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Nintendo Announces New Console: Wii U
_xeno_ writes "Nintendo has announced the official name for what had been known as 'Project Cafe:' the Wii U. It is an HD console, it retains backwards compatibility with the Wii (it's unclear if this includes GameCube software), and the controller does, in fact, have a touch screen on it. Nintendo demoed moving a game off the TV and playing it solely on the Wii U controller."
Also in E3 news, cylonlover writes "At its E3 press conference Sony finally revealed that its next generation handheld — previously codenamed the NGP — will carry the official moniker of the 'PlayStation Vita.' The PS Vita — which is Latin for 'life' — will come in two flavors: a Wi-Fi only version priced at $249 in the US, JPY24,980 in Japan, and EUR249 in Europe, and a 3G/Wi-Fi version going for US$299, JPY29,980 and EUR299."
My Hands hurt just looking at that controller.
those controllers look like they are going to cost more than the console...
No, that's the next version of the Wii - the Wii U2. It comes with a Bono and The Edge faceplate.
They call that a controller? Yeah maybe for a giant. The way the Wii was designed in the past you want real movement and reflexes with the controller.
Just thinking back to those people who accidentally threw their Wiimotes into their TVs, can you imagine the mess that one would cause :)
obligatory penny-arcade? http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/4/18/
If what I just said sounded like a troll, it was probably just a failed attempt at humor.
Pii U.
PlayStation Vista. I bet THAT ONE will be AWESOME.
Shiny. Let's be bad guys.
I though it was the Wii on U
The alt text for the image is "new nintendo wii e3 small". Yeah, there's nothing small about that control, people. This is probably the most anti-Nintendo thing I think I've ever seen Nintendo do.
No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
Actually it's just an evolution of some ideas they've been poking around with tethering DSs to the Wii. There were a few games where you could use the DS as a Wiimote, and you had your own individual screen info.
Magic doesn't work in my presence. My power of disbelief is too strong.
The WII-U controller reminds me of the dreamcast controller.... looks very uncomfortable.
Previewing comments are for sissies!
> The PS Vita — which is Latin for 'life'
Vita - which is a Romanian derogatory term for "cow / bovine" :-)
1% APY, No fees, Online Bank https://captl1.co/2uIErYq Don't let your $$$ sit in a no-interest acct.
The Wii U controller looks like a wicked mix of a normal controller, a handheld and a tablet. Why not just release the controller as the console itself...
I find it peculiar that Nintendo would move to this type of controller after successfully pushing motion detection with the Wii (forcing Microsoft to step up with Kinect). This is a strange step back, I guess that with the iPad and all they wanted to "tabletize" the control
This controller seems like it's well suited for turn based RPGs and that's about it. You have to LOOK at the controller to do anything on that touch screen, and that goes against much of the philosophy of modern games. I get the general idea, you put your status indicators and such on the controller screen, but to really register anything you're going to have to be looking at it all the time.
I'm hoping that this is a mistake that this is the default controller and they expect you to normally used an evolved version of the current controller.
Sony is Japanese, not American...
I just gave in and bought a Wii last week.
Oh well, at least it will be easy to find used games soon.
If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
I also don't know that it'll work well this time around. The Wii did well because it sold kinda like a board game: Many people bought it that weren't in to video games. They often didn't play it a lot, putting it away only to take it out for parties, but they bought it. Ok fine. However this? Not sure you'll sell people on it. Particularly since a controller like this is going to be all kinds of expensive. A nice large LCD costs money, no way around it.
We'll have to see what goes on but Nintendo may have a dud this time around. Gimmicks can be great when they work, but they often flop hard.
