[Official] Wii U thread

[avelanch]

"Crysis 3" on Wii U "a Possibility", Says Crytek

BY MICHAEL EPSTEIN | JUL 26, 2012 | 11:45 AM |

Crytek may be working with Nintendo to bring Crysis 3 to the Wii U, based on some cryptic comments by one of the game's producers.

"I wouldn't say there's no chance," Crytek producer Mike Read told CVG. "I mean the Wii U still doesn't have any kind of release [date] attached to it at this point. Who knows what the future will bring with it. I can definitely say that we are working with Nintendo, and that's about all I can say on that front."

Read's comments come months after Cryrek creative director Rasmus Hoejengaard said there's almost no chance that the shooter would land on Wii U. Hoejengaard's statement dates back to April, so it's possible that things have changed. It's also possible that Crytek is working on something else for the next-gen platform, and using facts flexibly to build buzz for their next game.

Though Nintendo hasn't set an official launch date for the Wii U, it is expected to come out by the end of this year.Crysis 3 in on track for a February 2013 release.

http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/07/crysis-3-on-wii-u-a-possibility-says-crytek

crysis 3 would be huge for nintendo, but so would an original IP running on the cry engine 3, developed by/with Crytek. given the Wii u's expected release date of november, Crysis 3 being a feb 2013 date, and nintendo on record saying they will announce a plethora of wii u 3rd party games when they release the launch date and price, I wouldn't be surprised to hear Crysis 3 be announced once the date and price is.

[Bob Singh]

New Super Mario Bros U will be better than NSMB 2

Video game exec: Nintendo is becoming a software company

Nintendo expects to sell 8 million Wii U consoles by March 2013

8 million is alot for 4 months. Which means 2 million per month, and 500,000 per week, and about 71,500 a day!

[avelanch]

Wii U price expected in September

Posted on July 27, 2012 - 08:30 by Mike Luttrell

It's believed that Nintendo will finally announce the price of the Wii U in September.

The console is due out for the holiday season but we still haven't received an official launch date or price, which is leading many to be rightfully worried that it could be more expensive than gamers are expecting.

It's very uncommon for those critical details to be withheld so close to the launch of a new platform, and Nintendo has nothing to gain by not announcing the price point unless it knows it will draw some sort of backlash.

EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich said, "It is tough to pinpoint any type of expectation when Nintendo themselves are being incredibly vague about it. Considering the potential for PS3/Xbox 360 price cuts this holiday, it is understandable that they are keeping their cards close to the chest."

He said he expects an official announcement in September, around the time of the big Japanese trade show, the Tokyo Game Show.

Estimates of what the Wii U will cost have ranged anywhere from $300 to $500. Regardless of where it is in that wide range, if it is more than $250 it will be the most expensive Nintendo console ever.

The problem is the touchscreen tablet-like controller, which is practically another video game system in and of itself. So you're paying for not one console but two, which is driving up costs for Nintendo.

And Nintendo likes to be able to turn a profit for its hardware, unlike industry convention which is to sell the console at below cost, hoping you'll make that money back through high-margin software sales.

http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/64994-wii-u-price-expected-in-september

[Bob Singh]

I would prefer it to be August 15 to Sept 10. still don't know why

Though if it releases nov. 18, they would have to tell it at least a month before wouldn't they?

[avelanch]

Another anonymous source has a punt at Nintendo's pricing

By Mike Jackson for CVG UK

Nintendo's new Wii U console will cost $299 when it hits shops in the States later this year, according to a new rumour.

Gametrailers says that it's heard that price being touted through "certain channels", but offered no further info on its sources.

That would sit roughly in line with another recent report that cited a "senior publishing source" as saying it'll cost under the £250 mark.

Japanese business paper Nikkei has previously claimed that the console will cost about 30,000 yen, which roughly converts to around £250.

Although Amazon initially listed the Wii U for £199 and began to take pre-orders it was later forced to cancel all pre-orders and said it didn't know the price.

