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Nintendo of America President calls Wii U 'Tremendously Powerful'

By Pip (Nuka Pop)

12643 on 21.06.2012 at 01:15

Nintendo of America President calls Wii U

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has praised the Wii U, calling the new console a 'tremendously powerful system' in a recent interview with IGN. However the technical capabilities of the Wii U have not yet been formally addressed by the company.

There was a notable absence of specific information in a spec sheet released earlier this month with information on the hardware's GPU, memory and processing power left out. Furthermore, many believe that the console is significantly less powerful than the Xbox 720 and the Playstation 4.

Despite this, Fils-Aime has expressed his optimistic views regarding the Wii U and questions the need for competitive platforms. He comments:

A system that pushes out great graphics, a system that has an opportunity to do a lot of things.I think in the end, the consumer choice is going to be... Once I buy my Wii U, that satisfies my Nintendo cravings and my cravings for all of these other great multi-platform franchises, then what is the role of a competitive platform? It's going to have to live on the backs of some sort of unique proposition, or unique content.And to me that's the million-dollar question. Of our potential competitors down the road, who's going to have that compelling content that's going to say, hey, now I need to branch out and pick up this additional system? I think it's for them to answer.

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Sonic_13 on 21.06.2012 at 02:24#1

There was a notable absence of specific information in a spec sheet released earlier this month with information on the hardware's GPU, memory and processing power left out.

I wouldn't call it notable since Nintendo never releases specs. It would have been notable had Nintendo actually released exact specs.

Jacob4000 on 21.06.2012 at 03:01#2

I wouldn't put too much into what Reggie is saying. It's his job to be optimistic. They also told us we'd say "wow" when we saw what the Wii was capable of, visually.

Sonic_13 said:
There was a notable absence of specific information in a spec sheet released earlier this month with information on the hardware's GPU, memory and processing power left out.

I wouldn't call it notable since Nintendo never releases specs. It would have been notable had Nintendo actually released exact specs.

Nintendo used to release specs when it was advantageous for them. The trend to keep the specs secret started suspiciously close to when they started to release sub-par hardware.

C3 Moderator

TAG on 21.06.2012 at 03:04#3

This doesn't make me feel better about the WiiU's power (or lack thereof), but at least Nintendo are seeing it as a concern they need to address.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has praised the Wii U

That's his job Smilie

( Edited 21.06.2012 03:04 by TAG )

TAG: That American Guy

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18

Vorash Kadan on 21.06.2012 at 03:44#4

Heah TAG hit the nail on the head Reggie HAS TO promote Nintendo product...if he wants to keep his job at least. I miss the "I'm about kicking ass & taking names & WE...are about games" (followed by legendary Resident Evil 4 footage) I blame Iwata mostly...that guy has made some WEIRD decisions, I want my old 80's-90's Nintendo back...T_T

It is not wise to speak on subjects you do not know all facts about, nor is it smart to judge a game based on looks alone. PSN: Nintendo_Gamer 3DS: 4296-3029-7422

vivisapprentice on 21.06.2012 at 07:49#5

But what happens when the new playstation and xbox come out capable of running new engines like the new unreal engine which wiiu cant and third party support dries up?? Then ill be kicking myself buying a wiiu and get burned again like I did with wii

Sonic_13 on 21.06.2012 at 08:05#6

I want my old 80's-90's Nintendo back

I don't think Nintendo has changed all that much. Don't confuse Nintendo with what third parties are doing.

But what happens when the new playstation and xbox come out capable of running new engines like the new unreal engine which wiiu cant

You don't know that Wii U can't. In addition to PC and consoles, Unreal Engine 4 is also being planned for mobile devices so there is a huge range of support. Now obviously graphics won't look the same on all devices, but the point is that if Epic wanted Unreal 4 to run on Wii U, then it can happen almost regardless of the actual system specs (which we don't know).

RudyC3 on 21.06.2012 at 10:52#7

Sonic_13 said:
I wouldn't call it notable since Nintendo never releases specs. It would have been notable had Nintendo actually released exact specs.

I still have in a 2000 issue of a French official Nintendo Magazine the final specs of the Gamecube, revealed at Spaceworld 2000, and they turned out to be pretty accurate for info released a year prior to the console's release...

The article even had accurate info on the special graphical effects that the console could handle in hardware, no less (S2TC, Motion Blur, Bump Mapping, Pixel Shading, etc). I wouldn't say they NEVER release specs, they just did it with the Wii actually as far as I know, and with good reason considering how underpowered the system turned out to be and how outdated it's architecture was.

For my part, I still haven't forgotten the "Wii is roughly as powerful as two Gamecubes taped together" as the only info available prior to its release.

