10% would be anything but generous.

Online is not just a different kind of multiplayer; it's a part of the increasing social networking. Tell Microsoft that local multiplayer is the future of video games and then tell me how they respond (seriously, I want to know).

Good thread!!

I don't like the Wii U concept, mainly because It does not follow the Wii strategy. But of course this could be turned around with software that only Nintendo seems to have in this industry.

for me the real highlight is not increasing the number of players (I barely get 4 people together as it is) but rather the possibilities of asymmetrical multiplayer.

There are so many wonderful possibilities here, I really hope the industry tries to realize them to their fullest extent.
For example, an old pc game allowed 8 players to connect via lan and together man a B-17 bomber! pilot, navigator, bomber, gunners and all!
That's the kind of multiplayer I'd like to see on Wii U!

edit: this also goes hand in hand with offering unique experiences that can only be had on Wii U, as was mentioned in Rol's other thread  this thread:
http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=140791&page=1

Your clarification here really piqued my interest.

Especially Smash Bros and Mario Party would be easy as pie to implement. I'd still like to see how a 6 player split screen game looks.

Another multiplayer issue I had this gen was that there wasn't a symbiosis with online/offline mp gaming. So, for instance, I couldn't play most games online but with 1 or 2 friends in my living room joining the game. It's either local or not. A 6 player Smash Bros game with 3 vs 3 where you play with your two friends would be killer.

I get your point. I'm sold.

I never said it's fantastic, but it was one of the main selling factors for Mario Kart Wii.

Kinect isn't there due to lack of online users, but simply to broaden their userbase. The casual gamers (and "hardcore" who play games with motion controls) had already experienced the "fantastic" motion controls that the Wii offered, so Microsoft thought they might try to get some of them on board, which they did.

Can someone with friends tell me how often one has more than 4 people over with the desire to play a video game? I understand the appeal of local multiplayer, but I think you may overestimate the desire for large scale local multiplayer. In other words, would a game with large scale local multiplayer sale any different than if it had only standard 4 player local multiplayer and if it didn't why would Nintendo even bother?

Actually, I believe their ultimate goal was to destroy Sony.

Why do you think casuals won't buy the game for online multiplayer? If the game would have skipped online, way less people would've bought it. I'm certain lots of families bought more than one Wii and one Mario Kart disc to be able to play online with each other (just like we have several Xbox's for online at our house).

Of course online can't replace local multiplayer, I too enjoy local multiplayer way more than online. But, from a financial point of view (which is what this discussion is about) Nintendo better focus on online multiplayer rather than making more people play local.

You really haven't heard about it before?

Yeah whereas house where there is room for 7 to sit in front of the tv and see it well enough to game  totally exist outside of fantasy land.............