I just read an article from the Wall Street Journal where the interviewer specifically asked about video-downloading:

“Sony and Microsoft’s video-downloading services on the PS3 and Xbox 360, respectively, are both aimed in part at winning customers beyond core game players. But Nintendo has already captured the audience it wants with simple, intuitive games. Have you thought of offering a video-downloading service, too?”

Iwata replied that, no, they aren’t going to offer video-downloading services because:

“If we have no ideas, we’re not going to compete with the exact same services against companies like Sony, which has a movie studio, and Microsoft, which has a lot of money.”

This doesn’t necessarily bother me so much. Why would Nintendo get into video-downloads, but why the hell can’t they get their online gaming sorted out? When Super Smash Brothers Brawl first came out I was disappointed by the online play. It was choppy at best, but I was optimistic because I was playing one the of the most popular games ever on the night it launched so I thought that the servers must be lagging from the shear number of people playing. But now, months after release, it is still a crappy game to play online. It’s laggy and not enjoyable, and for me not playable. It may not be the end-all future of gaming but online play is very much here to stay and with games as competitive as Smash Brothers they need to figure out that people love online gaming and that it can be done well not sloppy. Until then I am going to keep having a blast playing locally and hoping to get Pikachu in more awkward situations. :)

What do you think, how has your online smashing been going?