Nintendo's Wii U: E3 2012 and What We Know Now Thread

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

So, a year has passed since President Iwata took to the stage and said "Wii U is coming," and everyone was left guessing for 12 months what that actually meant. Now we know. Following Sunday night's Nintendo Direct webstream and the slightly muted E3 conference, the Wii U as a console is starting to take shape. For one thing, it will apparently also come in black now.

The Controller

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZvlpA7knsQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZvlpA7knsQ</a>

Redesigned from its initial unveiling, the Wii U GamePad, as it is officially known, now comes with two clicky analog sticks as opposed to the Slide Pads we have seen before and are used to on the 3DS. The Pad will come with stereo speakers, a vast improvement on the Wii's tinny lo-fi monstrosity I turned off in December '06 and haven't turned back on since.

The innovations don't end there, as the built-in microphone and camera are powerful enough for videochats. An infrared transceiver at the top of the controller allows the Pad to act like a television remote (and with other devices, which I would imagine includes the upcoming Wii Fit U pedometer, a la the Pokéwalker). Rumble remains, apparently not impacting on the gyroscope or accelerometer as some would have you believe it can.

It was confirmed that the Wii U WILL, eventually, support two GamePads although this will reduce on-screen performance to 30 frames per second but not many people seem as bothered by that as they are by the lack of games. BOOM!

In addition, Nintendo will also be producing a suspiciously 360-like Pro Controller. No touchscreen, just buttons.

The Specs

Finally revealed, the technical specifications of the console. The full specs are available here, but include a multi-core processor and AMD Radeon GPU that can handle resolutions from  480i  to 1080p, internal flash memory and support for SD cards USB ports and support for Wii U and Wii games.

Additional features include Netflix and YouTube video on demand services, though probably not at launch. And then there are the games, 36 pencilled in for the mysterious "launch window".

The Miiverse

Finally, there's the Miiverse: Nintendo's brave venture into social networking. Building on the Mii concept first introduced with the Wii and adapted to 3DS, the Miiverse will bring together gamers in the same house, the same local area and the wider gaming world. A communication system that seems to combine the best of Twitter and Nintendo Letter Box is just the tip of an iceberg demonstrated through one of the quirkiest Nintendo promos you'll see in a while.

This service will later be integrated into browser-enabled PCs AND phones, in addition to the 3DS. The Miiverse could become a huge part of the Nintendo Network, as well as the Wii U.

So, ignoring the underwhelming games on show at the conference how do people feel about the Wii U as a system in itself? Do all these innovations add up to a strong sixth generation console for Nintendo or will they be left in the dust once the PS4 and Xbox720 are out?

[hisak]

I honestly don't have much of an opinion on the Wii U right now. It looks neat and I expect there to be good games released for it, even though it's a bummer that we don't know what most of those will be. Considering that at least four of the launch window games look really appealing to me, I'm planning on buying one as soon as I can afford it.

Hopefully Nintendo can turn the current third-party tide. Assassin's Creed and Darksiders make for a start, but they'll need more if they want to stay in the multiplatform conversation.

[JordAnime]

A communication system that seems to combine the best of Twitter and Nintendo Letter Box is just the tip of an iceberg demonstrated through one of the quirkiest Nintendo promos you'll see in a while.

Try lamest.  That was honestly the most obnoxious and embarrassing things to sit through, just give a straight forward explanation by a native English speaker instead of a stupidly overacted skit so lame, Xplay would reject it.

Also the full specs really haven't been full revealed, much like Wii, Nintendo's probably never going to reveal the actual processing power of the system because their specs are outdated. 

I think at this point, Nintendo's best shot is to sell it cheap and pray that Microsoft and Sony both really mess up their new systems.

[hisak]

A small bit of news that improves the Wii U ever so slightly in my eyes: the Game Pad can be used while charging, meaning we won't be restricted to four hours of play time per day (not that I ever have that much time to spend).

[JordAnime]

That doesn't improve anything; I think it was pretty obvious that would be the case from the get-go, just like how you can charge any other game controller with a rechargeable pack, or any handheld system.  That'd be a serious design flaw if you couldn't play the Wii U tablet while it was charging.

[hisak]

We have box arts. More like GameCube than Wii.



