Reading through your blog post/comments was both nostalgic and emotional. I can't say I didn't see this coming, but to know that The Wiire is officially dead is sad. I've been a reader of the site and listener of the podcast for a long time. I can vividly remember the days listening to the pre-100 episodes. They were great memories that I will always cherish. The Wiire was the first podcast I ever listened to, and I am really grateful to have such a strong and incredible show introduce me to the many other podcasts I now subscribe to.

I'll admit I was in the camp of "The Wiire isn't the same without James & Rob," but given the circumstances and state of the site, I think Mike did an incredible and noteworthy job of maintaining the news and contributing to the podcast. He was always eager and enthusiastic and never let down.

The Wiire that I knew died when James & Rob left, but I held on because you were on, Scott. Like others have said above, you were the main reason I kept listening and reading and I looked forward to your input every episode. It also helps that you and I share similar gaming interests, so that helped me make some financial decisions =P. All good things must come to an end, but I'm so glad to read that you, Mike and Andrew have other projects in the works. I wouldn't want you guys to disappear off the internet just because the site is gone.

Also, as a side: I really hope to hear a Pictochat episode featuring James & Andrew. I miss you James! You brought amazing discussion to each Wiire podcast and I missed hearing your input after you left. That one throwback episode when you returned was awesome, but the days of you being on every single time were the best. I know how you feel about the DS this generation, so I'm sure you would fit right in on the portable-based podcast.

Like Jordan said, the Wii is currently my least played. If you had asked me this during the heyday of the Wiire and the first two years of the console's life, I would have a different answer. It's unfortunate to admit something like that, because at heart I am still a Nintendo fanboy, and I don't think that will ever go away. The Wiire and Nintendo days of old are gone, but will never be forgotten. However, it is nice for some glimpses of the past, whether it is an awesome Nintendo game or the return of James in a Pictocast podcast.

Sorry for the rambling. I'll end this now. Thanks for the memories, guys- and good luck! :)

The part of this story I have the most problem with is this:

"But when it comes to our endeavours that try to take advantage of Internet technology, where we can provide our customers with more fun and entertainment, then I think we can say we have been very, very proactive and well-received."

I'm sorry, but with the greatest respect towards a man I really admire, this is a load of BS. Nintendo has not been well-received by this "core" audience he refers to in the first part, which is the crowd that most avidly uses online. I fail to see how they provide the customer with "fun and entertainment" when I can't even log in to a match of Super Smash Bros Brawl and have a reliable match without lag. Mario Kart Wii works, and is quite fun and lacks lag. Yet, I feel lonely and detached. The problem is Nintendo failed to be "proactive" from the start, with the conception of the hardware. This is the biggest flaw of their "endeavors" towards online gaming, in that firmware can only fix so many problems (when Nintendo even decides they will utilize firmware).

I'm with mongoose, I want to see a brand new online system before I will give ANY amount of money to Nintendo. I will GLADLY pay if they have a competent and up-to-date system with the current standards of Xbox Live/PSN. It's extremely frustrating to hear him think that they are in full-force when they are clearly not, at least in the eyes of a "core" Nintendo fan who would love to play a game online on the Wii. Miyamoto: the effort may be there, but it is NOT as proactive and well-received as you think. Stop being so damn traditional, and embrace change.

I don't necessarily think the Wii is "doomed," but it is disheartening to see developers take the move over to the other consoles. de Blob was a great game, and was incredibly original. While they didn't necessarily have a blockbuster hit, it was still a fun, relaxing game that was very graphically aesthetic. I look forward to the sequel.

As far as the Wii goes, I agree with Ian. Nintendo needs to have much more than Mario, Zelda and Metroid to "wow" people other than Nintendo fanboys. Granted, this year is unprecedented by Nintendo's standards, with their three biggest franchises getting full installments. However, I'm sure Nintendo doesn't want the Wii to be a console that lacks variety.

Please. No.

3D Sonic games tend to be mediocre at best..all 3D Mario games (main series) have been fantastic at worst (yes, including Sunshine). What would Nintendo POSSIBLY seek to gain through this, if it were true?

It could be the DSi XL, but why would the other rumor include the fact that some developers have already begun working on the new system? I doubt Nintendo would create specific retail games for a separate DS SKU. I seriously hope it's a new DS, and this new generation of Pokemon will debut with it at launch.

While I completely agree with his comments on 3D, as I find 3D completely unnecessary and still a gimmick, his other two arguments are far more interesting.

Apply his comment on HD not being enough to make people buy a "Wii 2" or whatever the successor to the Wii will be to the transition from Gamecube to Wii. It seems Nintendo has learned its lesson, to an extent. This kind of parallels the same situation Sony is facing. The PS2- commercial success. PS3- not so much, but is gaining momentum. Just because the Wii is successful does not guarantee Wii 2 will be, and I'm glad Nintendo is opening up to that. Hopefully there will be many more reasons than just HD that will make me want to buy Wii 2.

As for the iPad comment, I have to at least note the irony of the DS's situation, but at the same time I applaud Nintendo and Sony for calling Apple out on this one. However, I do think that both companies should be a little more concerned about the state of their respective handhelds, as the iPad has much more horsepower than the iPhone and has separate SDK kits that could potentially mean some really outstanding games.

Very interesting tidbits. I had really hoped that the next Zelda would be a departure from the previous formulas. However, I hope that they aren't making this game with the basis of wanting to be different. I hope they change it up for gameplay or story-telling reasons, and not just for the sake of satisfying those who wish the formula to change.

Not to be "that guy" but Satoru Iwata's name is spelled incorrectly.

I almost wish the console's sales would start to decrease, because I do feel that Nintendo has become somewhat complacent with their hardware, thus reflecting software to an extent. I really hope the Wii doesn't last as long as Microsoft and Sony want their respective consoles to last.

I share the same situation. Maybe I'll buy one now before it's too late.

There have only been two Pikmin games