Wii U

[AmiNeo]

Hey guys I've been thinking about the big N's new console and what ninty might get up to this holiday season.
I hear talk of the PS4 and Durango left right and center but not many people are mentioning Nintendo's new offering which is launching soon.

Back when the original Wii was to be released I had one on pre-order and gave up my pre-order in favour of a new phone. I regretted it for over a year because I couldn't get hold of one for ages afterwards.

The Zelda franchise was at a high and Twilight Princess was a game to have with Smash Bros. But this time around I'm not so sure ninty have mych to anticipate.

Does anyone anticipate the same demand again this gen for ninty or will it do a PS3 and stay on the shelves?

Is anyone actually looking forward to getting their hands on one?

 

[Dragonheart]

Pre-ordered as soon as they became available on Amazon UK.

 

[tokyoracer]

It will sell but I don't think it will fall to the same demand in terms of casual players. The reason why so many Wii's were sold is because every member of the family could have fun with it but I heard so many stories were they used it a few times then it was stored away never to be used again.
So for that reason I think, the demand won't be 'as' strong as I doubt the public will fall for the same marketing gumpf as before. However they may reel the old faithful Nintendo gamers back if they play their cards right, hopefully keeping them in the game.

Me? I hope this new Android based console shines since I think they got so much right with that console and is definitely the way forward into next gen. If it ever supports Steam which there is talk of it, then it could kill the competition outright.

 

[pstrinic]

I searched for the Wii for ages until I found a shop that had one to sell. The motion controller novelty lasted for a little while, but soon enough it became 3rd or 4th choice gaming platform. I can't say that I'm even likely to buy the U at all. Perhaps put of sheer OCD... Ouya sound promising-ish. I'm much more likely to put that on my Xmas list

 

[slk486]

Preordered it for Rayman Legends and Zombie U. I'm sure there'll be more interesting games along, but I've never been partial to Ninty's own offerings - including Mario and Zelda.
Don't think Oyua sounds promising or interesting at all. If anything, it looks to be the new underpowered Wii for casual crap and shovelware, but I'd be happy to be pleasantly surprised.

As a side note:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-09-20-valves-first-hardware-slated-for-beta-next-year

 

[moijk]

I only own the Wii of the current gen consoles. I'll probably buy a ps3 in due time but no rush. next gen i don't know. if they are as bound to the cloud as it seems i can't say there is any collection value left. Once their decade is over they might just be left in the dust when the last software house pulls the plug on the content.

 

[AmiNeo]

Exactly what most of you have said. I desire one but I think the only reason for that is because its a new console. There really aren't any games on it that I would want to try. Zombie U might be fun until the novelty wears off, the new Zelda might be worth it if its not too cloud based... But this gen I feel may be Nintendo's last if they play the cloud card too heavily.

They have become a staple of multiplayer in my eyes and I've always been a single player game player. There's really nothing there making me want to shell out the asking price.

 

[morcar]

In my view the Wii was the best of this generation consoles. I hated both PS3 and 360 because they never produced the games I love like last gen did.

With the Wii you have to dig deep for the good games but when you do there are some gems.

I think the Wii Uis going to be more for hardcore than casual gamers from just the lineup I have seen and I bet they will make some awesome games with in the first 2 years of the consoles life.

I will wait until the price falls and all the bugs have been sorted although with Nintendo they normaly make a balls up of hardware faults like Sony and Microshaft.

 

[Azhrei]

Really, really looking forward to the Wii U, gonna share the cost of one with a flatmate. Hopefully going to get the Zombie U (terrible name!) pack, with the game, classic controller, and also Assassin's Creed 3 and Nintendoland. The fact that you can play on the controller while someone else commandeers the television is going to solve a lot of arguments before they have a chance to start!

 

[NovaCoder]

I think it will be a train wreck of epic proportion, not sure what they've been smoking at Nintendo HQ but I'll like to get myself a large bag of it.

In every game-play video that I see of it, people are just looking at the 'controller tablet thingy' and what's actually on the HDTV screen is being pretty much ignored. Why would anyone want to sit in front of their huge HDTV and look at a low resolution tablet display?

I think the days of traditional games consoles are over anyway, I don't see how they will able to justify their existence if the face of ever more powerful mobile phones, tablets, Android consoles and smart TV systems (eg Google TV).

a $99 console yesterday

 

[slk486]

Not sure about the train wreck. It's still a Nintendo console that will have very playable Nintendo games and 3rd party games. However, they are seriously overestimating the use of the dual display thing - imho. The 'keep on playing on the controller' gimmick is nice enough, but to keep looking down for a map or whatever is not. It'll be fine for some touch based control (eek) or extra buttons (Atari Jaguar controller?..) for games though.
Actually can't wait for the inevitable Angry Lasses on this :deadhorse

 

[moijk]

However, they are seriously overestimating the use of the dual display thing - imho. The 'keep on playing on the controller' gimmick is nice enough, but to keep looking down for a map or whatever is not. It'll be fine for some touch based control (eek) or extra buttons (Atari Jaguar controller?..) for games though.
Actually can't wait for the inevitable Angry Lasses on this :deadhorse

I would think it is like with the nintendo ds, but on the "big screen". I have faith in the possibility of creating great experiences for it. Sony have a bit like that on their psp/vita -> ps3 connectivity (not that i have ever tried that)

 

[slk486]

I would think it is like with the nintendo ds, but on the "big screen". I have faith in the possibility of creating great experiences for it. Sony have a bit like that on their psp/vita -> ps3 connectivity (not that i have ever tried that)

Sure, but those dual screens are right next to each other. The PS3/Vita thing is only used for extended control and cross play - at least at the moment. I'm really hoping something truly interesting (and fun!) will come of it, but I fear it'll just be a gimmick and an excuse to port Angry Dwarves.

