Gearbox loves Wii U controller, teases online functionality, much more

Gearbox says Aliens game will look the best on Wii U (consoles), says it has the best shooter controller ever from Nintendo, teases online, and more.

[PopRocks359]

That interview gave me a sense of relief in terms of online functionality.

Wonder how many people plan to throw anonymous sources at me for it though.

[dark-hollow]

oh a positive wii u article...... it will pass unnoticed here.

[Shok]

Another dev saying the Wii U is next gen.

But this will just be ignored lol.

[Uncharted2Vet]

dude your on every wii U page crying about what people say about the system what part of that don't you understand. if i'm wrong disprove me, you can't though the proof is there. another thing i basically told you the truth about you and all you can bring to the table is watch my blood pressure. sigh "what a imbecile"

[LX-General-Kaos]

Is this how people react when there is good news about the Nintendo Wii U entertainment system?

[dubal-e]

Did you wake up being a hater today or were you born that way. Let people have their moment you dont have to jump him just cos he showing some Wii U love.

[browngamer41]

Imbecile..isn't that a little like the tea pot calling the kettle black-and yeah every negative article on N4G about the Wii-U (or Nintendo in general)is usually followed up by 100's of comments -and every time a positive article is posted about the Wii-U no one says shite except for a few idiots such as yourself..quit trolling dude..Moron-see I can name call too..

[Moncole]

Nobody ever clicks on positive articles sadly. People only click on negitive ones than rage and says everyone hates it.

[maniacmayhem]

No doom and gloom? Nobody will come in here to agree. Now if it said gearbox Hates the Wii U controller....1000 comments easy.

[LOL_WUT]

Of course Gearbox is going to say nothing but positive things about the Wii U what did you expect them to say?

Now what they said about Nintendo having the best shooter controller i call BS i think its nothing but a gimmick but i guess well find out at E3. :)

[Ck1x]

I have a simply solution, if you don't like the positive news then don't click on the article. Because the most likely scenario is, that you're gonna be offended. And If you don't like the WiiU or Nintendo games then don't buy the system... I promise you that you aren't hurting Nintendo by coming in here saying that the WiiU sucks or the controller sucks. They are a multi billion dollar corporation and could care less, of what you think about a controller that you've never even touched!
Please... get over yourself

[Biggest]

He didn't say the best shooter controller. He said the best Nintendo shooter controller. The same studio also said the WiiU is a nice bridge to the next generation. They didn't say it IS the next generation.

[Shok]

Here's the video interview if you guys want to actually watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[mike1up]

Will you stop crying, and whining, already Shok?!

You are always leeching on every WiiU article making good points, providing links, and linking helpful videos!

Just stop it!

/S

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

E3 can't come soon enough...

[arbitor365]

- flat slidepads instead of analog sticks
- virtually no ridges or curves to contour to hands
- bulky shape
- basic shoulder buttons (no triggers)

pardon me if im a little skeptical to the notion of this being an ideal "shooter controller." I wonder what the major league gaming community thinks of using the wii u controller competitively.

because, to me, it seems antithetical to most of the dynamics that have made controllers more efficient in the past 10 years, especially in the shooter genre. you know, the dynamics that controllers like these capitalize on

http://www.2ndopinionpod.co...

http://www4.pcmag.com/media...

people use analog stick extenders for a reason. they use trigger extenders for a reason. controller have been designed for greater comfort and contouring for a reason the wii u controller ignores the evolution of controllers since the 90s age in favor of a tablet gimmick.

also, lets not forget that Randy Pitchford and his associates are who we have to thank for hyping up Duke Nukem Forever. just saying. that is probably why not many people will take this article seriously.

[Titanz]

C'mon man.

http://farm5.staticflickr.c...

[ozstar]

What the hell is the "Major League Gaming Community"?

[Shok]

Look at this guy lol........he's trying so hard xD

[torchic]

why are you mad though? it's just his opinion.

as much as I love the Wii U, I will probably still use my PS3 to play online multiplayer FPSs, because it has the better controller of the two and obviously because I've played with the Dualshock for about a decade now.

way too many butthurt Nintendo fanboys in this comment section. you guys need to chill.

[Rockoman16]

Awwwww, really?! :O!

[PopRocks359]

@arbitor365

Wait a minute, are you seriously basing your opinion on Gearbox on Duke Nukem Forever? Seriously? The sheer ignorance of that is... I don't even know where to start.

DNF was primarily developed by 3D Realms when at a point they had next to no funding. The developers were paying for that game out of their own pockets. 3D Realms then shut its doors and the game was cancelled despite being nearly finished, so Gearbox picked up the Duke Nukem license, finished up the code and released the game.

Nearly every other recent Gearbox game released this generation has been mostly well received, so they are a respectable development team.

Also MLG gamers can blow me. I play games for fun, period.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

HERE is WiiU gameplay Ubisoft RoundTable last year. "Blood Sucking Freaks From OuterSpace" (very early development, so, sshhh about graphics).

