Wii U GamePad has a chance to change the gaming landscape

For people who want to know which games will be the best ones to play with the GamePad, look no further than "ZombiU," as this device and game may be on the way to changing the gaming industry forever.

This was an exclusive interview with Examiner.com.

[TheLyonKing]

I will get a load of disagrees but it isn't that big a game changer, it is cool but not like previous nintendo changes like the analogue stick.

I have tried it btw and I prefer the the pro controller but that's preference.

[Neonridr]

fair enough. I've been using a standard controller going back to the NES days, so it's easy to see how one would prefer using the pro controller. Especially if you are someone who does some gaming on the 360 or PS3.

As for how much of a gamechanger it can be, it really depends on how devs utilize it. If we are going the route of a second screen that shows a map or an inventory all the time, then yes, it kind of loses its shine. But if the player is challenged to utilize it like they are for a game like ZombiU, then I could see it becoming quite the game changer.

Again, it just depends on how lazy devs are. Sure it's not the same "Holy crap" expression we had when we used the Wiimote for the first time, but it's still something to sit up and take notice of for sure. I am excited for the potential this controller has to really engage the player more. Only time will tell if it pays off. But it doesn't hurt having the Pro controller as a backup.

[DaCajun]

I tried both the pro controller and the pad. Both the controllers response in game are the same and feel exactly the same. The only difference is your hands are a bit further apart with the Wii U pad but very comfortable. I really don't think using the pad in FPS will be any different than using the pro-controller in response time or feel. But will have to see after some very extensive play time to see if I'm right or wrong.

[LX-General-Kaos]

I disagree and believe that the standardized touch screen functions along with the rest of the bells and whistles will change the gaming landscape. The Nintendo Wii U entertainment system game pad is like the Swiss army knife of controllers, offering much more than just touch screen.

If the platform does well, it stands a chance to morph gaming in its favor forever. As of right now according to recent trends from competing platforms, I expect rival next Gen platforms to launch with their own touch screen controller. Either standard or as an add on. Nintendo's innovation will most likely become a borrowed feature once more. Maybe even the most borrowed Nintendo concept since shoulder buttons, or the rumble feature.

Rated E For Everyone

[bigfish]

No offence mate, but what is the "Rated E for Everyone" after all of your comments all about?? it's nothing personal and your comments are good, its just the last bit of all your comments does annoy me a little bit and makes me angry for some reason.... i don't know what it is... and its a bit difficult to explain....but its just something about that end line... sorry for this, just had to let it out. keep up the good work though, your comments are good.

[Jadedz]

Is Nintendo's way of adapting to new trends. Smart devices are apart of our lifestyle now, and you'll need a bigger market share than your average Joe/ or sheila hardcore gaming group, to earn a decent profit in the gaming division (Steam, Origin - developers have a lot more options now).

I think I'll enjoy the Wii Upad, so I appreciate what Nintendo has accomplished with the Wii U so far.

[ddurand1]

I think the Wii U controller is a step to the side or backwards, not fowards.

[Trunkz]

You base this on?

[Nicaragua]

The timewarp.

[beerkeg]

Let's do it again.

[zebramocha]

Well if the wii work as advertised then most of what the showed excluding a couple of things with the tablet could've work with the wiimote.

[ddurand1]

opinion and experience.

ive used it. not interested. I dont know that nintendo can cash in twice on the wii brand. The same people with dusty ass wiis are not going to fork money over for a wii u.

[badz149]

maybe it's just me but how do you play games with 2 different screen so detached from each other like this? what's the screen on the controller does? I still can't grab the concept here but doesn't having everything displayed on a single screen better than on separate screen?

[Trunkz]

I'm sure you've played a handheld device AND watched TV before, how hard is it to touch screen and then look at the TV?

[badz149]

I could only concentrate on 1 at a time but with Wii U, it's gaming that we're talking about, not simply watching tv!

"how hard is it to touch screen and then look at the TV?"

touch screen is not like normal controllers that have physical feelings to them and you can pretty much not looking at it at all when playing games if you have gotten used to it! but touch screen is different, WAAAY different! the entire screen feels the same and you must look at it to see where you're touching it. are you saying that If you play angry birds long enough, you don't have to actually look at the screen but still can play? nobody can do THAT!

[beerkeg]

Well you don't have to concentrate on them both all the time. You focus on the TV mostly and look at the tablet every now and again. It's not hard to work out really.

Do your eyes take a long time to look down and up? Seriously?

[giovonni]

Well, I've learned from experience that Nintendo's ideas usually become industry standards. However, in this industry, it's not who standardizes the industry, it's who takes the standared and does it better, for example, the anolog stick introduced to the home console by the nintendo, but enhanced and done better by sony and microsoft. With that said, Nintendo has to do more than make this controller the industry standared. It has to be seen as the most own controller even when the industry introduces their versions. Yeah it does have the chance to change the landscape, but what good is that if another company does it better?

[deafdani]

As the article suggests, the Gamepad has a chance to change the gaming landscape. It's not flat out stating it WILL do.

