EA Sports boss and part-time cat Peter Moore has stated that Nintendo understands the importance of online multiplayer, despite all evidence to the contrary. Moore thinks the Wii U represents a "huge" online commitment.
"It's critically important to us and we are relieved, if anything else, that they have made a huge [online] commitment that they have presented to us," said the feline executive to Industry Gamers. "Online certainly was not a factor with the Wii, as you know; although they had capabilities, it just wasn't there at the level that both Xbox Live and PlayStation had. But I think Nintendo totally gets that multiplayer, building community, co-op play, having the ability to bring games that are deeper -- all of these things are now very important."
Moore also argued that the Wii U won't be a "transitional" console: "People will start talking about it being a transitional platform. And I don’t think that’s going to be the case, and here’s why. I think the [tablet] controller [is huge]. This is not about specs anymore... This is about, as it was with the Wii, is the controller a unique way of enjoying a game experience, regardless of what the graphic fidelity is?"
The thing is, I think people are getting over that whole "unique controller" thing. Will Nintendo make lightning strike twice and have the mainstream consumer go as ga-ga over tablet controls as it did for motion? It seems unlikely.
Nintendo Wii U Won't Be 'Transitional' Platform, says Peter Moore [Industry Gamers]
Contest:
11:15 AM on 08.09.2011 | 
...why?
It seems too early to tell ether way, and the people do love their tablet-thingies.
It's not the same as iTablets and such...
It will play ACTUAL Games.
(insert iOS/mobile/ tablet attack here)
Besides, it already looks like the PS Vita will serve a similar function as the Wii U controller anyway. It won't be as widely utilised given that not every PS3 owner will have a Vita, but it still takes the edge off the Wii U.
I will buy it for Mario, Zelda, and Kirby, effectively paying $300(?) for the price of entry into these classic franchises; I'm just not expecting much out of it.
Friend codes?
Oh yeah, they totally get it.
"Only one is supported per console, and it's not even multi-touch (something Apple had standard on their devices about 3 years ago)."
ATI claims it can suppor 4 video streams simultaneously, and Nintendo hasn't decided on this yet. Hardware-wise, there's nothing stopping the system from supporting 2 or 3 controllers; it's an image problem for them.
And the reson it's not multitouch is because of the stylus, not the tech being old. Resistive doesn't do multi-touch, and capacitive doesn't do stylus.
It's lame, but that's their thinking.
And that's even if they decide to make something that much more powerful. Visually speaking there's really not THAT much more room to grow into. Witcher 2 is already by far the prettiest game out there and that's not THAT much more intensive (ubersampling aside) than other stuff on the market.
Yeah it "huge" all right,as in too big to provide a comfortable gaming experience.
What Nintendo "needs" to do to get "me" to buy this console is, provide a modern "standard" control pad,More mature 1st party titles(along side the standard Re-hashed casual classics)and a Quality FREE Online experience similar to PSN/XBL.
If they do the above, I will buy this console. Don't and I'll stick with PS360 Until the next gen releases.
I bought this for $10 as an overstock place as a wired keyboard for my PS3....horrbily huge
Really, so than why did 10 million people just buy Kinects in less than 6 months? I think core gamers are getting over the whole “unique controller thing” as in they're not so apposed to them anymore, because everyone has them now. There really isn't anything all that unique about the Wii U controller though. It just has everything that you would want, touchscreen, motion, rumble, proper buttons and analog sticks. So I don't really think that the Wii U controller, is all that unique. It just brings the best of both world together, which isn't that what the Wii U, is all about? It will please both the casual and core gamers, all on one machine?
Have game downloads linked to a Club Nintendo account. We already know it's possible, because they already are, or, at least it's connected to the account so that they know which games you download so you can get points for them.
Somehow, I doubt they will.
Looks like it'll live up to its name, in that, like the original Wii, I will buy this after -five years- of price drops and all of -seven games- I would actually want to play are released on the darn thing.
Moving on...
The statement "Online certainly was not a factor with the Wii, as you know; although they had capabilities, it just wasn’t there at the level that both Xbox Live and PlayStation had" says it all. They had nothing and they still fail to realise that.
"Now with the WiiU, if they bring out more powerful systems, developers are going to develop with the WiiU in mind for any multiplatform game. They won't be amazingly outclassed or anything."
And this is a *huge* problem. Development with current consoles is already a massive handicap. If Wii U is intending to hold development hostage in this gen even longer (though with Microsoft's delusion that 360 is only halfway through its lifespan it kinda already is) we can definitely expect the market to fall apart.
I don't want to pretend that i know whats going on in your headquarters but i'm dead-certain that the online part of the Wii U is gonna disappoint. Because you always think you're right with what you're doing or you still think just because you are NINTENDO, its gonna be allright. Sadly a LOT of reviewers are on your side and blindy give Nintendo Games score they don't deserve anymore. Mario Galaxy, yay, nice, new concept of a mario game with gravity, miniplanets and stuff. Ok great. YEA WELL THATS IT WITH IMPROVEMENTS. Galaxy deserves its scores. Zelda..does not anymore. It just does not offer anything new besides a texture pack and 2, 3 new gimmicks basically. I loved Zelda. I played Skyward Sword at Gamescom and you know what? It bored the hell out of me. Maybe the Demo was crap, i don't know. Just wasn't fun. Everytime you bump into something with your stupid bug you have to fly the whole way all over again which is just frustrating with monsters lurking directly behind a corner. Camera was a disaster too. But your japanese so i guess its normal that you don't improve what "works".
I'm quite certain nothing will change with the Wii U. You will get your Mario (maybe mario galaxy 3 :P) and definetly a new Zelda and Kirby. And maybe at some point Smash Brothers but you know, i used to play Street Fighter 2, Killer Instinct, Earthworm Jim on your old SNES. The Wii just sits there on my shelf, being used only a couple of times a year and then it collects dust again. Its not only YOUR GAMES i look forward on a Nintendo System, but everything else, with Nintendo Games being a exclusive treat but nowadays you expect me to survive on Mario and Zelda alone? I kind of hate what you made out of yourself. And you look like old apple systems :P