[Bob Singh]

the controller in that picture looks weird, it has an HDMI port and is completely flat. It looks more like a tablet.

but i'd expect the price to be $299 to $350

[Bob Singh]

as according to this link, the thing in your post is a fake.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/viewer.php?mode=article&id=286325#top_banner

[avelanch]

as according to this link, the thing in your post is a fake.

http://www.computera...6325#top_banner

it's just the picture from the story, it's obviously not the wii u controller, which we know to be this:

[Bob Singh]

it's just the picture from the story, it's obviously not the wii u controller, which we know to be this:

the picture just reminded me, could you use the controller as a touch screen TV remote? and could you view a separate tv channel on the controller?

[avelanch]

you can use it as a remote (confirmed at E3) but you can't stream TV or use it as a PIP (POP?)

[avelanch]

might as well post this here too, since this involves everything wii-u

‘FIFA 13’ confirmed for Wii U, exclusive features revealed

AUGUST 1, 2012 BY: MATT FURTADO

It was reported early Wednesday morning that EA Sports’ “FIFA 13” will be coming to Wii U later year and bringing exclusive game features that make use of the Wii U Game Pad in unique and exciting ways. In the new issue of Official Nintendo Magazine, they have an exclusive first-look at “FIFA 13” for Wii U and today details from the article have surfaced.

According to Matt Prior, Producer of “FIFA 13”, the Wii U version of “FIFA 13” will look the best when it sees release, however, the way the title uses the GamePad will really set it apart from the other versions as it demonstrates how theNintendo Wii U can deliver a fresh look at the sports genre.

Players can tackle, pass, shoot, take free kicks, and penalty shots using the GamePad’s touch-screen – likely similar to how “FIFA Soccer” played on PlayStation Vita. In addition, you can also look over stats, make decisions in real-time, and motivate your team with a half-time talk.

Official Nintendo Magazine detailed six ways the GamePad is used in “FIFA 13”.

Touchscreen tackling

FIFA 13 Wii U makes it easy for players to switch between defenders as you can take control of a player by tapping on him on the Wii U GamePad's touchscreen. You can then tap on the attacking player, either to man mark him or tackle.

In many games, switching between players is done automatically, so this gives you an extra level of control. You could imagine the man marking tactics being useful when defending against top class players such as Ronaldo and Messi.

Touchscreen passing

You are able to choose exactly where you want to aim the ball thanks to Touchscreen shooting. Shaking the controller or pressing L3 (clicking the left analogue stick) brings up an image of the goal on the screen and then you simply tap on the position you want to place your shot on the goal.

This will make shooting more accurate and realistic than ever before as rather than pressing a direction with the analogue stick or D-Pad, you are now able to enjoy precision shooting by blasting the ball exactly where you want to.

Touchscreen shooting

You are able to choose exactly where you want to aim the ball thanks to Touchscreen shooting. Shaking the controller or pressing L3 (clicking the left analogue stick) brings up an image of the goal on the screen and then you simply tap on the position you want to place your shot on the goal.

This will make shooting more accurate and realistic than ever before as rather than pressing a direction with the analogue stick or D-Pad, you are now able to enjoy precision shooting by blasting the ball exactly where you want to.

Manager Hub

Anyone who follows football will know how important starts are in modern football. We are bombarded with possession, assists and shots on target stats in the media while managers even use Prozone stats to analyse how their own players are performing.

So, FIFA 13 Wii U promises to make it easier than ever before to analyse stats and make managerial decisions in the Manager Hub. You can tap on any player in your team to get full statistical analysis. You can also see where shots are being taken from and it will help you decide who to man mark.

New Free Kick and Penalty System

You already know that you can shoot using the Touchscreen so it shouldn't come as a surprise that you can take free kicks with the GamePad. However, it's not simply a case of tapping on the screen to place your free kick.

Instead, you lift up your GamePad and look through the screen to aim the ball, before putting curve on the ball and shooting. Basically, you are seeing it from the free kick taker's perspective and you can move the GamePad around to see where your players are positioned; this should come in handy when you're taking a free kick from a wide position and are looking to cross the ball into the box.

Manage the Match on the GamePad

As already mentioned, you can analyse the match by looking at the match stats on the GamePad but you can also adjust tactics on the screen when playing as the manager.