 

[Phipscube]

I'm a die hard Sony fanboi.... but i'm flagging to be honest, and Nntendo Wii U looks more and more interesting (definitely more interesting games wise than PS3 this Winter!!).

But ultimately i'm certain that the future of games is Android. Its got the functionality and user friendliness of iOS without the restrictions.

The Ouya is the most interesting thing to come out in a long time, and although for now its just a tv box for Android content, which right now is not so hot compared to iOS games market. But at such a cheap price and with games as its centre, it could really cause developers to flood to Android as games sales are not reliant on just expensive mobile phones.

I've got my eye on Wii U because Nintendo seem to be going back to the core gamer (and still cater for the Wii casuals). I'm also looking at what PS4 might be, and to a lesser extent the next Xbox. I know one thing, i'm not as definite about Sony as I used to be.

 

[alexh]

But ultimately i'm certain that the future of games is Android. Its got the functionality and user friendliness of iOS without the restrictions.

Unfortunately it just doesn't have the sales and piracy is growing.

It would need the mobile games industry to have a complete turn around as to how it makes its money. It has to switch from revenue from games sales to either :

• A 100% in-game advertising revenue model. This model is growing and I favour this for the future. But at the moment it is pretty terrible implementations. Gameplay stops while you watch an advert. Obtrusive banners. The industry needs to switch to "subliminal" in game advertising. Where the products are wound seamlessly into the fabric of the game. (e.g. collecting coca-cola cans instead of stars or driving a Honda car etc).
• PayAsYouGo DLC content (get 'em hooked on the VERY limited free version and then get their money with the full version or extra levels).

Casual gamers are not going to buy full priced games with 10's of free ones to choose from.
Casual gamers are not going to go for a subscription model.

_Or_

Full priced Android games will need huge marketing budgets with expertly run viral marketing & social media campaigns so that casual gamers (especially kids) will buy so as not to be left out in the playground.

 

[Phipscube]

Good Points Alex, but i'm already seeing very limited demos with full price upgrades appearing more on Android now. its not all free anymore. It seems to be going more like iOS.

And although the Ouya is advertised to work with "Free to play" its only referring to the initial download "free" versions, whatever that may be.

I hate the adware games. I wish Rovio had released the original Angry Birds with a premium upgrade instead of the completely free ad supported version, i'd gladly give 6DKK to get rid of the ads. Now with Angry Birds Space, that option is there for Android (even though I think Angry Birds Space is a bit poor compared to the original).

I just recently bought a great game called Osmos HD, you download an ad free demo, and after so many levels it prompts to upgrade, click link directly to Play store, buy (17DKK, which is a tad more than the ad supported trials, but I prefer this) , carry on playing.

This is the model I like, and seems to be becoming more popular on Android.

There will always be some form of piracy on an open system, but the majority won't pirate at the ridiculously low prices the games cost.

The potential for a unified system lies in Android too. We may finally see a system that everyone (manufacturers and developers) can take and use together. A gaming standard for everyone (not just one fruit named manufacturer).

Bit out there, but one day we could see Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft Android boxes... even Samsung, Toshiba etc etc. all running the same software, no more need for 3 boxes under the tv to play all the good games, how is should be. Still having closed independent platforms for gaming is ridiculous in this day and age, the 3 big gaming companies are bleeding money away to fight for "exclusives" to keep their platform noticeable, totally insane! Can you imagine only being able to Watch the latest blockbuster movie on ONLY a Sony Blu Ray player, or another on a Samsung player? Why do we accept this in gaming?

I want a gaming box that's just like a DVD/BD player. One standard, and no matter what game I buy, I don't have to think about the platform and even more important, allows small independent developers to make a splash because right now its these small time games on android that have me interested, not the latest "AAA Blockbusters" on Sony/MS/Nintendo boxes.

Sorry, strayed a bit off topic

 

[slk486]

And we should call it... The 3DO!

 

[Phipscube]

The 3DO was spot on, I wish it took off! Trip had good Vision. Too bad it cost WAAAY too much and got little support (the EA games were good for it though).

 

[slk486]

The 3DO was spot on, I wish it took off! Trip had good Vision. Too bad it cost WAAAY too much and got little support (the EA games were good for it though).

It was and he did, unfortunately the big players didn't see his vision. I don't care if it's android or some other os, as long as it's touch free (in more ways than one ) and game centered, I'm in. There has to be a defined hardware baseline, with specific DIY upgrade options... Wait, no.. Let's just consolize the pc - it already has the DIY upgrade options and just needs something like Steam Big Picture Mode to be a valid console option. A standard OS doesn't even matter, as long as there's a standard development platform that works across systems.

One can dream, right?

 

[Phipscube]

I think upgradabilty is a no-no, Storage Memory ok, processor GFX etc, no. Its got to still be "standard" to work I think. The standard can be upgraded of course at some point, and the beauty of Android is instant backwards compatibility.

Its very PCish in idea but takes the bloated massive noisy hardware componets of X86 hardware and the bloated massive heavy inefficient Windows OS and replaces both with incredibly efficient, small, powerful cool and QUIET box, running a similarly awesome OS (Android in many ways reminds me of what made Amiga OS so appealing).

There is, of course, also the imminent Steam Box.....