Nintendo Wii U

[RRW]

Originally Posted by HayashiTakara

Lets put it this way, the Wii wasn't built with planned obsolescence the way Sony consoles did and resulted in a massive civil lawsuit over it because people had to constantly rebuy faulty products

^ are you sure its not 360. i need to rebuy 3 times until i abandon it while i still use launch ps3

[Benoit]

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

The console will be more powerful than the PS3? That isn't far fetched.

No, but as Nintendo wants to make a profit on each console sold, they can't make it too powerful or it'll be too expensive.

And why would you say "A more powerful console is the last thing that this ill industry needs".

Because budgets for developing games for the PS3 and Xbox 360 are already through the roof thanks to the requirement of HD graphics and the added complexity of the hardware. The industry is ill and can't afford to take any risks because otherwise they'd go under. Like Bizarre Creations.

Would you expect Nintendo to not make a more powerful successor to the Wii, which is basically as powerful as a GameCube?

*facepalm* I didn't think I'd see this bit of misinformation again. The Wii, as powerful as the GameCube? Are you kidding me?! Did you look at the technical specifications at all?! Sure, it doesn't do HD, but it's still much more powerful than a GameCube, or even an original Xbox.

Plus, Nintendo will probably bring something new to the table, like how they did with the DS, Wii, and 3DS. Wouldn't that be something that "this ill industry needs"?

No, because the industry is risk-averse. They already brought something new to the table with the Wii, and barely anyone but Nintendo attempted to make good use of it. Just look at the slew of waggling games and copy-cats of Nintendo's casual games.

Also, I'd like to add, it would seem that Nintendo is being more aggressive with this system, in terms of marketing products (the console and controllers) with pretty good tech and smaller profit margins than the Wii

[citation needed]

[Urzu 7]

The speculation over this new system is all over the place. Too many different details emerging. I can post some details I found online, but one rumor is a controller with a touch screen, and a source says that the system is more powerful than an XBox 360, making it about as powerful as a PS3, give or take. I have followed some details, and it is unclear what are the accurate details. It is hard to determine which rumors are accurate, as there have been several conflicting rumors from different sources.

On April 26th, Iwata will meet with investors and will talk about financial matters, as well as discuss some things about the company's future. It is expected he will talk a bit about the new console. Many sources say the system will debut at E3, and some sources even say there will be some games unveiled for this system at E3.

[Westlo]

You know I think Kinect and to a lesser extend Move is going to hurt this console more than it did the Wii. Think about all those millions.... AND MILLIONS of casual fans the Wii brought in with Wii Sports and the like. (And yet it still won't get anywhere close to the Ps2 in overall sales lol). Most of those guys probably could care less about a new Nintendo console, especially one that will be quite pricey... they're happy with Wii Sports and Wii Fit if their Wii's isn't collecting dust in the first place.

But the new Nintendo console has better graphics! you say... well seeing as how this gen went in the Wii's favor I don't think they care about graphics too much... and if they want to upgrade than what's to stop them going with Kinect or Move instead since they'll be much cheaper in 2012 than this new Nintendo console? And at the moment in America Kinect is powering MS to beat the Wii... 433,000 360's sold compared to 290,000 Wii's...

And it's nice that it's more powerful than the PS3 but the Ps3 is more powerful than the 360 and yet 99% of mupltiplatform games look better on the 360. Because companies use the 360 as the lead platform for development. Now if the new Nintendo console is going to get a lot of multiplatform titles like say Mass Effect 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken for example.. if they don't look considerably better than the PS360 versions... what's the point? When you can play those games on systems you already have or if not can buy far cheaper than the new Nintendo console. You think game companies will give up on a as of now 103 million userbase for the Ps360 to make the New Nintendo console version vastly superior? That 103 million figure could be over 120 million by the time the Nintendo console is out... If the new Nintendo console is a 10 in power to the Ps3s 8.5 and the 360's 8 than there could be problems...

So that leaves us with the Nintendo core fanbase.. well you say how well that went for them with the N64 and Gamecube. Interesting times for Nintendo.... has had the only #1 console to be outsold by it's competitors combined and are now in a pinch.

Lets see what happens @ E3 anyway....

[Urzu 7]

I'm sure it will be a successful console, even if it doesn't duplicate the Wii's success. I don't care how successful it is, as long as it is successful, even to a small degree.

Also, I don't care how successful it is, as long as it is better than the Wii. I like the Wii, but I definitely hope this new system offers me better gaming experiences.

I think Nintendo can make this new system a success. There is no gaurentee of that; things can be unpredictable in this industry, but I think it is likely they will make a success out of this machine.

[RRW]

how successful is successful?

