Game Scoop: Does The Next Gen Start With WII U?

IGN:On the eve of the Wii U's release, we're discussing exactly when that next generation of video games begins.

[-Mika-]

I really don't think so. Now im not going to go into detail because i already did that in numerous other WiiU articles but I do think the 720/ps4 will be more robust than the WiiU.

I know alot of people are in awe of the Wiiu features compared to the ps3/360 which btw is 6-7 years old. But when the ps4/720 come out, it going to blow away the WiiU in terms of features and ram.

The kinect is going to play a huge part in the 720 and i have a feeling it going to be futuristic and huge. It definitely going to take away the ninTendo casuals.

Sony is going to focus on Gakai and add alot of variety of core exclusives that will take advantage of next gen hardware.

Nintendo might seem awesome now but once the ps4/720 is announced. Mark my words, people are going to be way more hype for those systems compared to the WiiU.

[Moonman]

I will mark your every word. And sorry but it's WiiU vs. PS4 vs. 720. Not PS4/720 vs WiiU. So choose your poison..lol. This is going to be hilarious.

[PopRocks359]

Hey Mika, I'm lovin' that crystal ball of yours.

[deletingthis34675334]

You are just bored of your games and cannot afford a Wii U. Too bad, that is your problem.

[3rdDimension]

Hey Mika,
Haven't you learned anything from the gaming landscape the past few years?What more proof do you need?

PSP did not blow away the DS. PS Vita did not/is/will not blow away the 3ds and last but not least, the PS3 is dead last as this generation comes to a close.

People were way more hyped for vita and PS3 and Xbox.

I think it's a safe bet to say the new systems will be announced, gamers like you will get hyped on release and then things will return to normal with all the doom and gloom thrown at Nintendo while they dominate in overall sales.

Power does not mean anything in the grand scheme of things. So keep on getting hyped over nothing!

[profgerbik]

Lol Mika it's ok you are right, let the fools be amazed.

On top of the fact you understand how much potential Gaikai has for Sony yet all these idiots clearly don't who are saying you will be wrong.

Someone said this in another article which I think hit the nail on the head about this conversation here.

They said the Wii U is the next generation of Wii consoles, it is not apart of the same generation of Playstation and Microsoft. Which is completely true.

To say the Wii U is next generation when it's still living off the last just sounds absurd to me anyway. To say it's the next generation of Nintendo consoles sure, I can accept that but it is not the next step into a new generation of gaming.

I don't need to mark your words it's common sense and is exactly why Nintendo is selling that console while they can, no way it would sell as well with PS4 and 720.

Plus there is nothing next gen about a system that gives you about the same experience you saw 7 years ago.

Amuses me so people say it's the future, how can it be the future if it's directly comparable to systems from the past? If it was next gen, it would be the best and there would be no comparison.

[3rdDimension]

Were you part of the crowd that thought all of Sony's gaming devices were going to crush nintendo's inferior machines?

[millzy102]

because there nothing else to compare it too moron. are we supose to compare them to machine that technacly don't exist. man what happend to gaming it used to be fun.

[millzy102]

they released Wii last oh and look it sold most your point is void.

[stragomccloud]

Of course you don't. Anyway,good to see you on these Wii U boards all the time. You're comments are always a riot. Thanks for the good times~

[MegaLagann]

Okay, two things, one: generations are not about leaps in hardware, it's timed base. The Ouya, despite being less powerful than the PS3 and 360, is an 8th gen console because it came out after the 360/Wii/PS3, so let's just get that out of the way.

Two: Have you seen the PS4 and 720, do you know the Wii U's specs? No, well then you're just a fanboy spouting hair-brain predictions with no real facts to back you up, Michael Pachter would be proud.

[jmc8888]

No it isn't time based, it' leap in hardware based.

Technically, some people can classify it the other way if they want, but it's just incorrect to use time as time has nothing to do with functionality.

Actually it's quite easy to know what is possible, if someone knows tech. If you are up to date with graphics cards, power/heating issues, the engines, the DX versions, so on and so forth, it's quite easy to see that the Wii U is already far up the chain of PC tech, and quite simply the tech on the PC side isn't there that would vastly surpass the Wii U.

Thus if you understand that it's quite easy to ascertain they (Sony and MS) won't pull off something majorly more powerful than the Wii U.

