19 December 2007
Ferry

Nintendo Wii headset for voice chat could appear in the future

According to Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, the Wii is clearly capable of the voice chat function during internet play. But there’s hope, as voice chat headset functionality could be added in the future with Nintendo constantly adding and tweaking features through system updates. The issue boils down to locking down the specific technologies and getting the specific peripheral to allow voice chatting.

Mr. Fils-Aime was quoted as saying: since Nintendo found this tech and peripheral on the Nintendo DS, he “wouldn’t be surprised at all” if the feature appeared on Wii. “It’s something we value and constantly look at.” — Via IGN

19 December 2007 08:47
joe

i think the wiimote should have had a mic built in from the start but whatever

27 February 2008 16:18
Ryan

Why should the Wiimote have a mic? all you would hear is the hand holding the ‘mote.

27 March 2008 12:00
Clinton

I think it’s great that Nintendo will have a headset. I was concerned they wouldn’t. I heard rumors that the headset would never happen because a kid might hear an adult swear. OOOHhhhhhh NO… Why is Nintendo trying to prevent the inevitable…they should not think that way. There are alot of people (including me) who think having to swear is not the best way to communicate your frustrations…but lets get real…people do, and weather your a kid or adult, you will eventually hear obscenities in your life time!

21 May 2008 22:50
Joni

I will give you two reasons that the Nintendo will need to get voice recognition available very soon: Wii Fit

Having to constantly push buttons just to start each exercise will not faze any of the current gamer generation, but if Ninetendo plans on cashing in on the non-gamer crowd now this will end up on top of every reviewers con list. When you are expecting a Wow Factor when you have to figure out how to use Wiimote and it never feels effortless (like touch typing) you feel like you have to work.. just to work out.

If Ninteno wants Wii Fit to sell a $250 Wii unit to all the experienced exercisers or all of those affluent baby boomers, it just won’t happen.

As a 40+ year old mother with many years working in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and aerobics instructor for many years, I’m glad that I only paid for the balance board and game because my son already had a Wii. I’m so glad that I didn’t have to pay close to $350 to be first in line to have, what I thought would REVOLUTIONIZE the fitness industry because my dreams of making a fortune on all the money I was planning on making investing in Nintendo stock DIED on Day 2.

My experience: All the promo videos enticed me to go out and pre-order the Wii Fit & Balance Board. My kids thought it was going to be boring.. like the Wii Sports game they never played. Day One: Ripped open the box and we set it up. It was fun, but I got frusterated very fast having to look back and forth from the TV to the Wii Remote it became more interesting watching my kids working out. I was pondering if Wii Fit just another novelty fitness item because it if I could not keep my heart rate consistantly elevated for more than 5 minutes at a time it would never be more than a fun interactive game I could successful play with my kids (and even win!)

Day Two: Didn’t jump out of bed in order to exercise. My kids turned it on when they got home from school. Didn’t look forward when it was “my turn”. My son forgot to give me the wiimote and just started telling him which buttons were popping up on each screen and to push “A”, “Right”, “Down”, etc because I was in the way and he couldn’t see through me. It made all the difference in maintaining my focus on the fitness, instead of the technology.

My skeptical son says it is the first time he has ever had fun working out. He hugged me as though I had changed his life after we finished our Day 2 workout. He said he was SO how happy he was that I bought it for HIM.

After looking for voice recognition software for the Wii and seeing now it isn’t available, that is just what it will end up being for me and probably all the other parents & grandparents who purchased it hoping it will help them get.

I hope that some third party gets a clue on the market that’s out there, because I can’t see myself waiting even waiting more than afew months before I start thinking it would more use working it for me on Ebay…