I find it strange the whole concept of a second movable screen for gaming strange. How exactly do games benefit from this? If you're aiming for casual gamers, then the second screen will likely add "workload" (for the lack of a better term), as a player will have to share his attention between two screens. Will casual gamers want this? If you're aiming for the more hardcore gamers, than two screens can decrease immersion, as the player has to stop focusing on the game to twiddle with a touch screen. If the touchscreen also contains some important game functions like inventory as shown in one of the screenshots, then hilarity can ensue when you accidentally swipe the screen while trying to wrangle with that gigantic controller. I can imagine some multiplayer games benefiting from this, but it simply seems like a gimmick, not an innovation. Sorry Nintendo.
I've loved the dual and touch screen on my DS, extra buttons (NSMB stored item for example), and a separation of information from main screen.
Though TV's handle some of this (bigger screen), and I don't think tracking from TC to hand is going to be as convenient.
Also, the wii-mote+ nun-chuck was the best controller ever IMO (that's without motion control or pointing). I really liked my hands 18 inches apart, and angles how I wanted them, rather than some average for everyone (this will kill that though).
Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
What will happen when we all are carrying multiple cellular-enabled devices? Would you simply pop a SIM card into each cellular device? Will you have to pay for each device? Would your plan allow for up to X number of devices? Or would they simply bill you by total sum of bandwidth?
My guess is that, the cell companies will take the most complicated solution possible. You will need to bring each cellular device into the store so they can activate it for you. Each device will have a different bandwidth limit and your bill will be 10 pages long. Only approved devices will be allowed: so AT&T will support the Sony Vita and Verizon will support the Nintendo 3DG. Some other small company will support bot, for half the price but they will only have service in rural Kansas.
A few years ago I argued that Nintendo should add 3G to the DS. I had everyone on Slashdot telling me how that is impossible and kids cannot afford multiple cell plans how complex it would be. Well, now it is happening so the business model will have to find a way to work. Eventually, cellular networking could become as ubiquitous as wi-fi is today.
...is that Xbox and Sony are bound to have equal failures.
I will bend like a reed in the wind.
Surprising how much it looks like the wiiu controller. I wonder if Sony plan to have similar connectivity with the PS3.
I haven't seen mention of how many of these new uber controllers can be active at a time. Just one? Hopefully two. I'm guessing the streaming video will limit on the number they can support.
Amen to that. The first thing I thought on seeing this was "hmm... it looks a litte like the Dreamcast controller". Which is fitting, really, given I fully expect this thing to be the next Dreamcast.
Nintendo could find themselves in big trouble in 18 months time. I can't see this thing having the mass appeal of the Wii - or drawing the hardcore away from their PS3s, 360s and PCs. And while saying anything nice about Sony is unfashionable around here, the Vita looks like a far superior piece of kit to the 3DS, which is going to launch with a decent games lineup at the same price as the 3DS. I fully expect the knowledge that the Vita is coming to further dent the 3DS's already-poor sales over the coming months.
If Nintendo find themselves with a Dreamcast and a Virtual Boy as their current generation hardware, then it's squeaky-bottom time for the,
Enjoying the results of forced warranties, difficult and expensive environmental regulations (RoHS, I'm looking at you) and takebacks on electronics, are we?
In the US, when it breaks, you get to keep both pieces. Although they do give you 12 months, it's encumbered by all sorts of conditions, and you get to pay for shipping (well, that's the usual MO here, don't know if Nintendo is breaking that mold or not).
When I bought a GBA SP, one of the first ones, it had an annoying bit of lint floating in the center of the screen. I put in a claim online and got a label. Slapped it on a spare box, shipped it in, had it back in about a week and a half. Nothing out of pocket.
Not too shabby, definitely beyond the letter of the law according to the warranty. Of course, this was back when their console division was a joke and they couldn't afford to be arrogant as an overall company.
More Twoson than Cupertino
I always liked my Atari Jaguar, but the thing that always bothered me the controller wasn't big enough. Thank god someone finally got around to making an even bigger controller to finally accommodate me.
When the Wii was announced people were _very_ sceptical about the whole motion control thing...
I'll wait and see if this is a winner or not. Also, I'm wondering if it will play my old Wii games. Not really that interested in keeping a stack of consoles in the living room.
