intendo's Wii is the platform that (almost) everyone loves — its relative simplicity has it appealing to demographics which used to be hopelessly beyond the reach of most hardware and software manufacturers. Of course, it's hard to design a system that appeals to the less technically savvy without also removing features which power users have come to expect. When Nintendo launched its new lineup of original downloadable games called WiiWare a few weeks ago, they highlighted a technical flaw which may be difficult for their little white box to overcome. 512MB of flash memory may seem like a bottomless pit when you're only storing game saves and old software from the 8-bit days, but it begins to look more like a thimble after downloading that first piece of WiiWare.
Nintendo may have to make some tough decisions in the weeks and months ahead. They can expand the storage options they offer their users and risk an increase in software piracy and hardware modifications, or they can keep things as they are and risk alienating the same players which WiiWare sought to attract. The way I see it, there are three different paths Nintendo may take.
1. Keep things as they are.
512 MB of internal memory isn't much in this day and age, but flip back that little door on the front of your Wii and you're bound to find a slot that accepts SD Multimedia Cards. Inserting a single piece of flash memory can as much as quadruple the Wii's storage capacity (the system will only recognize cards of up to 2GB in size). The only problem is that this add-on memory is for archival use only — it's impossible to run downloaded software off of anything other than the system's built-in storage. Still, this $20 upgrade may mean the world to anyone who's amassed a sizable collection of Virtual Console or WiiWare titles — just be prepared to transfer files between memory card and system as required.
2. Nintendo releases proprietary storage peripherals.
I've often compared Nintendo to Apple over the years — both companies seem to favor keeping a tight grip on their products and the ways in which they interact with one another. It only seems natural that if there's to be a new storage option released for the Wii, it will come from the "Big N" itself. I'm already envisioning a new stand for the Wii which interfaces with the console via USB and adds a moderate amount of memory expansion. Nintendo could also release its own line of SD Cards which contained DRM so that software could be run directly from removable storage without negating all hardware-based copy protection.
3. Third party free-for-all.
Nintendo's already allowing users to use any SD Multimedia Card they choose for backup memory (provided it's 2GB or less), so why not also enable them to use third-party USB hard drives? A firmware update could theoretically allow for direct software access via the Wii's USB ports (or allow software to be streamed directly from an SD card, for that matter). Although this would probably be the most attractive move for consumers, it's also probably the hardest for Nintendo to make considering the company's past decisions.
It's only logical that Nintendo will do something to address the Wii's storage needs as it continues to delve into the fast-developing world of online distribution. Of course, only time can tell us exactly what that something will be. Until then, check out some of the excellent new WiiWare releases which are being released every week — you just may get a few lessons in file management before you know it!
