Support NeoGAF

[AceBandage]

the controller is going to be expensive as hell and they don't want to pull a PS3 with the pricing of the Wii U. That's why they are probably going to be a little conservative when it comes to the horsepower. Why do some people still not understand this?

You're horribly over estimating how much the controller costs to compare it to the launch price of the PS3.

 

[herzogzwei1989]

the controller is going to be expensive as hell and they don't want to pull a PS3 with the pricing of the Wii U. That's why they are probably going to be a little conservative when it comes to the horsepower. Why do some people still not understand this?

I'm not worried at all, I expect a $299 or $349 pricepoint, but yeah, those controllers ARE going to be expensive.

 

[Father_Brain]

Reminder that Nintendo is issuing its Q1 earnings tomorrow (tonight in the US). While I certainly wouldn't expect any substantive Wii U announcements yet, there should be a few interesting tidbits that emerge from the Iwata presentation and the following Q&A.

edit: To be clear, the Iwata presentation will probably be Friday or early next week, not tomorrow.

 

[Axkil aka StabMasterArson]

the controller is going to be expensive as hell and they don't want to pull a PS3 with the pricing of the Wii U. That's why they are probably going to be a little conservative when it comes to the horsepower. Why do some people still not understand this?

This might be true, except this is 2011. They could go a few times more powerful than PS360 and still get away with a $299.00 price tag(game n controller included), and still have noticeably superior graphics.

 

[mokeyjoe]

the controller is going to be expensive as hell and they don't want to pull a PS3 with the pricing of the Wii U. That's why they are probably going to be a little conservative when it comes to the horsepower. Why do some people still not understand this?

I don't think an LCD SD panel of that size is likely to cost as much as you think. Given past form I would be surprised if the Wii U launched at more than their competitors.

 

[bgassassin]

Reminder that Nintendo is issuing its Q1 earnings tomorrow (tonight in the US). While I certainly wouldn't expect any substantive Wii U announcements yet, there should be a few interesting tidbits that emerge from the Iwata presentation and the following Q&A.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[BurntPork]

Maybe it's the pessimist in me, but that doesn't sound promising at all.

"Hey, this new system can do everything the systems released 6 years ago can!" Here's hoping they don't use that as the sales pitch :/

I have to agree. If at this point devs are still unsure if they can say that it's more powerful that the current gen, Nintendo's most likely going the Wii route again. I'm expecting this to be to current gen what the Wii was to last-gen (though slightly better due to DX10-level features, and I think we're going to end up with third-party support that's only slightly better than Wii. Nintendo probably thinks they'll strike lightning again, which is understandable. *sigh*

The online comment is promising, though, and it makes the "wild west" stuff that GAF seems so sure about seem less likely.

 

[TheNatural]

You're horribly over estimating how much the controller costs to compare it to the launch price of the PS3.

I agree. I mean hey look:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Alurate...hite/2008088.p?id=1218305635963&skuId=2008088

8 in High def screen media player with 4GB storage for $100. I mean it's not like having a screen automatically means its going to cost a crapload.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Seeing as they keep tweaking the hardware, I hope one of the major things they get in feedback is that developers would like a multitouch screen... I mean, maybe they don't, maybe the precision of stylus control will make them stick with what they have, but I just think it would be a nicer thing to play with if it was multitouch. If they choose the right wafer setup in their resistive screens, its actually still possible to pull off using that tech..

 

[Easy_D]

Seeing as they keep tweaking the hardware, I hope one of the major things they get in feedback is that developers would like a multitouch screen... I mean, maybe they don't, maybe the precision of stylus control will make them stick with what they have, but I just think it would be a nicer thing to play with if it was multitouch. If they choose the right wafer setup in their resistive screens, its actually still possible to pull off using that tech..

I don't see why Multitouch would be required, I mean you're pretty much going to use the left hand to control the game using the slidepad.

 

[BurntPork]

I agree. I mean hey look:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Alurate...hite/2008088.p?id=1218305635963&skuId=2008088

8 in High def screen media player with 4GB storage for $100. I mean it's not like having a screen automatically means its going to cost a crapload.

