Nintendo: Wii U Deluxe Edition Selling Out Incredibly Fast

[Mahorfeus]

Weren't we hearing that consoles and Nintendo were dead a week ago?

This is the Escapist we're talking about. I hear that almost on a daily basis.

Kidding (mostly) aside, I am glad to see some apparent good news for Nintendo. I kind of want a Wii U myself, but I'm not holding my breath with Black Friday coming.

 

[tautologico]

The WiiU seems pretty interesting, but I don't know if it'll be able to keep the high interest after the initial sales. The high demand is somewhat to be expected considering it is the first new major console in a long time. Right now, except for Bayonetta 2 there's nothing on the WiiU that makes me really want to buy it, but if the game selection improves I'll definitely consider buying one.

Without numbers, being "sold out" doesn't mean much.

Indeed. Microsoft made a small first run of its Surface tablet, and then announced proudly that it had sold out. Headlines didn't include the fact that the initial run was so small, however. Actual total sales were lower than even some "medium-level" competitors like the Google Nexus tablet, and were way below the level of sales you see with iPads. But the headline is designed to make people think it is a rousing success.

 

[Baresark]

Of course, they themselves demonstrated how useless the base model is. They should not have even made on with so little storage.

 

[KeyMaster45]

Where's all the naysayers who kept poppin in and sayin the WiiU would be a colossal failure? I want to do a Nelson point and laugh at them.

one amazingly memable analyst by the name of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118496-Michael-Pachter-Predicts-Wii-U-Failure> Pachter

OT: well no shit it will sell out faster. not only do you get 4 times the memory (considering it is onboard flash, and probably SDD a bargain right there), and a game. you also get a bunch of other stuff that would cost probably about $60 on its own, and all you have to pay is $50 more. OMG my question is who is stupid enough to actually buy the standard model?

My thoughts exactly, the standard model is just not worth it; with only 3.2gb left after initial setup they may as well have just given you a mother board and a usb stick. I think if I get one I'll be waiting until they phase out the 8gb model and the 32gb is standard and cheaper.

Still, I'll be poking it warily with a stick from afar. I don't quite trust Nintendo fully after the Wii. It could sell like hot cakes then still turn out to be a colossal piece of shit just like the Wii.

 

[juyunseen]

I honestly hate the common sales tactic of lower a price of an item then tacking on additional prices to get the full functionality of the product to hide the massive price. Honestly the WiiU as a system looks very interesting.

But 8gb and 32 gb reminds me of the ps2 era memory cards. I thought we were in 2012 where 500gb memory is standard not 2002 where 8 GB was considered to be massive overkill. I will happily wait for the later models of the WiiU but I am 100% certain those later models will fix the memory issue just as the xbox and ps3 did over the years.

I'd also like to say this as clear as possible for those people that tend to jump down anyone's throat for calling nintendo on their crap. The WiiU is an interesting system and I have high hopes for it to be a great system. However, their decision on the memory (much like sony with the vita) is stupid and will cost a larger backlash than they foresee. They just expect the consumer to deal with the hassle of upgrading memory but their main audience of Wii's that I have seen don't want to fiddle with that crap.

Just some food for thought. 8gb in reality for the WiiU is 7.2 gb because some backup space is always taken. After you have set up your account, info etc, you will get about 3 gb of usable memory (I have played with the demo so I've seen it). Now 3 gb isn't that bad for saves but lets say you want to play mario U, that game takes up 2 gb of space. So after one game you have 1gb of memory left. Oh and here is another fun kicker. You know why nintendo land isn't included with the basic? It is because the game data is 3.2 gb. So if they bundled it with the basic version of the WiiU you couldn't play it after setting up an account because there isn't enough memory.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I wasn't aware that you needed to install game data to play Wii U games. As far as I'm aware, you pick up a game disc, you plonk it in the console, you start playing. No hard-drive space needed, except for save games.

I am just quoting the information I've experienced when I played the demo of the WiiU.

Thankfully I have an article that will back up my own experience so no one thinks I am trolling. http://www.shacknews.com/article/76655/wii-u-storage-is-smaller-than-you-think

I really hope what I experienced was incorrect but I don't see how at this point.