.: Max Romantschuk
As opposed to the rest that think that a bump in resolution, polygon crunching ability, and CPU power is "innovation"?
--Jeremy
Jesus was a liberal
I look at that controller and I think both "Wow, cool!" and "Holy crap its big!" But it wouldn't be the first time we've all thought the Big N has lost their collective marbles only to be right. When they announced the N64 with its 3-prong controller, everyone said that looked like the most uncomfortable thing they'd ever seen -- and it was maybe the most comfortable one I've ever used, even to this day. When they announced the DS, everyone thought they were certifiable, and it turned into the best selling handheld of all time (no, we're not counting the goddamn iPhone just because it can play games). And I seem to recall that the Wii's announcement was also met with a fair bit of ridicule and it outsold its competitors (at least console-wise).
Of course, they also released the Virtual Boy (or whatever that thing was called) and that was a trainwreck. Still, I'm going to withhold judgement until I can try it for myself. At the very least, it sounds like there's some real possibility there. I just hope I'm not paying $150 a controller!
Wood Shavings!
- Godai
Shit, that monster is way bigger than a PSP. It's like the Hummer of videogame controllers. Finally, another way for me to compensate for my tiny penis!
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
That Wii U photo makes it look a whole lot like one of several makes of Small UAV hand controllers.
A lot of work goes into the ergonomics of these things, because soldiers spend a lot of time using them, so there's a reason they all look very similar. Several ergonomic factors, obvious from the convergence of these designs, appear to be universal:
- Touchscreens are sexy but impractical. They're imprecise without a stylus, awkward to hold, and you have to obscure your view of the action to effect a control.
- It's nearly impossible make the screen too large. There's a reason the screen is big and dominates the faces of all of these units.
- Controls are arranged on the sides so that the fingers can take the weight while the thumbs work the controls without requiring the user adjust his grip.
- Control paradigms are borrowed from the original Playstation hand controllers because most users have prior experience with them.
- Light weight tradeoff against battery life, screen size, and ruggedness.
Looks like the convergence is happening from both directions. And it's not surprising because the human interface requirements are very similar in both applications.
I can see the fnords!
Actually it's just an evolution of some ideas they've been poking around with tethering DSs to the Wii. There were a few games where you could use the DS as a Wiimote, and you had your own individual screen info.
Actually Nintendo's been doing this for much longer. All the way back in the Game Boy Advance days you could plug one of them up to your Gamecube and use it as a controller.
Also, the wii-mote+ nun-chuck was the best controller ever IMO (that's without motion control or pointing). I really liked my hands 18 inches apart, and angles how I wanted them, rather than some average for everyone (this will kill that though).
True. Even if the wiimote didn't have motion-sensitive or pointing functionality, separating the left and right hands like that would have been a large step forward. I would love a 360 controller split similarly (like two nunchucks wired together).
"and can be used in conjunction with Wii controllers, the company said"
Hold your horses people, they aren't saying you have to use this mammoth just to play wii bowling.
If it's 249 EUR in Europe that means it will cost around 3200 SEK in Sweden, which is about 350 EUR or 520 USD. :( Guess why I order almost everything I buy (that can practically be shipped) from Germany, UK or China... I even ordered skis from Germany last winter. Half the price for the very exact model, even including the shipping costs. I ordered an extractor/range hood from Poland (half the price including shipping), a plasma TV from Germany (2/3 the price), DVDRs from Luxemburg, various kitchen applicances, utensils and cutlery from the UK... The list goes on.
My other account has a 3-digit UID.
What is the difference between a gimmick and a new feature? It seems everything Nintendo does is called a "gimmick" ever since the Wii was announced. I don't get it. A gimmick is something designed to lure others in... in other words, anything worthwhile about their products is a gimmick.
I see a lot of possibilities here. What about a Battlefield 2 style command and control team system? The commander could have the main screen and the troops could use their controllers as FPS devices.