When people see the controller, they immediately think of a tablet and think that it'll cost as much as one. I've seen people say that it'll cost $250 MINIMUM. It's crazy!

 

[bgassassin]

Seeing as they keep tweaking the hardware, I hope one of the major things they get in feedback is that developers would like a multitouch screen... I mean, maybe they don't, maybe the precision of stylus control will make them stick with what they have, but I just think it would be a nicer thing to play with if it was multitouch. If they choose the right wafer setup in their resistive screens, its actually still possible to pull off using that tech..

I want to see two Upad controller for one game before that happens. Maybe EA will be to Nintendo what Epic was to MS.

 

[Shikamaru Ninja]

They aren't putting any real development into the Wii, and haven't been for a while. Nintendo's teams are either on 3DS games or on Wii U. With how a lot of the 3DS games are outsourced or from new/smaller studios, you can bet most are on Wii U at the moment.

Rhythm Tengoku Wii (sakamoto group) and Zelda: Skyward Sword (aonuma group) are real games developed inhouse in Nintendo's Kyoto building. Wii Play Motion too if you consider that (sakamoto group) Teeter Targets was developed inhouse, while the other games were produced in collaboration with partners.

But for EAD. Zelda is obviously a big project. Mario Kart and Super Mario are likely too. Animal Crossing 3D. Then you have people working on New Super Mario Bros HD, Pikmin 3, Wii Fit HD, Wii Sports HD, and a bunch of experiments like Galactic Fighters / Battle Mii, Chase Mii, and Wii Play HD. (Checkers, Chess, Go, etc). Basically there is R&D scattered everywhere.

 

[[Nintex]]

Basically there is R&D scattered everywhere.

I think this'll be quite a problem in the future at least untill they finish their new building. As seen by other developers HD games take quite a bit of time to develop and I think Nintendo underestimates what their competition has been doing for a while now. Take Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess if Zelda Wii U ends up with the same development troubles the ongoing development would be much more expensive.

 

[Jorok Goldblade]

the controller is going to be expensive as hell and they don't want to pull a PS3 with the pricing of the Wii U. That's why they are probably going to be a little conservative when it comes to the horsepower. Why do some people still not understand this?

I wouldn't worry too much about the controller cost impacting the power of the hardware.

Controllers are typically marked way up in price in order to recoup money lost on the console early in its life (Sony and Microsoft) or because they like making profit. Remember- Nintendo is the company that sells the Wii Wheel for $10 and the Zapper for $25.

According to ign, the wii remote ($40) is manufactured for $6

http://gear.ign.com/articles/116/1162204p1.html

Even with the lowest quality components, a controller with an integrated 720p HD or greater display would require an MSRP of $80 or more. Aside from the cost of the display itself, Nintendo would have to use a built-in processor to control the display, not to mention additional chipsets for wireless connectivity. According to sources with knowledge of peripheral production, a controller of that complexity could easily cost $25 in factory costs alone, whereas a wireless Wiimote is estimated to cost Nintendo only $6 per unit. On the other hand, if Nintendo really wanted to push the concept, they could forfeit a portion of the markup to keep retail costs down.

So if the Wiimote costs $6 and retails for $40, we can extrapolate some possible price points from the estimated manufacturing cost of $25:

Same percentage markup (667%) = MSRP $166
Same profit margin ($34) = MSRP $59

So it is fully possible for Nintendo to sell this controller in the $60-$80 range, assuming they don't get too greedy. And the price for the controller will only affect the price of the system in terms of manufacturing costs, not retail. It could be used as justification to charge $350 instead of $300, but it will be nowhere near PS3 launch pricing.

 

[Shikamaru Ninja]

I think this'll be quite a problem in the future at least untill they finish their new building. As seen by other developers HD games take quite a bit of time to develop and I think Nintendo underestimates what their competition has been doing for a while now. Take Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess if Zelda Wii U ends up with the same development troubles the ongoing development would be much more expensive.

