Nintendo Wii to use GameSpy multiplayer for online games

The Nintendo-GameSpy partnership has been bolstered with a new deal for Wii titles. Nintendo Wii users will now use a middleware platform from GameSpy, amid promises of some cool and exciting features. They are talking of a host of online community features, including friendly rosters, leader boards and even matchmaking capabilities.
In a press release, Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America said that this will expand the wireless community of players on Nintendo Wi-Fi connection. Already, millions of users on DS are using GameSpy technology. The same is expected of Wii in what guarantees to be a fun-filled, multi-player setting. Adding to this was Jamie Berger, Senior Vice President of Consumer Products and Technology for IGN Entertainment, who said, "Nintendo has been an invaluable partner, and we look forward to expanding our relationship with them in the future. Our goal is to extend our ground-breaking work on the Nintendo DS to provide Wii users with the social, community, and multiplayer tools that we believe will expand the online gaming experience to the mass market".
The first game lined up for this venture, is the Pokemon Battle Revolution, scheduled for June 25. I wonder what lies ahead when gaming takes to the social networking realm, especially coming in the wake of Sony’s Home.