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Team Ninja: Wii U processor not “horrible and slow”, console is next-gen

A couple of months ago, one Metro: Last Light developer made a remark stating that the Wii U has a “horrible, slow” CPU. But Team Ninja boss Yosuke Hayashi, responding to the claim, says this is not so. Hayashi feels the comment “was just 4A trying to find a scapegoat for a simple business decision on their part.”

“The Wii U is an infant that’s just been born. It’s a little unfair to compare it to mature platforms that people have been working on for over five years. I’m sure people will find ways to bring out even more power as the platform matures. To be completely blunt and honest, there’s no way that the Wii U processor is ‘horrible and slow’ compared to other platforms. I think that comment was just 4A trying to find a scapegoat for a simple business decision on their part.”

Hayashi does acknowledge that the Wii U may not be a next-gen console from the standpoint of its processor speed. However, he believes its next-gen nature stems from innovation and “Wii U being a new idea that challenges existing platforms”.

“If you’re basing this simply on processor speed, then it’s not next generation. If you’re basing this on Wii U being a new idea that challenges existing platforms, then it definitely is next generation. It is a console videogame platform that is now independent of the TV. Nobody has done that before. It’s no mistake to say that we have entered a period where it’s difficult to provide an obvious difference to many players based on processor speed alone. Players want new innovation that includes the environment in which you play and services you use, rather than just raw processor spec. Nintendo is at the forefront of that innovation. I’m looking forward to seeing what the other platforms come up with in the future.”