Nintendo granted messaging patent :O

[HUGECOOL]

Six years ago, before the GameCube's launch, Nintendo had filed for a patent on a "messaging service for video game systems with buddy list that displays game being played," and on Tuesday they were granted the patent. The details involve a fully-fledged IM system featuring buddy icons, in-game messaging (via text or voice chat), and web-based storage of the user profile (i.e. Nintendo's servers). All the details can be viewed within the patent's claims.

You can see the similarities between Nintendo's patent and Microsoft's Xbox Live service, but there are two things you should take from this patent:

1. It does not mean Microsoft copied Nintendo. While Nintendo filed this patent before the Xbox was even launched, chances are Microsoft also filed a patent just as long ago, if not longer.
   
2. It does not guarantee these services will be included in the Wii. While Nintendo now has patent protection on such services, given the company the option to incorporate all these features into Wii Connect24, that does not guarantee Nintendo's willingness to implement every aspect of the patent into its service, although it is likely we will see a very similar (if not exact) system implemented by the time the Wii launches.

Nintendo, we can now confirm, has the ability to launch a fully-fledged online service on par with Microsoft, providing almost the exact same features (fully-fledged messaging, downloadable content). To what extent will Nintendo beef up the Wii's online component?

Taken directly from Joystiq because I'm too lazy to write my own atm.

[Neversoft]

Excellent find!

[Billay]

coolio.

[Sony.Com]

yeh excellent find + rep!
I think its pretty cool actualy

[Moose]

I don't mean no harm.

Haha! Americas Next Top Model? Hehe hilarious...

Hey don't bash on me (I skimmed through the post), but what messaging service you might think they will partner up with?

[HUGECOOL]

Haha! Americas Next Top Model? Hehe hilarious...

Hey don't bash on me (I skimmed through the post), but what messaging service you might think they will partner up with?

lol

Well, I'm thinking it'll just be a service within Nintendo- Wii Messenger even. ;p

I'm not sure if they're going to 'partner' with anyone but if they do, it will most likely be AIM since AOL has had Wii-related events in the past. I'm thinking its something like Xfire and it shows other users which games you're playing and how long you've played it.

[Billay]

lol

Well, I'm thinking it'll just be a service within Nintendo- Wii Messenger even. ;p

I'm not sure if they're going to 'partner' with anyone but if they do, it will most likely be AIM since AOL has had Wii-related events in the past. I'm thinking its something like Xfire and it shows other users which games you're playing and how long you've played it.

Xfire's quite boring. I'd say AOL would get it up and popular