It's...fine. Does a better job at differentiating itself from its predecessor than the 3DS boxes do, so that's a good thing.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Not keen on the position of the Nintendo Network logo, but apart from that it's... yeah, fine is the word, isn't it?

[hisak]

Nintendo has announced a Wii U press event to be held in New York on September 13. Expect price ($300, hopefully) and launch details.

If we're lucky we might get a few 2013 games announced, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

If there's a similar UK/Europe announcement coming, I'll say there are only two things that could get me to buy a Wii U at launch:
1 - A sub-£200 price tag (NoE have left hardware prices open to the retailers' discretion of late, so who knows where it could lead?)
and 2 - Nintendo Land bundled with it. (It just makes sense.)

With my recent experiences as an early adopter of 3DS though (I really could've waited for the XL), I'm gonna be mega-wary.

[JordAnime]

^^^

Agreed, the Wii U is so far the least exciting platform Nintendo's ever hyped up...not to say that excitement is worth its weight in gold, but I find it disappointing that there's virtually nothing I'm looking forward to about the platform except for games that haven't been announced yet.

[hisak]

Reminder that launch details for Wii U will be announced this Thursday, with a North American press conference at 10 AM EST and a European Nintendo Direct at 4 PM CET. Expect date, price, and launch lineup (Little Inferno, please?).

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0SR7aVkdzI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0SR7aVkdzI</a>

Japanese Direct just finished. (EDIT: Video available above) In brief:

- Launches in Japan on Saturday, December 8th.
- Two packages, Home and Premium.
     - Home will come with 8GB of flash memory and sell for 26,250 yen (£209 or $337).
     - Premium will come with 32GB of memory and a 2-year subscription to Nintendo Network Premium which includes 10% off download titles. That'll set Japanese gamers back 31,500 (£251/$405).
     - Hardware wise you will get the console and an adapter, a GamePad and adapter and an HDMI cable. Charge and support standards for the Pad will be sold seperately.
- The console will have 2GB of memory, 1GB for the operating system and the other for games.
- New Super Mario Bros U and Nintendo Land are confirmed first-party launch day titles.
- NSMBU will be the first Mario title to launch alongside a new console since Super Mario 64.
- Nintendo Land will not be packaged with the platform (in Japan at least, although I hear they did the same with Wii Sports so not lost hope yet).
- NSMBU will cost 5,985 yen (£48//$77), NintendoLand 4,935 yen (£39/$66)
- Games discs will have 25GB of storage.
- The console can consume up to 75w of power, but should only need 45w.
- A second GamePad will set gamers back 13,440 yen (£107/$172).
- Pro Controller will retail for 5000 yen (£40/$64)

In things Nintendo felt they needed to repeat:
- Wii, VC and Wii Ware titles will be transferable.
- All Wii peripherals will work with the Wii U.
- Mario jumps with A. (But he does so promptly with no latency issues.)

Obviously the prices are unlikely to be directly converted to Pounds, Euros and Dollars, but that news will officially come this afternoon.

And, in addition to the US and EU Directs running in tandem at 3pm BST, an additional Japanese Direct software showcase will be shown at the exact same time. Worst scheduling ever. I'll be sticking to the EU show and hope a recorded version of the other two hits soon enough after.

[JordAnime]

Well color me underwhelmed as usual, but given my general feelings on the Wii U plan, I'm not surprised.  Still waiting for the American details, but the Wii U just seems very ill concived from the start and if the 3DS taught me anything about early adaoption, it's that it sometimes is better to wait. 

There's also these rather unsavory spcs:

http://kotaku.com/5942879/rumor-wii-us-final-specs-leak-ahead-of-official-reveal

Wasn't the CPU supposed to be similar to IBM's "Watson" with Power 7 architecture?  Now all of a sudden it's three enhanced Broadway Cores?  Perhaps it's some kind of error, but I feel like people will easily call it "three Wii's duct taped together"unless there's clarification.

The RAM is off on these leaks too, 2 Gigs of RAM with 1 dedicated to the operating system(hopefully it'll be adjustable, I feel like 50% of RAM dedicated to an operating system is a waste).  Still, it's four times as much as the the current systems have to offer. 

