European Wiis Won't Be Backwards Compatible Much Longer

[vansau]

European Wiis Won't Be Backwards Compatible Much Longer

Nintendo's getting ready to release a new version of the Wii over in Europe, but it turns out this edition won't work with GameCube games or gadgets.

Hey, uh, Europe? We need to have a little chat. It's one of those "good news/bad news" scenarios. Let's start with the good news: You're getting a cheaper version of the Wii! Now, for the bad news: The new console isn't backwards compatible.

This revamped system, described by Nintendo as a "value Wii" will actually lose compatibility with both GameCube games and accessories. Not only that, but it's designed to sit horizontally instead of vertically (though exactly how the system won't work with a vertical stand isn't entirely clear).

Nintendo, speaking to Eurogamer, explained that the new version of the Wii will be released sometime before Christmas. It'll come in a bundle with copies of Wii Party and Wii Sports, as well as a Wi Remote Plus and Wii Nunchuk. Meanwhile the present version of the Wii will be phased out of Europe.

So, if you've got a bunch of GameCube titles that you want to keep on playing without keeping an extra console around - but haven't picked up a Wii yet - you may want to head out to your local electronics retailer and snag an original version of the system while it's still on store shelves. Sorry, folks.

Source: <a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-17-nintendo-discontinuing-current-wii-model>Eurogamer

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[JimbobDa3rd]

Im guessig that most gamers interested in keeping their large collection of gamecube games will have already have upgraded a long time ago but at the same time (being no hardware expert) making a console backwards compatable cant cost that much that removing it will noteable decreace the price can it?

 

[AngryMongoose]

No gamecube controllers? Kinda worhtless for anything resembling a hardcore crowd then no?

What will they be using for, say, Smash Bros. tourneys now?

 

[D Moness]

well this is the first time Nintendo copy a bad idea from sony.
Still the people with cube games will mostly have a wii already if they wanted it.

 

[GeneticallyModifiedDucks]

Woah woah woah, don't tell me this is replacing the original Wii...? And here I was hoping to buy one right around time for Christmas and play some Gamecube games... I suppose I'll be able to find a used one in decent condition.

 

[Lukeje]

Im guessig that most gamers interested in keeping their large collection of gamecube games will have already have upgraded a long time ago but at the same time (being no hardware expert) making a console backwards compatable cant cost that much that removing it will noteable decreace the price can it?

It's the GCN controller ports that are being removed. So yes, it can.

 

[Yopaz]

Im guessig that most gamers interested in keeping their large collection of gamecube games will have already have upgraded a long time ago but at the same time (being no hardware expert) making a console backwards compatable cant cost that much that removing it will noteable decreace the price can it?

They did something similar with the GameCube. They removed something that was never used by anyone and cut the price to almost 50% of the original cost. The part they cut had something to do with network or something, I can't remember. This also made it harder to mod if I recall it correctly. I am guessing this means a different OS that's more specific to Wii games and some small hardware changes, most likely concerning the disc reader.

OT: At first I thought there was going to be an update making me unable to play GameCube games and that worried me quite a lot. A cheaper Wii doesn't worry me that much. Since I already got a Wii that is backward compatible and a GameCube somewhere I wont cry because of this.

 

[orangeban]

Dammit, all that stuff of Nintendo being nice to us with the RPGs and such was just leading up to this.

 

[Yopaz]

No gamecube controllers? Kinda worhtless for anything resembling a hardcore crowd then no?

What will they be using for, say, Smash Bros. tourneys now?

Well, Wiimote + nunchuck is just as good for Super Smash Bros. The classic controller is even better at it than the GameCube controller. Oh, and pigs can fly.
Unless they make classic controllers that are exactly the same as GameCube controllers they will seriously alienate a lot of their fans. I've never played Super Smash Bros. with anything but a GameCuce controller... well I have played it with a Nintendo 64 controller, but that was still a controller with all the required buttons.

 

[Vibhor]

Getting cheaper?
Holy shit, I will now use Wii as my bling.

 

[JoJo]

No gamecube controllers? Kinda worhtless for anything resembling a hardcore crowd then no?

What will they be using for, say, Smash Bros. tourneys now?

Well, Wiimote + nunchuck is just as good for Super Smash Bros. The classic controller is even better at it than the GameCube controller. Oh, and pigs can fly.
Unless they make classic controllers that are exactly the same as GameCube controllers they will seriously alienate a lot of their fans. I've never played Super Smash Bros. with anything but a GameCuce controller... well I have played it with a Nintendo 64 controller, but that was still a controller with all the required buttons.