[dangert12]

Clearly he Is having you on the wii u is nothing but old tech atleast 10 to 15 years old In ability In a new case and with a touch screen controller...Just for the commenter s above clearly asking for a negative comment.

Come on nintendo...show me what you got...e3 just can't come soon enough

[beerkeg]

Clearly you are deluded -

'the wii u is nothing but old tech atleast 10 to 15 years old'

It will, at the very least, be as powerful or more powerful than current gen consoles. Now I say at the least just for arguments sake, from what I've read it will be much more powerful than current gen systems.

But if you are going to poo-poo on it for whatever reason you have to poo-poo on it, please try not to over-exaggerate.

After E3 we will all have a good idea what it will be capable of.

So much negativity about a console that isn't even out yet, even in an article that is positive. Like they feel threatened by it.

[dangert12]

It was a joke to satisfy the people above who wanted to hear a negative comment hence why I said.

''Just for the commenter s above clearly asking for a negative comment.''

I am clearly not deluded and you clearly lack understanding take care

[beerkeg]

Sorry, I took your comment more seriously than it was implied. My apologies.

[arbitor365]

hopefully nintendo will release some kind of optional controller that doesnt have the touch screen and is some sort of replica of the PS3 or xbox controllers. then I might get a wii u

[Theyellowflash30]

@ arbitor. nintendo has... its called a classic controller.

[ChickeyCantor]

Games will be build around the controller. Are you people really that thickheaded not to understand this part of gamedesign?

simply replacing the touchscreen won't work.
Also What is your problem with the touch screen? How is it even a bad thing when all your other buttons are there as well.

[colonel179]

If there is something that MS and Sony needs to copy from Nintendo is the touchscreen control. The first time the DS was announced, I could just imagine how awesome it would be to have a screen on a controller. At that time I thought it would never be possible, but it is great that Nintendo is doing it. They just need to allow at least 2 to have couch multiplayer without having to rely on those awful wii motes.

There are so many things that they could do with the screen on the controller, and the most obvious and cool is to get rid of the HUD on the screen at all times. Also, the menu screens, and pause screens, etc could all go on the controller. (for games that are fit to it).

Nintendo really has to take advantage of this and "force" others to copy it, because the way I see it, every controller should have a screen. If only Nintendo could make third parties actually use it, and do great things with it like Nintendo will surely do.

[arbitor365]

most of the best games on the DS did not even need the touch screen. like mario 64, mario kart, FFIV, animal crossing, and so on.

secondly, virtually none of the Playstation or Xbox fans are clamoring for a touch screen. it is utterly pointless for their hardcore games. does uncharted, halo, or god of war really need a touch screen?

and putting the HUD on the controller is not the best idea. do you really want to be constantly looking down at your controller just to see your ammo, health, stamina, or magic? i dont.

[Shok]

Other best DS games include Metroid Prime Hunters, The World Ends With You, and Elite Beat Agents DID use the touch screen.

So your argument is pretty much null.

[DigitalAnalog]

You really don't see colonel179's point. It really is all about the application, something Nintendo NEVER disappoints.

Do you constantly view your HUD at all times? I barely even notice them, heck some games have them disappear after a few seconds. With this feature, I can easily customize my settings or equipment on the fly without even pausing and it won't even take a few seconds. Heck, I can probably slide my finger on the touch screen without looking while seeing the interface on TV, things I would not be able to do with amere L3 + R3 buttons.

Viewing an overhead map in real-time, setting waypoints and many more would make it a less obtrusive experience and by the time this pulls off you can be assured both SONY and MS will copy. Imagine how easy I can get around Assassin's creed and other quest/open-world related games if I can micro-manage my settings like this?

The only downside to this controller are the battery and the flat analog nubs.

Side-note: If you read the article Randy Pitchford CONFIRMED WII-U BEST LOOKING AND VERSION FOR ALIEN: COLONIAL MARINES. HIGH-SPECS CONFIRMED. Pretty sure this is going to be a showcase for the Wii-U on E3.

[Ck1x]

@arbitor365: Dude you are reaching way to hard man... You were probably one of the first people bragging about using the rear touch screen for the PSVita's version of Uncharted. And that's still a hard core game right and it uses a touchscreen, case in point! Your argument sounds unjustified because the WiiU has all of the main buttons and controls as a dual shock 3. So what would one need with a classic controller for? If you don't want to play the WiiU version with the WiiTab, then just get the inferior PS3/360 version instead and be happy. Lol

And please don't send me a PM because your panties are in a wad, thanks!

[Devinchi33]

I thought that comment about being the best shooter controller from Nintendo was interesting. I feel like you could aim much more precise with a Wiimote. Perhaps the problem with it was the layout of the buttons on it? I always did feel 1 and 2 on the wiimote was a bit hard to reach in the heat of the moment. Regardless, I'm super excited what endless possibilities devs could utilize the Wii U controller for, and just how much their onlie play will improve!

