Nintendo Improves Wii U Loading Speeds in April Update

[Timothy Chang]

Nintendo Improves Wii U Loading Speeds in April Update


A Nintendo Wii U video shows off increased responsiveness and decreased thumb twiddling.

After the Wii U's launch, one of the issues that surfaced was long loading times and noticeable delays when users attempted to switch between applications on the device. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata promised that an update would be on the way [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121179-Iwata-Promises-to-Fix-Wii-U-Loading-Times] to resolve the issue, and it appears that a fix to shorten loading times will be included in an April update. The company has even released a speed test video on its official YouTube account to show customers what they can look forward to.

In the video, before the update is applied, the console takes its sweet time returning to the home menu after exiting from New Super Mario Bros. U, clocking in at a finger-drumming 20 seconds. After updating the console, the loading time drops to around eight seconds: still a bit of a wait, but cutting loading times by more than half will surely satisfy Wii U owners out there.

The console is also expecting a second update in the summer to decrease loading times when launching software.

Source: Engadget [http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/26/nintendo-video-shows-off-wii-u-speed-improvement-coming-in-april/]

Permalink

 

[hazabaza1]

Pretty damn impressive. Should be handy if I ever get around to picking one up.

 

[Alcaste]

At first I figured it was still awkwardly long...Then the 'before' kept going. And going.

Huh. Good on Nintendo.

 

[The White Hunter]

Yeah we still need games Nintendo. That's the bigger issue for users right now: lack of software.

 

[xPixelatedx]

So it's the reverse of a Xbox 360 dashboard update? Every time they change the dashboard and cram more shit in, it slightly lags the menus and navigation button more and more. It's good to see someone taking the initiative to do the opposite.

 

[theultimateend]

Yeah we still need games Nintendo. That's the bigger issue for users right now: lack of software.

I've never understood this.

This update in no way impacts the speed of game releases at all.

Just like when we hold events at my job (because we are the publisher and not the developer) and people say "Dude! We need game fixes!"

Fantastic! Except me holding an event literally doesn't impact the speed of development in any way.

The guys working on the Wii U OS are not related to any game team in any way other than maybe friends or occasional Bowling Buddies.

 

[The White Hunter]

Yeah we still need games Nintendo. That's the bigger issue for users right now: lack of software.

I've never understood this.

This update in no way impacts the speed of game releases at all.

Just like when we hold events at my job (because we are the publisher and not the developer) and people say "Dude! We need game fixes!"

Fantastic! Except me holding an event literally doesn't impact the speed of development in any way.

The guys working on the Wii U OS are not related to any game team in any way other than maybe friends or occasional Bowling Buddies.

I know that.

But none the less it's still a really big problem for the Wii U, software is being release at a glacial pace and there's a huge gulf in releases between now and may.

It's not the guys behind the OS updates fault you are correct, but it's sad that it's a big deal, this is front page news on ONM just because there's bugger all else to report on. It's irritating that Nintendo release this as a big deal when they have plenty of games in the works that we could be getting details on, or previews, or trailers, or screens, or anything.

 

[theultimateend]

I know that.

But none the less it's still a really big problem for the Wii U, software is being release at a glacial pace and there's a huge gulf in releases between now and may.

It's not the guys behind the OS updates fault you are correct, but it's sad that it's a big deal, this is front page news on ONM just because there's bugger all else to report on. It's irritating that Nintendo release this as a big deal when they have plenty of games in the works that we could be getting details on, or previews, or trailers, or screens, or anything.

When is the last time a modern game console manufacturer released an update that actually improved the performance of their OS?

I'm not trying to be a dick, I mean that honestly.

My PS3 and my 360 have only gotten slower over the years. The PSN shop has gotten surprisingly slow after the most recent changes.

Having nintendo make their console faster without demanding money is quite nice.

Is it news? Maybe not, but it is rather unusual and pleasant.

 

[The White Hunter]

I know that.

But none the less it's still a really big problem for the Wii U, software is being release at a glacial pace and there's a huge gulf in releases between now and may.

It's not the guys behind the OS updates fault you are correct, but it's sad that it's a big deal, this is front page news on ONM just because there's bugger all else to report on. It's irritating that Nintendo release this as a big deal when they have plenty of games in the works that we could be getting details on, or previews, or trailers, or screens, or anything.

When is the last time a modern game console manufacturer released an update that actually improved the performance of their OS?