[Westlo]

It's all relative I guess... I mean the Ps3 is considered a "failure" and is in 3rd place this gen but it's on track to outsell the lifetime totals of the Xbox, Gamecube and Dreamcast combined this year rather easily.. and do around 70 million in the end, maybe 80... Not bad for a a failure considering it's easily outsold any non Sony console from the prior two gens.... but doing 70 million after your predecessor did 142 million and nearly sold 6 times as much as its closest competitor..yeah... Likewise if this new Nintendo console does 65 million and the PS4 does 80 and the MS 720 does 75 it will be considered a failure.

[Urzu 7]

Hmm. Well, technically, GameCube was successful. Nintendo made a profit on that system. XBox 360 has been successful. Its installed base is rivaled by the Wii, but years after the XBox 360s release, after losing money on the system, it started to generate profits.

This Wii successor will sell millions and millions will enjoy owning it. If this system generates profits, it is a success, at least in that regard. Now, if this system doesn't sell as much as the Wii in its first three years, let's say, but many people that own it think it is a better game console than the Wii, that is also some success for the machine. I guess opinions can vary on what is success for a game machine. Dreamcast seems like a failure of sorts, but it must have had some success, because many think it was one of the best video game consoles ever. Some even regard it as their favorite console.

I just hope that they do pack two controllers in every box: one new controller, and one traditional controller with rumble. That is the only way they can really compete with the competition. XBox 360 consoles with Kinect come with the Kinect device and a traditional controller, for example.

Hopefully Nintendo learned that not including a traditional controller with every Wii hurt the Wiis third party support.

[Westlo]

Was the gamecube successful for Nintendo? Again depends on how you look @ things.

Reasons for it being a success.

- It made a profit for Nintendo
- Improved on the N64 in regards to Japanese sales

Reasons for it not being one.

- It sold 12 million less than the N64
- It was third place in that gen and let a newcomer take the #2 spot.
- 3rd Party support was terrible which has trickled onto it's successor...

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by Westlo

Reasons for it not being one.

- It sold 12 million less than the N64
- It was third place in that gen and let a newcomer take the #2 spot.
- 3rd Party support was terrible which has trickled onto it's successor...

I agree with the first two points, but I wouldn't call its third party support terrible. Maybe not that good, but terrible third party support is pretty much what we have with the Wii. GameCube's third party support was much better than the Wii's. At the least, the Wii has some nice third party gems.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by Solace

Nintendo's pretty savvy when it comes to making money. If I remember correctly they've never sold a console at a loss, which is a stark contrast to their competitors.

both offer superior online services.

Oi, oi, you have something against that, of all things?
A business... not wanting a profit?
Let's have them throw Wiis out of their window next winter and give everyone one for free.

That costs money, no?

Originally Posted by Westlo

You know I think Kinect and to a lesser extend Move is going to hurt this console more than it did the Wii.
Most of those guys probably could care less about a new Nintendo console, especially one that will be quite pricey... they're happy with Wii Sports and Wii Fit if their Wii's isn't collecting dust in the first place.

(And yet it still won't get anywhere close to the Ps2 in overall sales lol).

And at the moment in America Kinect is powering MS to beat the Wii... 433,000 360's sold compared to 290,000 Wii's...

So that leaves us with the Nintendo core fanbase.. well you say how well that went for them with the N64 and Gamecube.

Interesting times for Nintendo.... has had the only #1 console to be outsold by it's competitors combined and are now in a pinch.

The existence of Kinect and Move has... what relation with people being happy with the Wii Sports, etc. and not caring about a new console?

And...?
Consolation for the soul much? That you can't say the Wii is selling bad, so you try to compare the sales of it with a console of a different generation of a different time period and since it isn't as high, you convince yourself to laugh at the Wii?

Let's say something when the XBOX360 actually beats the Wii in overall sales.

*looks at sale of Nintendo product like Mario and Pokemon*
Looking fine.

And why are you adding two to beat one? Is there some kind of accomplishment that two companies together is beating one company?
P1: "Guess what? The Wii is the best selling home console this generation"
P2: "Yeah? But two other consoles together has more sales than the Wii! The Wii is in bad shape!"
P1: "HAH?!"
It's like saying the strongest man in the world is in bad shape because the second strongest and third strongest can beat him up if they go at him at the same time.
Are you saying that unless Nintendo makes something that will sell twice as much as every other console, they are in danger?
Well, ok, that is what you are saying. Whether it makes sense or not is...

[Angelic Cross]

Originally Posted by Westlo

You know I think Kinect and to a lesser extend Move is going to hurt this console more than it did the Wii. Think about all those millions.... AND MILLIONS of casual fans the Wii brought in with Wii Sports and the like. (And yet it still won't get anywhere close to the Ps2 in overall sales lol). Most of those guys probably could care less about a new Nintendo console, especially one that will be quite pricey... they're happy with Wii Sports and Wii Fit if their Wii's isn't collecting dust in the first place.

