Why the 8GB Wii U can only store 3GB of downloaded games and DLC

Nintendo is selling the Wii U in two configurations, with either 8GB or 32GB of built-in storage space. Those figures sound a whole lot better than the 3GB and 25GB, respectively, that the models actually offer to the end user.

[Kamikaze135]

Regardless to which model you buy, both 8 and 32GB is a crap amount of storage so you should be using an external HDD anyway.

[Dr_Salvitor]

Theirs a Radio Shack 10ft from the game stop I'm picking mine up at just going to pop in there for a hard drive.

[Kamikaze135]

Nice! I believe the Wii U supports up to 2TB. I think I may get a 1TB HDD.

[TXIDarkAvenger]

Support up to 2TB? That's pretty impressive.

[decrypt]

@kamikaze135

Its a console, its supposed to have limitations. How else would it qualify to being a console.

[ShoryukenII]

It should not have less GB than previous generation consoles. Even the PS3 started off with more than 32GB in its first model. If Nintendo wants to compete with Microsoft and Sony next gen, they really need to step it up in this regard.

Consumers don't know about the graphics card and processor but they do understand GB. I think that people will be a little surprised to find that their Wii U has the same amount of space as their PlayStation Vita...

[Summons75]

why? Game saves and most dlc/patches don't take up a lot of space. It's when you start downloading full games or installing games that a lot of space starts getting taken up. Plus like others have stated SD cards and External Hard drives are compatible and much cheaper to buy separate than gave it built into the system.

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

I find it funny and weird that just about every single console gamers now have to buy external Hdd's.

I swear if it was sony there would be infinite article about how they already failed and are bound for third place.

[rainslacker]

When I first heard the options I really thought Nintendo was way behind the times. But then thinking about it I realized this allowed me a lot more leeway to not spend more upfront with whatever they put in, and then go and purchase what would suit me for the long term.

Granted though it is a somewhat hidden cost akin to the Vita memory cards, although not as bad because at least they do offer the bare minimum, which is likely more than sufficient for the casual user's who will end up making the bulk of the sales in the long run.

I think both sides of the argument here are actually valid though, and I don't know why people are still griping over it.

[profgerbik]

Funny people complain about the Vita and it's memory cards endlessly.

You come here and no one has a problem with having to buy a separate hard drive for their system that is lacking memory in the same way.

Gotta love favoritism.

[Godmars290]

Its amazing they only started to complain about the price until the 3DS price drop.

[DivineAssault]

its not proprietary so thats why im assuming.. Its still an extra expense but no1 really cares, YET.. When casuals that dont know jack find out about all the strings attached, they will quickly dismiss this thing..

The pad will constantly need charging after play (in its own wall outlet), pro control is another $50, & unless u get the deluxe for $50 more, u need to buy $60 games.. That system isnt just $300 for ANYONE.. looking at around $400 to be comfortable with the bare minimum.. Headsets, screen protectors, etc will all add up

[Series_IIa]

Considering the Vita card is £15 for a 4gb card when you can buy a 64gb USB stick for the same price and a 64gb SD card for the same price... I don't see your argument.

The only reason why people bitch about the Vita storage is because they don't give you any onboard storage at all, 2012 and no onboard storage, really? and also it is because you have to buy a proprietary card at seriously marked up prices, which you cant use on your PC, PS3 or anything other than the Vita.

[kopicha]

how about this. comparing hooking up a thumb drive or external hdd as storage to main content of what you are running? you have any idea how slow it is to get data or put data onto a USB drive? This is 2012, do you install your programs on external HDD on your computer? look at PS3 and 360 both have internal changeable HDD solutions. How about you complaining that Wii U does not have one? I dont see you doing that but instead complaining over something else.

I do not hate Nintendo. I still own Nintendo 3DSXL at least. But let's be honest, Nintendo has been king of accessories. Those who own a Wii would know. How many freaking accessories that they have bought for their Wii? Almost all of them are also proprietary to their device and you cant use them on PC, PS3 or anything else than their console. Look at 3DS, want to play RE with a 2nd analog, solution? Circle Pad Pro. Can you use that with your PC PS3 or 360? No! Not to mention how many games only out there that actually able to use it. Yet we one who wants need to shell out that extra $ to do it. Complains? No? I do not know what logic are you having. But as said fanboy will find all kinds of reasons to hate even when they have no logic.

[Godchild1020]

This is just my take on it. The Wii U still comes with onboard memory, so they really won't need a separate hard drive right away unless they plan on downloading titles right away.

