General Nintendo sales/business discussion topic (previously: The Wii U Thread)

[Solkia]

I doubt it would be hard to give it Gamecube support. It already has Wii support, and the Wii and Gamecube aren't that different from what I can see.

They'd just have to make the emulator that runs Wii games also support Gamcube games, or something.

[Tornado]

They can't build in support for every past system.

You mean the system that has an identical chipset to the one that they are already emulating?

[Shade Vortex]

Guys, the issue may likely be in the discs, not much anything else. It was expensive enough for Nintendo to have a disc drive that can easily load both the small Gamecube discs and the Wii discs, but to do both those on top of a THIRD disc format? Sure, Wii U discs may be as big as Wii discs, but they are not even the same format of disc. They're large capacity discs. It's likely that it's a cost effective manuever to include just Wii backwards compatibility and not shell out for a drive that can do all three.

Just my thoughts. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I think what I'm saying has some logic/basis to it based on what I know/have heard about this in the past.

Anyways, the main point that most of us are of curious about is the specs, as that will make a huge difference to what kinds of experiences developers will be able to make. The controller is also obviously quite important, so we'll have to wait until E3 just to see what the final version of the controller, and the system, will be like. Hopefully we'll get a good gauge of what the system can do.

[LunarEdge]

I like backwards compatibility like the next guy, but at a point I say let it go. At least with consoles like the Wii and the 360 (to an extent) we got backwards compatibility at no extra cost. The ps3 did the same, but only for a short amount of time for an extra cost. i think backwards compatibility is good and fair when the generation right after does it. Seeing how the Wii U is 2 generations ahead of the GC now, I think it's fair if they choose not to include backwards compatibility.

If anything, I think backwards compatibility is more of a luxury. If we get it, it does feel nice, if we don't I say we deal and move on. How long do people honestly expect the Wii "line" to emulate GC?

[Chili Dawg]

Under normal circumstances I'd agree. I don't expect my Wii to play N64 games, I don't expect a DS to play Game Boy Color games, etc. There are certain things that just aren't worth the trouble. There is a point where it's just time to move on.

BUT, it should be so easy for a Wii U to run GC games if it can run Wii games, seeing as how they run on pretty much all the same technology. Not implementing GC support just feels like Nintendo trying to make it easier to resell the games as downloads.

[LunarEdge]

Under normal circumstances I'd agree. I don't expect my Wii to play N64 games, I don't expect a DS to play Game Boy Color games, etc. There are certain things that just aren't worth the trouble. There is a point where it's just time to move on.

BUT, it should be so easy for a Wii U to run GC games if it can run Wii games, seeing as how they run on pretty much all the same technology. Not implementing GC support just feels like Nintendo trying to make it easier to resell the games as downloads.

that seems to be the trend these days. Especially re-releasing them in H-muthafucking-D! I personally wouldn't mind buying them again if they had some sort of other modes or w/e. like online multiplayer and etc.

[Detective Shadzter]

You mean the system that has an identical chipset to the one that they are already emulating?

I don't know what the chipset is or any technical stuff like that for any of the consoles, but if it were that easy, then I'd have thought they would implement it. There's probably more to it than that.

[LunarEdge]

i would imagine some work has to be put into making GC games playable on the Wii-U, despite how close the tech are to each other. Work Ninty and any other console makers have the right to do implement or not.

[Tornado]

Guys, the issue may likely be in the discs, not much anything else. It was expensive enough for Nintendo to have a disc drive that can easily load both the small Gamecube discs and the Wii discs, but to do both those on top of a THIRD disc format? Sure, Wii U discs may be as big as Wii discs, but they are not even the same format of disc. They're large capacity discs. It's likely that it's a cost effective manuever to include just Wii backwards compatibility and not shell out for a drive that can do all three.

Disc formats don't work that way. If it can read Wii games, it can read Gamecube games because they are literally the same thing (just smaller).

And yes, the disc size is a problem, but not one that adding a dollar to the disc drive or including a 5 cent disc adapter wouldn't solve. We've already been over this in this thread.

