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| What Wii Want #2: External Memory |
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Posted by: Kindrik - 09-09-2007 09:36 PM
- Replies (28)
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Perhaps the most obvious and most criticized issue with Wii has been its undersized internal memory of 512MB. Months before the console was even released, or given its final name discussion was rampant around the web concerning the amount of storage Nintendo chose to give us. Over a year ago Wii fans everywhere were already calling for a hard drive or at the very least some form of extra memory.
It's not like Nintendo doesn't already know about this. Major publications and blogs have already made their opinion know, and no doubt Nintendo's customer service has gotten their fair share of fan emails concerning this. Long before Wii launch Nintendo had even hinted at the possibility of other storage methods becoming possible in the future.
After letting people in on the not-so-great secret concerning the mystery flap on Wii covering only an SD slot, Reggie mentioned that "(SD Cards) will be one of the memory mediums, and it's the only one that we've announced". Even Iwata himself couldn't help but notice the potential of Wii's USB ports and that "practically any storage method can be used" with them.
Well here we are over a year later and Nintendo's denying left and right that a Wii hard drive is in the works; even telling me in a reply to an email that it wasn't even being worked on. Of course this could just be Nintendo being their normal tight lipped selves but I think they'd let everyone know about something like this by now.
And does Nintendo really need many more reasons to create such a device? Wii owners with large Virtual Console collections are finding it difficult to choose which of their games they'd like to keep on their consoles as they're running out of room quickly. The 512MB would be more than enough for save files however with VC games and WiiWare fast approaching, the Wii's internal memory is getting more than it can handle.
Let's not forget downloadable content as well. RedOctane found out first hand with Guitar Hero III that extra downloadable content will be a tricky hurdle to overcome on Wii. The sad fact is that there simply isn't enough room on Wii internal flash memory to hold things like patches, new levels, or songs. Owners of the Wii version of Madden 08 may be able to play online this year, but good luck getting a roster update when there's a blockbuster trade, while the potential of extra levels or characters for Smash Bros. Brawl almost makes you want to cry.
To date Wii's USB ports haven’t just been vastly underused, but haven’t been used at all. We do know they work however as the latest Wii firmware update allowed the use of select USB keyboards in the Wii message board. Perhaps only included by Nintendo to test the waters of how well third party USB devices would function with the console.
If the keyboard support is any indication, USB hard drive support shouldn't be more than a firmware update away. And while we're on the subject, how about letting us save and load directly to/from our SD cards. The possible future of a Wii with additional external memory is bright however. In April of this year, eSOL Co. Ltd. announced that their PrFILE2 FAT file system and PrUSB/Host USB host stack, were selected for use with Wii by Nintendo; however nothing more has been mentioned by either Nintendo or eSOL since.
This would lead one to believe that Nintendo has a propriety storage device in the works. Even though we'd prefer support for most, if not all, USB storage devices already on the market a propriety drive is more likely. The only question left is, why didn't Nintendo foresee such problems when designing Wii? The Xbox had already shown that gamers were all for downloadable extras; not to mention the Xbox also had 8GB of internal memory. Unlike its competitors, Nintendo makes a profit off of each Wii console they sell. Would it have really cost them that much to include at least a few gigabytes of memory?
This could work, couldn't it?
There's an idea I've had for a Wii hard drive that I believe would be really great to see, essentially, without the need of standing an external drive next to your console. Create a USB storage device in the shape of the vertical Wii console stand. A USB cable only 6 inches long could connect the drive to the Wii, and your setup would look no different than it did before you plugged in your drive. Of course there are those who keep their Wiis horizontal. A drive shaped like the grey console stand could still work, only hidden behind the system, much like a regular drive would be regardless of its design.
I guess that until the day comes where Wii owners will be given an alternative they'll just have to keep moving saves and games back and forth between their Wii and SD card. An inconvenience we shouldn't need to suffer through.
I believe a Wii hard drive, or some sort of external storage device has a 75% chance of coming some time soon. Nintendo will realize sooner or later that expanded external memory on Wii will be unavoidable.
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