Nintendo’s Next Generation Console Revealed, World’s First Wii U Image [Update]
Here’s what the PS3 will have to compete with in 2012 and beyond:
Since the beginning of the year, rumors have been flying around like crazy about Nintendo’s Wii successor. With speculation reaching a fever pitch, the Japanese console manufacturer announced that they would be revealing the device at E3, and now, during their conference they have.
Supposed leaks claimed that the new console would have a controller with a screen on it, be more powerful than the PS3 and even have Blu-ray support. Satoru Iwata initially took to the stage and revealed that “Project Cafe” was real.
Iwata talked about achieving a platform for both casual and core gamers, providing “deeper experiences and wider appeal to gamers, wider than even Wii”.
Reggie Fils-Aime then took to the stage and announced Wii U. Just like the rumors, the device has a controller with a 6.2″ touch screen on it.
Core titles will be coming to the console, all shown with PS3 level graphics. The games shown were:
- Arkham City
- Darksiders 2
- Tekken
- Assassin’s Creed
- Ninja Gaiden 3
- Dirt
- Ghost Recon Online
- Metro: Last Light
- Aliens Colonial Marines
*Update* After their conference, Nintendo revealed a spec list:
Release: 2012
Height of about a width of about 46mm × 172mm × Depth 268.5mm (excluding protrusions)
The new controller is 6.2 inches, 16:9 button controller that combines what is familiar and the touch screen, slide the two pads is attached.
This rechargeable controller power button, HOME button, arrow pad, A / B / X / Y Buttons, L / R buttons, ZL / ZR is attached to the button. In addition, accelerometers, gyroscopes, vibration function, camera, microphone, speakers, sensor unit is equipped with a stylus.
Wii Remote (or Wii Remote +) can simultaneously connect up to 4. Classic Controller and Nunchuk, Classic Controller PRO, and Wii Balance Board, or any input device that corresponds to the Wii controller.
New hardware for high-density optical and 12cm, Wii can play for a 12cm self-loading optical disc (disc type will automatically draw) with a single drive.
1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i compatible. HDMI, Component, D terminal, S-terminal, corresponding to each of the composite cable.
AV Multi-output and output from the HDMI output terminal supports 6CH PCM linear.
In addition to the internal flash memory, SD memory card or external USB can be extended by using the hard drive capacity.
Multicore-based IBM Power ®
4 USB 2.0 has a single pin.
The new hardware backwards compatible Wii games.
Nintendo will be the first to venture into the next generation – something that gave Microsoft a crucial leg up on the PlayStation 3 this console cycle. Should Sony release the PlayStation 4 soon? Or should they stick to their 10 year plan?
Let us know in the comments below.
65 Responses to “Nintendo’s Next Generation Console Revealed, World’s First Wii U Image [Update]”
This thing sucks.
Sony rocks!
looks kinda cool to be honest. sony fanboys cant hate me all they want. i still think sony won E3 easily but Wii U is interesting and something new. if sony was behind this product Randal you would be saying its awesome.
There is a pretty good chance Sony will have features like this in the PSV, it was already shown in the early builds of GT5 that the PSP can stream video from the PS3 to extend the screen. With the PSV being even more connected to the PS3, i can see devs taking advantage of it. The difference being Sony wont have to release another fancy controller to do what WiiU does, PSV can do it all just fine with a software update.
So, if Sony released a controller that was a bigger PSP, i would be just as spiteful.
so basically they are saying now we can compete with Sony and Microsoft graphically for the moment until their next system comes out
Looks pretty cool… The Battlefield 3 footage they showed was running at a smoother framerate than the other footage I have seen. It looked very very cool… I’m excited for it. I buy all the systems though so I feel no need to force one to be better than the other.
Really? you actually think any of those third party games were running on actual WiiU hardware? c’mon , they wouldn’t even reveal the console box, don’t be gullible, Nintendo has hardly finished the hardware let alone the 3rd parties have anything running on it…. It was all games running on one of the HD platforms or PC (as BF3 was, just as it was on the EA show).
This system looks interesting. They better have some exclusives if they want people to buy this. I will not buy multiple copies of the same game if I know my ps3 will handle it better than the Wii U.
Agree with GOSAINTS, they will compete graphicly in like 2 years, and then it will go down again, as it is now
This thing has produced a mixed bag of feeling for me. I don’t know how I feel about it. Also, surprised to see talk about a Nintendo item on Playstation Lifestyle.
Now lets have a good discussion, doesn’t it seem possible that Sony could do the exact thing that Nintendo was trying to get at with the new controller and the PS Vita?