I like backwards compatibility like the next guy, but at a point I say let it go. At least with consoles like the Wii and the 360 (to an extent) we got backwards compatibility at no extra cost. The ps3 did the same, but only for a short amount of time for an extra cost. i think backwards compatibility is good and fair when the generation right after does it. Seeing how the Wii U is 2 generations ahead of the GC now, I think it's fair if they choose not to include backwards compatibility.

This would only be acceptable if:

• The system couldn't play them inherently and Nintendo was just preventing it.
  
• Nintendo didn't have plans to rerelease them, which completely sinks any argument that could be made regarding how BC isn't important.
  

I don't know what the chipset is or any technical stuff like that for any of the consoles, but if it were that easy, then I'd have thought they would implement it. There's probably more to it than that.

Like with the Wii's fully-functioning-but-intentionally-disabled-DVD-player?

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

Like with the Wii's fully-functioning-but-intentionally-disabled-DVD-player?

Well, they had to disable it if they don't want to get sued.

Anyway you can't blame Nintendo for doing this move. Sony has been doing it, and it has been a huge success for them.

Amazingly though you are forgetting that if Nintendo wanted to add full support for NGC discs, they would have to implement 4 NGC controller ports and memory card slots in to the system as well. Which will cost them even more money. You can't use the Wiimote or the classic controller to play NGC games as they have different button sets.

Nintendo wants the Wii U to be in an affordable price. If Nintendo sells this thing at $599, they will become the Sony of this current generation on the next generation.

[Tornado]

Well, they had to disable it if they don't want to get sued.

You're ignoring the, ah, obvious solution.

Anyway you can't blame Nintendo for doing this move. Sony has been doing it, and it has been a huge success for them.

Not even remotely the same thing.

Amazingly though you are forgetting that if Nintendo wanted to add full support for NGC discs, they would have to implement 4 NGC controller ports and memory card slots in to the system as well. Which will cost them even more money. You can't use the Wiimote or the classic controller to play NGC games as they have different button sets.

Amazingly though you are forgetting that this discussion has happened in this thread before and I've therefore done no such thing.

I mean, if only the Wii-U had four serial buses that were universal, then it wouldn't be a problem.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Tornado

[Marcello]

^

Honestly, most people who want to play GC games have a GC or Wii. Nintendo probably knows that and doesn't want to waste any money on the parts. I'm not defending it, really, I don't like it either, but I think it's understandable.

Wii U Zapper:

http://mynintendonew...f-wii-u-zapper/

I like the idea of using the controller as a scope, but the thing looks wobbly. I can't imagine the controller is very safe there. Plus, I wasn't a big fan of the Wii Zapper design. It makes more sense here, though.

Wii U will not be out by October:

Pachter Says Wii U Late October Launch “Makes Sense”

Famed industry analyst Michael Pachter firmly

believes

that Nintendo will launch the Wii U in October. Pachter made the comments during the latest episode of

Pach Attack

, during which he was asked why Nintendo hasn’t revealed the Wii U technical specifications.

“There’s a couple of reasons, I think. For one, they’re probably not certain exactly what their final specs are going to be. When I say that, they have the CPU and GPU down absolutely as developers are making games for it.

“I think they’re just waiting to see what the commodity prices are like, and what the assembly is going to cost them. They kind of have to go final at least three to four months before the thing launches, so I think you’ll hear specs around E3 and I think you should look for around a late October launch. That makes sense.”

“The answer is nobody has any clue, including Ubisoft,” Pachter later expanded, responding to whether the console would release prior to Assassin’s Creed III.”

“The game will come out on October 30th, and it’ll come out on Wii U if it’s out by then. If there’s not a Wii U by then, guess what, it’ll be held until it launches.

“I think it’s likely that Nintendo is shooting for around that date on Wii U. Historically, we haven’t really gotten console launches in the US and Europe past about November 15th, so October 30th sounds totally reasonable to me. But, I don’t think anyone has any clue. Nintendo does what Nintendo decides to do.”

http://mynintendonew...ch-makes-sense/

Edited May 6, 2012 by MarcelloF

[Candescence]

Patcher is an idiot, and tends to be wrong about anything that has to do with Nintendo, so I'll take his predictions with a bucket of salt. The WiiU could release at any time this year after E3.

