Nintendo Looking To Get More Use Out Of NFC Hardware In The Wii U
Whenever a new console is released often times you’ll find that the console itself comes with extra doodads that never really get used in its lifetime. Usually those extra doodads end up being ports for accessories that never get developed, but occasionally it might be a full-fledged built-in feature. Well one such under-utilized feature for the Wii U’s GamePad is an NFC reader, but from what CEO Satoru Iwata had to say about it the reader might be getting a workout soon enough.
According to Mr. Iwata, Nintendo really wants to start using the NFC technology for both Skylanders-style toys and credit cards. For Nintendo using NFC for credit cards wouldn’t really take much doing when you consider the fact that many credit cards these days come with embedded RFID chips already. It would make entering credit card information into your console a bit easier, that’s for sure.
But where the big money-maker as far as NFC is concerned would be with cards and merchandise. As it is, Nintendo is currently working with several developers on developing a Skylanders-type of game where people can buy these different cards and merchandise and input the items into games all by touching them with the GamePad. At this point Nintendo is hoping to have some “concrete examples of the possibilities” out by the end of the year.