[cyclonus007]

Anyone remember that we still have no idea what the buy in for WiiU is gonna be, with rumors that Nintendo won't be unveiling the price at E3?

And, who wants to buy a new system so they can play the exact same (I'm not talking franchises; I mean literally the same) games that will be out for PS3, 360, and PC (even if they may look better on WiiU)?

And, who's giving up playing with their friends on current gen consoles (not to mention gamerscores and trophies) to play with strangers on Nintendo's untested network?

Show of hands? Anyone?

[ufo8mycat]

"And, who wants to buy a new system so they can play the exact same (I'm not talking franchises; I mean literally the same) games that will be out for PS3, 360, and PC (even if they may look better on WiiU)?"

Definitely not me and thats the thing, even if the Wii:U has the SAME game but better graphics, it's still the SAME game and SAME experience.

So a big no from me.

The controller is already turning me off the system as a core gamer.

[jacen100]

troll or fanboy? you talk rubbish, by your logic we all would still be playing the ps1

[ChickeyCantor]

"Definitely not me and thats the thing, even if the Wii:U has the SAME game but better graphics, it's still the SAME game and SAME experience.
"

woa woah woah woah back up.
Are people really gonna pull the Wii-reasoning on the Ps3/360?
In the last few years all you heard was people bitching bout "gfx". But now it's about gameplay right?

Oh you silly N4G people. How you jump wagons is so graceful.

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

You guys can stick to your old tech all you want--minus PC gamers-- but I'm moving forward.

[beerkeg]

'And, who wants to buy a new system so they can play the exact same (I'm not talking franchises; I mean literally the same) games that will be out for PS3, 360, and PC (even if they may look better on WiiU)? '

The thing is it won't have the exact same games that will be on the ps3,360 and pc, it will have exclusives for its own system. That will be the draw, plus all the multiplats that will look better on it with the exception of the pc.

[PopRocks359]

I don't play with friends very often on my 360. We're all into different games and some of us are also getting sick of paying for Xbox Live each year. That said the lot of us are interested in Wii U (myself especially) so I'm not particularly worried about that.

Anyway, wasn't one of the 360's bigger launch titles the King Kong game? That was also on every previous gen console, including the DS; but the definitive version was on the 360. Why is it a positive for 360 but an "I don't care" for Wii U?

Also the 3DS introduced an Achievements/Trophies-esque system called Accomplishments. More than likely they'll include this with the Wii U.

Lastly the console is rumored to be anywhere between $300 - $400, but most people think it'll be somewhere inbetween.

Honestly, wait until E3 when you hear/see more details about the console.

[cyclonus007]

I think everyone is getting ahead of themselves. They forget that third party publishers are the ones that dictate the ebb and flow of software. By that I mean the multiplatform games that are coming to WiiU are going to be almost identical to their 360 and PS3 counterparts, mostly out of laziness. When King Kong came out at the beginning of this gen, it was one of the first games to show the technological leap between the previous gen and this one. Nintendo will dazzle people with images of Mario and Zelda in HD for the first time and rightly so. But every game made by someone that isn't Nintendo will be pretty much the same on current gen consoles.

My point is there is not going to be a huge leap from the PS3/360 to the WiiU. The difference will be huge compared to the Wii but that is only because Nintendo finally decided to upgrade to current tech. At best, the WiiU will perhaps represent a smoother running and more polished version of the same console games we've all been playing for the last 6-7 years.

Nintendo is asking that people pay at least $100 more for a console that does the same things as their older contemporaries. Not to mention that new hardware will be coming from Sony and Microsoft sooner rather than later. Hardware that may make the WiiU already obsolete. If anything, the WiiU will be extending the current gen a little longer.

[Drainage]

ps4 will be a downgraded ps3 and wii u will be a high end PC

[HaHa_Ostrich]

I really do not care which platform is prefered by the devs. I was disappointed by the gameplay video, regardless of the hardware it was running on.

[CaptainN]

So now that a developer has confirmed that the system is next gen and more powerful than current gen...we can finally move on from that debate once and for all. He sounds really excited for the Wii-U and that's a great thing. To have 3rd parties actually amped to make something for Nintendo is exactly what's been missing for a number of years. And at least we know the Wii-U version of Aliens will be the definitive version, since it looks the best according to him and also has added functionality due to the touchscreen. Other 3rd parties, take notes....this is what we expect from you the next 5 years !!!! Give gamers a reason to want the Wii-U version over other versions. Gearbox, keep up the good work and get started on your next Wii-U game

[stuntman_mike]

just makes E3 all the sweeter.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

More powerful than current Gen. Which means that the 2 anonymous developers were full of poo.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

trail.

[Redcrimson101]

Well, u heard it here first folks!!! The wii u is officially a next gen system which is powerful. What more proof do u need? So all this talk about the wii u being on par or not on par with the current consoles can now be put o rest!