The words “Nintendo” and “Online” have been banded about by loyal and hopeful fans ever since we can remember, with small glimpses and suggestions slipping out of the Japanese giant at a less then frequent pace.

Despite the seeming reluctance to talk, we’ve today heard the most conclusive insider murmurings yet that Nintendo will outline its future strategy regarding online at E3’05. Previously Nintendo executives have identified that all Nintendo systems will be online by 2008, with the suggestion that the Nintendo DS will lead this charge – certainly exact details on how the Nintendo DS will operate online is what we’re expecting as the key announcement from Nintendo at this year’s event.

It’s always worth noting that Nintendo has always had its finger on the online pulse, dating back as far as 1988 when it launched a modem for the NES/Famicom and launched the “Family Computer Communications Network System” across Japan.

Attracting support from numerous stock-brokering and banking services along with providing children with the latest videogame news, the service was ultimately killed off before it had a chance to launch successfully across the United States after a misguided agreement with the Control Data Corporation in 1991 to launch it as a gambling service across Minnesota.

1995 also saw the company attempt to get the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom online via an agreement with the Satellite Digital Audio Broadcasting Co. Allowing gamers to download new titles and a host of other information, the service expanded to offer close to 100 titles before its final cancellation in 2000.

A disastrous attempt to get the Nintendo64 online occurred with the release of the N64DD, which coming four years after it was originally planned only managed to attract 15,000 subscribers.

Further attempts to take the GameBoy online within Japan via a mobile phone adaptor surfaced, along with the toe-dipping release of the Gamecube BroadBand Adaptor; so if one thing can be said it’s that Nintendo have put a lot of time, resources and interest into the development of online over the years – often ahead of the time.