Nintendo introduces Wii Speak

NINTENDO HERALDS the next generation of social gaming with the new Wii Speak Channel which will make keeping in touch with friends and family a whole lot easier.

The new service will be launched across Europe on December 5th this year and will connect users with the free-to-use Nintendo Wi-Fi connection.

This won't be a one-to-one personal chat though, Nintendo seems determined to get the whole family involved in everything - Wii Speak will connect directly to the console and pick up the conversation from an entire room of people meaning the fun (and arguments) are shared all around.

This latest Nintendo feature will also bring the user's Mii to life - as each personal character will appear on screen to represent that specific user, it will also speak in time with what the user says.

The user can access the Wii Speak Channel from the main menu allowing contact with four other Wii users which can be anywhere in the world - here you can chat, share pictures and messages all at no extra cost.

Although fun as well as free, there is a safety aspect to the Wii Speak service as users will have to share a private "Friend Code" in order to communicate.

It is a first for gamers to be able to chat in games such as Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City (which we're sure you'll all rush out to buy) - creating a world where players can celebrate events such as Christmas in real life as well as online.

Future plans for the Wii Speak include incorporation into other Wii games, meaning that new opportunities can be created for social game-play amongst the console's fans. µ