They move into the new building this year I think? But the Wii U first-generation software from Nintendo for better or worse should be smooth sailing. Wii Sports HD, Wii Fit HD, and New Super Mario Bros. are not going to be re-inventing the wheels here. Infact they both will be running on the steroid Wii engines most likely. Pikmin, and the experimental games (Chase Mii, Battle Mii, Wii Relax) are the wild cards. And that "Wii Play" style board games may be hardcoded into the system.

I actually think the 3DS suffering was because there was very little DS content to "upgrade to 3DS". While the Wii U has much more unrelease Wii software to work with.

 

[AzaK]

Seeing as they keep tweaking the hardware, I hope one of the major things they get in feedback is that developers would like a multitouch screen... I mean, maybe they don't, maybe the precision of stylus control will make them stick with what they have, but I just think it would be a nicer thing to play with if it was multitouch. If they choose the right wafer setup in their resistive screens, its actually still possible to pull off using that tech..

I want to see two Upad controller for one game before that happens. Maybe EA will be to Nintendo what Epic was to MS.

I'm with you - multiple Wii U controllers would be way more exciting than multitouch with regard to gameplay that it would make possible.

Maybe I'm a minority but I can count the number of times I've used/needed multiouch on one hand. I pinch/zoom the occasional photograph and that's pretty much it. I don't think I've ever played a game on iOS that uses it. Not saying there aren't any but it aint high up on my want list.

 

[herzogzwei1989]

They move into the new building this year I think? But the Wii U first-generation software from Nintendo for better or worse should be smooth sailing. Wii Sports HD, Wii Fit HD, and New Super Mario Bros. are not going to be re-inventing the wheels here. Infact they both will be running on the steroid Wii engines most likely. Pikmin, and the experimental games (Chase Mii, Battle Mii, Wii Relax) are the wild cards. And that "Wii Play" style board games may be hardcoded into the system.

I actually think the 3DS suffering was because there was very little DS content to "upgrade to 3DS". While the Wii U has much more unrelease Wii software to work with.

I largely agree. Except about the part about Wii engines.

 

[Zoramon089]

Seeing as they keep tweaking the hardware, I hope one of the major things they get in feedback is that developers would like a multitouch screen... I mean, maybe they don't, maybe the precision of stylus control will make them stick with what they have, but I just think it would be a nicer thing to play with if it was multitouch. If they choose the right wafer setup in their resistive screens, its actually still possible to pull off using that tech..

Give a single game idea that would benefit from the multitouch screen

 

[BurntPork]

I largely agree. Except about the part about Wii engines.

The E3 conference showed that NSMB and the "Wii" games use the exact same engine with no upgrades other than being rendered at a higher resolution.

 

[Zoramon089]

The E3 conference showed that NSMB and the "Wii" games use the exact same engine with no upgrades other than being rendered at a higher resolution.

You can't be serious. They were quickly created concept demos! The first Wii demo shown was Metroid Prime 2 with wiimote controls

 

[Hiltz]

They move into the new building this year I think? .

Reports state that construction of the new facility begins next year. Nintendo should be ready to move in by 2013.

 

[BurntPork]

You can't be serious. They were quickly created concept demos! The first Wii demo shown was Metroid Prime 2 with wiimote controls

I still wouldn't put it past Nintendo to do that to keep costs down.

 

[TheNatural]

Reminder that Nintendo is issuing its Q1 earnings tomorrow (tonight in the US). While I certainly wouldn't expect any substantive Wii U announcements yet, there should be a few interesting tidbits that emerge from the Iwata presentation and the following Q&A.

edit: To be clear, the Iwata presentation will probably be Friday or early next week, not tomorrow.

So .. when is it? Anyone know if they release this stuff tonight?

 

[herzogzwei1989]

Reminder that Nintendo is issuing its Q1 earnings tomorrow (tonight in the US). While I certainly wouldn't expect any substantive Wii U announcements yet, there should be a few interesting tidbits that emerge from the Iwata presentation and the following Q&A.

edit: To be clear, the Iwata presentation will probably be Friday or early next week, not tomorrow.

Oh okay thanks for the clarification.