You can also make half-time team talks to motivate key players. You can choose to manage the team like this in all of the main game modes and intervene if things aren't going well.

http://www.examiner....atures-revealed

the editor didn't really say how touchscreen passing would work, instead he explained touchscreen shooting, twice, but i would imagine you tap the area of the pitch where you want the ball to go to pass it there. this might actually get me to pick up fifa again, as I haven't played it in years. i espescially love the free kick and shooting, as that was always my main issue (not being able to shoot it to the correct part of the net).

[avelanch]

Wii U Pro Controller makes hardcore transition easy

By Alan Ng on August 1, 2012

If you are stil worried about picking up the Nintendo Wii U due to concerns about ‘hardcore’ support, Nintendo apparently has you covered. In a new statement, the company has revealed that their new Pro Controller for the system was designed specifically to make the transition to hardcore a lot more comfortable.

It’s no secret that this was a big reason why many gamers opted against picking up a Wii. While Nintendo obviously has a core market in party games for parents and young children, the big money nowadays is in console shooters and Nintendo are looking to eat into Sony and Microsoft’s share of this with their new console.

Aside from that innovative touchscreen controller, Nintendo will be offering a Pro Controller which has a design that you’ll be much more used to with say the Xbox 360 and PS3 pads. Wii U hardware producer Katsuya Eguchi has spoken about their new controller in a recent interviewwith GamePlanet, insisting that the Pro Controller will have big benefits for hardcore gamers, but also developers as they start building their multiplatform games.

“We’re all gamers as well and we appreciate the interest of those [hardcore] gamers, and we don’t want them to feel left out, so we’re making big strides and changes in that area.”

If they didn’t have this pad and just stuck with the touchscreen controller, then Nintendo could have run into the same problems that the Wii U. Thankfully they didn’t though and we’ve already seen big name publishers such as Activision and EA adding their support to the upcoming console.

Black Ops 2 has already been confirmed for the Wii U, while other big games that primarily require controllers have already been confirmed as well, such as FIFA 13 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2. With no date attached to either of the next-generation consoles from Sony or Microsoft, we have a feeling that a lot of gamers will just pick up the Wii U out of temptation. Hopefully playing the likes of Black Ops 2 on Wii U with a Pro Controller will offer the same experience that gamers get at the moment.

http://www.product-r...ransition-easy/

honestly, this was one of the smartest things Nintendo did. it allowed for easy direct ports, and gave devs the option to not use the tablet if they are finding it too hard to come up with something (like the tekken tag devs). plus, not all games should/would require touchscreen capabilities. for those games, the whole "play on the controller while someone watches TV" would probably be the only use of the tablet.

[Bob Singh]

but there is alot of talk about analog and digital triggers lately

[avelanch]

meh, the gamecube had analogue triggers, I prefer digital ones, to be honest.

Wii U launch titles revealed by GameStop leak

AUGUST 2, 2012

BY: SCOTT GRILL

A picture of a GameStop listing of Wii U launch titles leaked on Wednesday showing the release plans for Nintendo's new console from publishers such as Ubisoft, Sega, THQ, Electronic Arts, Namco Bandai and Nintendo itself.

The Wii U is expected to launch this holiday season and there are 25 games listed for release during the same time or during the console's "launch window". There are another four games - Aliens: Colonial Marines,Scribblenauts Unlimited, Rayman Legends andJeff Talifin that do not have a release date or window yet.

The Wii U lineup of games for this year is a mix of family friendly games such as Just Dance 4and Family Party, traditional Nintendo games like New Super Mario Bros U and Pikmin 3, plus more "hardcore" games includingDarksiders II and Assassin's Creed III.

The complete list of leaked Wii U launch titles is below.

