It’s been a mixed few weeks for the Wii U really. First there was the news that Rayman Legends had not only been delayed but had also lost its platform exclusivity, a move that left many Wii U owners noticeably angry. On the other hand, yesterday saw EA stating that the Wii U version of Need for Speed: Most Wanted would be visually superior to what’s already out on the PS3 and Xbox 360.
In some respects, this second piece of news is encouraging for the Wii U. The fact that third parties are actually putting some effort into software on the platform is certainly a good thing. Of course, there is also the fact that when the game actually arrives on the Wii U it will be four months old and likely to flop badly among those with multiple consoles, but the general idea is vaguely hopeful.
In a comment on that news story, Peter called the Wii U a ”stop-gap, power-wise” and that has me wondering if that’s all the Wii U can ever be? I mean it’s very unlikely that what the Wii U has under the hood will top what the next consoles from Sony and Microsoft will feature, and in terms of pure power it probably will just be a stop-gap. Hopefully it will be close enough to those potential powerhouses for engines like Unreal to allow easy ports, although the fact that Need For Speed on the Wii U is based on the PC version of the game suggests that ports from that direction may be a more common possibility.
Of course, we all know that Nintendo don’t really play the power game, and it’s hardly surprising that their latest console probably won’t top what’s coming from their competitors in that regard. The bigger question with their approach is whether or not the machine is innovative enough to survive against more powerful opposition, and I think they may have a harder time of it.
That’s not to say that the Wii U isn’t innovative, it certainly is. While many complained that Nintendo Land didn’t have the same accessibility as Wii Sports, and to be honest it probably doesn’t, it certainly does its job in terms of showing off gameplay possibilities for the GamePad. The idea of asynchronous gameplay can seem a bit daft until the moment you actually sit down and play a game that’s built with it in mind, then it rapidly becomes a lot of fun.
The problem is that while Nintendo probably have the best solution for introducing a second screen into the equation, unless Sony or Microsoft take the unlikely route of building one into their next console that is, their competitors already have answers for the technology in the form of SmartGlass and the Vita. Neither of these is ideal, and the Vita is certainly lacking with regards to simple screen size, but I think they may well be good enough to appeal to developers keen to explore them and counter any advantage Nintendo is trying to seize in the area.
There is, of course, the possibility that things may go the other way, that a less ingrained version of the GamePad’s gameplay systems on next gen Sony or Microsoft consoles may drive people towards the Wii U by offering them a taste, but I don’t think it’s all that likely. Even if any such effect did take place, it wouldn’t really have much impact for a few years, with people unlikely to pick up a Wii U too quickly after buying a PlayStation 4 or the next Xbox.
Ultimately, if Nintendo can give third parties a reason to bring their games to the platform with some innovation, like EA have with Need For Speed, then the Wii U can be more than a simple stop-gap, providing different experiences. I mean look at Aliens: Colonial Marines on the Wii U, that’s set to feature a motion tracker on the GamePad. Doesn’t that sound great? And I mean the game isn’t cancelled at all, just delayed a little while. In fact it’s not even a delay since they never announced a date. Really, it’s totally not a cancellation and I’m sure Sega will follow through on their promise.
With delays to titles like Colonial Marines and Rayman Legends starting to taint the console, and with games like Need For Speed coming out so long after their companions on other platforms, Nintendo really have got a huge mountain to climb, even if they can convince developers to provide interesting, unique experiences.