Oh for. . .listen, the strategy Nintendo used for the Wii's success was based on answering two things:

1) What market was being underserved by the industry?
2) How can we differentiate ourselves in a cost-effective manner so that we make our competitors irrelevant?

For this generation, their answers were the non-gaming public and motion-based games, and that went well for them. But if they are continuing the same plan, then Nintendo isn't going to focus on motion gaming again. With Move and Kinect that space is now competitive and has established rules. Yes, the new console is most likely still going to have motion controls, but, if they continue with the same strategy they used for the Wii and the DS, that is no longer going to be the main selling point of the successor console. In such a plan, Kinect and Move will be irrelevant.

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

And...?
Consolation for the soul much? That you can't say the Wii is selling bad, so you try to compare the sales of it with a console of a different generation of a different time period and since it isn't as high, you convince yourself to laugh at the Wii?

Let's say something when the XBOX360 actually beats the Wii in overall sales.

*looks at sale of Nintendo product like Mario and Pokemon*
Looking fine.

And why are you adding two to beat one? Is there some kind of accomplishment that two companies together is beating one company?
P1: "Guess what? The Wii is the best selling home console this generation"
P2: "Yeah? But two other consoles together has more sales than the Wii! The Wii is in bad shape!"
P1: "HAH?!"
It's like saying the strongest man in the world is in bad shape because the second strongest and third strongest can beat him up if they go at him at the same time.
Are you saying that unless Nintendo makes something that will sell twice as much as every other console, they are in danger?
Well, ok, that is what you are saying. Whether it makes sense or not is...

Something else amusing about what he said is that it presumes that the other two aren't in competition with each other and are focused only on Nintendo's destruction (that's probably not what Westlo meant, but for that statement to make sense, the supposition that Sony and Microsoft wouldn't be happy to see the other fail along with Nintendo must be accepted).

[Silverwyrm]

Originally Posted by RRW

^ are you sure its not 360. i need to rebuy 3 times until i abandon it while i still use launch ps3

Agree, I still own my original PS, it works, I had to rebuy ps2 once (the old model sucked), my ps3 is launch and has never faultered. My friend bought 3 360's before getting fed up of MS saying "customer's fault lulz" and selling all his 360 stuff.

[Benoit]

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

XBox 360 has been successful. Its installed base is rivaled by the Wii, but years after the XBox 360s release, after losing money on the system, it started to generate profits.

I wonder if those profits have offset the massive losses that Microsoft's gaming division has made yet. If not, you can't really call it successful.

Hopefully Nintendo learned that not including a traditional controller with every Wii hurt the Wiis third party support.

That has nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with the Wii's user base, and how it's perceived. Lots of third-party developers that wanted to make traditional games either:

• never made such games for the Wii because the user base (casual gamers) wouldn't buy them
• released some cheap experiments and got burned
• made a serious attempt and got burned

In short, making third-party traditional games for the Wii just isn't profitable. Lots of people in the past have complained that the Wii doesn't have games they want, but the truth is that even when it does, they don't buy them.

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by Benoit

That has nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with the Wii's user base, and how it's perceived. Lots of third-party developers that wanted to make traditional games either:

• never made such games for the Wii because the user base (casual gamers) wouldn't buy them
• released some cheap experiments and got burned
• made a serious attempt and got burned

In short, making third-party traditional games for the Wii just isn't profitable. Lots of people in the past have complained that the Wii doesn't have games they want, but the truth is that even when it does, they don't buy them.

Yeah, about that, the darn thing is third parties compete with Nintendo software on Nintendo platforms. However, having a traditional controller out of the box would help. If every N6 (Wii successor; sixth generation Nintendo console) came with a traditional controller, you would see more PS3 and XBox 360 ports, especially since its power would be comparable to the PS3 and XBox 360. But yeah, third party support on this new Nintendo console will likely not be close to the third party support found on PS3 and XBox 360 due to competing with Nintendo first party software. I just hope that third party support on the N6 rivals the Wii's third party support.

[Spirit Chicken!]

No telling what Nintendo will do, but I would hope for a low price console....would if not for the pricing direction they've taken on the 3DS to be a bit out there.

Perhaps it is because I am now more attuned to the issues at play with it all, but part of me hopes against hope that the next machine will be a modern take on how the AMIGA and whatnot was situated---intended to get people young and old banging around on learning and doing with the machine, a rich legacy in the wake of it versus normal machines, and so on. The XBLA and whatnot are somewhat in that direction, but moreso as an afterthought versus a the central focus of the thing.

Or maybe they'll just unleash something crazy with the vitality sensor and a next gen VMU, who knows...

[Envy]

I really hope the rumors are true.