The HDD they have to buy is not as expensive as the Vita memory cards are. I can buy a 1TB external HDD for the same price (or less), I can get a 32GB memory card for my Vita. Can you see the memory size difference.

This coming from a multi console owner and soon to be Wii U owner.

[aquamala]

Big difference, Vita doesn't come with ANY storage, and use proprietary way overpriced memory cards

I can get a 1TB drive for wii u for $80-100, spend that on a Vita memory card you get... 32GB

[kopicha]

well said profgerbik. I finally see someone who speak with much sense in this place. thou i have been saying such thing countless times and get endless disagree! this is how sad the gaming scene has become these days. bub to you.

[ZeekQuattro]

Storage has never really been much of a problem. I still have my 80gig PS3 and usually only have 1 or 2 games installed on the system at a time. I also own a external HDD for system backup. I'll manage with just 7.2gb. It helps I can't be bothered with DLC too.

[josephayal]

I think they made a mistake, ANYWAY The Wii U's storage can be expanded with external USB devices, NO PROB

[vickers500]

Can someone please show me a confirmation/source article that proves that games will be able to run off of an external hard drive?

I know Nintendo said that they will "support" external hard drives, but in what capacity (not talking about GB)? Have they specifically said that full games, patches, game installs will be able to run off the hard drive, or are people just assuming this is going to be the case because Nintendo said they will "support" external hard drives?

I believe Sony said the same thing with the ps3, though all the "support" ended up amounting to was being able to back up game data and transfer movies/music/pictures/save data to your ps3, you couldn't ever run games off of the hard drive.

I'm not trying to knock the Wii U or start a flame war, I genuinely want to know.

If it ends up being that the "support" is only those limited media functions (music,pictures,videos), then I'd like to know so I can wait for a Wii U with a bigger internal storage option.

[Chidori]

Do you even need confirmation? It's only common sense. Why else would they release a console with such low memory. Nintendo has plans to profit off digital games also. I don't think they would make much money if every Wii U owner was limited like this.

[Redempteur]

common sense ?
the wii u doesn't support USB 3.0
they already said that you'll have longer load times if data in on external drive ..

IMO people are way to lenient toward the Wii U .. there is no point in an external solution that is worse than the real thing

[Baka-akaB]

We do need confirmation actually .

For piracy related reasons alone consoles manufacturers try avoiding universal storage means .

And Nintendo has dismissed stuff like SD cards storage because of it's slow access speed . The same Nintendo that decided to only pursue a faster (and more protected) kind of bluray disc .

With no usb 3.0 support , it could go any way

[rainslacker]

Is Nintendo going to push digital as much as Sony/MS are though? I mean it's certainly a revenue stream they don't want to avoid, but heavy digital downloads is still a ways off, despite what some big developers are saying.

It may be that Nintendo realizes that right now digital is only going to make up a small percentage of game sales for the life of the console, so mass storage options weren't their top priority.

They may get smacked hard on that if DD becomes mainstream in the next couple of years. I don't see that happening though.

[porkChop]

The big problem here, that Nintendo is failing to realize, is that USB speeds are too slow to run modern games through. Especially with USB 2.0, because Nintendo chose not to implement the much faster USB 3.0. So if Wii U games are 25GB, then if you choose to download the digital versions you'll have to keep deleting and re-installing the games you want to play if you want a smooth and enjoyable experience. And you'll have to do the same just to play some demos... This is just a horrible decision, and was clearly done to cut costs as Nintendo always skimps on hardware so the device is profitable from day 1.

[Baka-akaB]

Imo this was clearly a retail favor and fear of piracy based decision rather than cost effectiveness .

Usb 3.0 is unlikely to be that expensive now for console manufacturers to use it .

Now they are sure that piracy or not , playing from external drives will be a lesser experience

[porkChop]

Piracy based? You can plug any external hard drive into your Wii U, and as long as you have games on it, you can play them. If anything, this is just going to make piracy a lot easier.

And I wasn't talking about USB 3.0 being expensive, I was talking about a bigger hard drive. If Nintendo would have given us, say, at least a 120GB hard drive, then we'd be able to have quite a few games on the system and could just use the external hard drives for backups of our uninstalled games.

[Baka-akaB]

"If anything, this is just going to make piracy a lot easier. '

This is exactly what i'm saying . And one of the reason imo they wont allow it to run as smoothly and fast as the internal storage .

That and stroking retail chains