An interesting point to emerge from the Nintendo Investor meeting is that the 3DS could be used as a controller for the Wii U. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata was asked if it was possible and replied:
I will say that it is technically possible. However, there are some limitations: While the Nintendo 3DS is communicating with the Wii or the Wii U, the Wii or the Wii U will not be able to access the Internet, this technical restriction will remain unless we add some special hardware.
Sounds like the addition of a second wireless network card would fix the problem, however there is another reason why they have decided against using the 3DS as controller – Nintendo do not want to be seen as ‘forcing’ people to buy a 3DS .
If software from Nintendo for the Wii or the Wii U system could not be enjoyed without the Nintendo 3DS, some consumers might feel that Nintendo is saying that consumers must buy both systems.
Even if we should do this, we would like to develop this service so that we will not receive comments from consumers saying, “Why does Nintendo force us to buy both systems?”
Source: Nintendo
ProjectJAY
Three screens at once = head asplode.
colmshan1990
They could always go the Sony route of not forcing developers to do it, but allowing it as an alternate control system.
Resistance and Killzone don’t force fans of shooters to buy a move, but the option is there.
Klart
Indeed. It’s a lame excuse.
nyobzoo
with this, if Nintendo can do it with the Wii-U and 3DS, I don’t see why people say Sony can’t do it with the Ps3 and Vita
Kled
So, if technically is possible…
PS3//360 = WiiU = N3DS?
No thx, I won’t buy such a damn lie, lmao.
TROPtastic
Well not quite. The 3DS would most likely function as a low resolution screen displaying what the main console (the WiiU) pushes to it. So I don’t think the 3DS would actually be doing any rendering if it was hooked up to the WiiU.
Kled
Well, if they just want a ‘small resolution screen’… Why not a tablet? There’s tons of them with HUGE processors ATM.
Dont get me wrong, WiiU will sell MILLIONS of units… But how many people will actually KNOW what they are buying? Not many, I bet.
Saw some stuff today on the news here in Spain, some convention dunno where… The games they were playing, the stuff they were doing… Absolute bullsh*t, many people will like it, but for the same reasons than Wii, I dont see the point, if you want to just have some fun, to buy a WiiU if you already have a Wii.
hazelam
more like they took the cheap option once again.
i’m still betting that thing won’t play CDs
Crocadillian
This is just stupid. It is VERY EASY to communicate if you want to. You are just giving options here, as well as giving people who have shamefully bought one of of your consoles something else apart from some gimmicks, this is common sense.
I thought after seeing the demo videos that I might buy this console, as I like to see the output from different consoles, but after hearing these stories, I hope this doesn’t sell well just to wake them up. I wonder whether the idea to not use a unified online system was also primarily a cost cutting measure…
hazelam
actually i think nintendo just don’t have a clue about what people what from an online service.
Foxhound
Shite.
Darksidesystems
Hi, Nintendo? Reality phoned earlier and wants to know why you won’t return its calls
enroene
like.