We've heard numerous conflicting reports regarding Wii U's processing power, and the common theme has been that the system is just as powerful – or a little less powerful – than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. No matter how nifty the system's tablet controller is, its lack of graphical output can easily be the system's bane.
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@Poprocks - I would have to agree, speculating on conflicting reports about a product without final specs is kind of silly. Could be pointless depending on how things fall.
Everything with the WiiU seems to be back and forth, one says this, another says the opposite. Speculating should stop until the specs are actually announced.
It's also contradictory to previous statements and rumors suggesting that UE4 can/will be on Wii U.
The WiiU will have some kind of mid/high level AMD HD4000 series GPU variant inside it. HD4000 series can get you DX10 graphics at 1080p NO PROBLEM!!!
That's easily more power than 360/pS3
As far as 720/PS4, I'm thinking they both will have a low End HD6000 GPU to pump out DX11 graphics thus making them more powerful than the WiiU but having DX11 instead of DX10!
But if Devs program for the weaker system like they always do then you won't see a big difference in games when comparing Wiiu/ps4/720 on multi-plats.
It will take the Exclusives to really stand out and with Nintendo's artwork they can make some very impressive games on a HD4000 GPU. Also rumors of Nintendo stepping up to a HD5000 GPU to garner DX11. This would be better but who knows.
But to sit here and say the WiiU is on par or weaker than 360/PS3 is STUPID. Like i said that HD4000 series GPU will get you 1080p EASY!! 360/PS3 are incapable of 1080p on AAA games.
Hopefully E3 settles this issue cause the WiiU is set to launch in 6 months.
With this in mind we can infer that that the console would be either on par or more powerful. I'm leaning toward the latter and here's why;
The Zelda tech demo showed what the Wii U can do in real time, playing a very pretty looking Zelda game at a steady frame rate. It was able to play the game on the controller and the TV in real time, at the same time with no lag. The demo itself is quite beautiful; I'd argue that it looked better than most 360 games.
So with this in mind, if it can do the same thing and play off the TV and controller screen with at the same time with any of its 360/PS3 ports, then one would have to reckon that it's actually quite powerful, at least more so than its last-gen competition.
Nintendo can't win. People complained when they went casual and they're still complaining despite Nintendo giving them what they want.
THQ: “WiiU is just a lot more powerful than current HD consoles it does 1080p very easy.”
Epic: “It will do things current HD consoles simply can't do, it's going to be a powerful box.”
Crytek: “WiiU devkits are very powerful,the specs are very good”
Vigil Games: “We had the game at the same level as high end pc version in a matter of days and a few lines of code got the game up and running on tablet in 5 mins.”
EA: “Wii U is not a transitional platform, it is a true next generation system.”
The people who are taking the opposite stance only are doing so because it casts wii u in a negetive light,they would agree anonymus sources aren't realible if they were saying postive things instead.
I've seen devs saying that the PS3 port would look on par or even better than the 360 version. And every time was a disappointment again.
If it has 1GB of ram, nice, some room to play with. But the WiiUrine will probably just be on par with 360/PS3 in overal power. Nintendo don't want a really expensive device, they want to be around PS3's and 360's pricelevel, not 200 above.
Not to mention, Crytek praised it's specs and yet they're not even developing a game for the Wii U, so that alone kinda disproves your first statement.
People love Uncharted, Gears of War, Killzone, God of War etc because of marketing and not because they are all great looking games that have great gameplay too.
Seriously, GTFO!
Eh no not reaching too hard. With the Wii, Epic and Crytek had no reason to do a lot of effort. They didn't have to sell their main engine once more and cash in on it.
With WiiUrine, that'll run like a 360, their engines are easily ported, they can cash in massively if 3rd party start using that old engine once more. They want to earn monies, they don't care if they need to blabla positive a bit for another Nintendo console.
Exactly, Crytek won't make any game for it, as they aren't sure about the console. How much more easy is it to sell your already existing old engine to port it to WiiUrine and sell it to all 3rd party that'll make their games on it?
@ Marioftw
Seeing your username Wiiboy, its not weird you're in defense mode.
One difference, the games you name aka Uncharted, Gears, GOW, are proven quality games that are released already on proven quality consoles. People are playing these and can confirm they're bomb. Then you go off comparing it to a future console aka WiiUrine with a gimmick controller (that has just one touch not multitouch weak support) and non released games from a company that Nintendo is, that since long time only cared for their own 1st party IP's, have no clue how to master a well done online integrated network, use old tech over and over again (not even the Wii alone, remember the DS underpowered, even the 3DS is sooooooo underpowered old hardware compared to the PSVita).
By your Wiiboy logic, everything is fine that Nintendo releases!
I like Mario games, hence the name, but i own an Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. Most of my gaming is spent on PS3/360. So your petty childish names mean nothing to me and anyone else. They're not cleverly thought up and they're not even funny.
As for "proven quality games", are you really going to try to make claims that the likes of Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart and Donkey Kong are not proven quality games? Nintendo's franchises are the most highly reviewed and oldest to date. Nintendo exclusives ooze quality.
Nintendo went for old Hardware ONCE! That was with the Wii. Also, how is the 3ds using old hardware? It has a glasses free 3D screen. Not even TVs had that when it released.
The Gamecube and N64 also had more power then the PS1 and PS2. Thus disproving your stupid statements that Nintendo only use weak hardware.
Nintendo sucks so much that Sony/MS rushed to jump on the Motion Control bandwagon when Nintendo outsold them.