But don’t worry, I’m sure Luigi will save the day.
xdarkmagician
Its completely unfair to try to compare a casual market launch to what Sony and MS do. Sony and MS only goal is to produce the most powerful machine to get bragging rights. Sony and MS are the least innovated gaming companies ever. Nintendo introduces a controller with an analog stick, Sony copies. Nintendo introduces motion controlled gaming, Sony/MS copies. Nintendo introduces touchscreen gaming, Sony/Apple copies. Nintendo introduces second screen gaming, everybody copies. My point is, Nintendo must be doing something right or otherwise we wouldn’t have move, kinect, smart glass, touch screen gaming, the rumor the vita will serve as a second screen…. Power only means something to the people who want power. The casual market doesn’t care about whats under the hood. They’re people who don’t wait in line for new consoles, people who don’t read/follow gaming news. If a good percentage of hardcore gamers aren’t ready for a new console, its absurd to think a bigger percentage of casual gamers are ready. The Wii U is the tortoise in this race, if you can even call it that because Nintendo is smart enough not to race for bragging rights. They’re supporting the Nintendo market, trying to keep their fans attention by introducing innovation, not distract them with shiny pixels with realistic lightening that creates realistic shadows. The Wii U cant compare with the PS4/720 in sheer power, but neither can the 3DS compare with the vita, and look who winning there. The Wii U will be just fine, its not a stop gap piece of equipment, in time it’ll have a marketshare thats close or equal to the Wii.
Stealth20k
Seriously? this is a sony site.
Enough with the doom and gloom considering sony has 2 dead last platforms
skibadee
2 dead?
Dom El
Are those the 2 ‘dead’ consoles that sold 250 million units? And one of them only just finished production last month?
I’m confused…
cc_star
Vita and what? The PS3?
Whilst the PS3’s decline on the previous round as a percentage market share is pretty huge. The PS2 had almost 75% of the market and the PS3 has about 30%… and to get that 30% Sony have lost $5bn (whilst Microsoft went from 13% to ~30% losing $3bn) but as far as customer adoption goes the PS3 isn’t dead or even close to being.
damoxuk
Stealth from CVG is here with his Nintendo fanboy antics. Don’t feed the troll :)
Here’s an idea get all the consoles play all the games – be a real gamer not close minded hoohahs. :)
Dom El
I definitely buy all the consoles, because there’s always something on every platform that means I want them!
A Troll? How did one get in here?!
The Von Braun
Sorry to say this but, not really fair to give Nintendo credit for:
Analog stick for games controls, as the Acetronic/Interton/Prinztronic series of consoles started it in 1976.Then you had both the (ATARI) 5200, along with the MB Vectrex in 1982 and then Sega had analog stick for games control in the arcades with Space Harrier in 1985.
N64 just brought it back into use for the 3D era of consoles.
Touchscreen gaming, no, sorry Nintendo far from the 1st here as well.Gene Mosher was the 1st real pioneer here with his graphical interface for the Atari St back in 1986, SEGA had planned to use touch screen tech on it’s follow up to the Game Gear in the early 1990’s, but cost of said screens made it unworkable and then there was the Tiger Electronics Game.Com handheld which had touch screen back in 1997, DS launched when? 2004?.
The Von Braun
And as for Motion control-again, Nintendo not the 1st, you’d have to give that to:
Le Stick(1981) for the C64/ATARI 2600 Though it had no real games to support the concept.
The Nes saw the Power Pad, The Power Glove and U-Force during the late 1980’s.
Then you had SEGA with it’s Activator ring, plus their planned VR Headset had motion tracking sensors built in, as did the planned VR headset by Atari for it’s Jaguar console.
Playstation 1 had the Sony Glove (plus other 3rd party motion controllers).
Then there was the Police 911 arcade game and PS2 game with camera and least we forget the utterly bizzare Mind Link ATARI had planned for the 2600, which via a headband, tracked the players eyebrow movements.
What Nintendo has managed to do, is MARKET a concept that they and or others have previousily tried and failed to get off the ground (3D gaming is another, various systems tried the 3D aspect before, SEGA with LCD shutters on Master System, Vectrex 3D headset, red+green glasses in ST/SNES games etc)) and fair play to them, but Sony in fairness managed to nail the causal market with Eye Toy on PS2, opening up the hardware to a whole new market who previousily found gaming far too complicated (this and likes of Singstar), wether you see that as a good or bad thing is very open to debate, but in this industry? the real innovations are often made very early on, flop, forgotten about and then dug up years later when technology improved, prices come down to realistic level.
