card for those downloads and I'm golden.

[x @ May 9th 2006 5:40PM]

...and when Skynet decides to load itself into every Wii console...what then??

[Jon @ May 9th 2006 5:58PM]

Wow the Wii conference was really surprising. In the sense that this intuitive Wiimote seems to be very unintuitive. It looks like it will take more skill and patience to control using the Wii-mote than a normal gamepad. I don't understand how they think this makes gaming any easier. In the Ubisoft FPS the guy could barely shoot straight with the Wii-Mote. Very gimmicky indeed. Chalk one up for history of bad ideas...like the Nintendo Robbot and the Power Glove.

[Phil @ May 9th 2006 6:04PM]

Well, PS3 actually has a "use-the-controller-itself instead-of-the-buttons-to-control-the-action-on-the screen" in its new controller too. Talk about copying, Wii... PHBBB

[tcc3 @ May 9th 2006 6:14PM]

Great while it "sleeps"

"Kill all humans...(snore) Must kill all humans....(snore) Hey baby, wanna kill all humans?"

or do Wii dream of electric sheep too?

[ipodman715 @ May 9th 2006 6:33PM]

Bittorrent!

[matt t @ May 9th 2006 9:34PM]

taylor,

if my memory serves me right, last year at e3 they said it accepted usb thumb drives and had a media card adaptor.

[x @ May 9th 2006 9:44PM]

lol ...Skynet will use Bittorrent...

[Mavrick @ May 9th 2006 9:54PM]

In reference to both controllers, ill be waiting for madcatz to release a normal PS2/XBOX360 style controller before i buy anything that sounds like words a 5 year old would say.

[bobby carter @ May 10th 2006 1:23AM]

Thats just so they can check to see if your disc is legit or the blu-ray recordable disc you burned with your blu-ray burner. Can you say firmware updates every freakin day. I hate this crap that must be connected to a phone jack all the time so they can monitor every game you play and for how long.

[mug3nx @ May 10th 2006 1:40AM]

"I hate this crap that must be connected to a phone jack all the time so they can monitor every game you play and for how long."

- Actually it has wifi built in :P ; as for the whole suspended connection, I think it's a great idea that leads to people visiting your Animal Crossing town even if you aren't there.

[Fowl @ May 10th 2006 2:56AM]

Not that I disagree in princible. But what about all those ppl in countrys with pathetic internet connections with piddly download limits, and extremely poor speed. (like me). If the Wii thinks it can use all my bandwidth and download limit (150/GB if I go over 5GB/month, we have rubbish telco's here). A lot of ppl will be shocked the morning after...

[Biz_reporter @ May 10th 2006 4:04AM]

This feature could be cool if WiiConnect24 had a TiVo like function that suggests classic games that a user might like. If you can pay for unlimited access to classics in the Virtual Console, then the Wii could download "suggestions" every night. The feature also allows Nintendo to provide episodic content for games like Animal Crossing.

[Grant Brady @ May 11th 2006 4:56PM]

"Well, PS3 actually has a "use-the-controller-itself instead-of-the-buttons-to-control-the-action-on-the screen" in its new controller too. Talk about copying, Wii... PHBBB"

Actually, i dont believe this is true, sir. The ps3's controller notices movement and rotation, unlike the Wii that sees where your at in space. The ps3 will be most useful in games like Ace Combat, where you will push buttons and tilt at the same time, and games like locoroco...which is friigin awesome. hahaha. Ok, thats my rant for today.

[jacob @ Jul 15th 2006 12:13AM]

well... i was thinking about the fact that it will be connected at all times so it can be updated while it is off, or sleeping.
I live in a hurricane affected area and we lose power/cable frequently... with nintendo relying on wii systems being connected at all times, without power or internet, some systems can miss important updates, right?

[solomon @ Aug 17th 2007 10:02AM]

i dont understand when i go to wii conect 24 it sais its not currently being offered can someone help me

oh it might help some people if i say this but i went through all the hasl of getting a wii game cube remot and i naw find out than ordinery gamecube reomots work as well . i gess the wii version is just more expensiv

[phil @ Dec 29th 2007 11:17PM]

Solomon

Hi
Did you get anywhere whith this prob. I am getting same prob, it says shop and wii 24 is not currently being offered.
Any help greatly appreciated
Phil

[sharon @ Feb 5th 2008 10:13AM]

can i connect my wii using the 3 usb modem?