Nintendo Wii U

[ras el hanout]

I think there'd be a lot of families sold on the charm of Wii U if they were sat down together to play Mario Chase. But it's probably hard to communicate that properly in a 30 second advert or to an individual at a demo pod. They should drive around the UK in a big van, inviting groups of people in to try it.

Uh, they should probably have a table printed ont he outside of the van though to clarify the differences between a Wii U van and The Bang Bus.

Still, £300 is a lot of money for charm.

Having owned a WiiU for a while I can think of a bunch of things that they could use in advertising. I've said it before but you know your kids face in the corner of Mariochase? Just show that for a bit. A kid laughing, and then pull back to show the gamepad, and pull back again to show the telly. That would win awards.

I still honestly believe Nintendo aren't trying to sell this thing yet. There are still next to no ads for it. I do reckon they're trying to iron the kinks out before going for a major push. Iwata apologised for the update and the slow OS. Don't reckon they'll push it until that's sorted and it'll probably coincide with MarioKart, WiiFitU etc. Obviously they thought more people would have picked one up but I doubt they're too concerned, otherwise they'd try promoting the thing. If it's still limping along and getting outsold at Christmas then it's fucked.

[Rain Birds]

Still, £300 is a lot of money for charm.

Having owned a WiiU for a while I can think of a bunch of things that they could use in advertising. I've said it before but you know your kids face in the corner of Mariochase? Just show that for a bit. A kid laughing, and then pull back to show the gamepad, and pull back again to show the telly. That would win awards.

I still honestly believe Nintendo aren't trying to sell this thing yet. There are still next to no ads for it. I do reckon they're trying to iron the kinks out before going for a major push. Iwata apologised for the update and the slow OS. Don't reckon they'll push it until that's sorted and it'll probably coincide with MarioKart, WiiFitU etc. Obviously they thought more people would have picked one up but I doubt they're too concerned, otherwise they'd try promoting the thing. If it's still limping along and getting outsold at Christmas then it's fucked.

It is with no small amount of sadness that I say this is a great post.

[b00dles]

One of the strangest decisions for me is a lack of DLC for NintendoLand, it's their own game, they obviously are aware of a lack of games generally, they've already got the Luigi's DLC for NSMBU so surely, an extra map or two for Mario Chase and the fruit one, then at least they all would have five like the Ghost mansion level. It can't be that hard.

I know they aren't exactly renowned for DLC or anything to do with online but it just seems like a potentially very easy bit of filler that would keep your early adaptors slightly happier too.

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

I know they aren't exactly renowned for DLC or anything to do with online but it just seems like a potentially very easy bit of filler that would keep your early adaptors slightly happier too.

The early adopters already bought it and DLC alone won't draw in new customers, so it would just be a waste of resources. Resources they can better put to use to get the necessary system sellers out there sooner.

[gizmo1990]

I think Ramone makes a fair point. There's no point them chucking millions in promotion currently when even the system os itself has issues. They'll just create problem for themselves for the people that do take the plunge.

When the big update comes along that fixes (you'd hope!) the main issues, along with some quality titles, then they'll throw money into a big campaign. Let's just hope that when they do they've learn't their lessons and actually do a good job of it!

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

When the big update comes along that fixes (you'd hope!) the main issues

Do we even know if such an update is coming?

[ras el hanout]

Do we even know if such an update is coming?

We know, you don't, you've no interest in the machine.

[joffocakes]

They did say there'd be a big update in April to improve the overall speed of the OS and stuff. That'd be nice. I'd also like quick access to messages from friends without having to go right out to Miiverse, but I guess that's unlikely? Or at least faster access to Miiverse would make it less of a chore.

[ras el hanout]

I've never even used Miiverse. I don't really understand it. Tell you what I would like. Music for the browser. It's kind weird it being all silent.

[RubberJohnny]

By update they meant a hardware revision.

[ras el hanout]

By update they meant a hardware revision.

Gak!