I’m sure the way the industry goes in cycles (we’re now back to ‘multi-media machines/devices a la CD-i/3DO/CDTV etc), home VR will be the rage again before too long, something 3DO, CD32, MD, PC, Jaguar etc had planned at 1 stage but was scrapped.
Dom El
I’m not sure that Nintendo’s marketing was the reason for their successes with each of those innovations, but surely their implementation and the related software was the deciding factor. Each of them had reached a point where they were integral (analogue sticks for 3D control) or cost effective (glasses free 3D) as well, but without Mario 64, Wii Sports, Brain Training et al they would surely have gone the way of these earlier innovators.
xdarkmagician
Still, while I accept the fact Nintendo didn’t invent these things, they used them all in a manner that has changed gaming. The fact that other companies tried first but failed only proves Nintendos ingenuity and doesn’t change the fact that Sony has copied Nintendo several times during a consoles life. The PS1 didn’t launch with analog sticks, but Nintendo knew for true 3D movement you needed an analog control stick, something Sony overlooked even though the billed the PS1 as a 3D gaming console- that’s why games like “resident evil” controls are so clumsy. The point I’m trying to make is this, Everything Nintendo does gets copied and that even includes their games. Other gaming companies aren’t innovative enough to try something new, without Nintendo we wouldn’t have the Move analog sticks, touchscreens, second screens, ect… we’d wouldn’t have any progression in gaming as Sony/MS don’t take a chance being different they only increase the processing power, then look at Nintendos success and copy and paste- look at the speaker on the PS4 controller. And that everything Nintendo launches gets ridiculed by the press and Sony/MS fanboys. With every Nintendo launch we get the same old Nintendo fu*ked up stories, Nintendo is doomed predictions, but Nintendo is still here. They know how to develop a console, they’re the reason home gaming is even relevant today, because even though other home systems were first they all failed, but Nintendo got it right. Because of this, they deserve a hell of alot more respect then they get, especially since they’re taping a slower market. They don’t deserve to be labeled a stop-gap 3 months after launch. After all, Nintendo is the reason theres even a playstation brand to begin with because they were thinking CD-ROM back when nobody else was. Sure the PC was using it first but because of Nintendo developing it for home consoles everybody uses a disc drive today instead of a cartridge. Sony/MS may power home console gaming but Nintendo is steering the console bus, they decide to use a second screen and all of a sudden everyone is trying to include it.
The Von Braun
Whilst in no way knocking Nintendo and what they’ve achived over the years, few things i’d call into question there.
CD drives on Console, NEC with PC Engine were there, Sega with Mega CD etc, in fact it’s the failure of MCD that is put down to being one the reasons Nintendo scrapped plans for the SNES CD drive.
Move was being shown to likes of EDGE magazine at Sony’s R+D dept at Sony Europe the same time as Eye Toy, but it was’nt as refined back then, merely a foam prop, but the concept was there (giving the camera something to track and going for very saturated colours so camera did’nt get confused if user was wearing bright clothing etc).
As for no-one else trying anything new? take it you were’nt a Dramcast owner then? Online (console) gaming out of the box (well, that was the plan), Motion controls (Samba+fishing rod), 2nd screen (VMU), microphone etc etc.
Or never heard of the Konix Multi-system aka ‘slipstream’ or what about MS putting so much into making online gaming on console what it is today (Sony still playing catch-up, Nintendo miles behind) or a HDD as standard.
I’ve personally yet to see a motion controlled game on ANY system that’s changed gaming, by that i mean ONLY possible via this control method, not talking it replacing a pad/stick/keyboard+Mouse etc, but only possible by using the human body to interact.
Sony’s had (and continues to have..) plenty of ‘OMG they are DOOMED’ stories be it continually poor money returns, PSP being beaten by DS, Vita’s supposed to be dead, PS3 had the PSN hack, rootkit scandal.
MS not had a smooth ride at times either, EDGE magazine doing an front cover article on ‘Operation Xbox:Is it terminal?’ at a time developer support was dropping.
