News Post

Nintendo Announces New Console: Wii U

01:38 PM - June 7, 2011 by 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!

Member Comments

# 1 jagsrock95 @ 06/07/11 02:02 PM

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

# 2 z4ckdabeast @ 06/07/11 02:35 PM

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

# 3 therockstar2005 @ 06/07/11 03:54 PM

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.

# 4 DCDuck @ 06/07/11 04:42 PM

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

# 5 pietasterp @ 06/07/11 04:58 PM

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...

# 6 Smoke316 @ 06/07/11 05:48 PM

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

# 7 sniperhare @ 06/07/11 06:03 PM

Nintendo just pulled a Dreamcast. Watch Sony and Microsoft announce they are working on new consoles next year and once again leave Nintendo in the dust.

# 8 shadthedad @ 06/07/11 06:36 PM

I'm extremely excited about the wiiU! I blogged about the possibilities of this system for sportsngamng when it was code named-the project cafe. This will be an excellent addition to gaming and I for one can't wait to see the innovations they have made to their online offerings.

# 9 jagsrock95 @ 06/07/11 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniperhare


	Nintendo just pulled a Dreamcast. Watch Sony and Microsoft announce they are working on new consoles next year and once again leave Nintendo in the dust.

haha I dont think nintendo was ever in the dust sir. If I recall it's Sony and microsoft that spent this e3 and last e3 just trying to catch up with motion controls while the wii sold like craaazy. now with the Wii U you get beautiful graphics and yet another inovation from nintendo that's gonna have Sony and microsoft yet again scrabbling to keep up. sure they might have even better graphics in two or three years but seriously I think graphics are at the point now where any improvement won't really be groundbreaking. Just Imagine what Nintendo can do now that it has all this third party support lined up along with the some of the best first party titles available. THings are lookin good for the BIG N

# 10 squadron supreme @ 06/07/11 09:42 PM

Its interesting because Nintendo won the console wars with the Wii selling so well but it never translated into third party developers jumping on the system and getting big software sells. The Wii u looks to solve that problem with hardware thant can handle the Maddens, Assasins Creed and Arkam City of this hardware generation. The question is what will third parties do with the Wii u controller. Nintendo has always figured out how to make games fun with their out of the box controller designs see the Nintendo 64, Gamecube, Wii and even Virtual Boy. Third parties no so much which is why those systems lacked the support. If other developers outside of Nintendo can't find ways to use the new controller then what is innovative becomes cumbersome.

# 11 sniperhare @ 06/07/11 11:00 PM

Who cares about motion controls? They are gimmicks that won't make gamers happy until they deliver 1:1 movement recognition. Nintendo might have sold a lot of consoles, but how many of those people never bought anything other than 1 or 2 games?

And squadron supreme are you paid by Nintendo? The Wii, 64, Gamecube all have terrible controllers. And the Virtual Boy is one of their biggest flops.

# 12 waytofailself @ 06/08/11 12:24 AM

You all seem to be shooting from the hip, so let me drop some knowledge on you all (but post #13 is too far down to read):

1) The controller is not the system. There is a separate console. The console also allows for use of wii remotes, nunchucks (so you don't have to throw away those controllers), but the Wii U tablet is the peripheral they wanted to focus on today. It is single touch -- but then again you do have buttons all around it to do what a lot of multi touch phones wish they could do.

2) The Wii U is stronger than the PS3/360. Initial reports say the tech inside the machine is very powerful. Substantially more so than the current HD systems. And its output is 1080p from the box. The demos they showed today were 360/PS3 footage because the builds for the games are still early. But all indications are that the system is stronger than any non PC system currently available.

3) Currently only 1 tablet can be used to control the game at a time. This will make local multiplayer pretty awkward when one person has the benefit of calling plays in a sports game on the tablet and the other on a TV. hopefully it doesn't stay this way.

4) The system does not have an internal hard drive. However, it does support attaching an external hard drive via USB.

5) The dreamcast comparisons are overblown. Getting out the gate early didn't hurt MS with the 360 did it? The same comparisons were levied there. No, the Dreamcast failed for two reasons 1) financial blunders by SEGA that far predated the Dreamcast, and 2) rampant piracy. All you needed was a CDR and a burner.

6) This thing won't be coming out til next year. Probably not until after the next E3. Expect more game reveals and stuff then -- today's announcement was more of a "this is what's coming."

I'm kinda excited about it, but it won't be a day 1 purchase. I'm still very miffed at Nintendo for saying nothing about Xenoblade NA localization. I've been waiting on that for a looong time, and it's already translated to English for a EU release.

# 13 squadron supreme @ 06/08/11 12:24 AM

@sniperhare
You missed the whole point. The best games on all of those systems even the virtual boy were all Nintendo first party titles and used the unique controller for each system well. The various Zelda's, Mario's and Super Smash Brothers all played well it was the third party games which struggled on how to best utilize the controller. Nintendo has a track record for getting the most out of its controllers other developers don't thats a fact. With the Wii u controller I can see Nintendo doing some cool things with it other developers not so much.

# 14 jagsrock95 @ 06/08/11 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniperhare


	Who cares about motion controls? They are gimmicks that won't make gamers happy until they deliver 1:1 movement recognition. Nintendo might have sold a lot of consoles, but how many of those people never bought anything other than 1 or 2 games? And squadron supreme are you paid by Nintendo? The Wii, 64, Gamecube all have terrible controllers. And the Virtual Boy is one of their biggest flops.

apparently microsoft and sony care about motion controls they wasted most of their e3 on it lol.

# 15 EtheRed @ 06/19/11 11:30 AM

Now is the WiiPad going to be able to play Itunes? I think Nintendo needs to pull a Sega and scrap making last gen consoles and just sell there license to everyone else. I think I have less desire to play a Nintendo console each time one comes out. It's really quite funny to watch them make horrible choices and falling behind further and further every console cycle. (saying this I know millions will sell, but come on)

(At least the Dreamcast was worth money and did have some ridiculously amazing games. Sega just couldn't afford it.)

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Nintendo Announces New Console: Wii U