This is exactly what I was thinking. Although the cost for that’ll be a lot higher
i agree the PS Vita (weird name) seems to do the same except that you can take it anywhere and that the Wii U can be used as an exrtra screen while playing the game on ur tv. I wonder with that big screen how much it will cost $150?
correct me if im wrong, i think the PSV has 2 less buttons than what is on the WiiU
But it has 2 touch pads which are both multitouch
I’m not really sure you can call it a next generation console.
Seems more just like a step to becoming a current gen system.
Wait, what else would you call it? You realize that generation doesn’t have anything at all to do with the technology in a system right?
which would explain the wii being a current gen system. this has peaked my interest, for now at least.
Well it depends on how you define when one generation ends and the next begins? None of the other 2 home console producers made a move yet so Nintendo is the first, but this offers nothing more than what’s already been offered from what I see. You could define generation by next in line from a producer, but in that case Nintendo could release 20 the same consoles in a year and call themselves generations ahead. So I agree with tiger.
Also, PSLS covering Nintendo now?
Sony should stick with a 8-10 year plan. I have a buddy who was at the nintendo conference and I think he stated it best it’s more of an iPad than a proper console. It’s an interesting idea, but still want to know a price point. I must admit I was kind of disappointed with the wii U. It’s still early though.
ok so the nintendo conference ended a little while ago and to be honest, it was quite boring.
one thing i noticed during the show (and after) is that nothing, and i mean NOTHING new for the original wii was announced. Not a new game, service or even a small portion of their short (1 hour’ish) conference was dedicated to the wii, except to say how the wii “erased” the borders of the type of people that play video games.
why is that of importance? well it just goes to show that as soon as nintendo has a shiny new toy to show, the previous toy is left to completely die out. i knew that support, games and services were going to quickly die out for the wii, but damn, not this fast!
4 1/2 years is all the support youll get from a nintendo console. while just up to last year, sony was still talking about the ps2 and psp. although the wii U looks interesting, i dont trust nintendo to give it the type of support that sony gives to its consoles.
I know that this was just an unveiling (which kinda wasnt because the console itself wasnt even presented on stage), but it would have been nice to know what their plans are (if any) as far as an online gaming service. since theyre going to be focusing more on “hardcore” games (supposedly), those gamers are naturally going to want to also play online competetively. what will it be called? will it be free?
the idea behind it seems cool, ill admit, and im sure theres a ton of things that can be done with that controller. I may even consider it but first and foremost i’d like to know;
1. price of the console
2. price of the controllers + games
3. strong 3rd party support (mario and zelda alone wont cut it for me)
4. how good would it handle other types of multi media (movies, pics, music, etc)
5. PRICE
to me, price is key. like i said their concept is cool, but showing and actually executing is a whole different thing. and since im skeptical of nintendos lifetime support for their consoles, i obviously dont want to be too heavily invested financially to anything they put out.
Well they must have gone to their Graphics hardware team and said lets take that console we were going to do in 2005 release it now. Nintendo took a cautious step with the Wii and now with the Wii-U they have something to get at the hardcore crowd that they gave up when the released the Wii. With out detailed specs other than IBM Mluti-core (vague), which the Wii already uses I have to expect that they leveraged better graphics through either new or newer graphics hardware.
And the Controller is is backwards compatible to the Wii? and with the new network features like video chat on the controller/console this would get me to buy an additional system for my older mother so we could communicate and with the price drop of the Wii to $150 I would need to buy a new one for me (Black) and send my original white to mom.
I just didn’t think it was that cool, it is the wii HD but with a portable controller that can’t leave your house
Nintendos E3 was lame and the new console didn’t even get a proper introduction, where are their first party launch titles? All we were shown was that they will have good 3rd party support; something they desperately needed. Maybe instead of having 10 minutes devoted to NES zelda chimes they could have dedicated more time to the proper showing of the Wii U(Please re-name it before launch)
It also seems to me that with the technical power of the PS Vita sony could with a little work cook up something similar to what this new controller does.
Overall from a neutral standpoint and as a nintendo fan I was disappointed in the lack of information on the new console and first party exclusives; sure Super Smash Bros was announced but will it be properly adapted to the wii u or will it simply be a port of the 3DS title?
What REALLY sets this apart and makes their consumers have to have it over the other consoles? From what i’ve seen there’s really no reason to buy it over the ps3 other than the casual features it offers with the new controller and in their attempt to target the hardcore crowd they forgot to show 1st party hardcore games, those 3rd party games will go along way to repairing that aspect of nintendos wii rep but the fact of the matter is I can play those same games on the ps3
So this is definitely a weird situation, a void in which it can’t truly be judged until more info releases over time, I hope by the next big gaming event they have alot more information.
