Nintendo Uses Colored Beads to Explain Wii U Storage

[MikeWehner]

Nintendo Uses Colored Beads to Explain Wii U Storage

Gather around, kids, Nintendo has some explaining to do.

Virtual storage, especially on a video game console, isn't a terribly complicated concept, but just in case big numbers like 32 are a bit much for you to handle, Nintendo has created an informative video to aid you in selecting the right storage option for your needs. Using colored beads, clear containers, and a faceless model, the demonstration offers a visual touch while also making it clear that if you were planning on picking up the most basic Wii U package available, you're going to probably want an external storage device. The video is entirely in Japanese [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6q8sNhm4uM], so I'll break it down for you.

The base model of the Wii U comes with just 8GB of Flash memory. The premium edition bumps that number up to a much more respectable 32GB. After formatting each drive, the useable space is cut to 7.2GB and 29GB, respectively.

The first time you boot up the Wii U and create things like your personal account, the setup process eats up a whopping 4.2GB of additional space, leaving owners of the basic model with just 3GB of space for things like games and media. That's... not a lot. In fact, as the green colored beads overflowing onto the table in the video show, you won't even be able to install a rather modest title like Nintendo Land, which takes up 3.2GB on its own.

However, both models of the Wii U allow for external storage via USB, and the console supports up to 2TB, should you decide to grab a full-sized hard drive. The video simplifies this by having the nameless gal pour a ton of colored beads - representing games, account data, and other media - into a large plastic tub. Basically, if you didn't already know that 8GB isn't a lot these days, you have no excuse to plead ignorance now.

Source: YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6q8sNhm4uM]

Permalink

 

[shintakie10]

I absolutely am 100% for the ability to use external hard drives for my consoles. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Though this does basically tell me that when I get a WiiU I might as well get the elite package anyway just so I don't have to buy a hard drive right away.

 

[Scrythe]

"You should probably invest in external memory, because we can't be arsed to include it ourselves."

Cheap for them, but not for you!

 

[Varil]

Okay, the ability to use external media is great, but...why the hell did they even bother shipping a model with *8* Gb of memory? That's embarrassingly low. I wouldn't even buy a flashdrive with less than 32.

 

[Vivi22]

I absolutely am 100% for the ability to use external hard drives for my consoles. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?

I can guarantee that people probably have. And they may have been held back by external drives typically being quite slow until fairly recently unless you had a SATA or good firewire connector. I'm a bit surprised actually since the WiiU has USB 2.0 ports which aren't the fastest thing in the universe these days (and never have been really). I guess it depends on how ambitious the digital titles get and how quickly they need to stream data from the drive.

Still though, as much as I'm for allowing external drives to back up or transfer files, a console shouldn't even be released with the bare minimum storage to utilize all of its features. Based on the numbers in the article, they might as well not have an 8GB version at all. This is a pretty big corner to cut if you ask me, and telling customers to buy another device to deal with a problem which will probably be inevitable for anyone buying it, which could easily be solved with a hard drive costing them $50 or less to include, is kind of pathetic.

 

[SuperTrainStationH]

"You should probably invest in external memory, because we can't be arsed to include it ourselves."

Cheap for them, but not for you!

Actually it is cheaper for the consumer.

Its not like Nintendo's going to dynamically adjust the price and internal memory of Wii U based on the price of flash memory.

 

[anian]

So you have an option of not installing Nintendo's OS? I think not. This might be called false advertising - they're selling a product with specifications that is UNUSABLE. As in, you'll never actually have 8GB of space available if you turn it on to play.

Is this really the first impression you want to leave - we will make everything to save money for us and some numbers that you see are not the ones you're actually getting.

 

[getoffmycloud]

I absolutely am 100% for the ability to use external hard drives for my consoles. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Though this does basically tell me that when I get a WiiU I might as well get the elite package anyway just so I don't have to buy a hard drive right away.

You have been able to do it on the xbox for a few years now.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

"You should probably invest in external memory, because we can't be arsed to include it ourselves."

Cheap for them, but not for you!

At least you can use 3rd party externals, which you can get pretty cheaply these days. If you had to buy overpriced hard-drives from Nintendo on the other-hand...

