This is what a console identity crisis looks like. It's not the same as having to return a sweater or divide up a DVD collection. It's not as easy to overcome as creating a new Second Life account or changing servers in World of Warcraft where all you need is an internet connection. A console is its own ecosystem. It keeps track of everything you've played, encourages you to show off the games you've played and it has an online network of people built into it. Who you are on PSN and LIVE sticks with you in a way that a PC-based identity doesn't. So when the console goes away – part of you does, too.

My ex and I shared an identity across the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the Wii. We shared an Xbox LIVE account so we'd only have to pay for one Gold membership and have a more impressive Gamerscore. I decorated our house in PlayStation Home and contributed to the Trophy count on PlaySation Network. We also designed Miis for each other on the Wii as a bonding exercise. We invested in those virtual representations of our gamer identity the same way we invested in our relationship. You could view those LIVE or PSN accounts to see the games we played. While it probably looked weird for Killzone 2 to appear right next to Valkyria Chronicles, it was a representation of how we gamed together.

Now the relationship is gone. In the "dividing of the stuff" breakup ritual, he came away with the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 while I took home the Wii (do not ask who got the short end of the stick).The pieces of us embedded in those consoles still remain, but I've got to recover what I can with the identity-building tools that consoles give me.

You can't go Home again… or can you?

Of all the console identities I've lost, the gamer I was on PS3 will probably be the easiest to rebuild. That's due mostly to Home – a virtual reality that allows me the most flexibility to express myself beyond the list of games I've played and Trophies I've won.

The first form of expression is the avatar – something you only see on the PS3 when you're in Home. You can change your avatar's appearance and gender on the fly, so depending on which one of us "drove" while playing Home, our avatar would be a smartly dressed guy or a Goth-ish girl. As with most avatars in online environments, you can customize your avatar's appearance to look as much like (or totally unlike) you as you choose. The second form of expression is where you take your avatar in the virtual world, how you choose to talk to people with the chat option or by choosing to dance like a moron in a corner.

The real identity building, though, takes place in your virtual living space. Signing up for Home from your PS3 automatically gives you a living space in Home to decorate. You can display pictures from your hard drive or show off stuff you win or buy in Home as decorations in your virtual apartment. My ex and I had the lake house in Home. If I wanted, I could have a space identical to the one we shared, since you can't edit buildings. But it really wouldn't be what we had because your Home account is bound to your PSN ID. Even if I re-beat every single game and win back all the Trophies we had, the pictures on my hard drive would be mine and I could use the decorations to create a new self in Home that's totally unlike who I was.

"This is something that's been a part of Home since day one," says Jack Buser, director of PlayStation Home at Sony. "In the real world when you go out in public, you express yourself by how you act, the things you talk about and how you dress. But people don't really know who you are — really, really — until they go back to your pad."

Buser's advice to me for me was to keep checking back into Home for new content and rewards. Naturally, he'd say that because he wants to sell his product, but Buser made a bigger point about looking forward to the future instead of living in the past.

"What you see in Home… those things are not static," he says. "[Home]'s constantly evolving, constantly changing. Your experience in Home today is going to be quite different from your experience in Home a month from now — six months from now — a year from now."

And by then I may have finally re-beat all the PS3 games on my list.

Living An Xbox LIVE

Who I was on Xbox LIVE will be much harder to recreate. LIVE is more static than PSN because there isn't a virtual world layered into it for me to build a self in. All I get is my avatar, my Achievement list, my games library, themes and friends list as ways in which I can be me. So if I'm going to pad out my Gamerscore with games like Avatar The Last Airbender: The Burning Earth, everyone on my friends list will know how lame I am. I can't hide it behind a well-dressed avatar with a sweet virtual pad or blame it on my boyfriend.

Worse, now that Xbox LIVE has rolled out its new features like "Gold member for xx years," I'm really suffering a loss of self. My Achievement list and games library look pathetically small for someone who works at Kotaku. All of my friends have to re-friend my new account and make the difficult decision about whether or not to un-friend my old shared account. Worst of all, I have to play through a ton of games all over again and re-buy any downloadable games because that info is bound to the old LIVE account and how else am I going to establish myself as an authority on Japanese role-playing games if I don't have record of beating all the big ones like Eternal Sonata, Tales of Vesperia and Lost Odyssey?

