90°

Wii U Isn't Ready For Prime Time As Digital Entertainment Device

Troy Wolverton: As a game console, Nintendo's Wii U console has gotten mixed reviews. But as a living room digital media device, it's clearly not ready for prime time.
Nintendo has made digital entertainment a priority on the Wii U. At launch, the device was able to stream videos from Netflix (NFLX), and Nintendo added an app for Hulu Plus days later. Earlier this month, Nintendo updated the console with an application called TVii, which is supposed to turn the Wii U into a portal for all your living room entertainment options.

Gr814130d ago

Might be true as of now. One of the most baffling decisions Nintendo made in regards to their digital endeavor is the lack of the virtual console. I'm with Malstrom in that regard.

N4g_null4129d ago

I don't know the virtual console is on the wiiu. I'm transferring all of my stuff now. It even has a nice animation that is like a cut scene. Very entertaining.

Plus we just had a Heros marriton and found despeckable me on the wiiu for rent. I don't think people are trying this thing out. Malli doesn't even have a wiiu.

Just went on the sport page and wow! I can get stats for the whole season and even field movement after and during the game. The guys over in las Vegas are going to love this feature along. Then add that to nba2k13 and it even does that during the game! Let's you see when the next game is playing even!

I'm seriously impressed with the sheer usfullness of the feature I was never going to use.
We have been going back and forward with black ops2, old wii RPGs, movie time and weather. When I'm done we just use the favorites in the game pad or simply move the whole system to another room like it was a portable harddrive. Seriously think about getting another.

So in summary the true features are not even getting out their because the gaming media simply refuses to use the system. This is mOstly from an older crowd of Nintendo gamers maybe for various reasons.

I aggree with Mali the most but he is short sided some times.

Gr814129d ago

I know the Wii U is able to run the Wii's VC in Wii mode, but I meant as Mali does, that the Wii U should have its own VC, where you could play and have access to all types of classic games and even play them through the gamepad. Now THAT would be worth the price of admission! Also, you shouldn't have to buy the games you bout for Wii and transferring them should be less of an obstacle. And should my console ever brick, games purchased digitally shouldn't go bye bye as well

But I do agree that things can change, and will change as time goes on, the Wii U may turn into a fantastic system. Many fans forget that the 360/PS3 also came out of the gate lacking many of the features that fans now point to as perceived value And it took those systems many years to achieve this. But if you are a PC gamer, those systems seem like childs play any way. : )

I'm in no way bashing the system, as you know me. But I've yet to purchase one. I didn't even purchase the Wii until Prime 3 released.

If/When I do purchase one their digital approach will be a deciding factor.

Nintendo has always been a lightning rod in this industry, either loved or hated. The funny thing will be if the industry wishes to survive or thrive, they actually need to cut the crap with their bias and properly support the market leader.

N4g_null4129d ago

I have the wiiu now and i'm telling you it was not a choir. I'm playing all my old games just to be sure it all worked. The transfer took less than a few minutes, it was about the same amount of time as a download. It even had a graphic to go along with it.

I just bought double dragon 2 on the nes on my wiiu... So no I don't have to buy them on my old Wii any more. My wiiu is effectively as awesome as my old wii now. It even transferred my huge ammount of wiiware credit.

I would love upscalling options but I think the pirates might be holding that idea hostage. A complete link to the wiiu might give them a way in. Once that does happen i'll be using their upscaller if it is good.

This way is good because the wiiware on the Wiiu doesn't have to compete with these oldschool games.

The games should be able to run thur the gamepad and maybe this will come. That isn't a deal breaker to me though. I like my jagged gameplay on the biggest screen i can find!

Another problem is no one realy wants that... the vc sales where not that great only the oldschoolers with board taste liked it and bough5t these games. You could even say mostly game developers bought these games for other to play if their own collection of games died out on them.

The obstacle is as simple as putting an sd card in you wiiu getting the cred right then in your wii for the copying and then back to your wiiu for the paste. I have a ton of crap too and it works just fine. The wifi was already setup for both wiis also. not a problem.

Yet perks would be nice. speedier os would be cool too... Too much is turned on and running at the same time I think. The stat reporting tool is very very detailed also. Lots of fat to trim.

So if we want to take wishful thinking to the max we should be able to uninstall any of nintendos features, web browser, dash board, miiverser and let the dev use that power... which would actually be a problem as bloatware gets installed just like smart phones.

As time goes developers may be able to convince nintendo of different things yet not much is going to change until Sony and MS put their cards on the table. After a certain period I'm sure nintendo will just roll out different updates. The GPGPU conf is next year so I'm sure lots of things will roll out of that also.

Also the third party problem this time is a cell/like issue... it is a new model of programming and the bigger guys are not liking it yet SONY and nintendo are forcing the issue along with Nvidia and AMD is going bonkers over it.

So every one is off to boot camp while bigger companies simply swallow the cost. If The nintnedo following was a little more blind or easier to fool then 3rd parties would be all over it. Yet there are way too many vets there along with new comers who are not blind fanboys of 3rd parties since they are new to gaming for various reasons.

By all means be sure you get the game you want before buying the system Arius Dion its a good system yet no system is great until you get the games you want, the same goes for the ps4 or xbox next.

gorebago4129d ago

The system has been out for less than two months. It's far more advanced in it's capabilities than both of it's peers were when they launched.