Or playing mario kart, each with there own individual screen and the TV showing a top down view of the amp with score keeping.
I'm excited about the potential...
So you can pick a play with out the other player seeing what you picking.
They could have named it the Wii Wii.
You haven't seen the Jaguar controller, have you?
Wise men say, "Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."
for multiplayer strategy board games.
Imagine a M:tG game where you have your hand on your controler but you share the table with your opponent. Or a Clue! murder mistery, again with your own set of clues on your controler and the full board on display. Or an RPG with your character info and stats on your controler and the active game on the screen. Or a FF Strategies or Maden footbal style game where each player can control play selection, and possibly even FPS style game play on their control while the screen shows a typical football or kunfu movie interface.
I think there are definately uses for it, especially in multi-player and social atmospheres.
Not that I'm going to buy one, but it looks like there could be some action for it.
-Rick
"Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
They will probably allow you to play Game Boy games on the controller.
FYI, "Vita" is a Latin world as much as it's an Italian one. The meaning is the same, too....
This controller (too big for extended gaming periods, though it is likely to be revised before launch) and feature-set won't appeal to the hardcore gamer but is perfect for the mid-core gamer.
Backwards compatibility with the original Wii means a neverending stream of casual games (that will continue to be created for both Wii and WiiU), good to share with family and friends; but now finally A-titles will be released for the three main systems, so the mid-core player won't be left behind.
People speculated that this release would signal the 8th generation of consoles. What has happened is that all vendors have reached convergence, with MS Kinect and PS Move reaching maturity and catching up with motion systems, while Nintendo has released a console with competitive performance that can sell for a profit. Welcome to the 7.5 generation.
Singularity: a belief in the "God" idea with the "demiurge" relation inverted.
Maybe they'll license the song for their ads and have him re-record it with the altered lyrics. He could use the money.
I had a dream,
I had an awesome dream
People in the park
Playing games in the dark
And what they played
Was a masquerade
From behind the walls of doubt
A voice was crying out...
"Wii would like to play."
Wii U, Wii Mii
Play it for always
That's the way it should be
Wii U, Wii Mii
Play it together
Naturally
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
It is the Wii 2, in any case.
And, if translated to Japanese, that makes it the Wii Ni. ;)
Compensation indeed.
Well, Wii U, too, pal! and yes... for those who are oblivious, replace Wii with F***
I saw one in a museum once.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
What game console is that?
I think it's Wii U
I we you what?
What's the third gen tech going to be - the "Wii U Mii"? Followed closely by "Thay Wii U Mii"?
From 2002's Kung Pow, hear Ling: http://youtu.be/92mFlANJ3Ew
the one geared more towards young kids? I wouldn't trust my kid with that.
This controller looks more like a cross between the Wii classic controller and an Intellivision controller.
Wii U, Wii U, Wii U :-(
My other account has a 3-digit UID.
Is there some kind of internal contest within Nintendo on who comes up with the most idiotic name? with big cash prizes? instant promotion for the winner?
I really can't explain it otherwise...
That's $365 for the Wi-Fi and $439 for the 3G in the EU - they don't list UK prices, but assuming £249 and £299 that's $409 and $491 respectively.
Laughable.
You know, I could get behind this. A red label along the lines of your description would let healthy gamers know exactly which games to round-file.
therefore it's going to be a resounding success.
I wish my lawn was emo, so it would cut itself.
The Wii made Nintendo LOTS of money and sold more units than PS3 and XBOX 360 at the time IIRC. So it was a HUGE successly platform; lots of third party titles are not relevant for casual players, the original Wii's target market.
What you miss is that with the new horsepower in the WiiU, finally first-class titles for Xbox and PS3 can ALSO be released for the Wii, so it can appeal to Nintendo's mid-core gamers.
This levels the field for the three consoles to be comparable, with the Wii probably slightly ahead in terms of sold units thanks to being the only one appealing to the general public (Move doesn't count, and Kinnect is a hard sell for someone who doesn't own a X360 already) and that Nintendo doesn't need to sell it at a loss. A clever, clever move.
