The Shrine

http://wii.ign.com/articles/728/728041p1.html

"The game will feature a four-player mode and Activision is attempting to "make everything that's available in the single-player mode available in the multiplayer one, too." We don't have details about the mode, but it will be four-player split-screen in nature. Gamers hoping for an online component, however, are in for bad news, because one isn't planned. Activision would not say why, but IGN has separately learned from multiple development sources that Nintendo will not release Wii Wi-Fi Connection libraries to third parties until early 2007, which means that no third party launch title will have an online mode. "

Same old Nintendo.

Eh, that's not a make or break issue with me anyway. I can wait for a few months before getting online play.

It sounds like this rumor relates only to the development kits also, so as long as the Virtual Console downloadables are ready at launch, I'll be happy enough.

Kind of strange considering Madden has an online multiplayer mode, and is a launch title from a third party. Ubisoft is also supposed to make an announcement about the online features of its launch titles soon as well. Also, there are a lot of announced VC titles from various companies set for around launch. We'll have to wait and see what is going on here, IGN is easily the most reliable source for videogame news. It might be just that Activision is getting shafted due to some sort of EA/Nintendo back dealing and doesn't know it =P It wouldn't make a lot of sense in my opinion though, Activision has usually brought most of its top titles to Nintendo systems.