gaming Is the Wii U to far behind?

[Forlong 1,726]

Okay, I've heard this said before.  That the Wii U is to far behind in terms of tech and even some who try to claim it belongs in the last generation (because thinking makes their brains hurt, I guess).  There was even one moron that tried to tell me that the PS3 and Xbox 360 were more powerful.  Spoilers: they aren't!

 

Now we should all admit the fact that you can't lump the Wii U in the same category as 7-year-old tech.  That would be like saying Blu-Rays and DVDs are the same thing.  We should also admit that the PS4 and Xbox One have better specs.  They're coming out a year after it and are more expensive.  They should have better specs.  But is the Wii U to far behind them?  Let's take a look at the specs.

 

CPU

Wii U: Tri-core @ 1.24 GHz, 3 MB cache

PS4: Octa-core @ 1.6 GHz, 4 MB cache

Xbox One: Octa-core @ 1.6 GHz, 4 MB cache

 

GPU

Wii U: 320 shaders @ 550 MHz (0.35 TFLOP/s), 4.4-8.8 Gpixel/s

PS4: 1152 shaders @ 800 MHz (1.84 TFLOP/s), 25.6-57.6 Gpixel/s

Xbox One: 768 shaders @800 MHz (1.23 TFLOP/s), 12.8-38.4 Gpixel/s

 

RAM

Wii U: 2 GB @ 1600 MHz (12.8 GB/s), 34 MB eDRAM

PS4: 8 GB @ 5500 MHz (176 GB/s)

Xbox One: 8 GB @ 2133 (68.3 GB/s), 32 MB eDRAM

 

Technologically, it is quite a bit behind, but so was virtually every dominant console.  What makes a console successful is good game support.  The PS2 was badly outclassed, but managed to gain an extensive library.

[Darkshift 85]

Nintendo hasn't been technologically dominant for a while now but the reason it still has its extensive fan base is because of the video game exclusives it contains.

[Foreigner And Lover 207]

The reason that people say it's behind is because the Wii U won't be capable of playing the games that the other two will. True, the PS4 and XOne are also around a year behind, but most developers will be making games with those specs in mind.

 

Nintendo has also been pretty vague about how powerful the Wii U actually is. It's definitely better than the 360 and PS3, but not by much. At this point we don't even know if it can run Unreal 4, which a large number of titles will undoubtedly use.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Foreigner and Lover

[WonderColt 23]

Way too early to tell at this stage.

The Wii U is barely a year old and is only now just getting it's A-Game titles outs.

The Xbox One still hasn't fully recovered from the whole DRM thing and may yet still bomb at the sales.

Plus many games for the PS4 and Xboxx One will be available on the previous generation with little to no changes so the Wii U will be able to run them quite easily.

 

And on a more realistic note it doesn't really matter if Nintendo doesn't 'Win' this generation as out of the 3 companies they are the farthest from being in any financial trouble, What with coming off the success of the Wii and the 3DS dominating sales left and right. 

[DusK 1,264]

Nobody (or at least, nobody who knows anything about this kind of stuff) was expecting the Wii U's computing capabilities to match the Xbox One or PS4. Everyone was expecting the hardware to be on par with current-gen systems, and it actually goes beyond them a fair bit.

 

Basically, what we got in the Wii U is an evolution of the Wii, focused not on making things pretty (which likely won't be utilized as often as many would like to believe by developers creating games for the Xbox One or PS4), but around expanding the innovative ideas of the Wii, and doing it yet again at a price point significantly lower than systems in the same generation.

 

It's not working as well for Nintendo as the Wii this time around, but I can see things picking up quite a bit with so many first-party titles about to hit, as well as murmurs of better third-party dev support than the Wii.

[Vicke 3,189]

Lets just say that the WiiU is so bad when it comes to its specs that the media counts it as current generation gaming console. And when they do that you know that its shit compared to the Xbox and PS. It might have good games but when it comes to hardware its nothing. 

 

And don't even mention that tablet. Its as old as some ruins.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Vicke

[IronPonyApplejack 318]

The Wii U's problem is not its power.

 

The problem is games. Power doesn't sell a system, games do. Prime example being the first couple of years of the PS3. All that power didn't mean much without games. And the Wii U's game library is incredibly weak right now.

 

It has some gems, like Super Mario Bros. U, Lego City: Undercover, and....uh....well....actually....as far as titles you can't get elsewhere, that's about it. And that's the problem. Yes, there are games coming out later for the console, but we're going to reach its first anniversary, and you'll be able to count the number of top notch games on the console on one hand.