Edit: sorry forgot to mention this was digital download, if you buy hard disk this isn't a problem.


captcha: step back

Yes captcha the flamethrowers are coming.

"Sorry forgot to mention this was the digital download"

And here is the number one issue with the people saying 8gb (or even 3 for that matter) is too small for the WiiU's 'target audience'. Because, like you said, it isn't an issue if you buy on hard disk.

The 'casuals' buy on hard disk almost exclusively.
Yes, you CAN buy digital download of the games, but that's for the people who KNOW how to pick out a good external HD and set it up.


BTW, This isnt directed at you GAunderrated. I just was looking for the proper statement to quote and yours fit the bill.

 

[gamerguy20097]

Nintendo article: check.
escapist forums: check.
Pure unrelenting hatred and mocking of nintendo: A little early I'm going to say check.

Don't need to pinch myself to see if I'm dreaming anymore; just come here and watch people mock nintendo.

 

[Evil Smurf]

so I could buy an internal hard drive and connect it to the base model?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SEAGATE-MOMENTUS-THIN-500GB-2-5-LAPTOP-DRIVE-16MB-CACHE-SATA-7MM-BRAND-NEW-/200845341942?pt=AU_HardDrives&hash=item2ec350b4f6

Well that works. Also I am not spamming, nu uh.

 

[Starik20X6]

Every. Single. Time.

You'd think people would've learned by now. Every time Nintendo announces a new piece of hardware, there's always a very loud bunch of people claiming Nintendo is going to bomb spectacularly. And every time, well:

People must like the taste of egg on their faces.

 

[gardian06]

Every. Single. Time.

You'd think people would've learned by now. Every time Nintendo announces a new piece of hardware, there's always a very loud bunch of people claiming Nintendo is going to bomb spectacularly. And every time, well:

People must like the taste of egg on their faces.

the thing is that even if the system is a spectacular success these people will continue to consider it a failure for even unassociated reasons leading to them "being right" even if the reason they are right is outlandish, and not even accurate.

Where's all the naysayers who kept poppin in and sayin the WiiU would be a colossal failure? I want to do a Nelson point and laugh at them.

one amazingly memable analyst by the name of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118496-Michael-Pachter-Predicts-Wii-U-Failure> Pachter

OT: well no shit it will sell out faster. not only do you get 4 times the memory (considering it is onboard flash, and probably SDD a bargain right there), and a game. you also get a bunch of other stuff that would cost probably about $60 on its own, and all you have to pay is $50 more. OMG my question is who is stupid enough to actually buy the standard model?

My thoughts exactly, the standard model is just not worth it; with only 3.2gb left after initial setup they may as well have just given you a mother board and a usb stick. I think if I get one I'll be waiting until they phase out the 8gb model and the 32gb is standard and cheaper.

Still, I'll be poking it warily with a stick from afar. I don't quite trust Nintendo fully after the Wii. It could sell like hot cakes then still turn out to be a colossal piece of shit just like the Wii.

I was actually talking in a purely cost comparative not on direct amount. realistically 3GB is enough to store a reasonable quantity of downloaded games. yes it can't hold retail games, but the thing is that the Basic system is targeted toward people who will either only ever purchase Retail games (on disc), and might play smaller games that they download from the EShop. while the Deluxe system is targeted toward people who might download Retail games, and might play a lot of downloaded games from the EShop (including Retail download) this is not to say that either has superiority over the other, but intended market needs to be considered.

 

[AlwaysPractical]

Nintendo isn't using SSD tech, they're using flash memory. Much more expensive.

Uhm, SSD tech is flash memory. Permanent flash memory, which they will be using. Since you can hardly use non-retensive flash memory like RAM for permanent storage.

Your el cheapo SSD drive is barely even worth it.
Using your logic a
32 GB OCZ Onyx Series OCZSSD2
is equivalnent to a
Intel 32 GB Internal Solid State Drive
Size wise they look identical.
However, they are about $400 different in price.
The difference is write speed, and depending on your setup it's about 2 to 3 times faster then the slower cheaper drive.

This is why I hate Game Reporters and Gamers. Half the time you're looking at the wrong numbers. I would like them to actually ask Nintendo the Speed of that Flash Memory since that would tell everyone why they went with it. If they've enabled a form of Virtual Memory that is a part of the used space it could make long term memory issues non-existent.