Funny after all of this I see people debating who won E3, in the spirit of gaming(which doesn’t matter anymore I guess) sony did imo, they had the most impressive titles catering to both the hardcore and casual crowds for the ps3 and showed phenomenal support for the up coming ps vita. Oh that’s right, sony got hacked and that completely threw them off as a great gaming entertainment provider, sorry guys I forgot that one *sarcasm*
I agree that sony had the better conference this year, but honestly that isnt saying much.
MS’s conference was just painful to watch. LITERALLY painful and awkward. They open up with MW3 (OoOh!!) then the rest of the show is kinect, kinect, kinect. Embarrassing kinect demonstrations, kids fist bumping, dudes playing football (Reeed 32, HiiiiiiKE!!!) incredibly laggy star wars demo, etc.
Sony always keeps it classy and less “douchy”.
uncharted was awesome of course. I was hoping the Vita wouldnt be called Vita, but its growing on me. Plus the reveal of the actual price points made up for the name. I was also intrigued by the 24′ 3D display bundle too. Large selection of first party games, ranging in different genres as well.
I was disappointed that nothing new as far as services were introduced to the ps3. I didnt have anything in particular in mind (or maybe a dvr feature which is supported in europe i believe), but i was hoping for some new features or perhaps a partnership with google for some cool apps (at least a updated web browser!).
All in all, it was a solid show. Nothing to be blown away by, but also nothing of great disappointment. But due to nintendos underwhelming Wii U, id say sony gets a win as far as the best software goes.
Right, it’s ugly, and out dated. I don’t think there is space for 3 consoles people. Imagine the Wii being just like the xbox and PS3, I mean without exclusive motion controller support how successful will it be? They also took their time getting an HD console, the PS3 and Xbox is almost out of their lifetimes and NOW Nintendo releases something new.
Btw, they could still put 3D on the PS Vita, even if it needs glasses. Then the 3DS will also become useless (except if you’re too lazy to take glasses with you).
“Nintendo will be the first to venture into the next generation” Cannot desagree more. The Wii was NOT, in my opinion, a 7th generation gaming console, period.
Hmm was/is that it? Not sure if it will be a hit like the original Wii. They should of called it Wii 2 really to. Oh well. SONY had the best show then i think;)
it seems interesting on somethings but it just feels like their trying to get that tablet market, cause imo it looks like a tablet but with actually buttons on it. Nintendo said its a console but mainly use of a new controller for the wii. their games like batman arkyslum 2 and darksiders 2 is great and all but why would i want to wait a whole year to play those games again on the device when the games are coming out this year already. overall their conference was B. is it me or did this years e3 really felt like a let down? there wasn’t really any OMG! moments from any of the conferences at all it was all mainly things we already knew about.
IMB vs. The Core Processor. Viva Core!
i think its safe to say sony won this years e3.
Looks good, I might buy it however playstation will always have be #1 for me
i will pick my PS Vita over a modified Wii anyday
at long last it does multiplat quality level
at this point it should make the PS3 look dated, but no Ninty goes the gimmick way again
What is this garbage??? I must say this is it Nintendo I Have had it with you, You keep making under powered machines that cant do shit, but it is good to see that, because your going down these next 2 years. 3DS weak 3d, weak battery and hardware, Wii U weak hardware lots of extra cost because of the remote which should be optional with new Wii U’s, finally In the next year or 2, Vita is going to sell more than ds and PS4 and Xbox 720 will sell more than Wii U, (Vita Vs 3ds = Vita is the winner.)(Xbox720 Vs PS4 Vs Wii U= winner either PS4 or Xbox 720)
doesn’t matter how graphical THE WII U is. all the hardcore gamers are gonna stick to the ps3 and xbox 360. Nintendo is more about family and kids and it should stick that way. thats is why they are very successful.
So Nintendo have finally caught up with this generation eh? Well Mario me ol’ buddy, ol’ fella ol’ pal- You’re about 5 years late for the party, and your hat looks ridiculous! (I’m referring to the incredibly bulky looking, PSP/iPAD wannabe controller!) The console looks like an Apple designed mini DVD player, and totally uncool in every way. A games console should look like a mean arse double hard bastard in this day and age!
