Nintendo Announces New Console: Wii U

[RaychelSnr]

As expected Nintendo announced today at their E3 press conference a new console that looks to be trying to redefine the gaming experience in the living room once again.

The console features a new controller (pic below) that contains a 6" LCD touch screen and can function as a standalone display for the console if need be (or can function in any number of other ways such as drawing plays on the fly in Madden perhaps). The controller will also feature an inward facing camera, which will allow for video chat, perhaps even in-game.

The Wii U will be backwards compatible, able to play all Wii games as well as the console's new games. John Riccitiello took the stage at the Nintendo Press Conference, signaling to many that EA will be working closely with Nintendo to develop meaningful apps for their new console.

The Wii U video shown at the press conference briefly showed clips of a version of DiRT for Nintendo's new console.

What do you think? Does Nintendo have your attention with this new console? What do you think about the new controller? Let us know!

[jagsrock95]

nintendo knocked it out the park with this one, can't wait to finally play madden on a nintnedo system again haha

[z4ckdabeast]

Basically, they made the DS into a full-blown console?

[goh]

I think they should've shown some 3rd party games I can't already play on the 360/PC I have now. I also think the name is absolutely ridiculous.

[therockstar2005]

It's a cool idea, and I liked seeing Zelda in HD. But I really think the success of this system is going to come down to cost, third-party support, as well as what Microsoft and Sony wind up doing. If they're really invested in Kinect and Move as the new "systems" and the true next generation doesn't begin for another 5 years (and this is a relatively good possibility given costs of systems and games right now, the general state the gaming market like all markets is in, in addition to comments from both Sony and Microsoft), then I think the Wii U (again, crazy stupid name) will be a cool system at least, and maybe a serious competitor to the other HD systems.

However, if in a couple of years the PS4 and next Xbox come out, I honestly think Nintendo will be screwed. Even if their new console is more powerful than a PS3, it doesn't seem to be immensely more powerful, and if they're looking to break back into a hardcore market, then their system is going to have to be close to the range of the competition if the third party support is really going to be there. Nintendo doesn't need to worry about exclusive first or third-party games; they need to get the games that everyone else has, whether tailored for the system or not (see: lack of quality sports titles that don't involve golf clubs). The handheld screen is an interesting idea (kind of like an iPad attached to a system), and it could have some great uses, but it's going to be tossed by the wayside for hardcore gaming if Sony and Microsoft up the processing power very soon and Nintendo falls behind again. I had a Wii for a while, and it was fun, but I got fed up with not having the same third-party games that the other systems had, and I cannot help but worry that the same could happen here.

All of that said, it was good to see EA's presence up there. EA's had a pretty hit and miss relationship with Nintendo for the past couple of generations. If they're really on board (even though they were supposedly on board with the Wii), it could be a good sign.

[DCDuck]

Nintendo swings and misses... again. Why would anyone want to invest in a console where replacing a broken controller would cost $100 or more?

[pietasterp]

I dunno...that controller just seems way too big to be comfortable for any length of time. It appears to be too big and bulky, and it's not clear that too many games will benefit from the on-controller screen. Calling plays in football, locating pitches in baseball...that's about it, really. Although showing that fried-egg lie in the sand for the golf game was pretty cool.

Who knows, I was wrong about the success of the Wii, but I don't see that many Wii-type players scrambling to buy this new system. The Wii was a one-off thing; those housewives and nursing homes are just fine with the Wii and WiiSports they've had, and it doesn't seem to me they'll really be looking to buy another system. Given that that's where they made huge strides, I'm not sure where that leaves them at this point...

[Smoke316]

I have a feeling the Tablet controller is more of a peripheral than an actually controller. I could see one those coming with the system and maybe two other normal controllers as well. Not everyone is going to want to use that tablet all that time to be honest.

That being said i think its a great idea lol