Wii U (game console)

[Kaos]

An article I read a couple of weeks ago (I'll put up a link if I can find it) that said that the Wii U didn't have the graphics capabilities that current gen systems are putting out, and that the games they saw were choppy still. It does not bode well if a next gen system can't produce better graphics than a last gen system and the games are still choppy in time frame so close to production and release. I hope this system knocks peoples socks off, but I fear the stench of suck is coalescing on the horizon.

[Neil]

An article I read a couple of weeks ago (I'll put up a link if I can find it) that said that the Wii U didn't have the graphics capabilities that current gen systems are putting out, and that the games they saw were choppy still. It does not bode well if a next gen system can't produce better graphics than a last gen system and the games are still choppy in time frame so close to production and release. I hope this system knocks peoples socks off, but I fear the stench of suck is coalescing on the horizon. Well:- 1) I've heard it is superior to the current consoles. 2) As we all know, it's more down to the games though, than the graphics. I don't care how pretty something is, if it's boring... it's boring! 3) The videos surely seem promising? I do worry about the direction of the WiiU though! It no longer seems a multi-player family console? And how expensive will it be to put a second controller on to this thing? How much of a gimmick is the controller?

[Rottedfreak]

Wii U supposedly has a 'weak CPU'* (3Ghz) and 2GB RAM (1GB dedicated to OS) with a 'strong GPGPU capable of DX11/Shader 4' according to Cinemablend. *The weak CPU comes from developers who admitted they hadn't optimized their game to run properly.

[Neil]

Official Nintendo Magazine reviews filtering through...ok pinch of salt since it's the official magazine but... ZombiU (WiiU, Ubisoft): 92 Nintendoland (Wii U, Nintendo): 90 New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U, Nintendo): 86

[Rottedfreak]

Gamespot gave ZombiU a 4.5/10, Edge gave it a 7/10. The system has growing pains.

[Neil]

Gamespot gave ZombiU a 4.5/10, Edge gave it a 7/10. The system has growing pains. Very different scores!? Growing pains?

[CoinReturn]

A 7 from Edge is like an 8 or a 9 from most publications. Seems like a very divisive game, hopefully I can grab a copy tomorrow along with system.

[Rottedfreak]

Very different scores!? Growing pains? Very different scores happen by reviewers. I don't think Gamespot have been kind to Nintendo in recent years. Teething problems more like, Ninja Gaiden 3 and Mass Effect 3 are touted as 'proof' that Wii U is inferior to currently existing consoles. IMO Nintendo need a solid roster of second party developers.

[Neil]

The reviews/comments seem to slowly be getting more negative? Anyone else picking up on this?

[Danny]

The reviews/comments seem to slowly be getting more negative? Anyone else picking up on this? It seems the more hands on people are getting with the console the more it seems the term "next gen" was an outright lie. The hardware is crap - no doubt why nintendos kept quiet about specs- and theres a fair few 'expansion' points giving people genesis/mega drive flashbacks. Personally i was indifferent, i thought the controller was a bit dumb, but i could take or leave the console, but by the sounds of it the console doesnt compare to a 360. something thats goddamn ancient in technology terms at this this point. Frankly i dont see what appeal it will have to the casual audience that can get a wii or, hell, even a kinect for cheaper. It certainly isnt going to sell to the 'hardcore' crowd in record numbers because theres frankly no reason to replace your 360 or ps3 with one. And therein lies the problem. People are looking at the wiiU, then looking at their consoles from the early 2000's and going "no thanks, im good". Look at what happened to the gamecube when people already had the ps2, i think we will have the same thing here. It could get some excellent games, being nintendo and that still kind of accounts for something, but the competition is inevitably going to release something truly 'next gen' and this will seem like yet another awkward side step by nintendo.

[Rottedfreak]

These comparisons are taking the absolute piss. The reason Batman Arkham City is called 'Armored Edition' is because Batman AND Catwoman are in new costumes. They show off a obvious bug, crappier shadows yet better lighting. Whoever made this is dishonest as he has put the Wii U game up against the PS3 version NOT the PC or Xbox 360 ports. It will be a while before we see what Wii U can really do and I doubt we'll see that from Nintendo.

[Rottedfreak]

I have been seeing lots of negativity for Wii U these past few days. People hating on it for being underpowered as seen with the ports but I can't take that serious after a mild debacle from E3 2011 where people deemed footage of Wii U third party games as inferior to the current consoles only for Nintendo's president to reveal they used footage from current consoles. If it really was underpowered then it shouldn't be capable of handling games that are the fruits of seven years development on current consoles like it does. Batman Arkham City, Mass effect 3, Assassins Creed 3 etc, all of them just knocked out on Wii U and competent.

[Neil]

The WiiU seems to be selling very well! http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...weeks-than-wii Wii U hardware pulls in $30 million more in revenue after 41 days. In just 41 days, Nintendo's Wii U has sold more than $300 million in revenue in the United States, up from the $270 million take the Wii brought in during the same time period. Those numbers come from the NPD Group, showing that the Wii U has sold nearly 890,000 units in the U.S, with 460,000 units sold in December. It's worth noting that the Wii U Basic retails for $299.99, higher than the Wii's launch price of $249.99.

[Mr. Clean]

I think sales will taper off in a few months and Nintendo will be crying about losses again for several years. Christmas is over and video games are starting to tip toe into the light as playing a part in all of this gun violence. If the U.S. economically gets a hell of a lot shittier in the next couple of years like they keep saying......new xbox and sony consoles are gonna suffer major losses too.

[Danny]

Yeesh, this is looking like the gamecube all over again. Nitendos now saying their estimated sales are looking to be 2 million more than they actually sold and it seems to stem from the casual market that made the wii explode thinking that its an add on to the wii like a wii fit board like its some apple tv style box. THEIR PRIMARY AUDIENCE DOESNT KNOW ITS A CONSOLE. They should have just called it the wii2, im sure whoever added the U monikors kicking themself right now.