Heather Snavely, director of Global Xbox consumer communications, may wind up in the same boat as me someday. She doesn't share an Xbox LIVE ID with her husband, but she does allow her two children to play online with her account. "I want their gamer points," she laughs.

"A lot of families and couples do have one account, so they're sharing that experience," Snavely says. "But it never crossed my mind to share with my husband. I'm an only child, so I'm like ‘Well, this is mine.' I have to be able to change [my avatar's] clothes. I'm very protective."

So what happens when her children grow up and want their own accounts?

"I don't know," she says. "That's a tricky one. It's like a rite of passage [to have your own account]."

Snavely acknowledged that there is a possibility Microsoft would create family plans for Xbox Live in the future, similar to cell phone plans. This would make it easier to transfer Achievements or data to a new account when a child goes off to college and gets their own Xbox 360 or something. But as of now, Microsoft has nothing like that in the works. Instead, they're focusing on features that let you express yourself even more thoroughly.

For example, aside from the Gold member veteran status that you can now see, Xbox Live is instituting a user rating system for downloadable games. Snavely says this expression of opinion creates a personal history unlike anything you've been able to do with LIVE before – and it will make you less inclined to share your account with others, even if you do want extra Achievements, because you want to own your opinion about the games you play.

Her advice to me and gamers in my situation is, "In the future, always have your own [account]. Think of yourself and the Achievements you want to build because once it's gone, it's gone. Customize and create the person you want to be online and own it."

Finding Mii Again

On the Wii, I haven't deleted my ex's Mii. But I did get rid of the fugly eyebrows he put on my Mii and changed the color of my shirt. These acts of expression are tiny in comparison to what I could do in Home and on LIVE, but it's still a way to own my identity on that console.

What I've learned from my console identity crisis is this: Identity – both in real life and online – is about making choices. The choices we make for ourselves on console are more permanent than we realize. Maybe we take things like Gamertag recovery and guest accounts for granted. Maybe we don't think about identity when we let our lovers, friends or family members borrow our profiles for just one game. But choosing to share defines us, too.

I don't regret being who I was when I shared console identities with my ex, even if I'm not thrilled about beating Tales of Vesperia for the fourth time. I look forward to re-beating all the old games so I can start playing new ones and so I can make new choices that redefine me as a gamer. The Trophies and Achievements I rack up in the meantime will tell you who I was. The new personal expression features that evolve on PSN and LIVE will determine what kind of gamer I become.

Not only does the function seem to support everything found on the Wii, but it also lets you choose between six outfits. Here's a quick look at that function, one that really should be coming to the DSi on its own.

If you're not inclined to do the work, you can also import your Mii from your Wii.

Nintendo sent Kotaku copies of Personal Trainer: Walking yesterday, and while we think we don't need that much training to walk (left foot and then right foot, yes?), we are in fact learning things.

We have learned, for example, that the Wii possesses a previously hidden talent.

Try the button combo mentioned above and the image you see here will appear. You won't get Miis of Condoleezza Rice and Exclusives expert Geoff Keighley to appear. That's just on my Wii. But you will get proof that your Wii is capable of emitting your Miis to a DS.

Since launch, the Wii has been able to send Miis to Wii Remotes so that the Miis can be transmitted to other Wiis. And Miis have been snaggable via non-Nintendo Mii-editing computer programs.

But Miis hadn't made it to the DS. They can now that they have a home, as Nintendo informs us that Personal Trainer: Walking is the first DS game/walking-trainer) to support Miis.

On the DS, the Miis are used to demonstrate how far you walked. Like, you know, if you walked about 1000 steps between leaving your apartment this morning and getting to your downtown Manhattan office — with the help of the subway.

What other feats is your Wii capable of? Who knows. Start mashing some buttons.