[SozzlyJoe]

That "don't really want people to buy it" strategy sounds a bit daft. All the major retailers are panicking and having meetings with Nintendo about its lack of sales. They'll drop stocking it entirely if it keeps on like this, and it won't matter a shit what sort of line up they have at Christmas because it will be like those Best of the 70s albums, "not available in any shops". You'll be ringing those 0800 numbers and getting a set of steak knives thrown in.

[RubberJohnny]

I get what he means, any short term stuff they do will only hurt them as it's been shown that cutting the price doesn't really increase demand that much, and at the moment they're still losing money on each one, so waiting until the costs drop and games are ready and doing an effective "relaunch" like the 3DS did is better than sorting it out now.

[rgraves]

Nintendo have comfirmed there are two 'major' updates coming to address the speed of the OS (among other things) - one is due in April (originally announced as 'Spring' but now more firmly dated), the other is currently slated only for 'summer'. They indicated that the 'summer' update was going to be the bigger of the two - but it was not clear if that meant in terms of new features, or in terms of a speed improvement.

EDIT: Listening to the broadcast again - they say that they are implementing 'significant' improvements and new features that will be 'incremental' across both of the updates.

[SMD]

The summer one is bringing the full Virtual Console to the Wii U (when the current promotions end), so presumably next month's OS update should be mainly under the hood.

[ras el hanout]

Maybe that TVii thing too. The Sky+ app is pretty cool. It'd be good on the WiiU.

[Super Craig]

I don't see why they'd need an update for the VC. We already have VC games.

[pulsemyne]

Make them playable off screen.

[SMD]

I don't see why they'd need an update for the VC. We already have VC games.

I dunno, Iwata said it and I'm not sure either why a full update is needed but there you go.

[Super Craig]

The ones we have are playable off screen.

[rgraves]

I don't see why they'd need an update for the VC. We already have VC games.

I'd quite like to see something like folders - or some way of better organising them in the menu - might be that kind of thing perhaps?

[dreamylittledream]

Maybe that TVii thing too. The Sky+ app is pretty cool. It'd be good on the WiiU.

MS have an exclusivity deal with Sky for consoles. Hence no PS3 Sky+ app. Unlikely to get one for the WiiU until that deal ends

[Barny]

By update they meant a hardware revision.

Another Rubber J. post I like

[pulsemyne]

The ones we have are playable off screen.

Not the ones from when people had wii's and downloaded a load of them.

[rubberducker]

they are going to do a hardware revision next year aren't they?

Bigger HD screen on the pad and a smaller, sexier looking console that looks nothing like the Wii - along with some killer first party titles.

[ras el hanout]

MS have an exclusivity deal with Sky for consoles. Hence no PS3 Sky+ app. Unlikely to get one for the WiiU until that deal ends

How does it work without a touchscreen? Surely it's just like having a Sky remote, using an Xbox controller?

[Massive Invisible Dog]

they are going to do a hardware revision next year aren't they?

Bigger HD screen on the pad and a smaller, sexier looking console that looks nothing like the Wii - along with some killer first party titles.

There's is no chance of a change like that to the screen.

[scottcr]

I doubt there'll be a hardware revision. The pad certainly won't go HD - the pad is fine for what it does and the controller itself is very comfy and nice to hold.

I think the killer first party games are a given though based on my previous, albeit limited, experience of Nintendo entertainment systems over the past 18 years or so.

[Super Craig]

There's no chance of an HD GamePad. It looks like Nintendo reused the Wii BC display functionality for the GamePad.

Not the ones from when people had wii's and downloaded a load of them.

Yeah, and they're not being updated. You have to buy them all over again. If you've transferred them to your Wii U you get a discount.

[moosegrinder]

Zavvi have no new Wii U releases. I haven't seen a copy of Monster Hunter on the high street anywhere other than game, who have dummy cases out as they don't have any stock. I haven't seen a copy of NFS:MW in the wild at all. These are not the signs of a healthy console.