Nintendo have confirmed that their next console, the Wii U, will be released in Europe and the US by the end of this year. Naturally, that also includes Japan.
The system was first shown to the public at E3 last year (albeit very confusingly) but will see a much more balanced, considered reveal at this year’s show.
Hopefully we’ll get some information on pricing, games and tech spec before then, though – but regardless, this hopefully puts some pressure on Sony and Microsoft to also show their cards.
Could be an interesting year.
Deathbrin
So who’s getting the Wii U?
Kreisash
The price dictates whether I get it on launch or not. I know I will get one at some point as I still thoroughly enjoy playing the Wii (Xenoblade Chronicles, Zelda SS, The Last Story), but I also want to know if I can transfer my Wii purchases over to the new console or if they’ll charge me for it all over again.
Hopefully they’ll bring out a much better connected Monster Hunter for it as well. It would also be interesting if Acti/Blizzard jumped on board as a publisher (with their core franchises).
I would love to play SC2 or D3 via tablet.
Eldave0
“I also want to know if I can transfer my Wii purchases over to the new console or if they’ll charge me for it all over again.”
The latest issue of Nintendo Gamer said this will be possible :)
Kreisash
Ooh, great news thanks. Now who to offload my old one to?
Kennykazey
I really wanted a next gen Nintendo, but the Wii U has turned out to be everything I don’t want.
I don’t care for the controller, yes you can do some cool stuff with it, but if I want to browse the internet or read something I’ll use something else that’s not limited by the streaming range of the console. Being able to play games on it while watching TV is the only “pro” I can find with it, and I won’t usually want to do both at the same time. Ultimately it’s just a battery-wasting gimmick on a stupidly large controller which might be the first one to give me troubles using it due to it’s button/thumbpad layout (I can’t bend my right thumb, but that doesn’t look to comfortable for anyone). Then there’s the lack of a unified network which really puts me off aswell. And don’t get me started on the lack of an HDD.
/rant>
MayContainEvil
Can’t see this being a hit like the Wii and aren’t really interested in any Nintendo IP’s, I will definitely be waiting for the PS4.
gaffers101
I think most Wii owners will stick with what they’ve got. I think if you’re going to move on from a Wii it would be because you’ve become a serious gamer and you move on to a 360 or PS3 (or what ever replaces them).
Kreisash
I still think that people don’t realise or understand what the Wii-U is and can be.
I have all 3 current consoles, a game spec PC and have been playing games for over 25 years. I would consider myself a serious gamer and anyone who thinks the same would do well to appreciate games for what they are and the meaning of gaming itself.
Hardware is advancing to the point where there will be much less to distinguish the consoles on a practical level.
Publishers are offsetting their development costs by going multiplatform so what is left to tell each console offering apart?
Yes the service offering can give one the edge over another, but in time I would expect those to plateau as well. So what is left, what really matters? To me and many others it’s the games.
Nintendo are one of the 3 who still have a lot of exclusive IPs under their belt.
IPs of any worth?
That’s up to each individual to decide. However for me, where my main console is the PS3, I still have a lot of room for the Wii where as the X360 is the one gathering dust and is pretty much the Halo machine. It could have gone the other way though, but still the Wii would have been given the time of day.
And back to my point. If in the next offering all of the big releases are on all consoles, what makes them different? I imagine that for the most of you it will be what your friends get, what society deems as acceptably cool, what is on a good price deal at the time.
But what of the games? It’s odd isn’t it? That a games machine isn’t dictated by the games, but by everything surrounding it as well.
Well the Wii-U will still be about the games first. At least I hope.
I imagine that I’ll get one of other consoles as well, if only for the reason that it’ll be the only way to play with my friends.
This is my opinion.