This is getting ridiculous.

[Nonoke]

I mean, I could understand the online feature being down for several weeks, but it's been over half a year. I've really lost all hope that it's ever going to get back online.

[Ampersand]

We had an online feature?

[Spawn of Yanni]

I wouldn't blame you for losing hope. From what I understand, support for the handhelds has been pretty bad. At this point, I'd highly doubt it would come back up.

[alex]

That really stinks, cuz i have it for the xbox, so the ONLY reason i got a handheld version as well was the online features.

[Tunco]

That really stinks, cuz i have it for the xbox, so the ONLY reason i got a handheld version as well was the online features.

You poor little child.

Read first.

[njitsu]

Weren't the online features for the xbox?

[Tunco]

Weren't the online features for the xbox?

No, there are online features for PSP too. Also for DS.

[Nonoke]

There's seriously no new information on this?
Damn. This is so stupid.

[Spawn of Yanni]

There has been new information. You should check out Metanet's blog, they do have interesting updates on their happenings from time to time. On topic, they've confirmed that the company behind the handhelds has crumbled, and the online features are never coming back up.

[Rhekatou]

We fully understand the decision on Atari’s part, and cannot fault them at all; it just sucks for everyone awesome enough to buy the DS/PSP versions of N+.

Sucks. I got it for the DS.
Straight, and to the point though.

[Tunco]

We fully understand the decision on Atari’s part, and cannot fault them at all; it just sucks for everyone awesome enough to buy the DS/PSP versions of N+.

Sucks. I got it for the DS.

That sucks even more.

[Nonoke]

So the Community is never coming back? Never?
Damn, that's pathetic.

[Tunco]

So the Community is never coming back? Never?
Damn, that's pathetic.

Yes. Erm, if Metanet doesn't agree with a company other than Atari, which is impossible because Mare and Raigan are working on Robotology very hard at the moment, and I don't think it would be logical to leave the Robotology and concentrate on N+ at the moment.

[Nonoke]

When was Robotology started?
I think it'd be stupid to start a game when this sort of thing starts happening.

[Tunco]

When was Robotology started?
I think it'd be stupid to start a game when this sort of thing starts happening.

Well, not actually.

Metanet is working on Robotology since they are done with N+ for any version and N 1.4 for PC. They can't just leave the project and start something different.

[Atilla]

When was Robotology started?
I think it'd be stupid to start a game when this sort of thing starts happening.

There's really not much Metanet can do about it. What are they supposed to do, vow never to make another game?

Anyway, that said, Robotology was in the works long before N+ was released, so...

[Nonoke]

Well, when they finish the game, they should try getting the Community back up. It's stupid to take away the most incredible part of a game and not do anything.

[Spawn of Yanni]

Considering the handheld versions have been a bit of a financial disaster, I don't really think it's their priority now. They already have other ideas for games after Robotology, so I doubt you'll be seeing those servers back up.

[Atilla]

Plus, Metanet aren't really in control of the online content. Initially Silverbirch, the developer for the handheld versions, was running the community servers. However, they collapsed, after which the publisher, Atari, tried to rescue the servers and data (and judging by the blog post, couldn't manage to get a hold of them). Now, I'm sure Metanet could bitch about it for the next twenty years, but Atari has already tried to recover the servers and if they've given up I don't think any amount of complaining on Metanet's behalf is going to change that - particularly since the handheld versions haven't been a financial success. I think the only way to get online content back up at this point would be to buy new servers and rebuild from scratch, which Metanet probably lacks the resources to do, and Atari will not do because it would cost a lot of money for very little gain. I mean, yeah, it's unfortunate that the online component died with Silverbirch. But, realistically, there's not much which can be done about it. The online functionality has been out for about a year; most people are probably resigned to the fact that it's not coming back, and it doesn't make sense to keep pouring money into something which is long dead.