absolutely!

i even had my own speculations thread once

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=102987&page=1

If rumors are true and the GPU in WiiU is based on the chip of ATI HD4xxx series, then it is sure that it is more powerful than PS3/360, hands down. And besides that nature demo, with was ok, and the Zelda tech demo (which for me looks better than that God of War 3 video if only for the lights and the fact that the Scorpio in Zelda has hair), we haven't seen what it is capable of. Even the 3rd party games footage was from their PS3 or 360 versions.

And what's the point of talking about a demo we can't see? Yes, it may look great and all, but it's useless if you can't show it to us.

That said, PS4 and the next Xbox will be more powerful. By the lack of new games from Microsoft it is pretty clear that they are working on a new console which probably be based on todays hardware. Assuming that, and given the problems they had when they went from Nvidia to Ati, they will probably stay with them again, using todays hardware: the HD6xxx series. That's 2 GPU generations between WiiU and Xbox720. Now check what ever site you want and you will see that even at 1080p the HD6xxx series is far more capable than the HD4xxx, both in terms of frames or goodies like AA. And Sony will go the same route, just to be competitive with Microsoft.

Will these console be expensive? Yes, but we are talking about Microsoft and Sony, losing money during the first years is not a problem for them.

The question is, will this difference in power hurt WiiU or will it be powerful enough for developers to still develop for it?

Your ''no derailing or insults'' comment in the OP was genius

I forgot about that and got stoned for what I said.

Maybe a significant increase in polycounts and texture limits, rather than depending on low Polly models with normal mapping for a majority of the detailing. (your logic is Drak's model form uncharted (30,000 polygons) would be on the same level as Link's model from wind waker (2800 polygons) if they both ran at 1080p) Of course there's a lot to it than just polycount(which is actually getting to the high-end of things).

http://youtu.be/zzd5w3LcpxM

 I really doubt any game engine can render anything near this in real-time yet...

I think the only way the Wii U can have success will be if they ship the console without the controller. I don't see how they could bundle one of those with the console and sell it for under $350. The Wii originally sold for $250 becuase they abandoned the core gamers and didn't make a system that could come close to matching the expensive hardware found inside the 360 and PS3. 5 years later they show off a system that (speculating) will probably closely resemble the power of the PS3. The hardware is much cheaper now, so I don't expect the console price to be very high. The problem lies with the controller. While I think it is a step toward the next generation, I'm not really sure how it fits in here. I think if Nintendo wanted to really build a next-gen system they should have a product that delivers superior graphics. Otherwise what is the point? I certainly didn't see the next-generation in Nintendo's press conference yesterday. What would be really bad for Nintendo now is if Sony or Microsoft present their new consoles next year at E3 before the Wii U launches.

Please feel free to disect/disagree with my post. I do find all the talk about a new console refreshing.

Edit: Removed double-negative (Thanks Mrs. Sprunger)

I think a lot of people would disagree with you on that point. I'm not one of them. I want much better visuals from next gen too.

All the people that would have hated on your posted have been chased away so feel free to 'find yourself refreshed'

Do you really think Nintendo, or anyone else, would launch a console without a controller? That's impossible and in this case where the controller is the big thing it makes no sense.

As for the graphics of the system, it's too early to know. We don't know the tech specs of the console and there were only 2 demos that showed some potential, the Nature one and the Zelda one.

Everybody wants nice graphics, me included, but lets wait untill we know something more, shall we?

I think the vast improvement of the WiiU over the Wii and putting it ahead of PS3 and 360 at a time when it doesn't benefit either of them to make a similar jump is something Nintendo planned from the get-go back in 02-03 when they first were settling on the power of the Wii.

Make a metric asston of money off of the Wii without spending a lot to make it, then jump ahead of the competition early, before they're able to move on, themselves. And when they DO move on, their improvement will be minimal enough that many won't consider it necessary.

Brilliant.

The fact that you don't have, and make excuses for not having, a gaming PC and are settling for PS3 visuals makes me think a lot of people won't find this deal breaking.

The new controller won't be sold as it's own sku. It will be one per console and multiplayer games will work with current wii controls, no gc controller support. The touch screen controller looks to be more for sp experiences and online play anyways, headphone jack, mic, speakers, and all them shit, it's primed for online play.