Nintendo will always be associated with childish games, and no amount of RAM, GHz, Gigabytes, Megabytes, Kilobytes or chicken bytes will ever change my mind on that. And another thing- Who the fuck is funding Nintendo? They release dud after dud (N64, GameCube, 3DS and soon to be Wii U [??]) yet they’re a multi billion dollar gaming giant!
They did help to create PlayStation however
no matter how unintentionally lol.
“dud after dud”
It seems you’ve never heard of the NES, SNES, any of the gameboys, any of the DS’s before the 3DS. I would also argue that N64 was incredible but that’s my bias(although you’ve shown yours why can’t I haha) and calling the gamecube a dud is exaggerating but I think acknowledging the rest of the nintendo hardware disproved you enough.
I would call the GameCube a dud, seeing as how, in market share, it was completely dominated by the PS2. The N64 was the last Nintendo console that really took off prior to the Wii.
Nintendo won with the new console, but Sony definitely showed off better games. Nintendo skipped on all the Wii games like Kirby Wii. Sony showed a bunch of games as well as the new portable system!
i don’t undestand the hate , i love my ps3 as much as any one else but i also enjoy my 360 and wii just as much. its fine if you don’t like a certain other console , but why do you feel the need to come online and bash them instead of just not liking it? also ppl saying it has no hardcore games , it will have assians creed, battlefield 3 , ninja gadien , games that ussally would have stuck to ps3 or 360 because the wii coudln’t handle those games.
but they still have a long way to go , such as
having a real online system (no friend codes)
achivment type system
Looking forward to more news on this. Do want.
Vita can probably end up doing all the things Wii U does. All it will take is some first party Sony developers to go oh wow lets incorporate that too. The Wii U is obviously using DLNA over WI-FI to perform these tasks and anyone streaming music, pics, or video from your desktop to the PS3 already know the PS3 is a DLNA server. We don’t need a new console to end up playing the same games. When those CGI trailers become gameplay and need a little more horsepower to run them without blowing up then it’s time to enter into the PS4 ring.
“Core titles will be coming to the console, all shown with PS3 level graphics.”
That means Nintendo will enter the NEXT generation with graphics of THIS generation? If this is the case, I don’t see Sony or Microsoft in a rush to release their next generation consoles. PS3 is not even 5yo yet. I don’t see Sony entering the next generation before 2013…
I didn’t like the controller… looks heavy and uncomfortable.
My first thought: A lot of people rip into Sony for having an “out-dated controller” or an “awkward” controller. How in the hell is it going to be comfortable to hold a controller like that for more than 10 minutes? It doesn’t form to the hand at all. It looks like an iPad with buttons on it.
I don’t intend on buying the Wii U (did anyone else think of when something smells bad and you say peeeeuuu that stinks?)
Nintendo really dropped the ball if they’re just now releasing a console that can match with the Xbox and PS3 is doing RIGHT NOW, especially since Sony and Microsoft are still working on theirs. You know the PS4 and Xbox720 are going to blow this away.
Why even bother with it?
actually from what i’ve read with hands on detials they say its actually pretty comfortable to hold in your hands , i guess you would know since you’ve held one right?
You guess that I would know that the controller is comfortable because I’ve held one? What are you trying to say? I think I sense sarcasm, but I can’t tell. I’m too busy planning on NOT buying a console that looks like all of the cool electronic trends rolled into one.
well i mean you judging something you haven’t touched or held.
My comment was meant purely from an observational standpoint. Until we can see the controller all the way around, it still just looks like a flat tablet, which can’t be comfortable after a while. It would be like trying to play a video game with a notebook.
With that said, it could still go through changes. Look at Sony’s “boomerang controller” when the PS3 was first announced.
i like the design but not the name. the ps4 should wait 10 more years. only because i think the ps3 can still be enjoyed for a while. i love my ps3 and don’t wanna have to worry about getting a new console. that however is just me
Wow a lot of you people are hilarious in your reasoning. “YOU MEAN THEY AREN’T OUTDOING THE OTHER CONSOLES??? WHO’S GONNA BUY THIS???” Like nobody ever bought a wii lol.
Actally, I never did. If I’m going to spend the $$$ on a new console, I expect it to not be a GameCube with a different name.
LOL what? You know what, I find it even more hilarious that you took a general statement as a direct one, even though I never even implied I was directing it at anybody. Nintendo did something you didn’t like, why U mad?
I understood your comment clearly and how you meant it. I was just stating that I never purchased a Wii. I want to buy a console that’s more powerful than my previous one. The Wii, in my opinion, is just a rehashed GameCube. Will the Wii U sell? It very well could. It may even sell as well as the Wii.