 

[Kross]

4.2 GIGS FOR PROFILE/SYSTEM DATA?! What the hell?

I can install Operating Systems (with useful programs) that use half as much space. I really hope there was a misunderstanding somewhere. Wow.

 

[xaszatm]

"You should probably invest in external memory, because we can't be arsed to include it ourselves."

Cheap for them, but not for you!

...as opposed to the Vita strategy of having specific expensive memory cards in addition to its cost? Really?

OT: I myself am happy for this. Good on Nintendo.

 

[Scrythe]

"You should probably invest in external memory, because we can't be arsed to include it ourselves."

Cheap for them, but not for you!

At least you can use 3rd party externals, which you can get pretty cheaply these days. If you had to buy overpriced hard-drives from Nintendo on the other-hand...

True, but I don't see why they couldn't also include internal memory that even they admit is lackluster. Memory isn't expensive anymore, unless you're talking bleeding-edge tech or solid state.

"You should probably invest in external memory, because we can't be arsed to include it ourselves."

Cheap for them, but not for you!

...as opposed to the Vita strategy of having specific expensive memory cards in addition to its cost? Really?

OT: I myself am happy for this. Good on Nintendo.

I'm not saying that this is a bad thing, I'm just pointing out that this is a pretty stupid way of marketing this. Most of this current generation of consoles already have external memory options, although I'm not sure about the 360 I'll admit, so I could be wrong there.

Inversely, the Sony handhelds have a long and glorious tradition of bad hardware decisions.

 

[Urgh76]

Did they list a price difference between these two? I'm sure the 32 GB wouldn't be 4 times the price of the 8GB

 

[darkszero]

I'm not saying that this is a bad thing, I'm just pointing out that this is a pretty stupid way of marketing this. Most of this current generation of consoles already have external memory options, although I'm not sure about the 360 I'll admit, so I could be wrong there.

Inversely, the Sony handhelds have a long and glorious tradition of bad hardware decisions.

The Wii originally didn't, but an update added support to use an SD card which is more than enough for the size of the games you can use there.
The PS3 has no support to run games from external disks. You can change the internal hard drive, but that's something different (nor cheap/simple).

 

[Scrythe]

I'm not saying that this is a bad thing, I'm just pointing out that this is a pretty stupid way of marketing this. Most of this current generation of consoles already have external memory options, although I'm not sure about the 360 I'll admit, so I could be wrong there.

Inversely, the Sony handhelds have a long and glorious tradition of bad hardware decisions.

The Wii originally didn't, but an update added support to use an SD card which is more than enough for the size of the games you can use there.
The PS3 has no support to run games from external disks. You can change the internal hard drive, but that's something different (nor cheap/simple).

Well if you're talking about running games, then yes you are absolutely correct. Honestly, that would probably be a bad idea on that specific example due to the complexity of the PS3 hardware. Being limited to run everything through the USB 2.0 ports would be absolutely maddening.

If Nintendo can pull this off, more power to them. I haven't looked at the Wii U specs, so I have no idea if this would work.


I recall years ago I tried running an MMORPG through an external drive hooked up through a USB into a computer that would normally run it, but it's hard drive could barely contain more than the operating system (last hard drive crashed, had to use a shitty one I had lying around). Obviously this is a pretty extreme example, but try running a modern-day game through that same setup and you're going to get some of the most disgusting bottlenecking you could experience.

 

[mew4ever23]

Yikes, man. I had a feeling the tiny disc size of the basic was going to be an issue, but dang. After system setup you only get 3? Wow.

Good thing I went for the deluxe set. Though I imagine I'll be off to bestbuy to pick up some terabyte externals before long.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Remember the days when games just cost a few beads? I find it harder and harder to now...

 

[juyunseen]

8gb or 32gb SSDs + whatever other memory you want to buy really isn't that bad.
Besides. If Nintendo had included like 20gb and 100gb HDDs, people would STILL find a reason to complain.

But the ridiculous amount of start up files on display here... that makes me at least a little mad.

 

[Irridium]

Wait, is installing games optional or required? I'd assume optional, but I'd like to be sure. So I can decide if I should rant or not.