Hey Miyamoto, avatars have existed in internet communities and in games for over 10 years befoire Nintendo brought avatars in their Wii. Ninetndo themslves stole the avattar idea from those who invented avatrs in America. Not to mention the entire video games industry was invented in America before Nintendo copied the idea themselves. if I am not mistaken, Nintendo, which was been in existence for over 1 100 years, was in the playing cards business. Plus when Microsoft started XBOX LIve in 2001, Nintendo kept insisting that online play was not needed in video games, only to copy the idea this time round. Way to re-write history Miyamoto.

I wonder if the creators of WeeMee (used on websites and msn for years now) are flattered with him creating 'WiiMii's

It seems Nintendo get away with everything these days :(

The Weemee creators were suing last time I looked.
And rightfully so.

There does seem to be this "Nintendo invented everything, everything they do is an original game" notion that kicks around when in fact they franchise pump as much as the next man and are as influenced as anyone out there.

Nintendo are not claiming to have invented avatars, only to have brought them to the console masses, which they have.

its good that he doesn't do a Sony and just slag MS off for doing this, but undeerstands they are going in a different direction with the Avatars.

Good for him. My hat is off to you sir!

@ Big C, if Nintendo "borrowed" the verty concept of avatars from msn and other online communities and brought it to the Wii, what should prevent Microsoft and Sony from taking avatars from the internet and putting them on Live and PSN as well? Nintendo themselves have been stealing ideas from others for decades, inlcuding the very idea of video games, which was invented in America by Nolan Bushnell and others.
Not to mention, Microsoft's Live avatars are better implemented than Nintendo's anyway.