Wii U

[Blackmage]

So what do you think of the Nintendo console? For me it's a WII in HD, I do think it a tad too late into the current Gen. The controller is different though, I'm waiting for the next Xbox or PlayStation personally.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/t...-next-console/

[Stoo]

tbh, it looks a bit like a slightly melted Wii, with some gargantuan controller which looks like a blend of an etch-a-sketch and a leapfrog learning pad.

It looks like a complete me too effort, with only the controller providing anything new. Most games will be multiplatform copy & paste jobs from the likes of EA, and the rest just HD rehashes of existing Nintendo games.

Wii sales and attach rates have plummeted over the last couple of years, and I really can't see this changing things particularly - yes, sure you'll get an initial sales rush, but that's it.

The controller looks completely unwieldy, and how much is it going to cost for another one, or a replacement?

It looks like they've tried to mash everything which has happened in the last 3 years or so into a single platform regardless of it making any sense or not..

Don't even get me started on the name..

[Jay]

what! that controller looks stupid. I suppose you can use it as a dumbbell in Wii fit?

The last console I remember that tried to make a new style controller was the Atari Jaguar



and I thought that controller was stupid Nintendo just took it to a new level!

[Ferral]

Names a bit stupid. Looks nice though and its good to see the 3rd party support for it. They wernt clear during the conference if it was a new console or just a controller for the existing Wii. I was watching thinking there is no way the Wii can run the stuff they are showing and wondering if the controller had the relevant hardware in it like one of the tablets currently on the market.

Eurogamer have the pics of the base unit up, I am actually wondering what the spec is. Its ideal for families that only own the Wii, something for mature gamers and also something for the younger generation, Nintendo have kind of bridged the generation gaps with this one. The screen on the controller is a nice touch, someone wants to watch the TV and another wanting gaming. So you just fire it up and its there on the small screen while whoever watches something on the TV.

http://www.eurogamer.net/gallery.php?article_id=1367957

Me personally, I have the PS3 and 360, this week is also seeing a decent PC build incoming for me, so unfortunately it wont be landing in my house anytime soon. If it plays DVD's I may get one to incorporate into the bedroom.

[Stoo]

I really can't see it attracting hardcore gamers from the existing platforms, nobody is going to want to use that controller for any type of serious gaming, which brings you down to a more normal and ergonomic controller, and a bunch of rehashed games which you can already play on a number of other platforms.

I feel that Nintendo have seriously lost their way, the Wii looked stupid to start with (silly name, child-like graphics), but the first few games promised something brilliant which played very well in social groups, but the trouble is nothing ever really topped Wii Sports and Wii sports resort, so people never really bought anything else..

Most people I know certainly followed that model, and only ever bought one or two more games, and perhaps wii-fit before consigning it to the dusty corner for it to be largely forgotten until the obligatory Christmas tipsy drunken bowling tournament...

[kalniel]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...-games-console

Interesting..

[Stoo]

Nothing really changing my mind in that though.

The original Wii was like that, fun and novel for a few minutes, but then the appeal seriously wore off.

The thing they mentioned in the article is "But one thing is for sure: it won't just be another generic games console." - the thing is though, without the giant etch-a-sketch, it absolutely is another generic games console.

I simply can't see the WiiU controller getting much use after the initial novelty factor.

[Stoo]

btw, this cropped up elsewhere:

[Terbinator]

1GB VRAM good, 512MB RAM is still bad, no - regardless of its speed?

[Rob_B]

Incorrect specs, IBM have already announced that they made the 45nm chip inside
http://kotaku.com/5809598/whats-unde...ills-the-chips

[kalniel]

Yep - 32nm was cancelled at TSMC where ATI and nVidia make their graphics chips. RV770 is 55nm, though the others transitioned to 40nm and they've remained on that since, so I'd expect it's a 40nm GPU.

But the chances of them having blu-ray.. nill

It's all fake.

[Terbinator]

Could you even have VRAM larger than RAM anyway as i thought RAM still addresses VRAM?

[kalniel]

Could you even have VRAM larger than RAM anyway as i thought RAM still addresses VRAM?

If they were running Windows and DX9...

[Golden Dragoon]

If it's based on the chips that power Watson, then it will be a power7, they have 4 way smt, and seem to start with 6 cores according to wiki, assuming the custom part is a quad, that should be quite a bit of power available to developers.

[Iron Sights]

No chance of it playing blu rays since sony get the royalties

[jonathan_phang]

I havent seen anything of the presentations, but just a few articles. Personally, I'm happy that they have finally gone HD, if only for the fact that they might be able to get a few more decent third party franchises on the system, but in terms of the controller... Hmmm. Im not sure of the weight of it, but it looks fairly hefty. I'm wondering where the default hand position is, ie. Over the 2 analogue sticks or the DPad and buttons. If its the former, then it buttons look too far down, and if the latter, then well, thats just stupid.

As the pointer functionality is gone, I'm trying to imagine what USP the controller could bring. Would make a cool steering wheel, and maybe gesture based actions for spells etc special abilities as well as the usual inventory/info stuff...

Well, I guess I dont care, I will probably get it to play Zelda in HD. Thats enough for me. But it does all revolve around the controller... Will wait for some more articles etc, but it is early days I guess, so who knows what might change.