Singularity: a belief in the "God" idea with the "demiurge" relation inverted.
I'm thinking about this more, and I've decided it's masterful. You can now do much of the activity without even using the TV. Quickly spend twenty minutes on WiiFit? Use the Opera browser, check news or weather?
All can be done while the TV is off or somebody else is using it. Kid playing a game and your show comes on? Switch it to the controller, and change channels.
The only problem is really the ergonomics of the large controller. Assuming that THAT is ok, the utility of this will be great. It reminds me of all the confusion when Nintendo first introduced the DS and the dual screen/touchscreen.
Yeah, I can see the differences - it was just the whole "viewscreen on the controller" thing - I'll always associate that with the Dreamcast.
Wait...did you actually USE the DC controller? It's easily one of the most comfy controllers I've ever played with. Looks like hell, but a great controller.
They should call it the Wii Boy
I'm not a bird, I'm a super-advanced flying stealth dinosaur!
I was referring more to the HUGE controller than the features it provides. Yes they've done it before and it's a great idea. They need to do more of it. But the controller / handheld console / thing needs to be about half that size.
No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
$249 in the US, JPY24,980 in Japan, and EUR249 in Europe
Hasn't anyone told them that $1 != 1€ != ¥100 ?
Just thinking back to those people who accidentally threw their Wiimotes into their TVs, can you imagine the mess that one would cause :)
If you look at the Nintendo website you can see that the new system will also support the old Wii motes (and Wii motes with motion plus). You would likely use those for the more active (sports) games, and the new controllers for the games that are more similar to what is played on other consoles currently.
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
If Nintendo get off their collective asses and add some decent HTPC capability to this unit, that remote would be quite awesome.
"In the absence of the ability to establish the attribute of truth they tried to establish the noble attributes."
A few years ago I bought myself a Wiimote just to play around with after watching Johnny Chaung Lee's demos. The Wiimote packed a lot of tech in a small space and I found it finding new and interesting uses for it. This new controller got me wondering about all of the cool ways this could be used on a PC. I mean forget an iPad (yes I know it's not the same), but if I could play PC games, or emulators, or what ever else with this I want it. Sure I might be more expensive than a Wiimote, but I;m guessing it'll be much cheaper than most tablets.
and where to get them.
You can't take the sky from me
It looks like that controller has a reasonably decent CPU and graphics hardware on it. Given the camera and other hardware on the unit, it is very likely that the device is locally executing some program to interact with the main console. It isn't really that practical to render everything on the console and stream it uncompressed to four separate tablet remotes, so I think this is the likely implementation. If this controller had some form of local storage or even an SD card slot, it could hypothetically be used as a standalone "Nintendo tablet." This would involve Nintendo competing against itself in the handheld gaming market, but if the controller has high enough specs, it might be a good hedge against the 3DS catastrophically failing against the new Playstation Vita. While the device could obviously not directly compete with iOS and Android devices, it could fill an important niche role, especially if Nintendo could market the device as a safe tablet for children. With the right apps, they could even sell the things to schools.
But if that LCD does 3D without glasses like the 3DS, it's sure to be a smashing success.
Another thought: That's not a controller, that's a murder weapon.
--
Toro
It was Prof. Miyamoto, with the Wii U controller, in the Game Room!
Right now, 1 EUR = 1.4682 USD. Thanks for trying to fuck us over again, Sony.
US prices are generally excluding VST, while European prices include VST. Also Europe has two years mandatory warranty on electric stuff, US doesn't. So while Europe still ends up paying a little more, it not half as bad as it seems. Also its not exactly a new thing, the whole EUR == USD thing for stuff like consoles has been going on for a long long while.
Soooo... 249/299$, and 249/299€, eh? When did the Euro and the Dollar become linked currencies? I hadn't heard that the concept of "exchange rates" had been obsoleted.
