They really do.  I love my Wii, but the problem is, I haven't played it in awhile.  I enjoy playing games online so I've found myself since September, surprise surprise that's when I got my 360, that I've been playing my 360 more.  I don't mind paying $50 or wtfe it is a year for the service, but I do mind dealing with all the friends codes, lack of multiplayer features, and the overall simplistic nature of the Wii's online capabilities.

I understand Nintendo's viewpoint on the matter, they're worried about the kids, blah blah blah.  But that's what console settings are for.  Nintendo should have Friend Codes as the default online way, and add their more advanced version, with leaderboards, friends, basically something similar to XBL.  There's a reason people pay the annual subscription for XBL, because it's just DAMN good.  I'm sure PSN is good too, but I don't have a PS3 so I'm not even sure how it compares, but from what I've gathered it's no XBL.

I used to always be a 1 console kind've person, except near the end of a generation where I'd pick up a 2nd and buy all the bargain bin epic games and have my share.  NES, SNES, N64, PS2 + GC at end, Wii... but with the Wii I'm lacking my online fun, and I had to cheat, cheat on her sweet ass with someone that was more open to do the things I dared not ask for. :o  I'm hoping Nintendo is working on a new online service for Next Gen, or I'll find myself having a hard time getting a Wii 2. :(

Yes they do, and they better start now. PSN and XBL aren't going to slow down.

I don't think it is. I just like all the added capabilities of it and the ease of use for finding people, adding friends etc. With the Market Share Nintendo has, they could further their domination with a stronger online service, so that should be one of their main priorities for next gen.

Nintendo needs to start taking online multiplayer seriously in their own software before they begin worrying about changing the service. What good will a great service be if they don't provide the content inside the software. Third parties will do by example like they always do with Nintendo, and will fail to add it into their own games.

I think the saddest part is I don't feel Nintendo's model is even on par with the Xbox Live from the original Xbox or even the PS2. Nintendo creates games screaming for online and they just don't provide. Last gen we had the most ridiculous setup for Zelda 4 Swords, when a venture into online gaming could have made it easier for them and for customers. What was easier to obtain, 4 GBAs and four cables to attach them to a Gamecube, or a damn plug to hook your Gamecube up to the net? I mean shit, they could have done both for all I care, but at least give everyone the more obvious option. I'd like to say they've gotten much better, but unfortunately their spiritual successor to Zelda 4 Swords, the new Mario game, still doesn't have online gameplay.

I do think that Nintendo will come up with a similar service by then. Similar, in the sense of a unified account/friend list, at least.

WiFi Connection was built towards the limitations of the DS, a console with only a tiny, tiny amount of internal memory, and thus no space to keep profile data that could be stored between games. Wii has that memory, and in part has that function of single-account usage (through WiiConnect24), but they wanted to keep the same online network across DS and Wii, rather than build a whole new one i guess, and figured the DS experience was good enough for most users. By next time, it can be presumed that their next handheld and their next console will have a wealth of internal memory (DSi has enough to at least do what WiiConnect24 does), so they could wind up phasing out the old network and putting in something more centralized. The problem beyond that is getting around their psychology towards online play, and the artificial restrictions they impose to make the experience more sanitized. I mean, they could have a network as good as LIVE, but still ban communication in public matches, and it would be almost as bad as it is now (sans the need to input full-on friend codes, and input them multiple times)

It isn't really that far behind the PS2's setup, given that PS2's was mostly de-unified also (iirc. never had one), just that the artificial limitations imposed by Nintendo make it look worse. Plus the fact that PS2's had dedicated servers (again, iirc), while WiFi Connection sets up direct connections between the users

I love the way you put this. Spot on. This is the problem I was trying to get across. It's not about the service, but the mentality behind the service. I don't believe Nintendo sees their method as a mistake, and thus will continue to improve the service in their own ways without losing their general disdain (it seems that way at least) for online connections. It seems almost like online wasn't part of Nintendo's vision for the Wii and was merely thought up to appease their traditionalist fans from last gen and prior with a modern day feature just to look comparable to the other two consoles (in that regard).

Edit: I remember Iwata had a negative attitude back in 2004 about online gaming even as the competitors were embracing it, and creating their future infrastructures. It's no wonder Nintendo is so behind the times.

Nintendo's online service truly is a hassle.

Makes sense.  Nintendo can easily make their online system more modern and inobtrusive while maintaining the safe environment they have now.  For instance, they could let you have an account with an actual username, but in order to keep the names clean, they could have you make a combination of thousands of pre-approved words.  Then, they could allow you to send friend requests, but only allow you to receive them if you phone into Nintendo and get them to activate the feature on your account.  Little things like that could easily give them a more-than-adequate online service while maintaining the kid-friendly image.

Nintendo's online is almost non-existant in my eyes, it's WAY too hard to fully go online i just don't bother... and there's no network you can connect to and make an account... the only game (i think) i'd go online with was Mario Kart which was a seemless process and didn't involve anyhhting too complicated. I sometimes access the Wii shop channel to download whatever's new but that's pretty much it.

A unified network with acheivements and fun stuff to do would be very welcome but i highly doubt they will bother at this point, they didn't even provide a proper solution for storeage (the so called solution just copies the game to the internal memory of your wii everytime you play).

I'm a big fan of nintendo's games and franchises so I will buy their next console even if it isn't that much of an upgrade in terms of online BUT it would be nice to have that little special extra feature to enjoy games even more. :)

Nintendo needs to start taking online seriously PERIOD