For the 3DS we knew right from the start what GPU it held, the name PICA200 was revealed just a few days after E3, and info on that specific chip wasn't exactly a secret. Remember that video that started floating around once the reveal was made :

Meanwhile, everything about the Wii U is kept rather secret.

EDIT: http://www.dmprof.com/e_news/e_press/372/

look at the date.

( Edited 21.06.2012 11:36 by RudyC3 )

Cubed3 Limited Staff :: Review and Feature Writer

Hynaman on 21.06.2012 at 12:36#8

Been a nintendo gamer for 30 + years and I am really worried!! I wanted more game announcements even if they were not for the launch window which Reggie calls the first 4-6 months Smilie

When in doubt....Whip it out!

gonzo222 on 21.06.2012 at 15:09#9

I think that if Nintendo just bought rare again or their intellectual properties at least and their rights they could remake old nintendo games like banjo kazooie and conkers bad fur day!if they did that Nintendo would have their old winning game fancheses and a bigger game roster meaning specs and graphics wouldnt matter as much i miss rares platforms i bet if Nintendo bought them back Nintendo would bring in a much bigger crowd!if anyone misses rareware working with Nintendo or at least the games and rights made from them and wish that Nintendo put retro and some other gaming companies to work on them including Nintendo themselves go to my youtube channel and click under the video on the show more tab and you will see three petition sites to vote on thank you!

i miss rare working with Nintendo!

Lynk on 21.06.2012 at 15:29#10

Once I buy my Wii U, that satisfies my Nintendo cravings and my cravings for all of these other great multi-platform franchises, then what is the role of a competitive platform? It's going to have to live on the backs of some sort of unique proposition, or unique content.

Well he's got that backwards. The Wii U has to live off a unique proposition. What other great third party franchises does it have? Ubisoft's, Batman, CoD and ME3? Jog on. If it doesn't have Bioshock, Tomb Raider, GTAV, Dishonoured, Far Cry, Crysis 3 or any number of games that it could support but aren't coming (as far as we know) then it will only ever be an alternate machine for the hardcore, as the Wii was for those with a love of Nintendo games. How many of you really had a Wii as your only console? If you did, you missed out massively and should probably take your head out of the sand.

Add me on anything. I'm always looking for new friends/opponents/town visitors/chances to appear more popular than I actually am.

Jman (guest) on 21.06.2012 at 15:37#11

Has Reggie been asleep this entire generation? Of course he's been, which would explain why it took the idiots at NoA a good two years to bring us Pikmin 2.

Newsflash Reggie: Not all of the big developers and third parties are on board with the U. You should work on getting them to bring content to the U instead of sitting on your ass, but then, that's what you do best.

PMD on 21.06.2012 at 16:30#12

I agree with Vorash. I want Tyrant-God Hiroshi Yamauchi with his ancient samurai blood to come back and un-pussify Nintendo.

EdEN on 21.06.2012 at 16:38#13

Are we getting a new Nintendo console? Yes. Will the games be 720p-1080p? Yes. Is the tablet a great new way to play games, and make them unique from all other SKU? Yes. Are we getting new releases in all of our favorite Nintendo franchises, as well as some new IP? Yes.

WHAT IS THE DAMN PROBLEM THEN?

God on 21.06.2012 at 17:21#14

Nintendo of America President calls Wii U 'Tremendously Powerful'

Now this is news I like. No hidden agenda, no beating around the bush. No politics. Just a guy who wants your money.
If I ever start my own place, I'll have this man outside to reel the customers in. :-D

You are not alone. I am here with you. Though we're far apart...you're always in my heart. Love u!

J Tangle on 22.06.2012 at 07:16#15

EdEN said:
Are we getting a new Nintendo console? Yes. Will the games be 720p-1080p? Yes. Is the tablet a great new way to play games, and make them unique from all other SKU? Yes. Are we getting new releases in all of our favorite Nintendo franchises, as well as some new IP? Yes.
WHAT IS THE DAMN PROBLEM THEN?

Alot of people are just upset about E3. As for myself I understand that Nintendo's conference ended on a low, but I haven't forgot that there are 3rd party games that aren't released yet like AC3, Rayman Legends, DarkSiders2, TekkenTag2, and Aliens. Too many people focused only on the old 3rd party ports which is normal for a new console to get. While others are only complaining about graphics Smilie

Although true gamers may not be the majority of the game sales. So many forget that we're the trend setters of whats deemed as a "great" game, and if the only thing you got under your belt is "I know what's "pretty" graphically" then you're not doing your job. Kinda makes me want to blame myself and others for games like the COD franchise being sold annually now.

I'll be glad when people actually start worrying more about how something plays rather than how it looks. I guess things have never been like that though, seeing as specs is always the first bullet point in a console war. *Thinks back to the old Genesis vs Snes ads*