Yes, along with your personal information and Mii, your impossible to remember Friend Code can be included. They're pricey, in membership terms, as 30 of the cards will set you back 150 precious Club Nintendo Points.

The cards require the Wii's currently Japan-only Digicam Print Channel and, for all intents and purposes, a residency in Japan.

Wii Number Exchange Business Cards [Club Nintendo via WiiFanboy]

SNL comedy writers appear as Nintendo Mii's for the Emmys [Gaming Nexus via Go Nintendo]

To Nintendo, licensing Mii is identical to licensing Mario. If you read Iwata Asks interview series in website, you can understand how Mii was created in detail, so I hope you can read them if you have time. Mii is actually the result of more than 10 years of efforts.

Mr. Miyamoto, the inventor of Mii, himself has been saying that, 'In a sense, licensing Mii is same as licensing Mario — Nintendo should grant the license when we can conclude that the proposed project is worthwhile. Should we allow any and all the licensees to use Mii license for whichever projects, Mii's brand image will be hurt. Because we are not granting Mario license to any and all, we should not do so with Mii either.'

This is the current policy of Nintendo. So, at the software development stage, we are consulting with the developers as to how they would like to make use of Mii, and our Licensing Department handles on a case-by-case basis.

My Wedding Invitation [4CR]

Mission Bay Community Church

The Nintendo Wii looks new and is thought to have been stolen before January 1. It may have been a Christmas present. If anyone has devised these characters listed and the Wii has gone missing, then please contact us urgently.

They're quite tiny, measuring 2" by 3.25", and feature real Swarovski crystals. A Khorium Ore-nament will set you back $9.95 US for one, $24.95 US for three. Quite an adorable little spawn, isn't it?

Khorium Ore-naments [Paul Pape Designs via Wonderland]

NINTENDO SAYS 'CHECK MII OUT' WITH CREATIVE NEW CHANNEL FOR WII

Free Interactive Channel Lets Users View, Vote for the Best Mii Creations

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 8, 2007 � It's no secret that fans of Nintendo's Wii� system love their Mii� characters � those adorably cartoonish caricatures of friends and family members that can be used in games like Wii Sports�. Some of the more artistic fans have even taken it upon themselves to make Miis of celebrities, politicians and fictional characters. Nintendo supports consumers' creative spirit with the Nov. 11 evening launch of the Check Mii Out Channel. This free new channel can be downloaded from the WiiWare� section of the Wii Shop Channel by people who have their Wii systems connected to the Internet.

"The Check Mii Out Channel lets people show off their Mii creations and vote on those created by others," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "It's yet another way that we're building fun, interactive communities of Wii owners without charging them extra for the privilege."

In the Posting Plaza, users can submit, exchange or just browse Miis posted by others in their region or worldwide. The channel offers the ability to look at a random selection of 1,000 Miis or to see just the current or all-time favorites. Players have a variety of ways to search for specific Miis, including by the name of its creator or by a number specific to each Mii. Once users have found that "special Mii," they can even tag their favorites or import them to their own Wii systems.

The contest section of the Check Mii Out Channel challenges users to submit Mii creations to represent a specific person, character or theme. These could include historical figures (Abraham Lincoln or Vincent Van Gogh), fictional characters (the Tooth Fairy or the New Year's Baby) or descriptive themes ("the biggest bully ever" or "the overbearing boss"). Users can then vote on Miis submitted by others to determine the Mii that best fits the challenge. Each contest will generally last two weeks: one for creating and submitting Miis, and the second week for people to vote on the results.

The Check Mii Out Channel is the latest addition to other fun, interactive informational channels, such as the News Channel, Everybody Votes Channel and Forecast Channel. Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii�, Nintendo DS�, Game Boy� Advance and Nintendo GameCube� systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.4 billion video games and more than 420 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario�, Donkey Kong�, Metroid�, Zelda� and Pok�mon�. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Along with the Mii integration, Sega has also confirmed four Dream events to be included in the game on top of the extensive lineup of real Olympic events. These take place in colorful, game-inspired stages laced with power-ups and special moves, appeasing the Mario and Sonic purists out there. There's a Dream Race on the Sandhill Race Course, Dream Platform Diving which sounds a bit like Pilot Wings skydiving, Dream Fencing on jungle beach, and Dream Table Tennis in a 'sci-fi wonderland'. Hit the jump for more details while I go tweak my Mii in preparation.

