Wii U announced.

[KillerSkaarj]

There's nothing wrong with the name. I mean the 'U' is kinda weird but it's better than calling it Wii 2, because then it sounds like a rehash when it's really a whole new system.

I think the real reason for them keeping the 'Wii' name is because they wanted to make a core gaming console while still appealing to the casuals. If they had called it anything else, like the originally planned "Stream," the casuals would have just ignored it. And let's face it, without the casual audience buying tons of Wii consoles we wouldn't be getting this beast of a console.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

Beast? By all counts it looks a few generations behind the PC.

 

[Plumb_Drumb]

most games look a few generations behind the PC already, even the PC "exclusives" released on 360 a couple months later (yes, all ONE of them), so what do they have to lose?

edit
I mean, worst case scenario, we get games that look good enough, but that are not cutting edge.
Is the controller worth a spit. though?

 

[[GU]elmur_fud]

I recall hearing that it would run UE3. Whish is admittedly old now.

 

[KillerSkaarj]

Beast? By all counts it looks a few generations behind the PC.

All the consoles do, what's your point?

I recall hearing that it would run UE3. Whish is admittedly old now.

I had no idea the UDK was considered old now...

 

[BITE_ME]

This Space For Rent

It will be called a M!! ∩.
In Australia.

 

[[GU]elmur_fud]

... I had no idea the UDK was considered old now...

Gears of War, the first UE3 game to my knowledge, was released almost 5 years ago in Nov. of 2006. I am not saying I would consider it outdated merely that harware developers have had ample time to get with the program.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

All the consoles do, what's your point?

The current gen consoles have been out for almost 5 years now. So, yeah, of course they are outdated. The next generation of MS/Sony consoles, though, will probably be slightly ahead of the current generation of PCs in every way other than perhaps RAM and storage space. With the Wii U coming out behind the current generation of PCs, it stands to reason that it will be nearly as underpowered as the Wii in the next generation.

 

[SleepyHe4d]

The next generation of MS/Sony consoles, though, will probably be slightly ahead of the current generation of PCs...

wat

 

[BillyBadAss]

The current gen consoles have been out for almost 5 years now. So, yeah, of course they are outdated. The next generation of MS/Sony consoles, though, will probably be slightly ahead of the current generation of PCs in every way other than perhaps RAM and storage space. With the Wii U coming out behind the current generation of PCs, it stands to reason that it will be nearly as underpowered as the Wii in the next generation.

I don't argue that, but at the same time. This isn't all that important anymore. I am more concerned about gameplay more than anything else. I think the graphics/what is possible to do has kind of reached a saturation point hardware wise. Nintendo games are always different from what everyone else is doing, so it makes it worth owning based on that alone. Super Mario Bros. Wii for me justified buying a Wii. That game was classically awesome yet fresh at the same time. Lots of indie developers have tried this kind of gameplay, but are missing that certain feel that Nintendo has perfected. I imagine it will be like this again. Hopefully with some new franchises as well.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

wat

Don't say "wat", they are always like this. The graphics card, for example, in the 360 AND the PS3 are both variants that are more like the generation ahead of the ones available for PC at the time they were released.

I don't argue that, but at the same time. This isn't all that important anymore. I am more concerned about gameplay more than anything else. I think the graphics/what is possible to do has kind of reached a saturation point hardware wise. Nintendo games are always different from what everyone else is doing, so it makes it worth owning based on that alone. Super Mario Bros. Wii for me justified buying a Wii. That game was classically awesome yet fresh at the same time. Lots of indie developers have tried this kind of gameplay, but are missing that certain feel that Nintendo has perfected. I imagine it will be like this again. Hopefully with some new franchises as well.

While I agree with you, Nintendo makes money off of software not hardware (even if they do profit off the hardware). Because of that, low software sales are NOT a good thing. Most of the first party Nintendo games are great, if not worth $50, but hardly any of the third party games are even worth buying. The Wii U needs to change this, or Nintendo might as well start making REALLY cheap consoles and only publish their own games on there.