 

Here's the other problem. The controller. Now I've played a Wii U, and I have to say that the Game Pad really isn't that bad. It doesn't feel awkward in my hands. That being said, several high profile developers have already said that they have no intention of working with the Wii U because of the Game Pad. It's too different from what they're used to, and the extra work that it would take to make their games work with it won't pan out to increased profit. Therefore, it's not worth it. So they're getting hit in the games department again.

 

I love Nintendo. I grew up with Nintendo. I still have my gray brick Game Boy around here somewhere, and the darn thing still works. But now they have a system that is very under-powered AND works so differently than the other consoles that they're having a hard time keeping the third party support that they actually managed to scrap together near launch.

 

As someone whose job it is to sell games and game systems, I can tell you. I'm sitting on a stack of Wii Us in my stockroom right now. Haven't sold one in months. That's bad. Very bad.

[Megas 28,146]

Found this interesting blog from a user on GameInformer(I know, I know) - http://www.gameinformer.com/blogs/members/b/will_sora_layton_blog/archive/2013/07/15/31-31-day-1111-the-wii-u-is-regigigas.aspx

 

basically what the blog is saying: the Wii U is easily capable of doing the same things as the PS4 and Xbone, but only if they put actual effort into it, which was one of the issues with the Wii. Nintendo was one of the very few people actually putting effort into the games on the Wii. If they put effort into it, they can achieve awesome things, just look at X(no I will not stop talking about this game) 

Also here's a list next-gen engines on that can run on the Wii U

 

 

It's also worth noting that EA has backtracked and said that Frostbite can run in the Wii U - http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/07/ea_frostbite_3_on_wii_u_not_impossible

 

The fact that the Wii U is capable of running PCKiller CryEngine3 just fine shows what the Wii U can be capable of

Edited July 27, 2013 by Megas75

[Krys9 456]

I want to get something out of the way first.

 

The controller is not a tablet it's a gamepad with a resistive screen. Nintendo used the resisitive touch screen because of what they wanted to achieve with the Wiiu. For the games you are playing on it you don't need a capacitive screen with multi-touch.

 

 

Second, It's been less than a year since it came out so give it a chance to get rolling. There are tons of new exclusive games coming out for the system that would make people want to purchase one.

 

Third, Nintendo never really wanted to be a technical powerhouse when it came to their consoles. They wanted their customers to experience value with their money. When you buy a Nintendo product you are getting access to all their wonderful 1st party titles and some third parties aswell. Nintendo looks at the competition and tries to do something different from Sony and Microsoft while those companies mostly just focus on their specs. Depending on what you want in your console you can choose accordingly. Personally I always get a Nintendo console alongside a Microsoft or Sony product just in case if those systems get exclusives that the Wiiu doesn't. I love my Wiiu right now and I really cannot wait until this fall where games that I find interesting are coming out.

[Titan Rising 2,156]

The graphical difference at this point is negligible.  Nintendo is smart in my opinion because its likely Sony and Microsoft are taking a big hit on each of their consoles to keep the price down.  It's been said but it's going to come down to the games, and Nintendo is guaranteed to have support from their own company while Sony and Microsoft seek support from more 3rd partys - and unfortunately for them they are going to have another competitor this time because people are increasingly playing more on PC.

 

It's been said, but yea it's gonna come down to the games.  I expect Nintendo to do quite well this gen to be honest, if I knew how to invest in Nintendo stock I would..

[IronPonyApplejack 318]

The Wii U is selling pretty poorly right now. I really do hope that some good ol' Nintendo titles are enough to save it. I still plan on buying one...problem is, there's like...one game on it that I want right now. Nothing else has come yet.

 

That being said, Nintendo isn't going anywhere as a company. They have piles of cash in the bank. They're fine. But their current home console is struggling right now. They need some more Nintendo goodness on that thing, and quick.

[Ferret Girl 2,642]

 A systems power and technological status have NOTHING to do with the quality of games. People don't ever seem to realize this.

I for one can't stand the WiiU or even the Wii, but not because of their software.

[Forlong 1,726]

Lets just say that the WiiU is so bad when it comes to its specs that the media counts it as current generation gaming console. And when they do that you know that its shit compared to the Xbox and PS. It might have good games but when it comes to hardware its nothing. 

 

And don't even mention that tablet. Its as old as some ruins.

