Nintendo and McDonalds to Offer Wireless DS Access

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Nintendo and McDonalds have joined forces to provide free wireless access for the Nintendo DS handheld in nearly 6,000 McDonalds restaurants around the world. While McDonalds offers wireless internet access at many of its locations already, it charges a fee for usage. Wayport, a US company that handles wireless access for many hotel chains, will be handling the access points and receiving an undisclosed amount from Nintendo.

Nintendo's online gaming service for the DS will launch November 14th in the US and November 25th in Europe.

News source: BBC News

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#1 DigitalDude on 18 Oct 2005 - 19:58

Now that's a great way to start off their network

(7 replies) #2 stevonw on 18 Oct 2005 - 20:13

god damn!

I want to use my PSP @ McDonalds in the UK, but there aint no god damn way i'm payin when users of the crappy console that is the DS get it free!!!!!

#2.1 poopoo on 18 Oct 2005 - 20:33

the DS has a better selection of games than the PSP...therefore it seems that the PSP is the crappy console (plus add in the fact that the console itself is better made)

#2.2 Murkey on 18 Oct 2005 - 20:40

One word: Owned.

DS Users 1 PSP Users... I won't go there...

#2.3 [wild] on 18 Oct 2005 - 20:46

If it's so crappy, how come it's kicking your handheld's ASS?

#2.4 Dale on 18 Oct 2005 - 21:12

it all works when it is done right, if you watched the Nintendo press conference at E3 2005 you would understand what the goal of this is.

Nintendo wants to offer free online play to everybody, they said they meant everybody, even people who do not have a Internet connection at home. Those are the main people targetted. With that they hope that 90% of DS owners will try online gaming with their Nintendo DS gaming system. their strategy was to put free wireless hotspots in malls strictly for the Nintendo DS WiFi Connection. This is only one of the first phases of Nintendo DS WiFi Connection, Maybe you should be mailing up sony and telling them to follow suite if you are interested to Nintendo's strategy to online gaming. I'm sure with a lot of complaining Sony just might listen. Or even make a E-petition, i'd sign it.

I do not know your connection, but if you are running on 56K you would benifit from this online service.

And know what your saying, Nintendo DS is not a crappy console, With hit titles like Mario Kart DS and Animal Crossing DS this holiday, your sure to have some fun.

Till then. For Every Action, theres a Equal and Opposite Reaction.

Last edited by 24287 on 18 Oct 2005 - 21:17

#2.5 Chanser on 19 Oct 2005 - 03:26

People won't listen Dale, people can't read more than 2 lines

#2.6 nookadum on 19 Oct 2005 - 07:10

QUOTE

(plus add in the fact that the console itself is better made)

FUD. They're practically the same. Both are made in China (with only some DS and PSPs made in Japan), and both have had the same amount of problems (especially with dead pixels) on release.

Sadly, the PSP is getting whooped over by the DS in game sales (because they're cheaper and aimed at the younger audience), but on the other hand, the PSP has a very huge homebrew community which allows for a lot of fun stuff.

Either way, both sides are having fun with their handhelds. PSP is now a multimedia device and the DS is a great gaming handheld.

Nintendo wants to offer free online play to everybody, they said they meant everybody, even people who do not have a Internet connection at home. Those are the main people targetted.

Dale's hit the nail on the head. If Sony would follow suit, they'd pretty much be matched up with Nintendo with wifi in McD's.

With hit titles like Mario Kart DS and Animal Crossing DS this holiday, your sure to have some fun.

Yeah, but that's only fit for those who want to play those types of games. (i.e. younger kids and those who want simple fun games) Nothing wrong with that though, it's just that Nintendo doesn't have a wider audience in this era.

#2.7 Dale on 19 Oct 2005 - 17:28

those are just two games that poped into my mind, there are a ton other that are good quality that target older audiences, Metroid Prime for example. - will be wi-fi connection enabled

#3 Dale on 18 Oct 2005 - 20:40

maybe mcdonalds will have happy meal DS game toys?

- now that they are partnered with nintendo that is.. they'd be like mini wario ware games.

EDIT: possibly game demo's?

Edit Again: Game Demo's via download play would be a sweet idea

- even game demos with download play that support wireless lan to play other people with DS's in the local mcdonalds would be a awsome idea.

this sounds like it could turn out awsome, if done right.

Last edited by 24287 on 18 Oct 2005 - 21:03

(6 replies) #4 rIaHc3 on 18 Oct 2005 - 22:46

Whats gonna stop a PSP/Palm/Laptop from accessing these wireless hotspots?

You know someone is evenually gonna make a program that emulates a DS wi-fi signal...

#4.1 blackice912 on 19 Oct 2005 - 01:10

That's what I was thinking. All it's going to use to identify itself would be some sort of really simple content header.

#4.2 Chanser on 19 Oct 2005 - 03:28

Do they have mac addresses? Get it?

#4.3 Dale on 19 Oct 2005 - 05:05

maybe DS uses specific ports. Just unblock specific ports that the DS only uses and your working.

#4.4 Dirtie on 19 Oct 2005 - 06:06

It'll use WPA or WEP.

#4.5 rIaHc3 on 19 Oct 2005 - 14:34

And? Those are crackable as well. Does DS have the ability to use WPA/WEP?

I personally dont.

#4.6 roadwarrior on 19 Oct 2005 - 16:09

All network interfaces have MAC addresses. The first part of that address is the vendor ID. It should be rather trivial to lock down the free access to only those MAC addresses with Nintendo's vendor ID.

#5 crazihouse on 18 Oct 2005 - 22:56

I sure hope they go somewhere with this plan. I finally remotely feel well about buying my DS almost a year ago...

(3 replies) #6 nav_uno on 19 Oct 2005 - 03:02

It seems the whole infrastructure for the Nintendo online gaming will be great. At first I didn't understand why they were going to push Wi-Fi so much, instead of just any type of internet connection, but now it all makes sense. This is a great move, and both companies should benefit greatly from it.

Now the only thing left to see is if they can provide the service with the same quality the XBOX live has. Here's hoping a Wi-Fi version of Nintendogs ever comes out (maybe a sequel?).

PS: I too don't understand how they are going to control that only DS is able to play through the Wi-Fi. I can imagine lots of people like us downloading movies and stuff using it.

#6.1 Flyer00 on 19 Oct 2005 - 04:36

I'm sure they'll control wi-fi access by only allowing the connection to hit the Nintendo wi-fi network and block out all other sites. So if someone hacks their laptop to emulate a DS, they still won't be able to hit any sites or services.

#6.2 rIaHc3 on 19 Oct 2005 - 14:37

If its made by men, it can be unmade by men.

#6.3 Flyer00 on 19 Oct 2005 - 15:31

Well, if you can find a way to get to sites that your ISP has blocked, please share it with the rest of us!

#7 DOGglee on 19 Oct 2005 - 10:48

nice

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