We have the roundabout specs of the Wii U being an ATI 77XX chip. This would put it about roughly 1/2 or so of the raw power of say a GTX 670. A GTX 670 can run Battlefield 3 on ultra settings at 60 fps @1080p. Even a 660 can if you have the right setup.

That's pretty powerful in a console setup, and even if you had a GTX 690 in a PS4/720 (no way in hell), then you still wouldn't have something extremely more powerful.

It doesn't matter to me, I'll have a PC, 360, 720, PS3, PS4, and Wii U, so I really don't care 'which one is more powerful'. It's just quite easy to see what is possible. I mean if you saw a dude running 25mph, you'd say, hey if someone brings someone out that runs faster, it won't be by much. Basically like that. Someone might run 28mph or 30mph...but that's not that much faster than 25mph. Think of it like that.

Especially when the higher end PC gear requires a power supply that range from 700-1500 watts. Not the 300 or less that they have or want to have in their system. On top of that they don't want to lose money (or much) from making a system like the PS3 did. Plus they don't want tech headaches like the RROD that the 360 had. All for extra power that doesn't amount to that much more in terms of differentiation.

[jmc8888]

Ram doesn't make the machine. You need horsepower to power that ram.

The tech even on the ultra high sli dual gpu PC level doesn't exist that can vastly surpass the Wii U.

Unless you have 4k, with texture levels that would exceed 100gb's for a full game, with DX12 features that don't exist....running on engines that that the Wii U can't...which would mean an engine beyond those out or in production now...so Unreal FIVE engine, not 4....then you won't have something that is that much better.

True next gen won't even hit PC's for about another 3-5 years. All three systems, which will be good, are the upper end of this gen. Really 'this gen done right'.

RAM is the least important of all the specs. It's like saying forget that ferrari, I have a Lamborghini with better TIRES. RAM being TIRES.

Features wise, not really. More Facebook integration and the like is more of a detractor than an addition.

Maybe the hand manipulator with the Kinect 2 will finally allow it to work. Wii U still has the gamepad, which none of them will as Smartglass and Vita can't do it, and won't be packed in, which means devs will barely include it in their games.

I'm not knocking the PS4/720, I'll buy them just like I have the 360/PS3, but the simple fact is, ram is basically pointless as an indicator of power.

Take your PC, add another stick of ram, and see how much faster any game goes. Oh it doesn't do anything, that's right. So they will have slightly more powerful systems, for a once notch upgrade in terms of PC settings...like from very high to ultra, barely worth mentioning really. They'll add ram to make it SEEM more powerful to people who don't know tech.

Oh it's got more ram....so. How much of that RAM is wasted? Oh most of it, okay. What advantage does it bring? Very little.

Take the GTX 670 for example, this PC GPU has more raw power than anything the PS4/720/Wii U will have.....

What's funny is that there are two versions the 2GB, and a couple months later they added a 4GB one. They run exactly the same. The 4GB doesn't add any benefits.

Some people might say...well when games need it, you'll have it. Well not really. Because when games NEED 4GB, then the card will be too weak to RUN THEM!

So really the whole 'Sony and MS will put more ram in it' is really just a marketing ploy that doesn't matter.

Only on the edges will it matter, as anything past 2GB is really something that none of the consoles will have the power to push. Maybe you could see something just over that like 2.1 or 2.3 GB, maybe even 2.5, but the rest will just be wasted as the system won't be able to do anything with it.

So people need to understand that even high end video cards on a PC don't need more than 2GB, and even the most powerful dual GPU's can't really push past 3gb. All of which are more powerful than will be in any 'this gen part two' system coming out.

[jmc8888]

All will be good, and I'll have all three, but none will really be 'next gen', and all three will be similar and within a PC settings notch or so from each other.

People may be more hyped, because people are sheep. They all think it's going to be so much better, so they'll think that. Doesn't make it true. Just because people believe something doesn't change reality. There were about 100 million people who voted for either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney, and the vast majority thought they were voting for someone who will do good, when in reality they all voted for a loser who doesn't have one valid idea about anything. Lots of hype, little basis for any of it.