No, that just shows what morons are in the media.  The Wii was far more outclassed than the Wii U, but none of them said the Wii was "last gen".  They've just gone nuts.

[DiscordAnarchy 770]

No, that just shows what morons are in the media.  The Wii was far more outclassed than the Wii U, but none of them said the Wii was "last gen".  They've just gone nuts.

 

 

Exactly. The media focuses mostly on negatives and neglects any positives. The amount of media reporting on the massive flood of Indie games coming to the WIi U is almost none despite the fact the Wii u has over 500 indie developers signed on with a lot more coming shortly. Hell, that PC point and click game Dreamscape is getting a sequel on the WIi U. Abes Odyssy HD and Stranger HD are also coming to the system but no one reports on this.

 

Here are the games that none of the negaitve-focused media is talking about

 

 

A little research will show that there are a ton of kick-starters going on to port games to the Wii U. But that is good news for the system and we all know good news doesn't generate sales/hits. Ergo there is no point talking about it.

A.N.N.E. (Gamesbymo)

A World of Keflings (NinjaBee)

A Hat In Time (Gears For Breakfast)

Another Castle (Uncade)

Ballpoint Universe (Arachnid)

Cloudberry Kingdom (Pwnee)

Coaster Crazy Deluxe (Frontier)

Cryamore (Cryamore)

Days of Dawn: Discover The Magic (Bumblebee Games)

Mutant Mudds Deluxe (Renegade Kid)

Noctemis (Lacuna Entertainment)

Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee New ‘n’ Tasty(Oddworld Inhabitants)

Pier Solar HD (WaterMelon Co)

Rex Rocket (Castle Pixel)

Rawbots (Alex Rozgo)

Road Redemption (Dark Seas Games)

Scram Kitty & His Buddy on Rails (Dakko Dakko)

Shovel Knight (Yacht Club)

Terra Incognita (Back To Basics Gaming)

The 90′s Arcade Racer (Antonis Pelekanos & Nicalis)

Two Brothers (Ackk Studios)

Tengami (Nyamyam) - Ex Rare developers.

Forgotten Memories (Psychoz Interactive)

Putty Squad (System 3)

Project Cars (Slightly Mad Games)

Spin the Bottle (Knapnock Games)

Anima: Gate of Memories (Anima Project Studio)

Cloudberry Kingdom (Pwnee Studios/Ubisoft)

UnEpic (Francisco Téllez)

 

This is just a SMALL amount of the indie games coming out that media refuses to acknowledge/

 

 

 

[Discordian 6,021]

I just honestly don't care about consoles or who's "winning" and such. I don't care what system a game is on, if I want that game I will get the system for it. I wonder why anyone thinks it matters in the slightest that this console is more power than that. Better graphics will not change a game when the interval is so small as there will be between Wii-U and PS4. We've hit the point where a difference in graphics is so slight on most platforms there's little reason beyond "just because" to have a game with better graphics.

 

At least the Wii-U has the gamepad that allows for non-TV gameplay and can basically have the function of a DS. Dual screens is the way of the future above all else. Systems that DON'T use dual screens are pretty behind in gaming tech imo, even if dual screens are mostly used for things like maps and inventories.

[Bright Honor 2,802]

Eh, it's the weakest, but I wouldn't say the gap is as big as between Wii and PS3/360 though. However, I think what will hurt Wii U more than being the weakest is being the hardest to develop for of the 3 consoles.

[Shanks 10,817]

I am far far more concerned with the lack of games than the fact that it is not as powerful as the Xboxone or the PS4, extra power is great but what matters above all else to most gamers is the actual games themselves. The PS3 was the most powerful console of the last generation yet the Wii which was the least powerful was the one that sold the most because of its games. Its games appealed to both the loyal Nintendo fans as well as tapping into the family/casual gamer market.

[Fox 5,331]

This is why I don't have a Wii U. I'm a loyal Nintendo customer. I feel obligated to buy it for the new series of games that will come out eventually. Like Zelda, Donkey Kong, and the new Super smash bros. Except I don't feel like buying it... I mean these other game companies are putting way more quality parts compared to NIntendo.

 

NIntendo has always been good with being innovative by trying new things, and having a great selection of games. These gimmicky features don't appeal to me. I just want to sit down, and play a game. I don't even think I would be bothered even playing with an Occulus. Just prefer casual gaming. 