[Marcello]

Well, yeah, that's my point.

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

You're ignoring the, ah, obvious solution.

Do you want this system to be cheap or not? Besides, who would ever play DVDs on the Wii U when 99% of the households with a TV have a DVD player now, whether it's a standalone (you can get one for a little as $10), TV combo, computer/laptop, or even on a different console. If you were talking about Bluray, then I would have agreed with you. If a person can afford the Wii U, they should have NO problem affording a simple DVD player. No problem.

Not even remotely the same thing.

It kinda is, if Nintendo is planning to re-release some titles in HD. If not, then look at Sony's recent PS2 Classics range. At least I know THAT is the same thing.

Amazingly though you are forgetting that this discussion has happened in this thread before and I've therefore done no such thing.

I mean, if only the Wii-U had four serial buses that were universal, then it wouldn't be a problem.

Universal? How? The Wiimotes and that Wii U Controller are wireless. Wireless is the way forward, no one wants a wired controller anymore.

I'm going to also cover if you asked "They can use those ports for recharging the Wii U controller" because my gut tells me it. They can't use the NGC controller ports because those ports and the GC controllers themselves weren't built for recharging. The controllers will malfunction, maybe even permanently.

It's impossible for Nintendo to make those NGC slots universal, because they weren't thinking about the future when they made those ports.

They however, can make some kind of USB to NGC external converter, which you'll have to purchase separately from the store (they will definitely not include it with the system).

Edited May 6, 2012 by Ming Ming Love

[Solkia]

They however, can make some kind of USB to NGC external converter, which you'll have to purchase separately from the store (they will definitely not include it with the system).

That's what he meant by Universal Serial Bus :U

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

That's what he meant by Universal Serial Bus :U

No he said if the NGC ports were universal. Those ports are not USB ports and they are not made for future use. USB ports were, that's the difference.

Yeah they can do a USB to NGC converter, but would you really want to buy 4 of these? And Nintendo can make these pricey.

[Solkia]

I'm sure it would play out similar to the 360's rechargable battery. Person complains about how they shouldn't have to buy it seperately (which they shouldn't), and then go out and buy it anyways.

[Nintendoga]

Oh I forgot to mention about that Wii-U out by October thing.

Nintendo's probably going to reveal the price and release by September, and have it out late November/December. Just like the Wii, and the fact that Iwata said it'll be out around the holiday season.

[Detective Shadzter]

Has Blockbuster UK leaked the Wii U launch titles?

http://www.computera...-launch-titles/

[Marcello]

Seems mostly believable. Pikmin, NSMBM and Rayman are my most wanted titles there. Killer Freaks from Outer Space looks interesting, too.

Splinter Cell 5 is Conviction, right? I thought that was supposed to be Microsoft exclusive? Makes it a bit less believable, but it wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened.

Edit: Looking at the screen, WiiU - Damaged Consoles? Tsk, tsk, tsk

Edited May 7, 2012 by MarcelloF

[Winston]

That's a whole lot of Rayman. XP

[Chooch]

The only game on that list that interests me is Rayman Legends and that game is coming to PS3 anyway. Much like the rest of these games.

I would sincerely hope that this isn't the real list of launch titles because it seems like if you aren't into Pikmin there is basically nothing here.

The console will still sell a lot just off of Pikmin 3 alone tho'.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Chooch

[Thigolf]

The only thing I find weird are those two rabbid games. I mean, two? Seems unlikely. Other than that, the list sounds very believable and... boring. Pikmin is awesome, but all the other games don't sound interesting (yeah, let's have a coregamer console and the first games we announce are party games...) or are more or less 360 ports.

[VO.SUPER]

This is a good leak; people must complain about this in droves so Nintendo can realize how BS it is or at least prove this link false.