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Rumor: Wii U slower than PS3 and Xbox 360, release date leaked
According to GamesIndustry International and two of its sources, the Wii U is expected to have unimpressive graphics hardware. In relation to the Playstation 3 and Xbox, "the graphics are just not as powerful." stated an anonymous developer from GamesIndustry. A second developer who works for a "major company" corroborated this opinion, adding that although it is more modern, there aren't as many shaders. The Wii U just "can't quite keep up", the source said.
Since we're talking about rumors, WiiUDaily has also reported what they believe to be the Wii U's launch date: November 18, 2012. According to WiiUDaily, this date comes from an internal Media Land memo, one of the largest video game shops in Japan.
It's interesting to note that in 2006, the original Wii launched on November 19. Both dates fall on the third Sunday of November.
Given the long stretch of time that exists between current-gen and next-gen consoles, we've all come to expect each iteration to be vastly superior to its predecessor. Superior in what way, though? In an industry where high-end performance is necessary to push impressive graphics, speed has traditionally been paramount. In recent years however, there seems to be a growing expectation of innovation as well. A good example of this is the Wii itself, when it disrupted the long-held status quo of console gaming with its motion-sensitive controllers. Nintendo may be trying to replicate that success by shaking up the gaming establishment once more, but this time with tablets.
A good reason for a slower console, explains GamesIndustry, may be cost. When compared to a traditional or even motion-sensitive controller, Wii U's tablet-based controller must be far more expensive to manufacture. I believe most of us know what a cut-throat industry console gaming is. Nintendo may have decided to scale back on the Wii U's graphics hardware in order to retain its unique, tablet-centric vision, yet keep the system affordable.
User Comments: 33
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hey thats my system lol!
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DAOWAce - Forgive me, because I think I am not understanding your point. You are saying console hardware was behind PC games years ago, and its worse now. So the Wii U being worse than current consoles is REALLY bad?
I understand that, but I also don't think that is what Nintendo is going for.
At first when I heard this news, I was pretty disappointed, I have been a Nintendo fan since the NES was too expensive for me to buy when I was a kid. When the Wii looked like a Gamecube I was saddened. But I still got a Wii, and I still play it occationally, although its for simple party games, not 'real' games as computer users know.
Now the Wii outsold PS3 and XBox360 despite being inferior. So, thinking about that has made me reconsider my thoughts on the Wii U. It may be technically inferior in many ways. But is it innovative enough to make up for that? And what audience is it going for?
Continuing my thoughts, I'm 31, I grew up with pretty much all the consoles. I imagine people 10-15 years younger than me grew up with N64 or PS1. In any case, we saw an evolution of consoles. I wonder though, if this is the wrong way to look at things, looking at gaming along that evolution line may be impractical. Maybe Nintendo sees a different future, a future more geared to kids aged 5-12 for gaming.
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If all you have is mario on there does it need to be faster. Nintendo 8 bit did the job why shouldn't this?
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Where is the affordable thing?To buy another system that was supposed to be released 3 years ago?I'm not going to waste money just because a bunch o brats get excited for whatever gimmick this company release to fanboy fools.
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Man, are most tech users this insecure?
Anyone that enjoys a device that doesn't have the greatest specs ever, but has a good UI and is fun to use is immediately a "fanboy" or better yet a "fanboi".
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Let me be shocked... Nintendo not on the cutting edge of performance...
Nintendo has more and more pushed towards casual and widening the market for gamers, with good success. I'm sure this will be no different. Nintendo has brought older generations that were not previously gamers into the fold.
I'll be waiting to see the next Sony and Microsoft consoles. I'm hoping they don't blunder it up and go with "always online" models as has been rumored, as this could eliminate many potential sales to people in areas with poor internet connectivity still.
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Who started this Mario vs. COD crap? I love both of those games, and the same goes for many others. The only reason that Nintendo is leading in console sales is because they have the cheapest and most family friendly consoles. The exact same thing will happen in this console generation (more or less). The Wii may only have 480p output, but Games like SSBB and Skyward Sword look and play awesome on it. Orbis and Durango (720) will pwn the Wii U graphics-wise, but the Wii U will still win for the exact same reasons the Wii did. I personally think that consoles with more power should win. Nintendo should just make games, because their games are great, but not their consoles. Imagine playing SSBB over PSN or Mario Kart over Xbox Live. That should be our future. If you are sick of console wars, then get a PC and use emulators.
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Guest said:
Who started this Mario vs. COD crap? I love both of those games, and the same goes for many others. The only reason that Nintendo is leading in console sales is because they have the cheapest and most family friendly consoles. The exact same thing will happen in this console generation (more or less). The Wii may only have 480p output, but Games like SSBB and Skyward Sword look and play awesome on it. Orbis and Durango (720) will pwn the Wii U graphics-wise, but the Wii U will still win for the exact same reasons the Wii did. I personally think that consoles with more power should win. Nintendo should just make games, because their games are great, but not their consoles. Imagine playing SSBB over PSN or Mario Kart over Xbox Live. That should be our future. If you are sick of console wars, then get a PC and use emulators.
Sorry this is single handily the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, by definition you think the system with the most power has the right to develop there next system, but the system that will be released almost an entire year before hand with most likely the highest sales and revamped servers for the likes of games like COD, has to become a software only developer, (you have issues if you think Nintendo will ever become a software only company, they would rather kill Mario than see it on another system, they have been going for over 100 years they know more than you!) Sorry thats a very childish remark and people like you still don't see how brand competition is increasing quality and decreasing prices for the consumer.
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