2K Sports

• NBA 2K13 - Holiday
  

D3Publisher

• Ben 10: Omniverse - Holiday
  
• Family Party: 30 Great Games (Working Title) - Holiday
  
• Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game - Holiday
  

Electronic Arts

• Mass Effect 3 -Holiday
  

Maximum Games

• Jett Tailfin - TBA
  

Namco Bandai Games

• Tank! Tank! Tank! - Holiday
  
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Working Title) - Holiday
  

Nintendo

• LEGO City: Undercover - Holiday
  
• New Super Mario Bros. U - Holiday
  
• Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge - Holiday
  
• Nintendo Land - Holiday
  
• SiNG (Working Title) - Holiday
  
• Wii U Panorama View (Working Title) - Holiday
  
• Game & Wario (Working Title) - Launch Window
  
• Pikmin 3 - Launch Window
  
• Project P-100 (Working Title) - Launch Window
  
• Wii Fit U - Launch Window
  

Sega

• Aliens: Colonial Marines - TBA
  

THQ

• Darksiders II - Holiday
  

Ubisoft

• Assassin's Creed III - Holiday
  
• Just Dance 4 - Holiday
  
• Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth - TBA
  
• Rabbids Land - Holiday
  
• Sports Connection - Holiday
  
• Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 - Holiday
  
• ZombiU - Holiday
  
• Rayman Legends - TBA
  

Warner Bros. Interactive

• Scribblenauts Unlimited - Holiday
  
• Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition - Holiday
  

http://www.examiner....y-gamestop-leak

[avelanch]

]BioShock Infinite coming to Wii U

Development on the Wii U version of BioShock Infinite will begin when the game ships on other platforms in February 2013.

By John Kinsley

ON AUGUST 2ND, 2012 IN RUMOR

According to a new report, the much anticipated BioShock Infinite will be coming to the Wii U after all. During publisher Take Two’s recent earnings call, the company confirmed a BioShock Infinite Wii U version, however, the game will begin development after the PS3 and Xbox 360 editions hit the stores. BioShock Infinite is scheduled for release in February 2013 on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. The game was first hinted for the Wii U when the console was officially unveiled at E3 2011, where BioShock creator Ken Levine spoke about the Wii U in a promotional video by Nintendo.

BioShock Infinite is built using the Unreal Engine 3, which the Wii U fully supports. This will make the game relatively easy to port to Nintendo’s new console — there are already several UE3 games that have been ported to the Wii U, including Mass Effect 3 andBatman Arkham City. Hopefully this means we’ll see BioShock Infinite on the Wii U later in 2013, and hopefully with some extra goodies and decent GamePad controls.

BioShock Infinite is a first person shooter following in the footsteps of the excellent BioShock. This time, the game is set in the skies in the floating city of Columbia. Players assume the role of Booker DeWitt, a man who is sent to Columbia to rescue a girl who has been held captive there for many years. The game is set for release on February 26, 2013.

http://wiiudaily.com/2012/08/bioshock-infinite-coming-to-wii-u/

[Jägermeister]

I can tell by the fact that there are only 2 people posting consistently in this thread that people are super excited for the Wii U to come out.

I expect high sales, and a high transition rate to other new consoles once they are released, and the Wii U gimmick fails to please anymore, just like what happened with the original. People bought it since it was new and different, then switched back to more conventional systems as time went on.

[avelanch]

considering the wii u IS a conventional gaming system, I'm not really sure what you are trying to get at.

[avelanch]

so madden 2013 is confirmed for wiiU launch, but it seems like it was fairly rushed, and is missing a number of things that, apparently, will be added next year. It's like EA decded at the last moment to add it to their WiiU lineup and then didn't have enough time to work out the bugs in a couple features, so they just cut it right out.

seems like an asinine move on EA's part to me.

anyway, heres the interview:

'Madden NFL 13' Wii U Q&A

August, 3, 2012

By Jon Robinson | ESPN.com

EA Sports"Madden NFL 13" on the Wii U won't have the same features as "Madden" on other consoles.Wes Welker lines up in the slot and is about to run a curl when you notice a linebacker shift over him into coverage. This is where the Wii U magic happens. Using the system’s touch-screen controller, simply draw a new route for Welker before the ball is hiked, and the Patriot receiver will run whatever direction your finger sends him in order to beat that linebacker deep.

That’s one of the more intriguing aspects of playing the game on Nintendo’s new system, but it’s what’s missing from the franchise that overshadows everything EA Sports announced.

The Infinity Engine that redefines the game’s physics on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3? MIA. That means what you’re playing are the tired old tackles and movements of “Madden 12” while the older systems get the groundbreaking goodness of Infinity. Also left off the features list are popular modes like Madden Ultimate Team and Online Team Play.

I had the chance to sit down with the game’s producer, Yuri Bialoskursky, to get his thoughts on what the Wii U will add to the franchise, and why so much was left out.

ESPN Playbook: Don’t you think Nintendo consumers are going to be frustrated by getting an inferior version of “Madden” again? The Infinity Engine is what defines “Madden 13,” yet it’s nowhere to be seen on the Wii U.

