Category Archives: Wii U

Wii U might be a HD console, but Reggie Fils-Aim says the controller screen allowing for two screens of gameplay is the main selling point.

Sony and Microsoft probably won't reveal new consoles at E3 2012 meaning Wii U could steal the show, according to one industry expert.

Nintendo will constantly improve the Wii Motion Plus system and use it for future Zelda titles.

Some retailers are speculating that the Wii U could cost around $600, but it seems pure speculation to me. Read on for more info.

Eiji Aonuma tells us that gamers should expect big things from the upcoming Wii U Zelda.

The New Wii U Zelda could be out within three years, according to Eiji Aonuma.

EA Chief Operating Officer Peter Moore says he's very excited about the Wii U's online mode. Check inside for more details.

According to an inside Nintendo source, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata is on the "ejection seat". This comes at a time when Iwata took personal responsibility for the mediocre 3DS sales by voluntarily slashing his own salary. The following quotes are from an interview with an unknown Nintendo employee, conducted by 01Net. This is all translated from French to English via Google Translate, so it doesn't read particularly well but you can still discern the overall message.

"If we are to believe our source, the chairman of the board, Satoru Iwata, is now in very delicate position, if not on an ejection seat. Iwata is generally appreciated by the staff of the company, many employees worried about his fate. Also according to our source, the fact that he publicly assumed responsibility for a difficult start to the 3DS and voluntarily cut his salary in half may not be enough to save his place in the medium term.

After our interview, we could not stop us from asking what our source had indeed been as feverish motivate and unusual revelations. He replied almost verbatim: `It's sort of a political act. As an employee of Nintendo, I have dedicated my life to this company. Given the turn of things, many of us fear what the future holds. If I address you, because I think the players and the shareholders deserve to know what happens behind the scenes. I think they represent our best chance to drive the necessary changes to Nintendo finally takes radical decisions necessary to adapt to new market constraints. I do not think that the situation can continue long in that state. We must completely rethink our policy of cooperation with developers and publishers. We must offer them the means to give the best of themselves. They are more likely than ever to want to work with us, but the conditions we provide are for the time being the least favorable in the industry. I do not think they will stay very long if we do not make a decisive move in their direction."

It seems that a lot is going on behind the scenes at Nintendo, and not even shareholders are sure what's going on. That Nintendo are still not keen on third-party developers is quite surprising to me, given the announcement of the Wii U, a console that will have much greater direct competition from Sony and Microsoft than the Wii. But even this troubled employee has plenty of faith left in Nintendo:

"The difficulties are real, sometimes critical, and should not be underestimated. But if the necessary reforms are implemented, I believe that Nintendo will remain the leader in its field for much longer. No competitor has such a range of characters and franchises universally adored - to the envy of Disney - or such a capacity to create new ones, as strong in the future. Out a portable machine dedicated to the game but equipped with one analog stick in 2011 was a mistake. The fact that we have recognized, and we do what is necessary to remedy this, let me suggest that 3DS has before it many years of success.

Smartphones continue on their way, but I think it will exist long been a separate market for machines that care primarily of players.

As for the Wii U, despite its serious problems of development - you can be sure - will be resolved, it is probably the best idea we have had for ages.

The press, like players, do not seem to fully realize the potential of this revolutionary machine. It's a whole new way to create and play before us. And given the graphics quality achieved by the hardware of the present generation, I think the technical superiority of our future competitors in the market for machinery room will not weigh heavily in the balance, faced with what we will bring in terms of gameplay. The Wii U is the future of gaming. You will soon realize it!"

Will the Wii U be the future of gaming? For me, I don't see how it is, albeit I like the average person know little about the console. The controller screen is kind of cool, and it's great to see a dedicated online mode (and without stupid friend codes) but what does the Wii U truly offer except for access to new software developed by Nintendo? Hopefully, like the employee suggests, we will find out soon. I think the sales of the 3DS over the next few months, plus the sales of Skyward Sword, will be a good indicator of what consumers think about Nintendo's future.

Source: NeoGAF via Nintendo Buzz

Lead Zelda developer Eiji Aonuma sat down with Nintendo Power to discuss the Wii U. He mentioned a few brief comments about the upcoming Wii U Zelda. Nothing too exciting here, just a generic hint about how the Wii U controller might be used in the game. Here's what he said:

"I really think [having two screens is] one of the most exciting features of the system. Unlike the Nintendo DS, there's distance between the television and you and your other screen. That really allows for some different interactions, some of which you saw [at E3]. For example, imagine having the contents of Link's satchel available to you on the screen of your controller, and using elements of the pouch to interact with gameplay on the television.

With The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, we had the Nunchuck and Wii Remote sort of stand in for the sword and shield that Link carries. But in a game for the Wii U, I can definitely see something like the controller itself becoming the different items that Link is using, allowing you to interact with the game world and with the game items in a very different way."

Nintendo listed the following games as in active development for the Wii U. They should all be out within a fairly short space of time after the Wii U is released. There's no Zelda or Mario games on the list, though it seems unlikely for a Zelda game to come out so quickly after Skyward Sword.

Pikmin 3
Smash Bros.
Lego City Stories
Darksiders II
Ninja Gaiden III: Razor’s Edge
Batman: Arkham City
New Ubisoft FPS IP (Untitled)
New Ubisoft multi-sports family IP (Untitled)
Ghost Recon Online
Assassin's Creed
Rayman Raving Rabbids