Wii-U thoughts so far

[alienjesus]

Zelda doesn't use speech or prerendered cut scenes. Massive reduction in space required.

I never understood this, I thought cut scenes are less heavy . Like a photo is less in size than the photoshop file . Plus , in game graphics are almost as good as the HD video now its not like the days where character endings in Tekken was much smoother than the gameplay.

Think of it like this, on one hand you have a 3D model of a car, a 3D model of a road, and a map of individual points the car is going to hit while it drives along.

On the other hand, you have a series of hundreds of individual images.

Two models and a ton of points are going to take up way less space.

Yeah, it's not a perfect analogy, but a game is like a photo where the stuff in it moves about, whereas a video is more like hundreds and hundreds of photos displayed in a row. The game components are a lot smaller in size

[dsheinem]

I'm here to be the harbinger of gloom and doom again. I realize the Wii U sold better over the holidays than it has since launch, but it still seems that the proverbial writing is on the wall:

European mega retailer is dumping Wii U inventory at $99 Euros a pop.
http://wiiudaily.com/2014/01/european-m ... ros-a-pop/

Amazon stops selling Nintendo directly (again):
http://www.gamingunion.net/news/direct- ... 10328.html

Sales remain sluggish compared to competition:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gami ... s/4123197/

PS4 likely to outsell Wii U by March:
http://www.examiner.com/article/ps4-and ... el-pachter

A glimmer of hope?
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Wii-U- ... 61315.html


I realize that Nintendo will continue to put out well received first party games and for many that is all that matters, but I think all of this means a virtual end of third party stuff (especially exclusives) and, likely, a sooner rather than later end for the console.

I'd love to see Nintendo surprise everyone at E3 by announcing a more traditional console that can compete directly (in terms of specs) with the PS4 and XB1 or, alternately, offer something like the OUYA but with the backing of big N (become the leaders in open-source, open-platform home consoles). The Wii strategy (old tech with a new controller gimmick) clearly isn't working this time around, and I believe it would behoove them to make a drastic change in their console strategy if they want to remain relevant in that market. At least the 3DS still kicks ass in sales.

On the plus side, all this hopefully means I can pick up a solid Wii U/games bundle in 2014 for well under $200

[ZeroAX]

European mega retailer is dumping Wii U inventory at $99 Euros a pop.
http://wiiudaily.com/2014/01/european-m ... ros-a-pop/

OMG, I wish media markt would run this promotion all through Europe xD.

I'm not really feeling the doom and gloom. As you said for most of us just the Nintendo stuff is enough. To be honest, it was a similar case with the Wii, it's just that Wii Sports was as popular as Tetris. And the indies are supporting the Wii U just as much as the PS4/Xbone, so we know we'll be getting the most interesting games of this generation on it too

[AppleQueso]

I don't see Nintendo outright abandoning the console, though I do imagine they're probably accelerating their plans for whatever is next for them. You certainly won't see them try to launch a new console at e3 at least, though I could see a re-branding effort of some sort.

This isn't a Dreamcast situation after all. Nintendo isn't depending on the Wii U to save the company or anything like that, and they're sitting on more than enough cash to just ride it out (plus they have the 3DS, which is doing pretty well.)

[ZeroAX]

I don't see Nintendo outright abandoning the console, though I do imagine they're probably accelerating their plans for whatever is next for them. You certainly won't see them try to launch a new console at e3 at least, though I could see a re-branding effort of some sort.

This isn't a Dreamcast situation after all. Nintendo isn't depending on the Wii U to save the company or anything like that, and they're sitting on more than enough cash to just ride it out (plus they have the 3DS, which is doing pretty well.)

I think nintendo is too stuborn to try and change things. They could have given the Wii U a major price cut like they did with the 3DS, but they chose not to.

I also think the successor will probably come out in 2016, not sooner than that. Meanwhile they'll just keep making amazing games to reward the fans, just like they did with the gamecube

[Opa Opa]

I'd love to see Nintendo surprise everyone at E3 by announcing a more traditional console that can compete directly (in terms of specs) with the PS4 and XB1 or, alternately, offer something like the OUYA but with the backing of big N (become the leaders in open-source, open-platform home consoles). The Wii strategy (old tech with a new controller gimmick) clearly isn't working this time around, and I believe it would behoove them to make a drastic change in their console strategy if they want to remain relevant in that market. At least the 3DS still kicks ass in sales.

While I agree they will have to come up with a new strategy for the Wii U's successor (if they feel they can take a piece of the home console market), they can't drop the Wii U yet; unless it's part of their plan to alienate current Wii U owners.

My speculation on nintendo's future:

I feel their next console will come out in around five years. They'll merge the console and handheld development and introduce a portable console with an hmdi out and be compatible with wireless controllers. It'll keep game development costs lower and they'll be able to say "Hey we're still here and we are now offering the home and portable experience for the price of one console." At least that's what I think they'll do.

[Zing]

The Wii U has vastly outperformed the GameCube already, so it's fine with me. I'll have enough first party (and a handful of third) to play until next Christmas.

As for that "European blow out", it means nothing. Its a limited promotion with likely little stock behind it, and it's for the PAL system in a European country. Nintendo essentially got to where it is without caring about Europe for 10 years. I'm sure it will be fine.

[dsheinem]

they can't drop the Wii U yet; unless it's part of their plan to alienate current Wii U owners.

I think if they had a new console in Spring 2015 that was meant to compete with the PS4/Xbox One that many current Wii U owners would buy it since most of them buy anything Nintendo anyway. I think the potential reward would outweigh the potential risk.

I think gamers as a whole would be pretty stoked to have something like an Xbox One that plays Mario and Metroid games as well as the best version of the newest COD, Madden, indie darling, etc. As they did with the GameCube, Nintendo would need to put to market a console that matched or slightly exceeded the current gen competition in terms of price and specs. Unlike with the GameCube, they need to offer a full range of features and a more welcoming development environment with better third-party courting. If they wait too long and promote it as a next-gen console just a year or two before something like the PS5 comes out, they will repeat the Wii U problems.

[ZeroAX]

What I don't get with the Wii U is why they even bothered? I mean it's too expensive to be an impulse buy like the Wii (talking pre-price cut premium model), it is underpowered (I have specially heard really bad things about the processor being slow AND expensive to manufacture) and it didn't break even at launch, yet the PS4 which is MUCH more powerful does break even for only 100€ more. With all the money they made with the Wii, DS you'd think they'd be willing to take some bigger financial risks.

Of course all these complaints are about the hardware. The games are still ace and I am buying one way before I get a PS4, but it still buffles me.

[AppleQueso]

Spring 2015? No way that happens.

Can they even get a console ready that fast?

What I don't get with the Wii U is why they even bothered? I mean it's too expensive to be an impulse buy like the Wii (talking pre-price cut premium model), it is underpowered (I have specially heard really bad things about the processor being slow AND expensive to manufacture) and it didn't break even at launch, yet the PS4 which is MUCH more powerful does break even for only 100€ more. With all the money they made with the Wii, DS you'd think they'd be willing to take some bigger financial risks.

Of course all these complaints are about the hardware. The games are still ace and I am buying one way before I get a PS4, but it still buffles me.

Nintendo didn't really understand why the Wii was successful basically and got very complacent.