Topic: Wii Speak Is OK to Buy Used

[Chessa]

Nintendo clears any concerns regarding a used Wii Speak purchase.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=17298

 Lately there has been much controversy over Nintendo's alleged discrimination against the used games market with their latest peripheral, Wii Speak. However, contrary to initial reports, Nintendo is not barring people who have purchased a used Wii Speak from the ability to download the Wii Speak channel by restricting the availability of Wii Speak Channel download codes, which are included with purchases of the Wii Speak peripheral.    

In a statement late last month, a Nintendo UK spokesperson told Eurogamer that any consumer who may have misplaced their number or who requires a new one due to a "Wii exchange" simply has to call their local Nintendo service department and a new download code will be issued.

[ATimson]

A "Wii exchange" sounds more like someone sending their console in for repair and getting a different one back than someone trying to sell their Wii Speak.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Exactly.

[trip1eX]

Yeah this old news actually didn't clear up the issue if you read what they said carefully. 

[Kairon]

I don't know, Nintendo may be not claiming it as policy, but they might let issues like this slide without proof of purchase when a caller "claims" they lost their number. *shrug* I mean, I know we're talking about big bad Nintendo here, but one could hope!

I mean, what purpose does restrictiong the channel even solve? It saves Nintendo some onetime bandwidth in the download process? The thing just sits there if you don't have Wii Speak, right? I'm not entirely sure what Nintendo gets our of restricting Wii Speak downloads.

[UltimatePartyBear]

They get fewer people calling tech support because talking into the Wiimote doesn't work, for one thing.

[UncleBob]

UPDATE.

I called Nintendo in regards to getting a new Download Code issued so I could download the Wii Speak channel onto my second Wii.  Guy was very nice, put me on hold to check with a supervisor, then came back and told me I was SOL.

*cry*

[MegaByte]

Call again?

[UncleBob]

But he spoke with a *Supervisor*.

[UncleBob]

Weaksauce.
Wrote NoA an e-mail describing the situation...

Thank you for wanting to put the Wii Speak Channel on both of your Wii consoles.  However, since you already have the Wii Speak Channel on one of your Wii consoles, we will not be able to send out another Wii Speak Download Ticket for your new Wii.  Sorry. 

Bleh.

Thankfully, Mop it up has the hook up!

[MegaByte]

1. You were too truthful ;-)
2. That's absolutely ridiculous

[NWR_insanolord]

The UncleBob solution is to buy another WiiSpeak and use that code. They've got to be dirt cheap if you can find them, and you've made much crazier Nintendo purchases.

[broodwars]

I find it strange that Nintendo is making such a fuss over a channel that is actually supported by only a handful of games, especially when they're not even supporting the peripheral outside of Animal Crossing.  Just open up the channel to everyone already and stop being a jerk, Nintendo.

[NWR_insanolord]

You only need the code to get the standalone channel; any games that use the peripheral will still work.

[broodwars]

You only need the code to get the standalone channel; any games that use the peripheral will still work.

Alright, so then I have to ask just how many people really use the WiiSpeak Channel for online chatting outside of games, instead of using a program like Skype or even the 360's online chatting feature.  I doubt this would really put that much stress on their servers (relatively speaking) if they removed the restriction, especially if Nintendo is having so much trouble getting Wii users to connect online anyway.

[UncleBob]

The UncleBob solution is to buy another WiiSpeak and use that code. They've got to be dirt cheap if you can find them, and you've made much crazier Nintendo purchases.

Probably is the best solution - it's just the principle of the thing, combined with how hard-assed Nintendo is being with their digital distribution.  Even more so considering I *could* just take whatever I wanted... grr...

[Mop it up]

I don't really understand why Nintendo would worry about how many times someone downloads the WiiSpeak Channel. It is digital, so it isn't like it costs anything when people download it. It's especially baffling when you consider back when Nintendo gave away free Wii Remote Jackets; a physical good that costs money to produce, yet you could order four for free and didn't even have to offer proof you owned a Wii, much less four Wii Remotes.

[UncleBob]

Even more so when the Wii Speak Channel is pretty much useless without the Wii Speak mic...

[NWR_insanolord]

Didn't you install the Homebrew Channel on your new Wii? There may be a way to install it through that.

[UncleBob]

Didn't you install the Homebrew Channel on your new Wii? There may be a way to install it through that.

I assume there is (isn't it possible to install VC/WW titles via HBC or similar methods?).  But I don't want to "steal" anything.  If I was going to do that, I'd just find a download of Another Code: R and save myself the trouble of attempting to import it.

[NWR_insanolord]

But it's something that is both free and something you already legitimately own.

[UncleBob]

But it's something that is both free and something you already legitimately own.

And that's the rub...

[UncleBob]

Contacted Nintendo - of course, copying everything from my Wii over to my Wii U meant I lost the Wii Speak channel on my original Wii.

Explained everything.

Was told to suck it up and buy another Wii Speak mic.

Amazing.

[Mop it up]

Does Nintendo even sell Wii Speak anymore? Does Wii Speak work on Wii U?

[Caliban]

Does Wii Speak work on Wii U?

It's supported.