 

[herzogzwei1989]

Wii U needs a strong launch line-up, says Square Enix
News Posted 27/07/2011 - 3:47pm GMT+1


People will buy Nintendo's new console if the right games are available.

The success of the Wii U will depend on its initial line-up and price, according to one of the leading technology experts at Square Enix.

After a confusing E3 reveal - and a problematic launch for the 3DS - you'd be forgiven for being a bit sceptical about Nintendo's Wii U. But Square Enix's worldwide technology director Julien Merceron believes that the machine will still find success if the launch line-up is strong enough.

"I'd say, don't write off the console," Merceron told VideoGamer.com. "For every console it's the same thing: one of the most important things is going to be the launch line-up. We see that every time there's a great title shipping on PSP, the PSP sales go up, and every time there's a great title shipping on 3DS, the 3DS sales go up.

"If the audience and players can see that there are products for them, there's definitely going to be wide adoption of Wii U. The things of utmost importance are going to be the pricing at launch, and the line-up."

Nintendo is no longer directly competing with Sony and Microsoft, says Merceron. But this doesn’t mean that the company or the Wii U should be written off.

"They're trying to do their own thing. Generally they don't seem to look for breadth, in terms of the things [features] they are supporting with their console. They seem to be focusing a lot, and trying to make sure the things they are focusing on are going to be at the top.

"I'd always be careful making judgements on their hardware. They have an approach to it that is very different from others, but they have a lot of inner control of what they are doing. And there's a lot of knowledge and skill behind it."

http://www.videogamer.com/news/wii_u_needs_a_strong_launch_line-up_says_square_enix.html

 

[AceBandage]

http://www.videogamer.com/news/wii_u_needs_a_strong_launch_line-up_says_square_enix.html

Uh... duh?
Thanks for stating the obvious. SE.

 

[BurntPork]

http://www.videogamer.com/news/wii_u_needs_a_strong_launch_line-up_says_square_enix.html

I was going to make a horrible pun involving a picture of an empty toilet, but Ace is here, so I'll just say "No shit, SE."

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

Does anyone here remember an article/interview around the Wii's release where Iwata and Miyamoto talked about how they experimented with a DS-like controller for Wii before going with motion? Because it seems like at the time they didn't think the idea could work but now we're seeing a system that is essentially that idea incarnate.

I've looked for the article for a very long time but haven't found anything. Anyone remember this?

 

[bgassassin]

Does anyone here remember an article/interview around the Wii's release where Iwata and Miyamoto talked about how they experimented with a DS-like controller for Wii before going with motion? Because it seems like at the time they didn't think the idea could work but now we're seeing a system that is essentially that idea incarnate.

I've looked for the article for a very long time but haven't found anything. Anyone remember this?

I only remember Iwata talking about it after the fact recently. I believe saying they started with the idea in 2007 which would be after Wii's launch.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Give a single game idea that would benefit from the multitouch screen

In the introductory video they showed someone playing a board game with someone else on it. If it were multitouch, both players would be able to touch the tablet at the same time.

The main benefit would be for more gestural touch screen use and to stop the think feeling clunky when you're doing a lot of things on the screen... for example an on screen keyboard for text messaging. That would be better if the screen was able to cope with you leaving trailing fingers, or if you could type using something like Swype on Android. The introductory video also showed photo and web browsing on the tablet -- again, without pinch to zoom and rotational gestures, I don't think that is going to be as nice as it could be.

In gaming terms, I don't think it will matter too much -- I think stuff like the Tekken stylus de-facing and anything Mario Paint-esque is going to be better with the accuracy of resistive-panel stylus control... that combined with the fact its a second viewpoint in games, or as a handheld replacement for your TV when your wife is watching American Idol or whatever is gonna be amazing enough.

However, if I think of things like Map navigation, inventory selection, manipulating units in RTS games, and novelty games (such as the board game I mentioned, or the lockpicking minigame in Splinter Cell or something) -- I think it would be nice if you could touch the screen in more than one place. Don't get me wrong: I don't believe that there's anything that can't be done without multitouch, you can always have the player use the Dpad or triggers as modifiers for the single-input touch screen -- but I just think multitouch would make it feel more usable and friendly. My worry is that the touch screen will feel old and out of date, which I have to admit, is my feeling about the 3DS' touch screen. It works, of course: for big graphical buttons you can use your thumb or fingers and its fine, stylus accuracy is great... but gestural things like swipes just feel nasty compared to a capacitative screen.

