Wii to Gain Online Gift Giving Functionality; Nintendo Still Not Planning Price Drop

A new feature for the Wii's online shop will allows users to gift games to other Wii owners. The function will presumably apply to those games found within the Virtual Console and upcoming WiiWare channels. Once the gift is accepted, the recipient will begin downloading the software. It is unknown if gamers can loan out titles they already own or if the gifted goods need to be bought separately. The company did not provide an estimate as to when the feature will be implemented. "We think this will be a breakthrough in encouraging customers to spread news of fun games word of mouth," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told The Associated Press. "We also hope to spur more users to connect their Wiis to the Internet." Iwata stated that, as Nintendo senior marketing VP George Harrison previously stated, the company will not be lowering the Wii's price in the foreseeable future. Nintendo will also launch the system in China next year. "We barely have enough Wiis to meet global demand this year," Iwata explained. "But next year, we can bring the Wii to China."