Nintendo + McDonald's = Free wi-fi for DS

[Matt Hazuda]

Nintendo has signed an agreement with Wayport, a leading provider of wired and Wi-Fi high-speed Internet access in public locations, to extend Wi-Fi service to Nintendo DSTM users at nearly 6,000 McDonald's restaurants across the United States. Through the agreement with Wayport, Nintendo will offer complimentary access to Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, the video game giant's new wireless gaming service that goes online Nov. 14.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/press_release.php?aid=12337)

IGN has up an interview (http://ds.ign.com/articles/659/659017p1.html) with Nintendo for more information about this news.

You'll also be able to go to Nintendo Wi-Fi (http://www.nintendowifi.com/) for yet more information when it launches on November 14th.

I don't eat at McDonalds, but this is a cool move on Nintendo's part. A lot of people eat at McDonalds and having the ability to play some games online for free while they're chowing down on the charred flesh of sub-grade cows or whatever passes for meat there would probably get more people to stick around.

I've been planning on getting a DS for a while, and even though this doesn't really affect my decision, it's nice to know I have an option available when I have an online gameplay fix while I'm on a road trip or something.

[sdp]

Mcdonalds already has wifi....does that mean that you can't just use any hotspot? it has to be a Nintendo one? so it won't work with my wifi at home unless i use the usb mini router from nitnendo?

[peacebyanymeans]

Not sure, but I don't think every McDonalds has Wifi...
But, this says that by the end of next year, every McDonalds should have DS online ability.

[SNS]

Mcdonalds already has wifi....does that mean that you can't just use any hotspot? it has to be a Nintendo one? so it won't work with my wifi at home unless i use the usb mini router from nitnendo?
From the interview


IGN: How would you play DS online at other establishments with hotspots, such as Starbucks?
Beth Llewelyn: Well, you can still use the DS anywhere there's a Wi-Fi connection. You just would have to set it up through a laptop and use the USB port adapter. So, if you're in Starbucks and have a laptop, you would still have to perhaps pay the service fee to get that access. But the beauty of working with Wayport and having the service available at McDonald's is that you literally walk into McDonald's, you turn on your game, there's Mario Kart, you click on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and you go. It's very simple.

[William C. Maune]

This is a rather clever move! When Nintendo announced their plans to provide hotspots in Japan and America, people wondered how the heck it would work in America since the country is a lot more spread out than Japan. You could make even a lot more hotspots than Japan and still barely make a dent in America.

However, by making a deal with McDonalds they will suddenly be everywhere. Almost every community has a McDonalds and some have several. Now, except for those who are in really rural locations, pretty much everyone will be near a DS hotspot.

[Chad Bonin]

For some reason, I have a feeling we'll be seeing this extend to Gamestops or something soon.

Either way, gets their foot in the door.

[Nin-Nin69]

The next thing you'll see is kids crowded around the Walmart playing Metroid Pinball. :D

[Tak Mazé]

I hope McD's is the first of many locations :)

[peacebyanymeans]

The next thing you'll see is kids crowded around the Walmart playing Metroid Pinball. :D
Metroid Pinball is not online... so I doubt kids would be crowded around Walmart playing it.

[Noukon]

Mcdonalds already has wifi....does that mean that you can't just use any hotspot? it has to be a Nintendo one? so it won't work with my wifi at home unless i use the usb mini router from nitnendo?
Commercial hotspots with password protection will be troublesome. Your home network should be just fine.

[Dark Fact]

No doubt sooner or later McDonalds will make a quick change to their policy and demand that people order some food before using their WiFi service. You can't just wander into McDs with a DS, hook up, and play your games for as long as you want without ordering something. What about the people who HAVE ordered food? If they find kids sitting around in every chair playing nothing but Mario Kart, they'll complain to management about having no place to sit and that'll be all she wrote.

[peacebyanymeans]

I went into McDonalds, went to the bathroom, and as I was leaving, one worker was like "Are you going to order something?" and I was likw "Nope."

Then I left, but I didn't feel bad, because the place was really crowded!

[Tak Mazé]

No doubt sooner or later McDonalds will make a quick change to their policy and demand that people order some food before using their WiFi service. You can't just wander into McDs with a DS, hook up, and play your games for as long as you want without ordering something. What about the people who HAVE ordered food? If they find kids sitting around in every chair playing nothing but Mario Kart, they'll complain to management about having no place to sit and that'll be all she wrote.
Perhaps gamers will be assigned to a designated area. If said area is full, you can't play there. No different from arcades really. If a machine is crowded, it's no-go-Joe.
I'd expect they would have a section in the corner for DS users and give it some kind of "club" atmosphere, perhaps with money-off coupons and such to keep people coming back. I can see how this would benefit both companies a lot.

[Dark Fact]

Perhaps gamers will be assigned to a designated area. If said area is full, you can't play there. No different from arcades really. If a machine is crowded, it's no-go-Joe.
I'm pretty sure those "designated" areas will crowd up faster than an army of germs on a dropped steak. DS gamers will surround the area, possibly blocking other people (and violating the fire code!) just to get their turn at the Wi-Fi.