Surely any SSB fans who wanted a Wii would already have one though? This probably isn't a bad move since they're trying to use the price-cut to catch any late buyers before the WiiU arrives. To be honest I think anyone who had a Gamecube would have already got a Wii or decided not to by now.

 

[thiosk]

At first I was fury rage, but now I'm taking a more guarded response.

I guess its an equivalent of the playstation Slims-- small footprint; to achieve it, they've yanked out the component slots, and probably removed the compatibility to accept the teensie tiny discs as well. Once you take away all the plugs and etcetera, not much reason to make it backward compatible.

Phasing out the existing wii however, seems likely to attract ire. Even as a wii owner (and occasional user) myself, aside from feeling a little snarky that they moved away from their glorious backward compatibility, theres not a whole lot of sales currently.

I hate it when people try to defend the removal of BC with some bullshit about how "nobody uses it". That's a load of crap.

I literally do not know a single person that did not use their PS2's to play PS1 games as well. BC is important, and it saddens me when people spew nonsense about how "nobody cares about it".

I care, and so do a shitload of other people.

backward compatibility was the number one reason i wanted it. That and virtual console. The old systems can stay in my closet, and i can play the best games on my classic pad.

 

[Eleima]

Aaaaand once again Europe gets the short end of that stick! ^_^ Looks like the market for secondhand Wiis will boom.
Not that it makes much difference to me (getting a Wii is pretty low on my list of priorities), but consumers will have to be advised and buy accordingly.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Cheaper? Isn't it only 150$ with the whole Motion Plus and games bundle?

 

[Racecarlock]

What is this generation's problem with backwards compatibility? Because of this bullshit, I can't play need for speed underground, bloodwake, or midway arcade treasures. And when my PS2 inevitably bites the dust (2 more glorious years), I won't be able to play GTA Vice City, San Andreas, Battlefield 2, Hulk Ultimate Destruction, Need for speed most wanted, Need for speed hot pursuit 2, Star Wars Starfighter, Battlefront 2, Burnout 3 and Revenge, Mercenaries, Flatout, Need for speed underground 2, and any of my ps1 games for that matter. They essentially want us to forget that they ever did any good. They want to force the new on us, while giving us no options to go back to the old. Oh, but you know what I can play on my 360? Halo 2. Yep, apparently the only games I can play on the 360 from the original xbox are ones that were published or somewhat co-developed by microsoft studios. Thanks alot, assholes. I was going to get a wii so I could play some of my old gamecube games on this, but since they're fucking over the English audience on backwards compatibility, I guess I won't bother. Games should never be limited by country or being on a previous system. It's time these companies realize that and stop treating us all like money throwing suckers.

 

[TilMorrow]

Question. Why do they need to release another Wii when they are meant to be developing the WiiU which is meant to be on par with a Xbox 360 and PS3 (Though the WiiU seems kinda pointless)? End Question.

 

[Twilight_guy]

So its the Sony route of cutting costs by cutting out BC to try and sell more copies... I don't know how it will work for them since the market already had so many Wiis and this is a stripped down version but it might bring up sales... maybe.

Question. Why do they need to release another Wii when they are meant to be developing the WiiU which is meant to be on par with a Xbox 360 and PS3 (Though the WiiU seems kinda pointless)? End Question.

Information. Nintendo most likely has more then one group of developers to work on products and therefor can work on multiple things at the same time. This new product is less developing something new and more bypassing functionality in order to reduce cost which is easier and should go more quickly, making it an easy side project. The WiiU won't be released for a while so Nintendo needs to bolster Wii sales as much as possible to tide them over until there new system is released. Lower the price of the unit may provide this boost in sales. Therefor this new product is being developed. End information.

 

[Andaxay]

Europeans screwed over once again. Cheaper?! They're already pretty damn cheap now, they dropped to £100 in a sale recently and I'm willing to bet they were even cheaper than that in supermarkets at the time. Bit of an unnecessary move when the Wii U isn't that far off. Very glad I have a Gamecube, not like I'd buy a Wii again anyway, not nearly enough games on it that interest me.

 

[PlasticTree]

Seems like a legit move to me.

Everyone who ever considered playing his or her owned Gamecube games on a Wii already has one or is never going to buy one, since nothing is going to convince them if Zelda and Mario didn't do that yet. So now Nintendo comes up with a price cut that would have gotten there anyway, only now they make more money out of it, thanks to the removal of a feature no one of their target audience knows it was there. Furthermore, that target audience must be the really, really slow adopters among the 'casual' crowd, so bundling this Wii with Games like Wii Party or Sports seems like a smart thing to do.