Wii Speak Channel download tied to hardware

by JC Fletcher { Nov 13th 2008 at 9:55AM }

MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo opened his review WiiSpeak microphone box and discovered the secret behind the associated Wii Speak Channel: it's a free download, yes, but that download requires the entry of a one-time-use code included in the box. At first blush, this isn't a big deal, because anyone who wants to use the Wii Speak Channel is probably going to have a microphone anyway, right?

The problem, as Totilo identifies, is that you can't buy the thing used and expect the channel, because the "Download Ticket" will have been used. And Nintendo won't replace it. The channel won't be available for purchase, or for free download without the ticket. So buy the thing new or plan to chat only in games.

Tags: microphone, wiispeak, wiispeak-channel

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

bhengh @ Nov 13th 2008 10:14AM

Very interesting. Is this to prevent people from making their own Wii Speak? Or to shut out third-party peripherals?

Crustin @ Nov 13th 2008 10:17AM

Sounds like these will have no resale value if you buy it and don't like it. It's all part of a larger plan to prevent anyone from buying anything second hand. Eventually all video games will be like the VC and WiiWare downloads where you buy them online, download them to a large hard drive, and you can't resell them to bring them with you to a friend's house.

Crustin @ Nov 13th 2008 10:18AM

Sorry... typo...

"you can't resell them OR bring them with you to a friend's house."

Everyone will have to buy their own copy.

DAud_IcI @ Nov 13th 2008 10:19AM

And what if I lose the Channel for some reason? Like if I have to format my Wi.

As long as it is free installing it with WAD installer should be legitimate, I think...

Sonic_13 @ Nov 13th 2008 3:48PM

Just like with any other download, you'll be able to redownload it at any time if you need to delete it.

bukizzle715 @ Nov 13th 2008 10:53AM

So being that Wii Speak is a separate channel, people can talk during online games that came out way before, like Brawl, rather than just games designed for it, like Animal Crossing?

ramuji @ Nov 13th 2008 11:15AM

It would be great if we could do that, but I kind of doubt it since we can't currently run two channels simultaneously (i.e., the Wii Speak Channel + the game you want to chat in).

Mr Khan @ Nov 13th 2008 11:25AM

Dick move

I understand it not being for sale at large, because then it would be possible to buy it without Wii Speak, but a one-shot code, really?

KaBob799 @ Nov 13th 2008 11:37AM

Wow, companies have been trying to stop reselling for a long time and this is probably the best way to do it for accessories o.0
Not that it's a good thing for us... or for gamestop =p

tmntman @ Nov 13th 2008 12:11PM

Out of curiosity, are we certain that the codes are one time only?

And honestly, even if it is. Nintendo can change that later easily enough. They've already demonstrated a willingness to do this in the past with the Internet channel which went from free to a pay download. So I don't see any reason why they couldn't do the same for the Wii Speak at some point if the need is there.

FantomRedux @ Nov 14th 2008 11:24AM

That wasn't a willingness to change, that was the plan all along. Something about saying thanks to early adopters/ people who used the Internet Channel trial. It was always gonna be pay-to-download after March 07/6(?)

m-p{3} @ Nov 13th 2008 1:12PM

What happen if, lets say a children accidentally format your Wii to factory default? Does that mean that you're the owner of a new door stopper?

Pretty much retarded to tie something like a mic to a console.

Sonic_13 @ Nov 13th 2008 3:53PM

The mic itself isn't tied to the console - it can be used on any console, resold, bought used, etc.

It's just that the Wii Speak Channel coupons can only be used once, meaning that you can only get it if you buy Wii Speak new.

ejamer @ Nov 13th 2008 3:17PM

People are over-reacting. This really isn't a big deal.

If you buy WiiSpeak new, you get a code to unlock a free Wii Speak Channel as a little bonus. If you buy it used, then you only get to chat while playing compatible games.

What is the value of this free channel? It can't be used at the same time as you play another game, and won't add chat to existing games. It's really just a glorified conference call between two Wii systems, but with no way to request a chat session without first calling the person you want to talk to... well, that kind of defeats the whole purpose. Might be a nice bonus for families looking to keep in touch, but not very useful overall.

If you delete the Wii Speak Channel, you should still be able to download it again later using the Wii Shop Channel. It is linked to your Wii system account, so just check the list of previously downloaded software. Presto!

The free channel is just a perk that you get by paying for Nintendo's (somewhat pricey, but apparently high-quality) microphone instead of a cheaper third-party solution. Is it worth getting upset about? Not really. Will it drastically affect resale value? Probably not.

Abscissa @ Nov 13th 2008 5:02PM

Work at Nintendo, perhaps?

FantomRedux @ Nov 14th 2008 11:28AM

*sigh* Abscissa, why'd you even say that? Just because the dudes right, but isn't going "OMFGWTF I WANT MY CHANNEL PREOWNED LOL", you assume its a Nintendo employee?

Sonic_13 @ Nov 13th 2008 4:16PM

I'm surprised that no one is talking about the opportunities that this holds. Being able to redeem special codes for games? That's awesome.

Redeeming a code for the Wii Speak Channel is just the start. In the future special promotions may allow us to redeem codes for demos, channels, free games, and other goodies.