Nintendo bolsters Wii U and 3DS online strategy with new hire

Nintendo is taking its expansion into the online gaming experience with the Wii U and 3DS seriously. Disney Interactive veteran Duncan Orrell-Jones will fill the newly created position of SVP of network business, which oversees the company's expanding online strategy, according to Gamasutra.

Nintendo has been long criticized for its lack of online services, but the company is looking to place more of an emphasis in online features with the Wii U and 3DS. Nintendo is looking to provide gamers with a more involving online experience via the new Nintendo Network. This new service will offer competitions and communication among users, as well as the sales of digital content.

At E3 earlier this month, Nintendo introduced Miiverse, a new initiative that looks to revolutionize the social networking aspect of gaming through the Wii U. Miiverse is basically Nintendo's take on rivals Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network. Upon booting up the Wii U, you will be brought into a gathering place that will include your Mii, Miis on your Wii U system, your friend's Miis, and Miis on the Wii U that are from your country/speaking your language that are playing the same games.

Through this new service, you will be able to see general chat from other Miis in the form of speech bubbles that contain text, handwritten notes, images, and facial expressions. You will also be able to share screenshots from gameplay and transmit content from the gameplay itself. Soon after the launch of Wii U, Miiverse will be accessible from other mobile devices like the 3DS, your cell phone, and even PC.

Although Nintendo is merely playing catch up to Microsoft and Sony, it's still a huge undertaking for the company. Orrell-Jones is specifically tasked with overseeing the development and evolution of Nintendo's digital strategies. Hopefully, Orrell-Jones 20 years of experience at the Walt Disney Company can help alleviate some of the pressure Nintendo faces in implementing an entire online service.