Yuri Bialoskursky: It’s not for a lack of want. We definitely wanted to get the physics into the game. The Infinity Engine is something that is a point of interest for “Madden” fans, it’s just something we weren’t able to achieve for this first year on the new hardware. A lot of times, new hardware comes with new challenges. But we were able to add things to “Madden” on a lot of different levels, like being able to draw your own hot routes and being able to change your plays on the fly and create your own plays, giving you the ability to do whatever you want to do pre-play. Play-calling is another area that could be underestimated at face value. You have your playbook fully exposed to you. You don’t have to dig through menus and dig back out of menus to find the perfect play. There’s a lot of searching around, I think, on the other consoles. Just the way it’s laid out enables you to access everything very quickly. Then, of course, you’re able to utilize substitutions and packages, making changes very simply and very intuitively by just tapping and swiping the screen.

How does the controller feel to you? The thing is so huge, it seems like it’s going to take a lot of getting used to for “Madden” fans that have been playing the game on other systems.

There’s definitely going to be a period of adjustment there. That’s all out of our control, but when we’ve been playing it all throughout development, it’s not uncomfortable at all. The way that it’s laid out, the final controller, is actually very comfortable, and the way that it’s all laid out with our features, is all done in a way that isn’t intrusive to the game. It’s all done in the flow and the context of how the plays are supposed to game and the game really flows. It works really well.

One feature that you were able to bring over to the Wii U is Connected Careers. How big is that showing the system’s online capabilities?

That’s one of the things we’re most excited about. All of the parity points we do have with the other consoles. Connected Careers is the biggest one. Thirty-two connected people in their own league, being able to play head-to-head. Obviously we’ll have all of the other head-to-head and leaderboards and lobbies like our other consoles as well. So yeah, online is definitely an emphasis for both Nintendo and for us, and we can’t wait to see people out there engaging more so than they probably ever have on a Nintendo console.

But how can you say that online is such an emphasis and then not include features like Madden Ultimate Team?

Madden Ultimate Team is something that we’re not going to have in year one. It’s another one that we plan to add in as we go.

You’re killing me.

Again, we have other features that are really great. Connected Careers is going to take a lot of your time. Being able to interact and play against other people online while you try and create a legend out of yourself or picking one of those old legends like a Vince Lombardi or a Barry Sanders and taking them through a career is fun. There is a lot to look forward to on the Wii U.

How many people can play the game at once?

You can actually play up to five players at a time with the Wii U. We’ll be supporting the game pad, the Wii remote and nunchuk, and we’ll also be supporting the pro controller.

So five people in one room, but no Online Team Play?

Correct. It’s a different monster.

What’s your personal favorite feature for “Madden” on the Wii U that isn’t found in the other versions of the game?

A lot of people say drawing the routes, and I use it all the time, but for me, honestly, I love the playbook. Everything is laid out in front of you and I can quickly just tap through everything and still have the ability to change my mind, tap back and substitute my guys. It’s really resonated with our hard-core guys in play test, and I can see why because it’s just quick. That’s one of the main things we were trying to accomplish with this. We were looking at ways we could bring these elements into the Wii U space and make it a much quicker experience. So you can do all of this through the regular controls now. But how can we enhance that? Redesigning the playbook so can just tap your way through is one of those ways. Drawing your own hot routes where you don’t have to pick from a predesigned series of hot routes is another. We give you that top-down view of both the offense and defense so you can quickly disseminate how the defense is setup, and then draw a route to take advantage of their weaknesses. Then on defense, if you play “Madden,” you know you only have a couple of seconds before that ball is snapped, and to actually hot route your defenders on the other consoles, you have to switch to that guy, you have to open the menu, press a button, then switch over to the next guy and repeat. It’s a little, I don’t want to call it clunky, but it’s cumbersome. Here: tap, drag, tap, drag. If you know what you want to do, it’s really quick and it’s really easy.

http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/tech/post/_/id/1471/madden-nfl-13-wii-u-qa

[avelanch]

mass effect 3 Wii U screenshots:

comparison of wii U (left) and xbox 360 (right)

[Bob Singh]

which ones look better? i cant tell