 

[SleepyHe4d]

Don't say "wat", they are always like this. The graphics card, for example, in the 360 AND the PS3 are both variants that are more like the generation ahead of the ones available for PC at the time they were released.

Well there's no benchmarks, but afaik the 360 graphics card is about the same as the 7900GTX which came out 4 months after the 360. Consoles get the benefit of optimization though. Cons are texture compression and lower frame rates.

It's really hard to compare, but I'd say 360 was about the same as a really high end pc of the time, and it didn't hold that position long. There's also overclocking and SLI for pc too. 8800GTX which came out a year after 360 definitely surpasses it, so that's out of the question. Meh.

 

[Lruce Bee]

The problem with the announcement of the WiU at E3, is that it didn't actually blow me away.
Not blown away = not interested.
And that's what I expect from new hardware, especially a new console from one of the market giants.
It does seem kinda shallow thinking in these terms but that's what it's all about - raw power, tons of awesome features and massive game support - it's that simple really.
Nintendo struck a home run with the Wi, made a cheap console, sold it with an aggressive price tag, marketed the hell out of it and cashed in.
I purchased a Wi about 18 months ago - I've probably clocked up about 10 hours gameplay on it and it's been sat in the box ever since - absolute waste of money in my eyes and I can't help feeling slightly ripped off.
That won't be happening again - I guarantee that.

 

[SleepyHe4d]

I purchased a Wi about 18 months ago - I've probably clocked up about 10 hours gameplay on it and it's been sat in the box ever since - absolute waste of money in my eyes and I can't help feeling slightly ripped off.
That won't be happening again - I guarantee that.

I'm in the exact same boat with that situation. A slightly similar one with my 360 and PS3 too even. Probably only gonna buy one console when the next gen comes along, and I'll buy it after a price drop too. Probably the PS4.

Nintendo isn't trying to blow you away though, they just want the casuals to eat it up, and they will.

 

[Plumb_Drumb]

luckily I had some family members with Wii's so I didn't have to fork out the dough.

They are good for something, it turns out,

 

[KillerSkaarj]

Why do people insist on complaining about the Wii U being outdated? I want to say it's due to the "typical PC elitist mentality" but not all of you are stereotypical PC nutheads, so what gives?

 

[BillyBadAss]

Why do people insist on complaining about the Wii U being outdated? I want to say it's due to the "typical PC elitist mentality" but not all of you are stereotypical PC nutheads, so what gives?

What Brizz is saying is that the Wii U is not that much better than the PS3 which came out in 2006. Basically it's a generation behind and when Sony and Microsoft release their new consoles in a couple years, it will be in 3rd place hardware performance wise. Not a big deal, but that's his point.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

What Brizz is saying is that the Wii U is not that much better than the PS3 which came out in 2006. Basically it's a generation behind and when Sony and Microsoft release their new consoles in a couple years, it will be in 3rd place hardware performance wise. Not a big deal, but that's his point.

Exactly. I'm not saying it matters, ultimately, but it does put the Wii U in the same position the Wii is. And if third party support is NOT better, than it will fare the same as the Wii in the end, too.

Well there's no benchmarks, but afaik the 360 graphics card is about the same as the 7900GTX which came out 4 months after the 360. Consoles get the benefit of optimization though. Cons are texture compression and lower frame rates.

Isn't that exactly what I was saying? The story was the same with the Xbox as well, it had a somewhat more Geforce 4 GPU than the Geforce 3, which is what was available at the time.

 

[thewalkingman]

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.
I am waiting for WII U!

 

[KillerSkaarj]

Nintendo's core audience hated the Wii for its casual-ness, lack of 3rd-party support, lower-end graphics and a poor online service. Then Nintendo announces the Wii U with the intent of catering to both core and casual gamers, proof of better 3rd-party support, HD graphics and a proper online service and all of you complain about "IT'S OUTDATED."

I guess only a Nintendo fan could appreciate the Wii U as Nintendo's apology to their core audience, but to everyone else it's yet another instance of Nintendo being behind the curve.