So I don't know...give it time.

MikeMyers4129d ago

You can't keep giving Nintendo excuses. If Sony or Microsoft came out with a cellphone and didn't have a camera in it they would get blasted too even if it was their first cellphone. To be competitive you need to be up to date with what the competition is doing at the time. You can't excuse yourself and say well this is their first try so give them some flexibility. It doesn't work that way.

What I will be lenient on is the articles comments about the TV functionality. Even when you buy a learning remote to replace all your other remotes they never do work as well as the original one. That is why I always keep the original if I want to make TV adjustments like brightness. I think it would be pretty hard for any device to learn every feature for every TV out there.

mcstorm4129d ago

I have to agree. Look at both the ps3 and 360 when they both came out and what they offered to what they offer now.

Give the Big N time like Sony and Microsoft have had to build there online and online media.

ronin4life4129d ago

Hell, digital content wise it already matches/exceeds ms and Sony in many regards.

KontryBoy7064129d ago (Edited 4129d ago )

far more advanced than both of it's peers were? The Wii U can't even play blu-rays. It doesn't even have a nice sized hard drive, no ethernet port, It's processor is weaker than the PS3 and 360's processors, you can't do online chat for ALL games (which even the original xbox had) and it has lack of support from 90% of 3rd party devs for ALL of 2013. It's online store has tekken tag which can't be installed on both models because of lack of hard drive space. You have to purchase an external drive to download multiple games from their own store. This is ridiculous. The Wii U should at least be able to do ALL of the things the previous generation does. Nintendo can't continue to be given excuses. You don't have to be a fanboy to point out these things. I am a person that wanted to buy a next gen nintendo console but I will not until a revision is made by Nintendo. how much time does Nintendo need?

Benjaminkno4129d ago

Why do you care about what Nintendo does if you're not going to inform yourself? You don't even have the system to be able to voice a legitimate opinion. "Can't play blu-rays?" I'm not buying a system to do something other than gaming, duh. I suppose you'd have to come up with some extravagant hardware if you don't know how to create games.

whammy!

V0LT4129d ago

Who cares? Physical media is dying.

metroid324129d ago

Its the best console ive ever touched and the Browser is the fastest ive ever used everything is quick for me on Virgin Super Hub even the Youtube App,i'm sure they will keep improving things even though i don't need anything improving.

chukamachine4129d ago (Edited 4129d ago )

Your name says it all. lol.

40million is all.

PS4,720 will crush it i'm afraid.

Benjaminkno4129d ago

You said the same thing about Ps3, 360.
Maybe they can make some of their own games, or turn a profit for that matter.

Afraid? damn right you are

MasterCornholio4129d ago

Neither were the PS3 and the 360 at launch so give it some time and you will see that the services will improve.

Rageanitus4129d ago

at least PS3 had the blu-ray drive.

Gr814129d ago

Along with a weak launch line up, I recall Resistance being their marquee title..and a $600 price tag.

1upgamer994129d ago

Yes PS3 has a blu-ray drive, but this next gen for me that is not as relevant. I already have 2 blu-ray players and a PS3. I would rather Sony save the cost and put more into the power of the console. Also with PS3-slim being sold $299 how much is PS4 going to cost us? Wii U, is far better online at launch than PS3 was. I guess people have forgotten how crappy online was this gen at launch. The Wii U, is also better online than my PS3. The browser is far better than any other console on the market. The gamepad use online is fantastic. If you have not used the Wii U in your own home and looked at all that it can do, you really need to.

poo3429472947924129d ago

everything is great all I want is a patch for fixing the slow os for app switching it takes ages

Show all comments (31)
80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."

280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple1016d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref5d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde5d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander19725d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville5d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff21834d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos4d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
isarai5d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref5d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan5d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0074d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander19725d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

5d ago Replies(3)
Einhander19725d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

5d ago
5d ago
Zeref5d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde5d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander19725d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander19725d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier5d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto5d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff21834d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto4d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
Hofstaderman5d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts5d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts4d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic4d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)
90°

Nintendo's War Against Player-Made Content Will Hurt The Company In The End

Danish from eXputer: "Nintendo has historically gone against player-made content and emulation of its games. This has done much to harm the company's image."

XiNatsuDragnel12d ago

I agree nintendo hire some these folks to help in your games it'll help imo.

banger8811d ago

They need to stop announcing these mods and fan remakes until they're finished. Finish it, upload it, and then if Nintendo dmca's it tough shit. Once it's online, people can share it around, even if the original download gets taken down.

Jingsing11d ago

True, but most modders need constant admiration during the process to motivate them.

PRIMORDUS11d ago

Yup, once it's a torrent nothing can be done Nintendo is helpless at that point. But it would be wise if they just had a site on the dark web, it's also easy to use with Tor and no one will bother you.

mastershredder10d ago

This is all coming from the mouth of short-sighted fandom and grifting madness.
No.... it wont. There is a clear defined reason why they don't. This is nothing new. Make your own shi7 from your own original ideas especially if you are trying to capitalize of it it. Duh.

Yeah, hire people that have zero respect or understanding for an established process. Wow. Yep. Totally makes sense.

shinoff218310d ago

Those guys that made that sonic game got a gig from sega or something along those lines and that game was dope as hell. One of the best sonics as of late.