Mii functionality and Dream events confirmed for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has not only a massive line-up of real-life Olympic events, but SEGA can today proudly confirm that their much anticipated title also has a unique series of exclusive "Dream Events" to add to the mix.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has not only a massive line-up of real-life Olympic events, but SEGA can today proudly confirm that their much anticipated title also has a unique series of exclusive "Dream Events" to add to the mix. The Dream Events - which are both single and multiplayer - are based in colourful game-like universes that include objects and power-ups that will either improve a players game, or bring their opponent down.

The four Dream events featured are:
Dream Race (Sandhill Race Course) - Get on your marks for this intense power-up filled race course, made for either one player, or as many as four.
Dream Platform (Tropical Reef Diving Area - 10,000M Diving) - More like skydiving, soar through hoops and perform aerial tricks while avoiding obstacles and opponents to reach the finish line first.
Dream Fencing (Duel Wharf Fencing Beach) - With unique special attacks for each character, this jungle-inspired world offers the ultimate duel.
Dream Table Tennis (Speed Rally Table Tennis Stadium) - A sci-fi wonderland, this magical table tennis extravaganza offers a special ability for each character - so move fast!

Mario & Sonic At the Olympic Games also offers Wii users the ultimate gaming fantasy - the opportunity to play against their favourite Mario or Sonic character. Thanks to the unique interactive Mii features, players can bring their own Mii into the game as a playable character and compete as themselves in any of the Olympic or Dream events.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games will be in-stores across Europe on November 23, 2007 for Wii, and Q1 2008 for the Nintendo DS.

Remember the bar Ashcraft posted about yesterday morning? The one that invited patrons to "COME IN & PLAY Wii w/ Mii on our 82" BIG SCREEN"? Unfortunately, all we knew about it at the time was that it was in Hoboken, New Jersey, which while interesting, doesn't really get our readers through the doors madly swinging Remotes in a drunken rage.

Fortunately, Nintendo was on top of things and was able to track down the bar. It's called McSwiggans Pub and despite the vague Irish motif sells hot wings and features a plethora of specials including Karaoke and Martini nights. Nothing on their site hints on the Wii night, so perhaps that was a one off. Someone in the area really should swing by and report back to us.

McSwiggans Pub

Plus foosball! It's got some foosball.

Check out tons of new screens in our gallery, then get informed, press release style. Michael McWhertor

EA turns soccer star Ronaldinho into CUSTOMIZED character for FIFA Soccer 08 on the Wii

Pass, Shoot, and Perform Trick Moves With A Flick of the Wrist

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - June 14, 2007 - FIFA Soccer 08 cover athlete Ronaldinho, one of the most talented and recognizable athletes in the world, will become the first professional soccer player to appear as a customized character exclusively for the Wii™, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today.

EA has created a unique character of the celebrated Brazilian International soccer star that will be playable in FIFA Soccer 08 on Wii. The Wii-exclusive Ronaldinho will host a game mode designed and created exclusively for Wii called Footii Party with Ronaldinho. With this mode, EA introduces unique party games - including Table Soccer and Shoot Off - where you can play as your self-created Mii™ character to unlock Ronaldinho and take on the champ. Each Footii Party game is created as a multiplayer, social experience designed to engage and entertain fans of all ages.

Ronaldinho commented on the character, "My character looks like he enjoys playing football and shares my passion for the game. This is important to me. Whether you are playing football on the pitch or my party games in FIFA Soccer 08 on the Wii, it should be a fun and enjoyable experience."

"When Ronaldinho steps on to the soccer pitch, he plays with passion and energy. We've brought that same spirit to FIFA Soccer 08 on Wii - it is fun, high-energy entertainment the entire family can enjoy," said senior producer Tim Tschirner.