[Jadefire 2,798]

Fun fact: the Wii had far less powerful hardware than the PS3 or the 360, yet it was the most successful console of it's generation. This whole performance thing everyone's whining about is completely stupid, and those who buy into it should be ashamed of themselves.

[Rappy0 338]

Well the Wii U just sold a lot of units and it hit the million mark in Japan (source) so I don't think it's the power of the system. The problem was that Nintendo just released it at the wrong time w/o many 1st party games they made the same mistake with the 3DS and look how it's turned out.

 

[Discordian 6,021]

Well the Wii U just sold a lot of units and it hit the million mark in Japan (source) so I don't think it's the power of the system. The problem was that Nintendo just released it at the wrong time w/o many 1st party games they made the same mistake with the 3DS and look how it's turned out.

I think a lot of people were waiting to see the PS4 and new Xbox and after the failed reveal of the Xbox I had heard that the Wii-U's sales skyrocketed.

 

I'm definitely getting one after E3 where they showed like fifty games I wanted between that and the 3DS while I found maybe two or three for PS4 and nothing on Xbone.

 

It's all about the games and so far I've seen nothing on the Xbone that I can't get on PS4.

[Envy 6,407]

I'm pretty sure that the gap between the Wii U and the PS4/XBO is much more significant than the mere fact that they're coming out a year or so later.

 

I personally wouldn't complain about the Wii U's power, but the Wii U is getting majorly shafted. Just look at Kingdom Hearts III. Square-Enix decided to make it a multi-platform title, when it really could have just been a PS4 exclusive title given that the numbered titles from the series were on the PS2, and have never seen release, in any way, on a platform by another company. But... for some reason they didn't give it to the Wii U, they gave it to the Xbox One.

 

If you pay attention, something is very screwed up with that... The director even said that making it for the Xbox One was to expand to more of the fanbase... But that makes no sense at all. No Kingdom Hearts game on any level has ever been on a Microsoft console in any way, shape, or form. However, there have been several releases on Nintendo consoles.

 

Do you think that SE decided to not release it for the Wii U to give those Nintendo-based KH fans the middle finger, or do you think that it's the fact that the Wii U is just so much less powerful than the PS4/XBO that it wasn't even on the radar? We all like to think that the companies just like giving middle fingers when they do something that made us mad, but given how little third party support the Wii U is getting altogether, something is very wrong. If KHIII could have been on the Wii U, it would have been there long before the XBO, because Nintendo deserves KHIII so much more than Microsoft ever did.

[Paianis 489]

The trouble with the Wii U is that for the third-party multi-plats, it only has a very small window where it can show its strength against its competition. I'm talking about the time it launched to when the XBone and BS4 come out this fall. After that, you may as well get a PS4 if you like games in that format as that system is the most powerful of the bunch.

 

However, the two things that the Wii U has going for it is the hardware/underlying software differences (the gigantic gamepad, less complex OS setup). There are plenty of opportunities for developers to take advantage of that, even games that wouldn't be possible on the XB1 or PS4. I mention software because no one likes being forced into a Windows Live account, or the need to do incredibly sluggish updates every week. I don't have a Wii U yet but from my experience the original Wii was alot less painful to live with than the PS3. That could be an incentive for some people.

 

The other thing is the first-party exclusives, which have lost a fair amount of sparkle since the SNES but there are still some people who would buy the console just to play them. I say some, because sadly the general public has just moved on from them and straight into genres that Nintendo barely does business in (e.g FPS).

 

The more I think about it, these were the same things that were going for the Dreamcast back in 2000, but guess what, that thing went down the crapper the very moment the PS2 came out. I sure as hope the Wii U doesn't find itself in a similar situation the next 31st January. I'm quite interested in obtaining one.

 

---

 

So, what about the other consoles? Well, we all know that there is an emerging format of systems, basically cheap Android devices, some with a proprietary software line-up, and almost all ditching physical media. The Ouya seems to be leading the pack right now, so I'll talk about it at the same level as the other next-gen consoles. I think it has alot of potential, but I think they're tapping into the wrong market. The trouble is, in the western world, we already have consoles, smartphones and tablets that can do everything the Ouya can, so it seems redundant to drop it here. Even in second-world countries, it is unlikely that households would have fast enough internet connections in order to handle Ouya's service. So yes, it is an incredibly difficult console to find a market for.

 

In my opinion, we need something to bridge the gap from the big home consoles to the small geeky ones. Something as powerful as a PS4 but as open-source as an Ouya. When such a system does arrive I'm throwing all my money at it.