Wii U won't render Wii games in HD

[famousringo]

Xen said:

famousringo said:
This is a little disappointing, but not surprising. It's just the way that Nintendo does backwards compatibility. The hardware switches to compatibility mode and disables all the new features of the hardware/firmware, as seen with GBA games on DS, GC games on Wii. Nintendo would rather build in 100% BC with no new features than go through the hassle of ensuring the new features work with all software (see Xbox 360).

I had always wished I could play GC games using the Wii's own memory storage and classic controller.

Also see the PS2 which smoothes all PS1 games, and the early PS3 which upscales any PS1/2 game... they can do it if they want to.

I'm sure they could, but the point is that it adds cost — R&D cost if not actual hardware cost — and that cost isn't going to yield much in the way of new software sales. Used software on the other hand...

Nintendo isn't looking to introduce the Wii U for $599 and strip out features until they can sell it for $299. They just want to ease the consumer barriers to buying a Wii U, especially in the early days when the library will be weak, and they don't want to put any more effort into it than they have to because the returns on that investment (more used software sales) won't justify it. After the first year, Wii U will have to sell on the merits of its own library, rather than the Wii's library.