The game's revolutionary FreeMotion™ controls help level the playing field for all players and turns FIFA Soccer 08 on Wii into a physical, social activity. It also provides gamers with a truly authentic soccer experience with more control than ever before. It's easy to pick-up and play and with the in-game Soccer Academy you can learn basic and advanced controls in more than 30 interactive tutorials. Each lesson teaches you how to master the FreeMotion controls and perform all the necessary movements to dominate on the pitch.

Play FIFA Soccer 08 to take your favorite team and players to Cup glory. Mesmerize defenders with authentic individual skill and play like a real soccer player. Now you pass, shoot, and perform trick moves all with a flick of the wrist. Dictate the play with all-new controls for through-passing and crossing, or control your goalkeeper in one-on-one situations to deny an onrushing striker.

FIFA Soccer 08 delivers complete authenticity with licenses for all of the world's top leagues, including MLS and Mexican 1st Division in North America, and 28 others from more than 20 nations. This year you can choose to play with one of over 570 licensed teams and more than 14,000 players to win glory with or against up to three of your friends.

FIFA Soccer 08 is developed by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. It is scheduled for worldwide release this fall on the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, PC and mobile. FIFA Soccer 08 is not yet rated by the ESRB and PEGI.

For a tech news site, this seems a little late in coming, but Cnet.com is currently hosting a gallery of celebrity Mii images culled from around the web. Some of these I had seen before, but others were new to me and the majority of them are dead on. Some celebrities of note include Chuck Norris, Laurel & Hardy, Jack Black, Peter Jackson and Woody Allen. Also featured is Dave Curry's prize winning Zach Braff Mii (pictured) which took the grand prize in Kottke.org's Celebrity Mii contest. Curry was awarded with a little statue of his winning Mii which is also featured in the gallery.

So, if you are one of those folks that only recently got their hands on a Wii and are still exploring the wonderful world of Mii's, this little gallery is a great guide for getting some celebs to brighten up your Mii Parade.

I'm still waiting for some Mii DLC so I can finally make one that actually looks like me. Unfortunately for me, they don't have a mutton chop sideburn feature and that's a damn shame. Flynn De Marco

Wii creates celebrity Mii's [Cnet]

Twenty bucks for all this? Sign me up! No! Don't! That was sarcasm! I want nothing to do with it.

Thanks to all the fashion plates who sent this in. Michael McWhertor

Mii Love You Long Time [Nerdy Shirts]

While it has excellent advertising jingle potential, I completely fail to see any point to this device whatsoever. Seriously. You have a Wii, right? Otherwise you wouldn't have a Mii. Why would you need the go-between? The press release for the item says you can share your Mii over there internet...but why? If you really wanted to, there are free programs out there that will let you recreate your Mii in minutes online already, plus if you really wanted to share your Mii, Nintendo has provided for that.

My Mii Manager does come with a USB bluetooth receiver, allowing you to use your Wiimote and other bt devices on your PC, so that isn't a bad deal for $19.99. You can check out this and other slightly more useful products over at Datel's online store. I'm going to go be confused for a bit. Michael Fahey

Manage Your Wii Mii...

...It's easy with My Mii Manager!

April 10th, 2006 - Wii owners can now personalise their Wii Mii the easy way.

Datel's powerful Mii Manager software lets you edit your Mii on your PC. It's a doddle to use. Just import your Mii into the editor, then edit it until your heart's content. You can even share your Mii with Wii gamers from all over the world over the internet!

My Mii Manager has everything you need. There's the powerful Mii Manager software application for your PC, and a USB Bluetooth receiver to let you use your Wii-mote with your computer.

My Mii Manager is in the shops now, and costs 14.99 UK or $19.99 USA. It can also be bought direct at www.codejunkies.com or by calling 08456 010 015.

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Some people want to completely customize their Miis, which is understandable, but the point of using the Mii software on the Nintendo is to make them look Nintendo. That's at least my favorite part, I already think of myself in real life as a Nintendo character, so it does as a bit of a shock in the morning when I wake up, look in the mirror and find out that I'm not. Kim Phu

My Mii Manager [Go Nintendo]