People had written off the Dreamcast as soon as Sony annouced those PS2 specs, did’nt bother to wait and see what the games were like.
This time around, by going after the same games as PS3/360, in terms of 3rd party support and being HD, Wii U was always going to be compared to those and future systems.
The 2nd screen parts though? ok, this time it’s out the box, but just how much support did the GBA-Game Cube link up have? A final Fantasy game, Zelda, Pac Man and? Sony had similar with PSP+PS3 link up.Now we have Vita and Wii U as are others.
xdarkmagician
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Nintendo is perfect, for every DS theres a VR Boy, for every gamepad theres a power glove. And truth be told I loved the dreamcast and its VMU, although my boss at the time wasn’t as fond of it as I was. Although I would say the dreamcast had all sorts of problems, It wasn’t just about the PS2 specs, after all the first xbox was more powerful with better online but that didn’t hurt the PS2. What finally killed the dreamcast was development limbo, although SEGA still supported the japanese region after its fall they just couldn’t get enough development support in the west for it. And personally the SNES CD-ROM had so many problems with licensing I think Nintendo abandoned it just to get rid of the problems. Although Zelda did appear on the CD-i Nintendo has always been kinda harsh with their licensing agreements.
In short the Wii U was built to expand the wii experience. It wasn’t built to go toe to toe with high powered systems. I know people are going to compare it to other systems but its not fair to criticise it for not being something it was never designed to be.
Motion based games like Dance Dance Revolution, Wii fit, Zumba have changed the industry. They sell, they might not be popular with the CoD fans, but they make money and prove that video games can be alot more interactive then anybody thought. Also, I know several business types who bought a wii to golf, or play tennis. These people never had any intention of buying a gaming device unti they tried a Wii. Nintendo opened up a part of the market never before thought accessible, the people who don’t like traditional gaming, a respectable achievement.
You appear to have a good amount of knowledge in you, and I respect and appreciate that. I remember a time when gaming was far from as popular as it is today, it wasn’t considered culture, it was considered a waste of time and frowned upon. Nintendo helped create the popularity video games receive today, and they’re still trying to expand gaming. IMO that act in itself should create a situation where people can take off the fanboy glasses long enough to say thanks instead of labeling Nintendo as inferior just because they do things different. :)
The Von Braun
@xdarkmagician:
You must excuse my lengthy rants :-).I started gaming on a ZX81, primitive hardware, where things like Blu-Tac were a life saver to stop 16K Ram pack wobble, but what the squeezed out of the hardware was astounding (Mazogs, 3D Monster Maze etc), since then every generation, for a good few years had me giddy with excitement, going from 8 Bit C64 to 16 Bit ST and things like Starglider 2, Dungeon Master etc, from there to MD, from that to Jaguar (a 3D Aliens game OMG!! VR headsets! etc), but those feelings ‘peaked’ with the 1st Playstation.
Since then it’s been, for myself diminishing returns, yes the graphics get better, but areas like A.I and audio, in terms of gaming are still sadly so under used, the last concept for console design that really made me sit up and go WOW was the Slipstream aka Konix Multi-system.It was so far beyond what others were thinking, shame the hardware was’nt quite as exciting power wise, but i long for a return to an era where someone has the stones to come out of nowhere with a design concept that’s as radical.
Guess part of me had hoped that now SEGA has sadly gone software only, it’d be Nintendo, if that makes sense?.
I just cannot get into motion control or touch screen gaming, must be an age thing on my part (too stuck in my ways).
The Von Braun
As a consumer and gamer:I do totally agree with you though, i’m sick to the back teeth of ‘me too’ copying in the industry, it’s become nothing more than a check list, tick off a list to ensure your hardware does exactly what your rivals does.
I’d love to see someone say you know what, feck it, were going to design a pure gaming device that does’nt try and ape what everyone else is doing or has tried in the past, but something really ‘out the box’ ideas wise.
1st company to make a working holodeck has my money.
:-)
The Von Braun
How do you edit post’s? i meant Dreamcast, not Dramcast..Doh!