Nintendo's Wii gaming console has been garnering a lot of attention for the past few months as the cheap alternative to the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3. Both Microsoft and Sony have even been quoted as saying that the Wii would make a great compliment to their respective consoles and its innovative controller could revolutionize the way we interact with games. So what else can we expect from Nintendo's Wii and will it truly be more than just a Gamecube with a DVD drive?

Nintendo of America president and CEO Reginald Fils-Aime had a sit down with USA Today and talked about Nintendo's strategy for the Wii and some of the conscious design risks taken and tradeoffs made when designing the system. For example, Nintendo decided to make the Wii all about the controller instead of visuals. Fils-Aime feels that sleek visuals won't bring any new blood to the Nintendo family, but the innovative and fun to use controller would be enough to capture the attention of many. Nintendo America’s boss also had something to say regarding Sony and Microsoft’s statements about buying their systems along with a Wii – he instead wishes that customers would purchase just a Wii along with a ton of accessories and games.

When asked about the online strategy for the Wii, Fils-Aimes replied "It's the same premise. We will offer online-enabled games that the consumers will not have to pay a subscription fee for. They'll be able to enjoy that right out of the box. The Wii console is going to be Wi-Fi enabled, so essentially, you'll be able to plug it in and go. It won't have hidden fees or costs."

Free online gameplay is definitely something that gamers have been looking for and would greatly appreciate after plunking down a few hundred dollars or more on a console and another couple hundred bucks on a library of games. While Microsoft has made inroads in the online gaming arena with its $50 a year XBOX Live Gold subscription service, both Nintendo and Sony are looking to challenge that mindset.