Same can be said about the PS4/720. Just about everyone is waiting for these systems to allow the 'hype' to appear and take over them, when really none will truly be next gen, and the PS4/720 won't be much more powerful than the Wii U. So why should there really be hype at all? I get excited because they're new and will be fun, but everyone's got their expectations far ahead of reality in regards to the PS4/720. Meanwhile most people are downplaying the Wii U. It really is rather funny to see how badly people are judging things.

[WiiUalpha]

Some people dont understand that tech is actually outpacing gaming and also that what you said about PS4 and 720 are true. The tech to be vastly superior to Wii U just doesnt exist at an affordable price. Sure if you want the PS4 or 720 to be 1,000.00 it'll be "superior" but it wont produce vastly superior visuals.

[millzy102]

if wii u isn't next gen that means ps2 wasn't 6th gen because it was less powerful than cube and Xbox. generation is time based regardless if what you kids think. n64 was obviously a 64bit machine ps1 was 32bit but they are both 5th gen people need to get facts right and if Sony thinks they can push game streaming on me I ain't buying which is a shame because I love the ps3. Xbox 360 is less powerful than ps3 so is that not 7th gen neither.no consoles in history have compleatly match power so shut the fuck up you stupid people.

[Schawk]

No one wants to flaff there arms and legs about like a clown , forget kinect the wiiU gamepad is were its at, its the future of gaming, just you watch and see,

look at the nintendo network it beats psn and live already in the way its setup, they not only have to build a console to take on the wiiU they are gonna have to update there whole online networks to keep up with what nintendo are doing,

and there first step towards even competing with Nintendo will be developing there own version of the gamepad with the second screen.

when i think of the wiiU now and what we have seen about the gamepad and the network 2 words that fit realy well are "Total Integration" Nintendo are realy getting people connected

[Trago1337]

like how everyone's concerned about graphics. I've said this before and I'll say it again, at the end of the day IT'S THE GAMES THAT MATTER. I'm very much excited for the WiiU because of the games that it will offer.

What new gameplay innovation will Sony offer with the PS4? What new gameplay innovation will Microsoft offer with the 720? Better textures and lighting wont add to the gameplay, not unless a game utilizes them in a way that the game is centered around it, but no, we'll just get "enter new installment to a shooter franchise with better graphics here". now that doesn't mean i'm not getting them, but c'mon people.

we need more games like L.A. Noire, Mirror's Edge, and Valkyria Chronicles next generation, something unique, different and innovative.

[Zodiac]

I think so. A lot of great features have been revealed in the last few days with Nintendo direct videos. It looks to be a real social console and it practically a console and a portable within the home. Visuals are good for launch and can already play games like AC3 with better visuals. Visuals will increase and gamepad features will be upgrade/added. It looks to be a great console and a console that i will have lots of fun with. I get Playstation for Ps exclusives and Xbox for Xbox exclusives, so it is worth it for the exclusives alone.

Wii U will see Pikmin 3, Monster Hunter, Dragon Quest 10, Bayonetta 2, Rayman Legends, The Wonderful 101, Zombiu, Lego City, Super Mario Bros U, Nintendo Land, Nano Assult Neo. All exclusives!!

It will be a great console and a great way to start next gen. This with the PS4 and Xbox 720 will be the triforce of gaming.

[Treian]

I don't think so.

[pixelsword]

The only factors that matter are technological, visual/technical, and mechanical leaps; if the Wii U has those over the previous generation, then yes.

-Technological: The hardware should be something that should take one look and make someone say "yeah, that's more powerful than the 360/PS3". People are already saying that, so unless they are just hyping things up, then the Wii U already has that cornered: but will the Wii U be more than the sum of it's parts?

- Visual/Technical: Simple: one game that whips-up on the best looking games out now; I can name five that will have to be beaten (in no order):

5. Halo: Reach
4. Killzone 2/3
3. Gears of War 3
2. Uncharted 3
1. God of War III

If a game comes out that beats all five of these with ease off of the bat, then I'm sold. When the 360/PS3 came out, their games weren't spectacular, but they were heads and shoulders above everything that was out last gen, with the exception of God of War II. Games like Halo 4 and The Last of Us shouldn't be on there because just like GoW II, the end of gen games will probably be better looking than the first of nest gen games.

