Japanese Newspaper Confirms Wii 2 Controller Details

Earnest Cavalli

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Japanese Newspaper Confirms Wii 2 Controller Details



Nintendo's next console will feature controllers that function as handheld gaming systems and sport 6-inch touchscreens, if a report in Japan's Nikkei newspaper is to be believed.

Before we get into the details, I should warn you all to take this with a grain of salt. Though similar Nikkei reports have been uncannily accurate in the past -- as Joystiq notes [http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/03/nikkei-wii-successor-has-touchscreen-controller-will-arrive-in/], the paper successfully predicted the Nintendo DSi, DSi XL and 3DS -- there are no official guarantees that the paper's claims about the Wii's successor (dubbed "Project Cafe") are accurate.

That said, the recent Nikkei report is very interesting. In it the paper claims that Project Cafe's controllers will feature a 6-inch tablet-style touchscreen, camera and on-board power supply. Each can be uncoupled (whether this denotes a physical connection or not is unclear) from the main console and used as a separate handheld system.

Adding credence to Nikkei's claims are the months of rumor and speculation in this very vein. If nothing else, it seems suspicious that all the rumors would agree on the idea of touchscreen controllers.

Finally, the paper claims the new console will see release in the latter half of 2012.

It would be irresponsible of me to wildly speculate on what this sort of technological paradigm shift might mean for Nintendo as a company, let alone its next console, so instead I'll let you guys do it. Anyone want to be the first to prophesize doom for the entire industry?

Source: Andriasang [http://www.nikkei.com/news/headline/article/g=96958A9C93819696E2E1E2EB988DE2E1E2E4E0E2E3E38698E2E2E2E2]

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Pingieking

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Does this mean that Project Cafe will feature $150 controllers?
I wonder if the controller becomes a completely separate handheld, or would it only be able to stream from the main console.
 

manythings

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Pingieking said:
Does this mean that Project Cafe will feature $150 controllers?
I wonder if the controller becomes a completely separate handheld, or would it only be able to stream from the main console.
Or is it a new DS?

OT: Couldn't care less until I see real information, video and interviews with a half dozen hands-on reports.
 

Jumwa

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Jun 21, 2010
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Boo different control styles! Boo casual gamers! Boo expensive peripherals! Boo change! Boo rumours without supporting information from a foreign-language source!

Is that enough of a knee-jerk pessimistic reaction for you, Escapist? It's about all I got in me before supper.
 

lacktheknack

Je suis joined jewels.
Jan 19, 2009
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THE GAMING INDUSTRY IS DOOMED! DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

... There you go. Anyways, it looks nifty, but I'm probably not gonna get one.
 

josemlopes

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Gimmicks, gimmicks all over the place.

It doesnt even matter because there will still only exist Mario, Metroid, Donkey Kong, Zelda, and those party games.
 

Cursed Frogurt

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I've been saying this since the beginning but let me say it again to dissuade you from thinking that the controllers are going to cost as much as a portable.

The controllers are capable of running HD content, but don't have powerful hardware on board but rather, they stream video from games running on the console. Basically, it's cloud-computing like OnLive uses. It would only work if you were within WiFi distance of the console or perhaps it will even work from any WiFi spot.

There, no need to flip out over $150+ controllers.
 

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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josemlopes said:
Gimmicks, gimmicks all over the place.

It doesnt even matter because there will still only exist Mario, Metroid, Donkey Kong, Zelda, and those party games.
"Gimmick" is the most over-used and least-impactful word in the game industry (and fandom) today. I wish I could erase it from existence.
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
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Touchscreens are a very platform for control. Intuitive for non-gamers, without sacrificing complexity.
 

ZeZZZZevy

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And I thought controllers were too expensive as they are now.

honestly if the controller becomes more expensive than the games you can play with it then I call shenanigans
 

bombadilillo

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I cant wait to look down and have a map on my controller/ or inventory there/ or what I want. The DS had great use of inventories there. This sounds awesome.

You know all the survival horror games that dont let you pause when you check the inventory? Well now you have to look down and manage it while not leaving the game screen at all. This is a great idea.
 

Torrasque

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John Funk said:
josemlopes said:
Gimmicks, gimmicks all over the place.

It doesnt even matter because there will still only exist Mario, Metroid, Donkey Kong, Zelda, and those party games.
"Gimmick" is the most over-used and least-impactful word in the game industry (and fandom) today. I wish I could erase it from existence.
Here here.
Everyone called the Wii gimmicky when it came out, but both Sony and Microsoft have made their own motion control systems.
People seem to mistake "desire for change" for "things they threw in to make money"
 

Wireframefool

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Mar 20, 2011
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Wait, Mario is the new controller? Where will the buttons go!?!
All kidding aside, that's a little much for a CONTROLLER.
 

RA92

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Cursed Frogurt said:
The controllers are capable of running HD content, but don't have powerful hardware on board but rather, they stream video from games running on the console. Basically, it's cloud-computing like OnLive uses. It would only work if you were within WiFi distance of the console or perhaps it will even work from any WiFi spot.
Wow, that's actually... rather interesting. If they manage to ship the controllers at a reasonable price with the promised features, I'd say it would be a winner... and soon to be copied by MS and Sony.

Though the question remains about about whether the features would actually incorporate gameplay properly or just end up being gim -


John Funk said:
"Gimmick" is the most over-used and least-impactful word in the game industry today.
- not implemented properly...
 

Truly-A-Lie

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Nov 14, 2009
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I'm sure someone will love this idea, but the thing for me is that with controllers with screens, you know at some point you're going to get "Gameplay on screen, inventory and map on controller" and for almost every game if I want to look at inventory or my map, I want the game paused. Sounds like its going to be another case of "intuitive and immersive" being thrown around when they actually mean "intrusive"
But who knows? Maybe I'm simply looking at the glass half empty. Or half on one screen and half on my lap.
 

bombadilillo

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Jan 25, 2011
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Okami, using augmented reality.

You point controller at screen and draw with your finger the symbol you want over it.

Old school flight sim. Tie fighter style. Plenty of room there for the controls and nobs you need to implememnt that type of game.

Hell. PC style RPG where you have a bunch of hotkeys all assigned on your controller in your prefered configuration!

Think of the possibilities.