Nintendo prez Reggie Fils-Aime said that the Wii will give game companies the option of pushing in-game extras on consumers. Currently, Microsoft's Xbox Live serves up virtual bonus goods. At a price. The PS3 will likewise offer such content.

Nintendo is giving publishers the option of including this or not. Explains Fils-Aime:

If you've gotten to a particular part in a game, we could push content out to you, so you get to battle a new boss. Maybe you get a new artifact; maybe you get a new weapon.

For stuff that used to be free, companies have found a way to tack on hidden costs and create a cash cow. A shame, really. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Games Industry]