Seriously, it's like you're 8 years old and only started gaming this Gen. Every comment you make is pure rubbish!
Proven quality games RELEASED for the system we're talking about. READ DUDE READ. The WiiUrine ain't released, nor its games. Not claiming anything about Nin's 1st party games released in the past, as they are good games. Hence, mostly they are the ONLY good games on the Wii, 3rd party didn't have quality much really. Although Nin doesn't bring much new stuff to the table. Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kirby, I played those 15 to 20 years ago too...
"Nintendo went for old Hardware ONCE! That was with the Wii."
EH? When the NES released it wasn't top notch hardware either. SNES en N64 were powerful. Gamecube? It wasn't more powerful than the XBOX 1 for example. And did you forget about the Gameboy? That sh!t was sooooooo underpowered. It didn't have colors. It was monochrome kind of screen. You don't know anything about the past, do you? The Atari Lynx (which I own too) had 4096 colors at the same time on the screen. Nintendo sold such underpowered trash. GBA same story, it was old stuff sold again. 3DS lol. You go off on that gimmick thats 3D without glasses? Talking about the CPU/GPU and capabilities what graphics to produce. Its NO WHERE compared to PSVita. That 3D is even gimmick 3D, not real 3D as one can view on 3DTV's. Heck, its even used less and less in games. its just a sales trick. The hardware is underpowered last gen sh!t. And they started to sell at the same price level the PSVita started. Thats crazy.
"Nintendo sucks so much that Sony/MS rushed to jump on the Motion Control bandwagon when Nintendo outsold them."
Nintendo does suck as they said themselves that they can't keep up in being the most powerful console out there. Therefor they went to the casuals and motion gimmick Wiimote thats not precise at all. It isn't weird that MS and Sony want a piece of that cake. Difference is: they already were serving the real gamers with good games and they added that casual stuff. It wasn't their main focus.
The WiiUrine will go the same route as the Wii though. It'll get ports now as the lead version will be 360, same as PS3 got them ports. And then when the PS4/720 are out, devs start to produce on those more powerful consoles once more and make a watered down version for the WiiUrine. Same way the Wii gets watered down 3rd party games now...
So what will improve again with this one touch gimmick controller, like Nintendo added the fake 3D to the DS to sell on a gimmick functionality once more? My comments rubbish? You're just a blind Wiiboy and you don't like truths and facts, thats your problem. Everything above is pure logic, just not through your fanboy goggles. You can say you own all the other consoles as you want, if you look at the past (and again, check out the underpowered stuff nintendo brought since long) and know the market you'd agree with me.
The system isn't even out yet, and you're already using a derogatory term for it. If you really are as old as you claim to be, I would think you would show a little more patience and open mindedness instead up "nerd raging" up the forums. Trolling doesn't encourage good fair minded discussion, which is what we at least ideally would like to do in these forums.
Fixed that for you.
I was just saying in another thread that based on the trend of systems always having more power in the next generation the WiiU should be easily out done by MS and Sonys next boxes.
In order for nintendo to make a system that will be able to compete with them it would have to be very expensive at retail.
Eeeeh no.
Those games were just horrible designed for the Wii.
( Fine! Dead space was good, but nothing like the original ).
Yes it would have been watered down, but it's not impossible to get the same game mechanic on the Wii. ( NOTE: Im not talking about aesthetics).
"The Call of Duty series on Wii is somewhat of an exception – the controls being their saving grace – but nobody can honestly say they prefer Call of Duty on Wii over the Xbox 360 version."
Ah...so a company that completely keeps the game in tact mechanic wise is an exception. But those other 2 you mentioned with a bad design, compared to their counterparts, are "proof" of Wii not being capable of the same gameplay...?
/lol
I'm not saying Wii could handle all the features the PS3/360 version have. But just look at a game like Zelda:Skyward sword.
The developers are clearly trying to hard "tapping" into the casual crowd by comprimizing design choises with mechanics that just dont stand with their 360/Ps3 counterparts.
DS:Extraction? Onrails? YESH THNKS YOU VERY MUCH SIR.
Nintendo would have to see nearly a century of losses before being at risk, while Sony have lost nearly 90% of their former companys worth in the last decade.
Thats what i've been saying all along but some people get mad at the idea of Nintendo going 3rd party.
Nintendo's great software comes from its understanding of its own hardware. Nintendo does what Nintendo does best. To have them suddenly forced onto someone else's hardware model would be detrimental to their developmental process.
The idea of a Nintendo developed game on a Sony console is not impossible, but I think of it as ludicrous.
Nintendo doesnt do ultra realistic graphic games like your BF3s, Uncharteds or Skyrims. They have a art style, if you have ever seen a Gamecube or Wii game on the Dolphin emulator then nintendo are going to blow us away with the extra power the WiiU gives them.
So Nintendo will have 1 and a half year to make good sells, after that they will be forced to drop price and sells will go down little by little.
While statements from sony along with recent rumors put the ps4 weaker than the wiiu.
Nintendo could be able to compete with the MS and Sony systems if they make it upgradable. I know thats a far out strategy and weird unproven business plan. But now is the time... everybody is talking about going straight digital downloads, with no sharing or re selling games. Even MS is selling 360s with membership contracts.
If you were going to make a bold play now is the time.
But yeah SNES and N64 were definitely the most powerful consoles for their time.
I think the Wii U is going to do well when it first comes out, but I wonder if a game were to be developed from the ground up using the Unreal 4 engine, could it be scale down to run on a system such as the Wii U that's only capable of running Unreal 3 engine?