Big Mac munchers will also be able to play Nintendo. Photograph: Dan Chung
Nintendo of America is hooking up with McDonald's to provide free Wi-Fi access in fast food outlets for Nintendo DS players. Here's the NYT:
McDonald's offers wireless Internet, or Wi-Fi, access to laptop users for a fee in 6,000 restaurants nationwide, but the free Nintendo arrangement will permit the DS machines to play without a laptop.
"This is such an interesting direction for McDonald's," said Anita Frazier, an entertainment industry analyst with the NPD Group, a research firm. "This could encourage kids to go to McDonald's to play games. It is like the kids' version of Starbucks' wireless hot spots." As with the toys that have long been packaged with McDonald's food, the relationship will help draw customers to the restaurants, she said.
Apparently they're expecting to roll it out to 7,000 restaurants by the middle of next year. It brought to mind the interview with Nolan Bushnell in this month's Wired. Bushnell was the man behind Atari, Pong and the Chuck E Cheese chain of pizza arcades, and he's got a plan for a new chain of gaming restaurants.
Makes sense for all parties, and it's everything kids love... but I can hear the uproar from outraged press who fear that not only are kids eating lard burgers, but they're playing video games at the same time. Naieee!