You're not completely wrong in comparing it to existing Solid State Drives since most SSDs are based on Flash, but those range from the slow and cheap to the fast and very expensive.

Well, considering the Crucial v4 SSD 32GB (CT032V4SSD2) - $50 - has a read (which is what matters here) of 230 MB/s and the Intel X25-E has 250 MB/s, I really don't see your fuss.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

Without numbers, being "sold out" doesn't mean much.

^This. The iPhone 5 "sold out" but the Samsung Galaxy X3 is the leading phone in the market in terms of sales.

"Sold out" is such a wool over the eyes term in today's market of electronics. There's no way that people are buying things Wii U or otherwise, faster than factories can make them. It just doesn't make sense.

Where's all the naysayers who kept poppin in and sayin the WiiU would be a colossal failure? I want to do a Nelson point and laugh at them.

Considering that, as @Crono said, there are no numbers, "sold out" means nothing at this point. You may want to hold back your laughing. As mentioned in this thread, the MS Surface tablet "sold out" but has sold less than the iPad and the Google tablet.

 

[medv4380]

Well, considering the Crucial v4 SSD 32GB (CT032V4SSD2) - $50 - has a read (which is what matters here) of 230 MB/s and the Intel X25-E has 250 MB/s, I really don't see your fuss.

You're only looking at Read Speed. They have radically different Write Speeds and that's what you're paying for on the Intel Hardware.
That Crucial model you're looking at May have 250MB/s Read, but it only has a 60MB/s Write speed. An Intel X25-E SSD for the money gets you 170MB/s Write Speed. Anyone can give you a slow cheap SSD drive at 60MB/s but only a few even produce the 170MB/s and Up.

 

[AlwaysPractical]

You're only looking at Read Speed. They have radically different Write Speeds and that's what you're paying for on the Intel Hardware.
That Crucial model you're looking at May have 250MB/s Read, but it only has a 60MB/s Write speed. An Intel X25-E SSD for the money gets you 170MB/s Write Speed. Anyone can give you a slow cheap SSD drive at 60MB/s but only a few even produce the 170MB/s and Up.

And you will need 170MB/s write in a gaming console because?

 

[medv4380]

And you will need 170MB/s write in a gaming console because?

Install Times will be minimized. Can't tell how many times I hear Game Reporters complain about Install Times even though they have an SSD and Load Times are Super Fast. It's like they cant tell that one is Read and the other is Write and one does not imply the other. Also, If a game developer, Like Bathesda, decided to Utilize Virtual Memory like they did on the PS3 the faster speed would mitigate the idiocy it resulted in on the PS3 with slow 5400RPM HDD.

If the reporters were smart they would have asked the simple questions of "What is the Read Write speed on the Internal Storage?". Then we'd know if Nintendo wen't cheap and opted for a crazy slow 8Gig Flash or if they are really crazy and opted for expensive High Speed Flash to satisfy even the stupidest developers.

I'd also like to know the speed of the eDram on the Wii U processor, but they never ask that question ether. It's like everyone involved is distracted by the surface numbers so much they don't actually know what questions need answers to come to any valid conclusion. The reason this is important is that it would mitigate Cache Misses which if the Memory a game needs on the PS3 or 360 isn't already on the processor it has to take over 300 cycles just to get it off the Ram. Under the PS2 the cost was more like 30 cycles. A large eDram on the chip would reduce the need to thrash over to the Ram as much, and could double or triple the performance of even a weaker chip like in the PS3. But since both IBM and Nintendo have consistently left that bit off of the specs no one knows how, or if, they addressed the growing issue of cache Thrashing. Game Reporters should be knowledgeable enough to know this. If they don't then they're nothing more than gamers distracted by pretty lights.

 

[mitchell271]

I'm thinking about getting an 8GB one. Why? It supports external storage up to 2TB. Yes, terabytes.

 

[AlwaysPractical]

Install Times will be minimized.

Only install times of digitally donwloaded content. Most games for consoles still run off discs, which are painfully slow. Other than thunderbolt, only USB 3 to an ssd can make it up to 170MB/s. As most games still run off a disc, there will be no difference between 60 MB/s and 170MB/s install times.