Somre more Details on Nintendo Online

[BreakABone]

GameSpy and Nintendo have teamed up today to give GameCube online content developers a suite of middleware tools and services that will drive the next generation of GameCube online games to the forefront of the industry. Here's the official release from GameSpy:
GameSpy To Provide Middleware Tools and Online Service Support for NINTENDO GAMECUBE™ Developers
Complete Middleware/Services Solution Gets Developers Online Quickly, Easily

(Irvine, Calif.) - May 21, 2002. Internet online gaming leader GameSpy Industries today announced its support for the just-announced Nintendo GameCube online gaming initiative. The company, which has become an authorized Nintendo tools provider, will port its middleware and back-end services developer suites for the Nintendo GameCube, for shipment to developers in early July.

GameSpy provides game developers with a collection of middleware tools which, when combined with GameSpy's back-end server infrastructure, enable a low-cost turnkey online gaming solution. GameSpy's tools are easy to integrate and interface-neutral, allowing developers to provide the following functionalities seamlessly within their Nintendo GameCube games:

In-Game Player Matchmaking Text Chat, Instant Messaging, and Buddy Lists
Online Competitions and High Score Ladders
Online Data Storage (for virtual memory card applications)
Usage and Game Statistics Reporting and Analysis
Data Transfer to and from the Internet

GameSpy's tools greatly reduce the cost and time required for developers to bring their titles online, and to manage the online gaming experience after game launch.

"Our middleware tools will allow Nintendo developers to add critical online features to their Nintendo GameCube games within a day or two, in most cases," said Mark Surfas, CEO of GameSpy. "But that's just the beginning of what GameSpy provides. We operate the servers, provide the bandwidth, and manage the whole online back-end once the game ships, saving publishers and developers hundreds of thousands in potential hardware, connectivity and staffing costs."

GameSpy's technology and back-end services have been powering online gaming experiences for more than five years, across all major next-generation console platforms and all major PC operating systems.

"By working with GameSpy, we're able to bring our developers proven technology, a fully-outsourced back-end solution, and years of expertise in making the best online experiences for game players." said Jim Merrick, Network Marketing Director, Nintendo of America Inc.

Nintendo GameCube developers will be able to purchase GameSpy's Developer Toolbox for $995, which provides complete SDK source code, sample applications, and documentation, in early July, to begin testing code and back-end integration. Pricing for deployment licenses is based on the specific toolkit suites used by the game developer.

Don't really know what to make of these news, but eh doesn't effect me.

http://www.gamespydaily.com/news/fullstory.asp?id=3456

[GameKinG]

Well...gamespy isnt much on nintendo coverage...

[Angrist]

I guess this is a pretty good deal, right? GameSpy has a lot of experience and is quite popular.