Hopefully my fears will just melt away when I actually get to play with the controller myself.

 

[watershed]

Hopefully the 3ds price cut means Nintendo will be more consumer-oriented with the wii u pricing. Surely they don't want to repeat the 3ds launch with the wii u.

 

[Cmd. Pishad'aç]

Wii U to launch at 300 at maximum now given the 3DS situation. They won't commit the same mistake again hopefully.

 

[lednerg]

The 3DS price was based on perceived consumer demand (which I'm assuming, was based on the E3 2010). Basically, they thought they could get away with it. Given that the Wii U didn't exactly set the world on fire this E3, at least among the press, they could very well end up selling the hardware at or near cost. That wouldn't be unheard of for a Nintendo console, despite what people tend to think.

Side-note: Iwata has gone on record stating that they have learned from the mistakes of the 3DS launch and are actively taking steps with Wii U to avoid a similar situation.

"We also must reflect on the fact that we were not able to launch Nintendo 3DS at a time when a sufficient number of strong software titles were ready. [...] In order to avoid the same thing from happening to the Wii U, we are considering details, such as what software is suitable for the launch, more carefully than ever before."

 

[Kyzer]

You can't be serious. They were quickly created concept demos! The first Wii demo shown was Metroid Prime 2 with wiimote controls

Actually, New Super Mario Bros. Mii was a real game.

 

[DaSorcerer7]

The 3DS price was based on perceived consumer demand (which I'm assuming, was based on the E3 2010). Basically, they thought they could get away with it. Given that the Wii U didn't exactly set the world on fire this E3, at least among the press, they could very well end up selling the hardware at or near cost. That wouldn't be unheard of for a Nintendo console, despite what people tend to think.

Side-note: Iwata has gone on record stating that they have learned from the mistakes of the 3DS launch and are actively taking steps with Wii U to avoid a similar situation.

"We also must reflect on the fact that we were not able to launch Nintendo 3DS at a time when a sufficient number of strong software titles were ready. [...] In order to avoid the same thing from happening to the Wii U, we are considering details, such as what software is suitable for the launch, more carefully than ever before."

Good to know

 

[Fou-Lu]

I'm expecting $250-300 for Wii U after 3DS price drop, hopefully launching with some strong first party software.

 

[TheExplodingHead]

After the 3DS price drop, I'll just reiterate in this current economy Wii U doesn't launch higher than $300 with $250 being the perfect sweet spot. Which considering what we know about it's perceived power and goals, shouldn't be far off.

Almost makes you wonder if the Wii U does indeed struggle a bit at $300, if Sony and MS will actually try and price even higher when they launch?

 

[m.i.s.]

^^ Does that mean Nintendo will also "scale back" Wii U hardware in order to meet a certain price-point?

 

[Luckyman]

^^ Does that mean Nintendo will also "scale back" Wii U hardware in order to meet a certain price-point?

not possible

They might still have delusions of $350 being viable

 

[[Nintex]]

After the 3DS price drop, I'll just reiterate in this current economy Wii U doesn't launch higher than $300 with $250 being the perfect sweet spot. Which considering what we know about it's perceived power and goals, shouldn't be far off.

Almost makes you wonder if the Wii U does indeed struggle a bit at $300, if Sony and MS will actually try and price even higher when they launch?

The $400 Kinect bundle did do well last holiday season so it all depends on the value I guess. Microsoft won't go below $400. As for Nintendo, well $299 seems a lock now I think the 'scaling back hardware' part won't be totally unexpected either or at least they won't go out of their way to make it perform significantly better than the PS3.

 

[AceBandage]

The Wii U is either going to have an insane launch line up or be sold at near cost. I'm amazed that the 3DS is being cut so drastically, but I'm also really happy.

