Jimquisition: Why the Wii U May Have Already "Won" Next-gen

[Soak]

Oh Jim, you're so, lets call it "uncouth"... i love it, keep it up XD

On the WiiU: Interesting point, i mean, Nintendo's approach of appealing to something like "a broader audience" was clear already, but this is a bit different perspective.
However, the actual quality of a console will always be a combination of everything it does: Hardware, which will be behind standarts, again.
Services, which clearly were behind standarts until now, looking at proper network, multiplayer and stuff, we'll have to see what the WiiU will provide.
Software, the game-deals they can get. Wii was rather disappointing for many reasons, one being the implementation of the last point...
Gameplay innovation, which Nintendo always had a head start on, but became lackluster with the Wii - to often i felt like an idiot, wiggling that Wii Remote like a spaz (no offence). Red Steel (1) sucked as a launch title and was intended to let the gameplay shine, while i have to admit, sometimes it was fun to use the controller the way it was always forbidden in the manuals, like real nunchakus and with something like WiiTennis it actually worked! Starting with motion plus and Red Steel 2, the gameplay became what it was ment to be, but to late. With the WiiU, i started wondering what ZombiU will be like, another fail like Red Steel, or shining as Nintendo presents it. We'll have to see.

Different perspective nonetheless, won't change my reserved attitude about the WiiU for now.

 

[carpathic]

I could have guessed Jim would think much of the outrage over Bayonetta 2, but I didn't think he'd condim ent so strongly.

Oh, you went there....Well played sir...well played.

My two cents on this episode? I will be f'd in the a before I pay for xbox live or any other service. It just kills me, this layering effect. First I have to pay for internet, then netflix, then xboxlive?

I'd rather eat poop.

I can stream netflix through my wii, for free - and so it should be really. I know what microsoft is thinking, i am just not certain they have thought it through.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

Snip

Ahh alright. Yeah, I see your point and I agree with it fully. By the looks of it the nextbox and PS4 are both going to be a decent upgrade from this generation, but will also be REALLY overpriced for what they are because of that. Just look at the Vita, by letting it have PS3 graphics it's shot itself in the foot with a bloody high price. And with all the propriety shit that has, it doesn't bode well for the PS4. Same with the Nextbox, it will most likely have kinect built in (increasing the price), have more propriety memory and subscriptions and what not. TBH, I think Nintendo letting any HDD be plugged in to their system has been a very good idea for having a cost-effective system.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

A little bit wrong, since Microsoft spends 20 minutes talking about ESPN and Adidas, while Sony spends 15 minutes on the surely killer-app that the Wonderbook will be. Then they show the 2 minute trailers.

Oh god don't remind me about the wonderbook, watching that in the sony conference this year made me wonder how easy suicide would be with the various things I had in the room with me.

That is the good thing about Nintendo's conferences, there's rarely any bullshit. They tell you the details and give you the trailers instead of getting out people to demo EVERY single damn game they have to announce, or talk about it.

I'm sorry, how much bullshit on the TVii was there at the conference about the price? Oh look, 15 minutes of it.

I never watched that, so I don't know. I was more talking about their E3 conferences anyway.

 

[DanHibiki]

the best news I saw about the wiiU so far was it's support of Unity3d.

If they loosen the reigns on their market and give publishers some freedom it might get some decent third party support and some indie games that seem right up Nintendo's alley.

 

[ex275w]

I don't like the Wii-U so far as a gamer, I'm very suspicious of it's lack of... anything i would want.

There are two ways of looking at Jim's frankly brilliantly insightful idea; one is what Jim said. By losing a more narrow focus on games the other systems could be out-flanked by any number of other service based devices like a Smart TV.

The other way is that Sony and Microsoft manage to make legitimately desirable living-room hubs akin to what smartphones managed by moving away from calls and texts. The Wii-U could lose out on a new living-room gold-rush. There is just no way to tell.

Although i don't really buy the idea that the Wii-U is a console with a "Better focus on videogames". From what i've seen so far Nintnedo are once again blowing gimmick smoke up are arses. I don't see the software, all i see is a horrible looking 'social' focused online space and a flashy proprietary control system that no one will ever utilize well. Of course shouting "Tablet!" at idiots sells billions so i guess Nintendo is going to have the last laugh with the worst console... again.

Well they may have the "worst" console, whatever that means, but if the success is half as good as the Wii, then Nintendo could be laughing again to the bank to have their machines print money.

 

[J Tyran]

I'd never heard of smart TVs until now. I guess it's obvious thing, but that motion control looks awkward.

Smart TVs are generally great, the motion controls could be better. They have all the same problems Kinect does for the Xbox, I wish my Samsung ES8000 didn't rely on it quite so much. For using face book though and for chucking files between TV, phone, tablet and PC (via kies etc) they are awesome.

 

[Darmani]

What in the hell are you basing the idea that Sony won't focus on games next gen on?

By my count, for the past few years we've heard nothing from Guerilla, Sucker Punch, half of Naughty Dog, and SCE London. This points to all of these studios focusing on creating games for the Ps4 - games that, given the time they've been given, will likely be available for the systems launch. Whereas Nintendo could provide one worthwhile game at launch, that leaves Sony with four first party titles to wow us with.

My point is that the idea that the WiiU has a focus on games, or that this focus is moreso than its competitors, is simply fallacious.