McDonalds could build a whole separate room for the gamers but it'll cost them a good sum of money and there is no guarantee that this will take off.


I'd expect they would have a section in the corner for DS users and give it some kind of "club" atmosphere, perhaps with money-off coupons and such to keep people coming back. I can see how this would benefit both companies a lot.
money-off coupons? Unless they're really really good deals, I don't see the gamers wanting to buy burgers but rather sit and play.

[William C. Maune]

Overall, I would guess that it would benefit McDonalds. If people are in there for awhile, they are going to get hungry and the McDonalds counter is the most convenient place for them to go. Will everyone there be buying McDonalds food in addition to playing games? No, but I'd bet enough people will that it cancels those people out.

Here in town there are all kinds of restaurants and coffee houses where anyone can go to study, play their handheld gaming system, just hang out, etc. No one is required to buy food, and some don't. However, many do and thus it is profitable for the business.

[Nin-Nin69]

My theory is that in the near future McDonalds will be charging people with DS's to buy food in order to stay. Think about it. A group of noisy kids going down to their local McDonalds every day after school to play Mario Kart and making a mess in the store without even bothering to buy anything. It's no different than a comic shop or a Gamer's Workshop. People will hang out and not pay for a thing. Makes enough sense to me that they'll be charging people in the near future. After all it's not like people will be eating a Big Mac while checking their stocks on their laptop around 4:30 in the afternoon.

[William C. Maune]

Eh, I think more would be food than you'd guess, especially students that are probably hungry after getting out of school. None of the places in my town charge admission and they seem to do just fine, even with poor college students hanging out.

[Nin-Nin69]

I understand those situations, but if you've noticed the crowds that leer around Gamer's Workshop, then most locations would start to reconsider. After all there are very few McDonalds I see these days that let the homeless hang out inside anymore. So a bunch of rowdy children won't make a lick of difference.

Either way I don't care because my school has Wi-Fi stations. :D

[Dark Fact]

Overall, I would guess that it would benefit McDonalds. If people are in there for awhile, they are going to get hungry and the McDonalds counter is the most convenient place for them to go. Will everyone there be buying McDonalds food in addition to playing games? No, but I'd bet enough people will that it cancels those people out.
Even if the majority do buy food, it still doesn't guarantee that McDonalds won't put in a buy-and-play policy in the future. Besides, I don't know how people will want to eat and then play the DS with grease-soaked fingers. :ack: It's pretty disgusting when you think about it.


Here in town there are all kinds of restaurants and coffee houses where anyone can go to study, play their handheld gaming system, just hang out, etc. No one is required to buy food, and some don't. However, many do and thus it is profitable for the business.
You're comparing a small town eatery with a big fast food franchise? At least with the small town eateries, they would like people to come in whenever they have a chance. McDonalds already gets in people approximately once every 15 minutes (and once every 45 minutes during graveyard hours) just to order food. It's become a standard for the chain. If you're not gonna pay, you're not gonna stay.

[William C. Maune]

understand those situations, but if you've noticed the crowds that leer around Gamer's Workshop, then most locations would start to reconsider. After all there are very few McDonalds I see these days that let the homeless hang out inside anymore. So a bunch of rowdy children won't make a lick of difference.

I can't say I've been to a Gamer's Workshop, but I would guess that they don't have the selection of food to offer people that McDonalds does. As for the homeless, they have a lot less disposable income than kids with DS'.


Even if the majority do buy food, it still doesn't guarantee that McDonalds won't put in a buy-and-play policy in the future. Besides, I don't know how people will want to eat and then play the DS with grease-soaked fingers. :ack: It's pretty disgusting when you think about it.

If the majority does buy food, then McDonalds has no reason to put in a buy-and-play policy because they are making more money due to more people buying food.


You're comparing a small town eatery with a big fast food franchise? At least with the small town eateries, they would like people to come in whenever they have a chance. McDonalds already gets in people approximately once every 15 minutes (and once every 45 minutes during graveyard hours) just to order food. It's become a standard for the chain. If you're not gonna pay, you're not gonna stay.

Whether it is a local eatery or a McDonalds, both need people coming in the door to make money. If McDonalds can get more people coming in, they can make more money.

[Wilco911]

Huh, there's a McD's a few stores down from where I work. I know what I'll be doing on my breaks. :D

[peacebyanymeans]

Wait a minute, did any of you ever stop to think that, maybe, you'll be able to play online from outside the McDonalds, like, on a bench or something?

[Tak Mazé]

Wait a minute, did any of you ever stop to think that, maybe, you'll be able to play online from outside the McDonalds, like, on a bench or something?The signal would be greatly cut up by the wall in the way. I doubt they'd use a strong transmitter.

[Dark Fact]

If the majority does buy food, then McDonalds has no reason to put in a buy-and-play policy because they are making more money due to more people buying food.


Whether it is a local eatery or a McDonalds, both need people coming in the door to make money. If McDonalds can get more people coming in, they can make more money.

That's a big IF! :shrug:

[the Amanda]

If only they made a deal with Starbucks. I would never leave!

Actually, good thing they didn't make a deal with Starbucks...

[Tak Mazé]

Having a Wifi network at home, I wouldn't be too bothered ;)