Multiplayer: How did you get around the Friend Code issue?

Ray: Every Wii has a guaranteed unique ID (GUID) that identifies the device. If you look in the Address Book on your Wii you can see this number called the Wii Machine ID. We reference this ID when you connect to the site. The combination of a secure network connection and this unique Wii Machine ID allow us to seamlessly integrate the web site with your Wii and bypass any cumbersome login procedures. It also allows us to implement a directory-service that is above the cumbersome method of remembering friend-codes and allow players to find one another based on real name, user name, favorite game, geographic region, etc.

More developers should do that.  

 Original interview: 

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/04/24/majesco-actually-impressed-with-wii-online-capabilities-makes-breakthroughs/ 

I don't think Nintendo would be too impressed though.

Nintendo in no way forces 3rd parties to use Friend Codes.  They've said this multiple times, and many games (Guitar Hero 3 and Medal of Honor Heroes 2 to name a couple) don't use them.

but would it be easy for the developers to implement?

 I know MoH uses EA Nation gamertags but I thought GH did use FC, it's been a while since I played it though and I rarely play online with it so I can't be sure.

I've always wondered why they didn't just use the console ID number, instead of having different FC for each game.

I always figured (no confirmation, just a random guess) that they did use the console ID somehow. How else does everybody else get a random FC when the discs are pressed in bulk?

I always figured there was some random algorithm for each game that would take your Wii ID and spit it through to get the game's individual FC.