Storage, I take it the internal storage is effectively an SD chip, if it were a hard drive, it'd be in the hundreds of gigabytes range, it's nice that USB hard drives can be connected.

The lack of BluRay playback is also VERY disappointing still.

[hisak]

No idea what any of those specs mean. If it's enough to make their games look good and attract third parties, then it's good enough for me.

LOL at that GamePad price. I'm betting it'll be closer to $120 in the US, but I'm still never, ever buying a second one. Even more hilarious considering that its supposed advantage over PS3-Vita connectivity was that you didn't have to buy a second console.

Anxiously awaiting this morning's software announcements, which might make or break the system for me.

[JordAnime]

As far as I can tell, the Wii U would have been a seriously impressive machine if it were released in 2007 or 2008.  It's 2012.  Nintendo games will look good, third parties; well, we'll see what happens when the REAL next-generation hardware is announced.  It could be Wii all over again. 

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

European stream just wrapped up. Release date has been confirmed as November 30th.  It will come in Basic and Premium packs. Basic will be launched in white only, Premium in black - it's like they know what colour all the cool kids want. Premium will also be the only version to come with Nintendo Land bundled in. The price is being set, as expected, by retailers and so far I have spotted the Basic pack between £199 on Amazon and £300 for HMV. The US prices of $299 and $349 work out at a reasonable £185 and £216. Once the VAT is added, it could be a little outside my target of £200-229, but we'll see. (EDIT: Gamestation Redditch have tweeted they are taking pre-orders on the Premium at £250.)

A ZombiU Premium bundle has been confirmed as available for launch, which could easily be the one for me. A montage of titles expected within the launch window (up until March) was shown towards the end. Pikmin was not present... (EDIT: Full list of European launch day/window games. 007 Legends coming to Wii U, I hoped so. Now I just have to hope it's good.)

Bayonetta 2 was confirmed as a Wii U exclusive, Project P-100 was renamed as The Wonderful 101 (the 101st is you) and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate will be coming to Europe on both Wii U and 3DS in March.

[JordAnime]

Seems like Japan is really getting the shaft with Wii U, especially with the lack of a tie in for the premium version, granted Nintendoland looks about as exciting as watching paint dry.  The price is about what I figured.  There were a couple of marginal surprises like Bayonetta 2 being a Wii U exclusive, and I guess Epic Mickey 2 is also coming out for Wii U?  Weird.  Nintendo TV seems like a decent idea, but still no BluRay playback makes the Wii U a pretty LAME multimedia device.  

I dunno guys, I might sit this one out.

This just in from Kotaku!

Monolith Soft making a Wii U Game

Yeah big shock that a second party of Nintendo would make a Wii U game...still, Xenoblade 2 anyone?

[hisak]

Yeah, I'm still going to need to see what Nintendo's big guns for the system are, and I won't be buying it until I do. So I'll probably be getting one sometime next year. Launch does look very strong, though.

Interested in seeing what Monolith Soft has been working on. Xenoblade was finished in 2010 so it's possible it might get a Japanese release next year. Of course, there's no guarantee of it making it to the West...

[JordAnime]

Next year, geesh that's anyone's guess, I'm still not 100% sure about getting this at launch, maybe as a Christmas gift to myself?  I dunno.

Seems like an awfully big expense to play New Super Mario Bros. U, as the rest of the launch titles really aren't thrilling me. 

I imagine Wii U will be getting a lot of multiplatform games in 2012, with maybe Mario Kart and something else to tide over the core between then and the next holiday.  Maybe we'll see a Smash Bros. tease.  I'm thinking the 3DS might have the better lineup next year though, usually the first year of a new console stinks.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

UK Wii U prices have settled overnight at around £249 for Basic, £299 for Premium and £349 for the Premium ZombiU bundle (Premium pack plus Pro Controller and ZombiU). Knock £40 off each of those prices and I could be swayed. We'll see what happens in coming weeks. 3DS opened at £219 and was £187 by launch day.

Of course, it was another £60 cheaper a few months later...

In other news, the reaction to news of Bayonetta 2's Wii U exclusive status has been nothing short of vile. So easy to forget that the internet is so frequently abused by others as a bubbling pot of pure hatred.