1. It shows that Nintendo isn't completely ignorant to market changes.
2. I GET 10 FREE GBA GAMES INCLUDING MARIO KART AND METROID FUSION! FUCK YEAH!

 

[Stormwatch]

So, I wonder what the 3DS price fiasco and Nintendo earnings means for the release date of Wii U. Is Nintendo going to want to release it as soon as possible so they can try to start making money quickly, or are they going to hold off even later now and wait until they have a really solid launch lineup?

 

[Shikamaru Ninja]

Actually, New Super Mario Bros. Mii was a real game.

They are all REAL GAMES.

 

[DECK'ARD]

So, I wonder what the 3DS price fiasco and Nintendo earnings means for the release date of Wii U. Is Nintendo going to want to release it as soon as possible so they can try to start making money quickly, or are they going to hold off even later now and wait until they have a really solid launch lineup?

I'd say a late 2012 launch is more likely now, few months before Christmas with a strong line-up.

Rather than risk losing momentum as the 3DS did with it's soft-launch.

 

[xandaca]

I love Nintendo dearly and thought the Wii was a fantastic console, but if history tells us one thing, it's that they never learn from their mistakes. The 3DS price-cut is exactly what happened with the N64 (although at least they're making a token gesture of giving away some old games this time) and my bet is that they'll persevere with pricing the Wii U at the top end of the market, when their best, and possibly only, chance of getting PS3/360 users to adopt is with a more competitive approach.

 

[Gravijah]

They are all REAL GAMES.

but does playing them make you a REAL GAMER

 

[AceBandage]

I love Nintendo dearly and thought the Wii was a fantastic console, but if history tells us one thing, it's that they never learn from their mistakes. The 3DS price-cut is exactly what happened with the N64 (although at least they're making a token gesture of giving away some old games this time) and my bet is that they'll persevere with pricing the Wii U at the top end of the market, when their best, and possibly only, chance of getting PS3/360 users to adopt is with a more competitive approach.

You can't compare Nintendo of the N64 days to Nintendo today.
They are run by completely different people.

 

[bgassassin]

Now I can see a $299 launch happen because there was no way they were going to release Wii U within $100 of 3DS.

 

[herzogzwei1989]

Acer plans to acquire cloud-service provider iGware, the company announced today.

According to Acer, the companies have agreed to a selling price of $320 million. In addition, iGware can earn $75 million if it hits certain performance-based milestones. With iGware's technology, Acer says that it will deliver a new service, called Acer Cloud, "to serve and benefit Acer customers, and enhance brand value."

iGware has largely been under the radar in the cloud space, but the company has achieved some success. According to Acer, iGware's cloud software and infrastructure tools are available on over 100 million devices around the world. The company's most notable customer is Nintendo, which it partners with to power online services for the hardware maker's Wii, DS, and 3DS. Acer says that iGware has also inked a deal with Nintendo that will see it support the company's Wii U.

For Acer, its decision to acquire iGware underscores the company's desire to be more than just a PC maker. In a statement today, Acer said that it expects Acer Cloud will be integrated into "all Acer products, including PCs, tablets, and smart handheld devices." The company said that its Cloud feature will be "built on an open platform."

Acer's acquisition comes at a difficult time for the company. Last week, research firm IDC reported that Acer's second-quarter worldwide PC shipments were down 10.1 percent year over year, pushing the company down from the third spot to fourth behind HP, Dell, and Lenovo. In the first quarter, the company's worldwide shipments were down 15.8 percent worldwide and 42 percent in the U.S. year over year.

Those losses, in addition to flagging financial performance, have pushed the company's shares on the Taiwan Stock Exchange down. During the last year alone, the company's shares have declined by more than 49 percent.

In the short term, Acer doesn't see iGware's technology helping matters. However, the company did say that its acquisition is a "mid- to long-term investment."

Once closing conditions are met, iGware will become a new Acer division, called Acer Cloud Technology Company. The PC maker said that it expects products with Acer Cloud to start launching next year.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20081409-17/acer-to-acquire-cloud-service-provider-igware/