Thank you for yet more assrape, Sony. Fuck you with a broomstick, I'm not your milking cow. You can keep your crap.
What a depressingly stupid machine.
Mid-core gamers don't care about visuals, but still buy AAA-games and are a market beyond 'casual'. Sure, true hard-cores will still buy PS4 and Xbox720 and avoid Wii U, but hard-cores haven't been the target market since the first generation.
Also notice that is not dropping the Wii - backwards compatibility means that casual games will still be targeted for the old and new systems.
Singularity: a belief in the "God" idea with the "demiurge" relation inverted.
Yet despite all that, I note that by the time import duty and VAT is accounted for (which would be the case no matter what the consumer legislation said), the days of manufacturers assuming an exchange rate of US$1 = £1 are long gone.
What about videoconferencing? You see the person you are calling on the TV, and whatever you are filming with the controller (usually yourself) on the controller...
Sounds like a simple way of having videoconferencing that is as living-room friendly as the kinekt version, without all the fancy skeleton tracking.
Of course, to be really useful it would need to talk to skype or google talk or something... And they could beat the competition by making it free since it doesn't cost them anything (why should I need to pay a subscription to use a device I own to talk over the internet connection I pay for?).
So, $1 = 1€ all over again :(
Tax.
The US prices will exclude tax. Anyone buying in their own state will most likely have to pay an additional amount over and above the listed price.
The prices for Europe will include VAT which is between 15% and 20% depending on where you are. So it's not quite a fair comparison.
What? Like the back of a Volkswagen?
Maybe it's because I have big hands, I owned a game gear, I normally game on pc (lots of hand space between the mouse and wasd keys makes for rather comfy gaming), and I actually prefer the old huge xbox controller I am saying this but I like this controller idea. I am sure after seeing all the complaints nintendo will probably make a smaller version so those people can happily squint at a smaller screen or something. Looking at it being used on videos, it doesn't look that uncomfy to me, I mean they are showing little asian women using this with small hands and not having a problem, I think that maybe I will be okay. I do hope though these controllers can somehow be priced in the 50 dollar area or so though. That wouldn't break the bank for me. I can't say I would hate it if the xbox players doesn't buy it though. Those of you who have had to sit though the rubbish they spew out on their headsets (not tactical data, or teamwork, but the vocal equivalent of goatse) probably appreciate a game online without voice. When they were showing the starfox64 remake with the video all I could think was, "If this was on 360, all you would see are penises)", and when they were showing off drawing stuff on the tekken charactors, "Yeah, that would be all penises and swasticas on live...".
I wonder why console makers even bother with buttons anymore. A part from hardware shoulder buttons, the rest of the controller could be one big multi-touch screen with vibration feedback. That way developers could have as many buttons as they like, placed however they'd like them.
~Syberz
I can't believe nobody has mentioned this yet. What the heck happens when one of your [kids, douchey semi-friends, drunken evil twins, etc.] drops and breaks one of these controllers?
If you ask me, these controllers look like a VERY bad idea, if only for this reason. I'd imagine the controllers alone are going to be $100 a pop. I don't think I'll be buying this, if only to prevent assault charges on myself when I rage after one inevitably gets broken by somebody being careless.
I think there could be demand from people who really want to buy a new console since it's been a while (6 years in 2012) since there was one.
Fifa 12 release date has been officially announce check the release date http://www.gamesngage.com/fifa-12-3ds.html
Id rather see this thing hacked, so we could stream info/screen/movies from a mythtv box to the controller, then use the controller as a big selection input device to select a movie, and bang, play it on the remote, or play it on the tv.
That would rock more!.
I wonder what sort of vid format it would use, h264 or something with subchannel info for 'menus/controlls' touch areas, with 'urls' back to the host, or byte streams.
In any case, would even work as a remote desktop to your linux/windows box too, and as a cheap home tablet in a way. Just need a remote desktop to an 'android session' if you could have android in a VM.
Liberty freedom are no1, not dicks in suits.