Kotaku
We've been getting tipped today that Nintendo will end it's current implementation of the "Friend Code" system, one that requires players to have a unique code for every Wi-Fi Connection game they want to play with people they know. According to a number of sites, Nintendo of Europe has "confirmed" that the Wii will have a single unique identifier and that you'll be able to join online games with friends in a simpler fashion.
The only problem we have is that no one is actually citing the source of this confirmation. The European Wii site has a translated version of the roundtable discussion that Satoru Iwata and the Wii engineers conducted, which, while filled with info, doesn't explicity mention said changes. The only information that I can find nestled in these interviews related to online gaming is the following:
I should just stress the point, in case anyone gets the wrong idea, that this network basically works in the same way as the one for Animal Crossing on DS. That is, connection is not possible unless both users register each other.
Hopefully, sites like N-Europe are correct and simply failing to link to the proper information, but for now, we're going to consider this a rumor and get in touch with Nintendo to get a response.
News: Nintendo Confirm Console Specific Code