Okay. Notice how Sony is, in a rare action, reusing IP while pushing forward. OR trying to branch out into the Nintendo-style market? How about the overall financial issues they've had. They aren't going bankrupt but as a minor part of larger corporation "hold" might be the order from on high for the betterment of the company because overall Sony has been pushing expensive bleeding edge (read buggy, unfeatured, prototypical EXPENSIVE crap) often before their production can keep up or without returns.

Sony's strategy will either payoff with a big win (possible, just not something you can bet on other than buying more lottery tickets, not a smart strategy) or change so they can expand into new markets or aren't going to do the AAA production escalation deathspiral. However Sony has differentiated itself as the premium electronic entertainment device while not selling well. They are in a bit of a jam. They aren't screwwed. But As I was saying I'm more ready for MS to thrive over Nintendo and Sony to well I don't think they can handle being the most expensive third placer. When Nintendo was doing this bad in market they just carved out a profitable set of niches. Sony has always been the run to #1. That's not a bad thing but MS is the HD #1 in terms of market penetration. Sony is behind MS in the western market overall. And its cost them lots of money to be there. Part of the problem is their strategy was too broad (they won the battle against HD but not the media war as even the Wii and cellphones now stream movies and people are slower to adopt bluray even with HD TVs all over)

 

[MrBaskerville]

I think the Wii U will be very successful with the "casual" market, since tablets are all the rage right now.
The "hardcore" market will be much better than with the Wii, since Nintendo is stealing plenty of Hardcore IPs from Sony.
The third party developers also seem to like the console a lot more than they liked the Wii, and Nintendo seems to be more willing to help 3rd parties and getting engines like Unity and Umbra.
Even /v/ videogames hive of scum and villany is pretty pumped for the Wii U.
The only ones who don't like it are the PC Master Race, Nintendo "haters" on the escapist, and people who hate any controller not resembling a Dualshock or XBox 360 controller.
Sony is in big trouble since Nintendo trounced them twice in the hand-held market and are courting hurt developers and Microsoft's Media hub experiment could prove to cripple their new console.

I dunno, wouldn´t people rather spend their money on a tablet? More specifically an iPad with a huge library of cheap games and other useful apps? Personally i don´t see this as being as popular as the wii, i don´t really think the casuals want more than Wii sports, and this isn´t wii sports. I just don´t think that Nintendo Land is as appealing.

It might still do well, but i really doubt that they will do AS well as they did before. Also there´s a lot of talk that this console will win, because the other companies have yet to release information about new consoles? I´m just thinking, wouldn´t it just be a matter of announcing mere exclusives on Xbox360 and Ps3 to make them as or more appealing as WiiU? It might be beneficial to us all if they start a new arms race, Sony and MS could race to keep their customers while Nintendo has to release a shitload of games to make people change hardware.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

Ya know, I had never really thought about Smart TVs getting in the way of the bigger consoles before. Frankly, I have never REALLY used my Xbox for anything more than gaming, the occasional Netflix, and watching .wmvs from a flash drive. I use my PS3 for Netflix pretty often though. But Sony and Microsoft really WANT their consoles to be the one-stop-shop for all your entertainment, which there'd be no point to once Smart TVs really take off.

Compelling argument, Jim. Competition breeds a better product. Sometimes I wonder if my game console being able to do all of those things are because MS and Sony are wanting to bring gaming into the mainstream or if it is because they want to bring gamers themselves into the mainstream.

Also; thank you for doing that schtick at the end with Bayonetta. This isn't like what happened with Resident Evil - where Nintendo struck a contract with Capcom for a brief period of time, Platinum Games wasn't going to get it out there on their own and no one else wanted to help them. Maybe if more people would have bought the first Bayonetta, Sega wouldn't have been so reluctant to pick up the second.

 

[Joriss]

Yeah, I switch off the video as soon as he talked about how great it is to meet him. Don't really see what so great about Jim.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

Yeah, I switch off the video as soon as he talked about how great it is to meet him. Don't really see what so great about Jim.

It's his persona, he doesn't mean it and it's meant as a joke. I can literally feel the sarcasm of what he says radiating out of the screen.

 

[ex275w]

Well they may have the "worst" console, whatever that means, but if the success is half as good as the Wii, then Nintendo could be laughing again to the bank to have their machines print money.

Friend-Codes alone made the Wii a bit of a joke compared to the other systems, their online aspect was embarrassing to say the least. Nintendo is prone to having good ideas and then surrounding them with TERRIBLE ideas. But I'm not going to turn this into another one of my "List of Wii's sins" posts. I just don't think modern Nintendo is capable of making a genuinely well rounded console, my overall experience on the Wii was one of frustration and disappointment at their lack of development.

Nintendo get a free pass on many things that would have any other company laughed out of building. Look at how the Wii's online capabilities developed (or didn't) and then look at the leaps and bounds to PSN. Nintendo simply didn't TRY in most areas that have been the major improvements this generation.

Well sure, I like my Wii so my opinion might be tainted, since I have a steady supply supply of PC games and I hate online multiplayer mostly due to living in Mexico and always having horrendous amounts of lag. So the Sin or whatever you call it of having crappy online is lost on me. Still I am good at ignoring Nintendo's "gimmicks" and concentrate on having fun. I do think the Wii U will be more focused on the hardcore, since they aren't focusing on disrupting the Market at much.

 

[MPerce]

Oh.

...OHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Okay, I'll be less pessimistic about the Wii U now. It still needs to give me some games I would actually play before I get it, though.