Nintendo teams up with Hatena for user generated content

Nintendo announced today a tie-up with web services company Hatena that will allow users of the upcoming Ugoku Memo Chou (Moving Memo Book) to share their content with the rest of the world.

Ugoku Memo Chou DSi. While the game was announced long ago, the tie-up with Hatena is new.

Ugoku Memo Chou will be one of the first titles released for the new DSi Ware download service, which offers downloadable games for DSi users (DSLite and standard DS users cannot download the titles). The program lets users make animations either with the stylus or by taking picture's through the system's camera. Nintendo will offer the program for free starting December 24.

As part of the tie-up with Hatena, users of Ugoku Memo Chou will be able to upload their creations to Ugomemo Hatena, a new site that will be run by Hatena. The general public will be able to view the content through their PC, and also on the DSi through a section of Ugoku Memo Chou called Ugomemo Theater. This end of the service will also be operated by Hatena.

When viewing content through Ugomemo Theater, users will be able to download the content for editing and reposting.

Hatena opened up an early version of the Ugomemo website today. While full public service will kick off on the 24th with the availability of the DSi Ware title, the site does currently allow for access to community features like ratings and comments. The site also offers blog tools, allowing users to embed uploaded memos on their own sites. Using some of these tools will require registration at the Ugomemo site.

While the service will start off exclusively in Japan, currently the only region of availability for the DSi, a statement from Nintendo today noted that it is talking with Hatena about possibilities for taking the idea overseas as well.