"Pikmin 3" Isn't Going to Have Online Multiplayer

Nintendo's worried about framerate issues messing up gameplay.

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Pikmin 3, one of the Wii U's premiere first-party launch title, won't have online multiplayer, according to creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Speaking with IGN, Miyamoto explained that his Kyoto-based studio has foregone adding online play to the upcoming Pikmin sequel because they feared fluxuating bandwidth could negatively effect gameplay.

"You have to be very careful that you don't drop frames as you're trying to sync up with other players over what could be a very great physical distance, over the internet," says Miyamoto. "But in the situation of Pikmin, for example, since you would have lots of individual, small creatures, the Pikmin, whose every movement and location is going to be really important in the game, it would be very difficult to sync up over an internet connection."

I hate to the bearer of bad news, Mr. Miyamoto, but you'll never be able to make a game with online play if you aren't willing to work around connection-based hangups. It's unfortunate that Pikmin 3 doesn't have online play, but it's not a game-killing omission. That said, Miyamoto's hesitance speaks volumes about Nintendo's relationship with online gaming.

"...I think what we've decided to do is focus on the single-player and local multiplayer aspects, which are really fun. But unfortunately, no online multiplayer for Pikmin 3. But the co-op local multiplayer is really fun."

This is not the kind of news you want to hear about first-party launch titles for a new console.

 

[Via IGN]

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