The Wii has just become a nuisance to me. The games aren't even worth the trouble it takes to turn the console on and get everything working. Which, for me, became a lot more when my sensor bar broke a couple of years ago. We got a new one, but it is wireless and takes four whole batteries. Even if that thing doesn't need new batteries, my Wii Remote likely does, and after I replace the batteries in that I have to move the sensor bar to make the cursor show up.

I'm sorry, but no more. Nintendo please do not make another Wii Remote. I couldn't care less about the innovation it brought anymore because it really wasn't worth the trouble. It was just a gimmick in the end, with honestly the most fun I ever had with it being on Wii Sports in Bowling. Yup. Maybe Skyward Sword will make good use of it, though. We shall see.

I just want the next console to go back to controllers. The rumor of the screen on it seems a bit odd, probably just another gimmick. Hopefully it won't be as annoying as the Wii's. I understand that Nintendo has to be innovative because that is what they're all about now and how they make a lot of their money, but I don't want to see the quality of their games decline in turn and I feel that happened with the Wii. so whatever gimmick they introduce this time I hope they don't let it get in the way of the quality of their games.

Also, I'm shocked at how many people think it's "too soon". It isn't. The Wii was released several years ago, and by this console's rumored release in late 2012 it will have been released 6 years ago in America. I don't want to think about buying it at this moment (Still don't have a 3DS, which I actually need! ) but I am excited for it being a clean slate. Perhaps giving them room to make better successors to their franchises. Please make a better SSB and Animal Crossing on this console, Nintendo!

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by Envy

I really hope the rumors are true.

The Wii has just become a nuisance to me. The games aren't even worth the trouble it takes to turn the console on and get everything working. Which, for me, became a lot more when my sensor bar broke a couple of years ago. We got a new one, but it is wireless and takes four whole batteries. Even if that thing doesn't need new batteries, my Wii Remote likely does, and after I replace the batteries in that I have to move the sensor bar to make the cursor show up.

Oh man, you didn't have to put up with the wireless sensor bar! :-\ Here is a link where you can buy a replacement sensor bar:

http://store.nintendo.com/webapp/wcs...encyPreference

Sensor Bar Stand, if you need one:

http://store.nintendo.com/webapp/wcs...encyPreference


Those are from Nintendo's official North American site. Those cost only $8.50 for both (the stand is only $1.00). Order those and get rid of that battery eating wireless sensor bar.

[Angelic Cross]

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

Yeah, about that, the darn thing is third parties compete with Nintendo software on Nintendo platforms.

Eh, I consider this excuse to be pretty, well, dumb. You're still competing with Nintendo even if you're not publishing on a Nintendo console. A third-party platformer on the PS3 will still be competing against a Nintendo platfomer for a platformer fan's attention, for example. My other problem with this excuse is that the third-parties sure didn't have any problem with competing against Nintendo back in the NES to SNES days. Or from the Gameboy line. Or even more recently on the DS line. And the DS and SNES had significant opponents with the PSP and the Genesis/Megadrive respectively, and the third parties sure as heck didn't have any problem with putting a lot of their software on Nintendo platforms. No, the "competing with Nintendo software" excuse just falls flat.

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by Angelic Cross

Eh, I consider this excuse to be pretty, well, dumb. You're still competing with Nintendo even if you're not publishing on a Nintendo console. A third-party platformer on the PS3 will still be competing against a Nintendo platfomer for a platformer fan's attention, for example. My other problem with this excuse is that the third-parties sure didn't have any problem with competing against Nintendo back in the NES to SNES days. Or from the Gameboy line. Or even more recently on the DS line. And the DS and SNES had significant opponents with the PSP and the Genesis/Megadrive respectively, and the third parties sure as heck didn't have any problem with putting a lot of their software on Nintendo platforms. No, the "competing with Nintendo software" excuse just falls flat.

Hmm, good point, it is an excuse by third parties. At the same time, Nintendo software has sold the best on Wii. Not many 3rd party titles on Wii sold very well. Then again, 3rd parties have put mostly shit on the Wii. Oh Lawd, I just hope that the N6 has better 3rd party support!

To add something to the topic, one site has said that the tech specs are unknown, but that the architecture to this system is "vaguely similar to" that of the XBox 360. It is reported to have an IBM CPU and an ATI GPU. Many sites have said that the systems power will be more powerful than XBox 360 or PS3. By how much or whether that is true is not really known, but its power should be no less than that of the XBox 360, at the very least. It is reported to be able to output 1080p resolutions, and bluray.com reports that this console will use Bluray technology.

With an architecture similar to the XBox 360, it may mean that XBox 360 and PC ports would be rather simple and rather cheap. Also, if it does have a similar architecture to the XBox 360, it can also be significantly more powerful; this doesn't mean that the system could only be around the XBox 360's power.