In the end, it depends on how Nintendo and other devs use the Gamepad's strengths. The Wii Remote also had a chance to change the gaming landscape, as well, and in some extents, it did - opening the gaming hobby to the casual market, but on the other hand, the potential of motion controls wasn't fully realised on this gen. The vast majority of Wii games don't really change anything with the motion controls, with most of them using the Wii Remote's motion capabilities on forced and gimmicky ways, and very, very few games actually benefitting from it, and part of the reason was that most game developers didn't know how to use the motion controls in a sensible way that actually added to the game. For each Red Steel 2, Wario Ware, Skyward Sword and Sin & Punishment game, you have about a thousand Wii games that only use mindless waggle that gave the Wii Remote a (underserved) bad reputation.

If Sony and Microsoft follow suit with their own Gamepads for their next consoles, it could become the new standard controller, effectively changing the gaming landscape forever -- until a new control method comes along.

Time will tell. :)

[jmc8888]

They can't. Not in the way the Wii U did it.

The Wii U will have natural fits, like Aliens: Colonial Marines motion tracker, a feature that was prominent in the 1986 film.

They have glass and vita and that's it. Neither are really substitute for the Wii U gamepad. What's worse is the people there DON'T BELIEVE they need to make something else, so it won't happen just because of that. But I'll indulge the opinion to further my point that they can't.

If they were to build a new one specifically to compete with the Wii U gamepad then it won't be included with the system. This means only a handful of people would actually buy them separately. Meaning there is no real reason to utilize it from a dev's standpoint. Why add significant cost that only 5-10 percent of people might be able to use...if they buy your game? Thus it'll be like the token Kinect controls that many games had that no one used and sucked. Even then where would this put the gamepad if they had glass+kinect+ a new gamepad? Doesn't make much sense. Same with the PS4...Vita+Move+Gamepad?

Also it wouldn't come when they started selling the new systems, as it takes a couple of years to get this rolling and they haven't even started yet, so a huge portion of people buying the system wouldn't even have the option to buy it.

So there would be little reason for a gamemaker on the 720/PS4 to include it in that version when almost no one owns it. With the Wii U, people WILL USE IT, because EVERYONE HAS ONE. That's a big difference. A dev can rest assured that everyone that buys a Wii U game will use those controls. So it's a whole other ballgame.

Then we get to COST. We'll we all know the 720 and PS4 will be more powerful than the Wii U. (no not by much, because it simply doesn't exist and MS and Sony aren't inventing the tech). But it will be more a bit more powerful and thus more expensive. Right here this will most likely add 50-100 dollars above what the Wii U is CURRENTLY priced at. But wait there's more. The 720 will include the Kinect 2...which will include the hand manipulator. So it's really TWO things that add cost. Retail the thing would be worth $200, so you can bet it'll add probably about $100-125 to the cost of the system.

So a system that is a bit more powerful (more $$$) + Kinect 2 (more $$$) + desire not to lose money on a console + keep the cost of the console relatively modest = already might not be possible.

Nintendo not only is first to market, but will most likely be able to cut their price by the time production of their competitors hits full swing...i.e. the spring after they are launched. So they are already cheaper than what their competitors are, will be even cheaper then, and have the gamepad, which their competitors won't be able to do.

Because there is no way they can have a Kinect 2 + gamepad + be more powerful and have it where they don't lose money on the console (or at least nothing significant) + keep the price down (in a ever deepening depression).

Plus again they simply don't even believe they need to make a gamepad, because THEY believe they have a legitimate alternative, but they don't. Which means their execs are idiots. Which most execs of MNC's ARE INDEED idiots.

So they won't be jumping in meaningfully until the xbox 1080 or the PS5. They simply can't do it otherwise.

[yavorsv]

That's some nice logic,man. Great post. :)

[deafdani]

As yavorsv said above, great thinking. However, nothing is written on stone, and we don't know for sure yet if Microsoft will definitely implement kinect on their next console, although yes, that's the most likely scenario.

But even discounting Microsoft, what's stopping Sony? I think they will be the last of the 3 to launch a next-gen console, and they could try their own Gamepad, and make it native to the console. It could be just slightly more powerful than the Wii U, and cost between $50 and $100 more.

In the end, we will know when those consoles are actually announced. Though I agree with you for the most part when it comes to Microsoft's next console.

[Getowned]

"Wii U GamePad has a chance to change the gaming landscape" Please no, I'm fine with my standard controlers like my Dual Shock 3. I only want more erganomic shape and maybe some grips on the side and better battery life for the Dual Shock 4.

I have a feeling Sony and MS might copy Nintendo but I hope they don't, I don't want a tablet as a video game controler, just like I don't want motion controlers. If I wanted to game on a tablet I'd do so. If the case is that they do go with the tablet controllers I hope we get an option for regular controllers, I know nintendo will do this but the thing with nintendo is most games only support certain type of controllers if you look at the wii for example, not all games can be played with the pro controller.

[yavorsv]

$ony might copy Nintendo this time around from the start seeing how they underestimated the DS brand and the disaster case of Move. M$ on other hand won't make a gamepad with screen, because they are stuck with Kinect. :)

[ThePsychoGamer]

I doubt it. Let's look at the Wii, a big part of it's sucess, was due to the fact that it started the motion control fad. The WiiU however look like just a cash in on tablets popularity. Cash ins on other's popularity generally don't go well (See Move/Kinect)