Wii U to Ditch Friend Codes, Welcomes Convenient Social Gaming

Wii U

One of my biggest gripes about the Nintendo Wii was the idea of having to jot down lengthy friend codes to play with friends and colleagues online. Talk about counterproductive measures to experience “social” gaming. However, earlier today, it was revealed that multiple user IDs will be able to be stored on the Wii U, which also means Friend Codes are now a thing of the past.

Sites like Destructoid are confirming that Nintendo has officially set the record straight, stating, “Our plan is to replace Friend Codes with a much more user-friendly Account ID system, which employs user-created account names.”

Finally, Nintendo has caught up to the consoles (and mobile devices for that matter), allowing quick, immediate connectivity to friends without the ridiculous number sequences previously required to connect. This just went a long way in getting me further intrigued in the Wii U’s launch, which is slated for November 18.

With a handful of launch titles featuring multiplayer capabilities, including Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Wipeout 3, FIFA Soccer 13, and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed to name a few, you can bet friends looking to play together across the country breathed a collective sigh of relief around today’s Nintendo reveal – myself included.

TriplePoint Kicks Off Austin Operations with a Game Industry Happy Hour

What do drinks on a Wednesday, retro arcade games from the 80s and 90s, and a city full of talented individuals all under one roof have in common? TriplePoint’s first Austin Game Industry Happy Hour at Kung Fu Saloon, of course. With TriplePoint adding two new members to the team in Austin, Andrew Karl and myself, there was no better way to throw a welcome party than enjoying happy hour with a group of like-minded gamers, techies and friends.

With more than 40 attendees, including folks from Bigfoot Networks, Blackhive Media, New Sound Games, Independent Game Developers Association, University of Texas students and more, TriplePoint Austin felt right at home in Texas’ capital. With discussions ranging from the tech industry, latest game developments, iOS titles and PC gaming, all the way down to the deliciousness of vodka shots with pickle juice chasers and who is best at NBA Jam, the atmosphere was beaming with energy. There might have even been some oversized Jenga and Connect Four to be had. Continue reading TriplePoint Kicks Off Austin Operations with a Game Industry Happy Hour