I'm not trying to be a dick, I mean that honestly.

My PS3 and my 360 have only gotten slower over the years. The PSN shop has gotten surprisingly slow after the most recent changes.

Having nintendo make their console faster without demanding money is quite nice.

Is it news? Maybe not, but it is rather unusual and pleasant.

PSN update 3.0 improved the XMB substantially but they've gone and slowed it down and made the store hellish to use in the last year or so, in recent years the PS3 also seems a fair bit more prone to freezing or not quite booting properly. No real experience with the xboxc one except every time I go over to my mates house to play Halo the interface is completely different.

It is nice to get some OS updates that improve things, particularly those loading issues on the Wii U, it's not even that long but it's surprising what a 15 second loading screen feels like when compared to a 3 or 4 second one.

I wasn't really trying to be a dick, it's nice that we got this, but in the grand scheme of things some details on the new pokemon (3 months or so and we know bugger all) or a release date for Pikmin 3 is something I'd rather be seeing coming through from Nintendo's PR.

 

[theultimateend]

I wasn't really trying to be a dick, it's nice that we got this, but in the grand scheme of things some details on the new pokemon (3 months or so and we know bugger all) or a release date for Pikmin 3 is something I'd rather be seeing coming through from Nintendo's PR.

I'm only sensitive because I constantly get shit on by players who don't understand the difference . My apologies.

I totally agree though on wanting to know more about those.

I hunger for 3D Pokemon.

I'm also hoping they release another Pokemon 3DSXL that doesn't have a terrible inner white color scheme to celebrate the launch of their first 3D Portable Pokemon Games.

I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[The White Hunter]

I wasn't really trying to be a dick, it's nice that we got this, but in the grand scheme of things some details on the new pokemon (3 months or so and we know bugger all) or a release date for Pikmin 3 is something I'd rather be seeing coming through from Nintendo's PR.

I'm only sensitive because I constantly get shit on by players who don't understand the difference . My apologies.

I totally agree though on wanting to know more about those.

I hunger for 3D Pokemon.

I'm also hoping they release another Pokemon 3DSXL that doesn't have a terrible inner white color scheme to celebrate the launch of their first 3D Portable Pokemon Games.

I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

They are accepted gracefully

I really want some details, I wanna see starter evolutions for a start, and at least typings for the two legenedaries and the new eeveelution. I can't help but suspect it's gonna be 3D but still grid-based movement for whatever reason.

I also really hope puzzles come back, even just strength block puzzles. Anything to stop the game being a long corridor!

 

[theultimateend]

They are accepted gracefully

I really want some details, I wanna see starter evolutions for a start, and at least typings for the two legenedaries and the new eeveelution. I can't help but suspect it's gonna be 3D but still grid-based movement for whatever reason.

I also really hope puzzles come back, even just strength block puzzles. Anything to stop the game being a long corridor!

Balls...

Now that you mention it there really didn't seem like all that many puzzles in BnW 1 and 2 >.>...

I know its too much but I'm hoping for a Pokemon where they improve the way EXP is distributed. The game has 600+ Pokemon now and leveling each one up is becoming a bit tedious. I really like battling and leveling but EXP Share and Lucky Egg can only go so far...

But can't complain, as long as they never EA the Pokemon series I'll always happily munch them up. I like having something I can consistently return to when other franchises go too wonky.

 

[The White Hunter]

They are accepted gracefully

I really want some details, I wanna see starter evolutions for a start, and at least typings for the two legenedaries and the new eeveelution. I can't help but suspect it's gonna be 3D but still grid-based movement for whatever reason.

I also really hope puzzles come back, even just strength block puzzles. Anything to stop the game being a long corridor!

Balls...

Now that you mention it there really didn't seem like all that many puzzles in BnW 1 and 2 >.>...

I know its too much but I'm hoping for a Pokemon where they improve the way EXP is distributed. The game has 600+ Pokemon now and leveling each one up is becoming a bit tedious. I really like battling and leveling but EXP Share and Lucky Egg can only go so far...

But can't complain, as long as they never EA the Pokemon series I'll always happily munch them up. I like having something I can consistently return to when other franchises go too wonky.

There needs to be a way to more quickly accrue battle points, maybe make it a score based system based on your battling performance so you can buy rare candies more easily, it would certainly eliminate the worst part of training for competition, EV's masy be tedious but I can reach my EV spreads in an hour with the right power items and vitamins, the long part is the slow slog to level 100.....