Nintendo has confirmed that it will begin charging for online services for some games on the Wii.

A Nintendo representative told SPOnG, "Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection offers simple, comfortable and free enjoyment of games played over an internet connection, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Pay & Play offers paid for services whilst keeping the simple and comfortable elements we know people enjoy. Wi-Fi Connection Pay & Play allows for flexible adaptation to content and system costs and allows for even higher quality services."

Takashi Aoyama, Group Manager for the Network Administration Group at Nintendo said at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco that certain titles would have paid-for subscription. These titles will be marked with a red sticker to distinguish them from games carrying regular online functionality. He also said that online services will be paid for using Wii Points (or... what we'd prefer to call "money").

No timeframe for when Pay & Play will be introduced has been given. Given that GDC is a developer's conference, however, it could be quite a way in the future.

So, many questions are begged: Will the service be a yearly payment deal that provides blanket coverage on all Pay & Play games, as happens with Xbox Live subscriptions? Will fees be paid per game? Will Pay & Play titles also carry a more modest, free service? Will we be seeing enhanced service on Pay & Play titles compared to those with a free online service, or will it be the same as the current service but with a fee? Will the service be for first-party titles only, or will third-party titles fall under the umbrella?

At this time, no one we approached at Nintendo was prepared - or able - to put answers to these questions.