One of Nintendo’s core media features for its upcoming Wii U won’t be available on launch day.
I’m not saying that it’s pretty telling how bewildering the nature of your new console’s launch (ahem, Nintendo) is when you wait until the last minute to reveal its inner workings, but I’m definitely ...
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The first thing we noticed about Nintendo's next console when we last got our hands on it was the length -- the Wii U is Nintendo's longest console yet. Sure, sure, there's a tablet controller and HD graphics and yadda yadda yadda. That's immaterial. What matters here, folks, is how the new hardware -- the console itself -- physically stacks up against the first Wii. As you'll see in our gallery, length is the least of the Wii U's changes: in the Wii U, Nintendo added two more USB 2.0 ports up front and rounded out its hard right angles, for starters. Around back, the port layout of the Wii is nigh-on identical with that of the Wii U, albeit with the fan moved an inch (or so) to the right, making space for HDMI output. This is an HD console, after all. Wonderfully, unlike the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the Wii U includes an HDMI cable right out of the box. Not a huge deal, but it sure was a baffling move when Sony and Microsoft both skimped on such an important detail.
The only other change we spotted (outside of the power port being flipped from horizontal to vertical) is the lack of GameCube controller ports up top. Say sayonara to those old Wavebirds, as Nintendo's moving on to its new tablet controller and its updated Pro Controller. Take some super close-up looks at all the minute differences with us below.
Nintendo Wii U vs. Nintendo Wii ... fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 17:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Find out where you can try out Nintendo’s upcoming console at a major retailer near you.
It’s pretty amazing that in less than two weeks the Wii U will be arriving on North American storefronts. Excuse me for being a tad sentimental – it’s what I do best – but it ...
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If a copy of Nintendo Land, 32GB of internal memory and a black paint job weren't enough for you to drop an extra $50 for the Wii U Deluxe Set, Nintendo's hoping fresh details on its Deluxe Digital Promotion will further sweeten the pot. When deluxe console owners buy a game through the firm's eShop or purchase a download code at a brick-and-mortar store, they'll receive roughly 10 percent of the price in points. For example, gamers will net 599 points for a title with a $59.99 price tag. For every 500 points, users can snag a code redeemable for $5 in eShop credit useable on the Wii U or 3DS digital storefronts. The house that Mario built will keeping track of points between the system's launch day and December 31st, 2014, but won't issue credits until the promotion's website launches sometime in December. Look out below for more details in the press release.
Wii U Deluxe Digital Promotion will give gamers a $5 credit for every $50 spent on downloads originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 03:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Mario's alma mater may be looking at its next big console to bolster its stumbling net income, but it won't be raising its bottom line on hardware alone: Nintendo says the Wii U is going to be sold at a loss. While this is par for the course for most game consoles, loss leader products are somewhat of a new trend for Nintendo, which only started selling hardware at a loss recently. On the upside, company CEO Satoru Iwata says the 3DS is back in the black, finally selling for a tidy (though unspecified) profit after dropping its price late last year. Nintendo expects business to pick up down the road, but says circumstances will keep it from attaining "Nintendo-like" profits in this fiscal year.
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Nintendo Wii U to be sold at a loss, 3DS starts to turn a profit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 02:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nintendo's reported its financial results for the first of half of the year, and things are still a little rocky. Net sales in the last six months have decreased 6.8 percent compared to the same point last year, while net income continues to drop, this time by 27,996 million yen. As of September 2012, Nintendo has now sold over 22 million 3DS units (three million more since last quarter), while the Wii remains just shy of the 100 million milestone, settling at 97.2 million units sold. Nintendo looks to be in a similar position to last year, with customers still waiting for the company's next big console to appear -- and the gamesmaker hoping they will. Laying blame at the strong yen, the company has dramatically cut its forecast for the rest of the year, down from 20 billion ($250 million) to 6 billion yen ($75 million), pinning its hopes on 3DS sales ahead of the Wii U's global launch later this year.
Nintendo reports continued first-half losses for 2012, is waiting on the Wii U originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 03:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nintendo's top dog Satoru Iwata recently sat down with some of his R&D crew to talk about designing the Wii U, and unfortunately, a console was sacrificed in the process. The discussion focuses on what changes they've made this time 'round, including the new multi-core CPU and GPU module, and how they fitted more cooling gear in a body smaller than the Wii as a result. In addition to some nice teardown pics for illustrative purposes, they muse on moving to HD, part testing, case design and how the GamePad is more of a companion than a controller. We don't want to spoil the whole bit, so head to the source link for the full transcript, or check out the gallery below if you just want the visuals.
Satoru Iwata talks Wii U design, guts a console for context originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Join me as I list the games you will see right next to the Wii U on launch day.
Twenty-three titles sounds like a good number to launch a new console with. How about you? Well, according to Nintendo HQ, that’s the amount there will be as launch day retail companions ...
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Nintendo's nailing down a specific date for nearly half of its Wii U "launch window" lineup, and it's the same day that the console arrives in North America: November 18. 23 games will land at retail alongside the Wii U this November, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, New Super Mario Bros. U, and FIFA Soccer 13. Minigame collection Nintendo Land will launch with the 32GB, $350 version of the Wii U console, and will also be available separately on Nov. 18 -- all Nintendo first-party games will be available digitally at launch as well. Earlier this month, the company revealed just over 50 titles planned for the Wii U's "launch window," which comprises November 18, 2012 through March 31, 2013. The full list of all titles is just below.
Continue reading These are the 23 games launching with the Wii U on November 18
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These are the 23 games launching with the Wii U on November 18 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 11:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The forthcoming Wii U console from Nintendo will be region-locked, just like the original Wii and the 3DS, Nintendo UK told Eurogamer. That means you won't be able to play obscure (or early) Japanese imports on it, and customs officials won't get anything to break up the monotony of seized cigars and bushmeat.
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Shocker: Nintendo Wii U said to be region-locked originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 06:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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