-Mechanical: The Wii U's screen pad is similar to the Sega's screenpad, but it's a lot better; if the Wii U's pad can double as a DS, then that alone would be more than enough to cover the technological aspects of the console; if not, then one thing the Wii U's pad has to do is simply be an innovation over the Wii's Wiimote, PS3's Move, and 360's Kinect.

[ninjabake]

Is it about all of that stuff or is it about enjoying the games offered? It is videoGAMES after all and not Video-videos. Visuals matter but c'mon now, if ur sitting there breaking down every aspect trying to see if games look better on wii u than ur missing the point of playing a game.

[pixelsword]

That's because that's not what I'm answering.

If enjoying a game makes the next gen, then in many respects a lot of games made in the 80's are beyond some games made this gen simply because certain games made back then were enjoyed more than some games made now, if that's the case.

Seriously, did you not read the title, or you did you not make a connection between the title asking a question and me answering a question?

[MegaLagann]

As I've said before, yes, it is a next gen system. Generations aren't determined by hardware leaps, it's all about time. The Ouya, which is less powerful than the PS3 and 360, is an 8th gen system.

[millzy102]

definition of generation. noun, all the people born at the same time. change people to consoles its still time related. Wii was 7th gen and is well underpowered to the competition.

[wiiulee]

next generation starts and end with wiiu since i dnt expect any originality out of microsoft and sony, also since they will all be 1080p, no difference in graphics. so wiiu is here to stay

[RFornillos4]

the problem really is about how "next-gen" is defined. some people refer to it in terms of tech leap.

i've always believed that the term "generation" in gaming consoles refer to the time of release. up to the gamecube, nintendo was always working on doubling the power capabilities of their previous console (8-bit NES, 16-bit SNES, they skipped 32-bit and proceeded to 64-bit N64, and so on).

but with the gamecube failing to compete with ps2 and xbox, they realized that they needed re-think their strategy. competing the other two only meant doom for Nintendo. thus, taking a big risk on motion control technology (which btw, if you read another article was originally pitched to MS and Sony -- but were ignored), and changing marketing strategy. the Wii was designed to appeal to all kinds of gamers, and lure non-gamers to it (thus we have casual gaming). given that it has failed to capture the support of 3rd party developers because of graphical inferiority, Nintendo succeeded in terms reaching out to a wider audience.

so in reality, console generation is about which version of console appears relatively at one time.

N64 vs. PS1
Gamecube vs. PS2 vs XBox
Wii vs. PS3 vs. XBox 360 (of course XBox 360 was released a year before the other two)

and now obviously you have Wii U vs. PS4 vs. XBox720. in effect, the only reason some people believe Wii U isn't considered next-gen is because it is the first HD capable console by Nintendo; Wii was never intended to be HD, that's part of Nintendo's strategy to gain more audience, and they succeeded, otherwise it wouldn't have sold a hundred million units.

[NYC_Gamer]

Wii-U=next gen Nintendo console.I don't consider the console to be on real next gen standards since it's around the same power/hardware specs of 360/PS3.

[WiiUalpha]

Can you link to proof of those specs or is that a case of what you want to believe rather than what is actually true. I'm sorry but with no official specs it's hard to take you for anything but a troll and a hater when you talk about things that you have no clue are true or not yet act like its a fact.

I think its funny that a GPU built in 2010 is ont he same level as one built in 2004 to you. Same for CPU and how 2 gigs of RAM is the same as whats in PS3 when we know it only had 512mb.

Call me a fanboy if you want but I'm not the one making things up and pulling info out of thin air. When someone takes it apart after launch day we will know what the specs are. Until then it must just be your hate for Nintendo that has you so desperate to convince everyone it's only on par with PS3 when we already know it can do things PS3 cant. at all.

When you can pause a PS3 game and browse online without exiting the game let me know. Just something that simple shows it has more power.

So why ignore facts for made up wishes..
If you have anything fact wise to back up your claims please post them

[Deku-Johnny]

They bring up some good points but console generations are based on when they come out not how powerful they are. I like that they bring up a point I've always liked about Nintendo, they do their own thing, they don't care what other companies are doing with their systems. Microsoft and Sony always keep track of each other, do similar things, try to have the most powerful console. Nintendo are just like 'you do that we're just gonna go ahead and do something else'.