….wait what? Ok, it was me that misunderstood your comment. You were referring to where I said “Like nobody ever bought a Wii”, but I thought you were saying you never said the caps stuff. The reason for that being that I don’t have anything close to an idea of how you not buying a Wii effects that it’s the best selling console this gen. I didn’t even think of the possibility you were replying to that. You see, saying “Like nobody every bought a Wii” is sarcasm, because a crap ton of people have bought a Wii, and people’s comments here don’t change that.
I haven’t decided if this is funnier than what I thought had happened yet, I’ll get back to you.
Nope, definitely knew you were using sarcasm because only an idiot wouldn’t know that the Wii is the best selling console of this generation. Nor do I think my not buying a Wii makes a difference. I was stating that I never bought one as conversational thing, which you clearly misunderstood.
You see, while I understood your sarcasm, I chose to ignore your attempt to be funny or seem more intelligent because I was giving you the benefit of the doubt that you could understand. You could not and I apologize.
Sooo I haven’t decided if you failing reading comprehension is hilarious or sad….I’ll get back you.
“I was stating that I never bought one as conversational thing, which you clearly misunderstood.”
LOLOL Yeah man, of course I misunderstood that because I didn’t think anybody would be stupid enough to do something like that. You thought I would have cared about your conversation???LOL that seals it that’s really the funniest of the day.
You see, responding to sarcasm in a literal way is both completely pointless, and hilarious for the person you’re responding to. Nice try pretending that this is actually something people do and that I should have been ready for it, but you aren’t fooling me.
“Sooo I haven’t decided if you failing reading comprehension is hilarious or sad….I’ll get back you.”
I can certainly tell you this failed attempt at mocking me is sad. Failing reading comprehension? You mean you actually think me not being able to read your mind has to do with reading comprehension? Face it, you wasted your time making a stupid and pathetic response. You’re trying to salvage it by pointing out how YOU totally confused me as a reason for me being an idiot, and it’s failing MISERABLY.
So, since you can’t seem to pass up another attempt at looking smarter than me, or whatever the hell you’re trying to do I don’t even know anymore, lets see what you’ve really got this time.
Ugh, wow, Johnny. And to think I had you pegged as one of the more intelligent commenters on this site.
I would go on and on with you about how I understood your sarcasm for the 10th or 11th time and I could tell you that I was merely trying to start a discussion about whether or not you viewed the Wii as a rehashed GameCube. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Your long winded, poorly written, and terribly punctuated responses has sucked any and all effort I had to want to make you understand that you probably have Down’s Syndrome, you just don’t know it yet.
Arguing with you is more painful than arguing with Shadow-Runner, God rest his soul. At least Shadow knew when to be a dick to make himself seem intelligent. Your attempts to sound intelligent have made you sound retarded.
P.S.
Shhhh, quiet down, Johnny. We’ve heard enough of you.
I would hope it is more powerful than the PS3…but I guarantee the PS4 will be even more powerful. Nintendo, I assume, learned that they can already gain a huge audience from those who remember the Nintendo name when they were kids and like the ease of access that the Wii can provide for their whole family. Between that and their price point that is why the Wii kicked a$$ in sales this generation. However, any smart company would realize that they could basically “own” a generation if they made a console that was as family friendly and pocketbook friendly as the Wii, but also had the capabilities to provide HD graphics and run some more hardcore titles…Nintendo most likely realized this and will be taking full advantage with this next console.
Sony should make a new console like 2 or 3 years. Not cuz of the Wii U, cuz I don’t want Microsoft getting a head start if they make a new one but then again I see no signs of Microsoft making a new console anytime soon.
Uncomfortable control, downgraded graphics from third party and of course rehashed first party games… no interest from me
You got to hold the controller?
Fair enough, its personal opinion but its based off holding a 7 inch tablet at each end of the top corners knowing for me that is way to ackward, there is no weight specs which I’m gonna assume its about the weight of a tablet also
All of those games will be old news for the rest of the world by the time they come out on Wii U. On top of that, next E3 is when we will probably start treading into the next generation of PlayStation and Xbox on the home console front and it will snowball from there.
Wii U is a unique idea, but it will eventually still suffer from poor 3rd party support with a 2012 release, Sony and Microsoft’s next systems releasing and developers moving forward with technology. Nintendo will be right back in the current situation they are now, no matter how innovative the claim the system to be.
no offense to nintendo fans but Nintendo is stupid creating a console to rival software thats been out 4 the last 6 years this just proves that nintendo will basically need to create two consoles every time one of the other publishers make a new one.
Thumbs up if you like WiiU
*Thumbs Up*