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Forums - Nintendo - Nintendo made the WiiU gamepad because they didnt have a better idea - opinion

 

do you think nintendo only made the WiiU gamepad because they couldnt come up with a better idea?

Yes 108 39.27%
 
No 137 49.82%
 
See results 30 10.91%
 
Total:275
Cold-Flipper on 07 February 2013
bananaking21 said:
Cold-Flipper said:
I say definitely not

I read back when the Wii was first released in 2006 that Nintendo always wanted a screen in their controller. They apparently thought about it while making the GC's successor but found that it would be too expensive. They then discovered motion controls and the Wii was born.

In 2007 while thinking of what to do with the Wii's successor, they went back to the screen concept which is now more cost-efficient. Wii U is now born. Nintendo does this a lot actually. They think of ideas and don't use them because of cost issues and come back to it later.


that could be it, i remember that was the case with 3D and the 3DS. but that kind off supports my point. they were looking at the screen in controller thing after the gamecube but went with motion controlls as it is the better idea. and now they went back with that old idea because they couldnt come up with anything else

The motion controls were a better idea so they could keep costs down though. I think if the Gamepad was cost-efficient enough for Nintendo back in 2006 we would of had it instead of the motion controls to be honest. If you think about it the Gamepad makes perfect since for Wii's successor. Back when Wii Party was released Nintendo stated that they liked the idea of it not being focused on just the T.V and instead had players play throughout the living room. I think Nintendo's goal is to get away from the T.V altogether.



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fordy on 07 February 2013

They should've went with the "Power Glove Mk II" idea like I mentioned...



pokoko on 07 February 2013

They did have a better idea. The Wii 2--that is, the Wii in HD with improved motion controls.

Why? Sure, the casuals wouldn't come back in the same kind of numbers as with the Wii, but they won't come at all for the Wii U, and neither will most of the core. A tablet controller isn't going to make people suddenly turn away from the performance of a PS4 or 720 and the promise of a much more vibrant third-party library.

I actually grilled my niece, a genuine, in-the-wild casual, about the Wii and Wii U today. I asked her about her Wii and she told me she loved it, she liked Zumba, but she hadn't touched it in a long time because she hadn't had any friends over. She had zero, and I mean ZERO, interest in the Wii U. "I don't really know what it is" was followed by "I don't really want another video game system" and "I'd rather have more memory for my iPhone". Not making that up. (The Microsoft Surface got a simple "ew")

As I see it, the gamepad is going to do nothing to win customers away from other devices. It's going to make true-blue Nintendo fans happy, certainly, but many of them would have been happy if Nintendo handed them a half-gnawed ear of corn connected by a string to a waffle, as long as it had a picture of Mario printed on it somewhere. No, stop it, I'm kidding, you know what I mean. Confirmed Nintendo fans would have signed up regardless.

The Wii U is going to do fine because the people who like Nintendo software are going to buy it. But that's about it, unless they have a hidden ace up their sleeve. The Wii 2 would have at least been able to live off the ebbing tide of the casual market.



NintendoPie on 07 February 2013

Let me come out and say this... the WiiMote was something they did just to get a quick buck. They just slapped it together! Just like everything else somewhat different.

But seriously, just because Nintendo duct taped a Tablet to a Dual Analog controller and shoved a WiiMote inside of it doesn't mean it's something they just threw together to differentiate themselves from MS or Sony.



KHlover on 07 February 2013
NintendoPie said:
Let me come out and say this... the WiiMote was something they did just to get a quick buck. They just slapped it together! Just like everything else somewhat different.

But seriously, just because Nintendo duct taped a Tablet to a Dual Analog controller and shoved a WiiMote inside of it doesn't mean it's something they just threw together to differentiate themselves from MS or Sony.

How right you are :D

Btw. for your username you are pretty critical towards Nintendo at times. I like^^



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Play4Fun on 07 February 2013

Yeah... I'm pretty sure they went through the process of planning, designing and engineering this thing and didn't just 'slap on a touchscreen'.

I mean seriously...



aikohualda on 07 February 2013
Cold-Flipper said:
I say definitely not

I read back when the Wii was first released in 2006 that Nintendo always wanted a screen in their controller. They apparently thought about it while making the GC's successor but found that it would be too expensive. They then discovered motion controls and the Wii was born.

In 2007 while thinking of what to do with the Wii's successor, they went back to the screen concept which is now more cost-efficient. Wii U is now born. Nintendo does this a lot actually. They think of ideas and don't use them because of cost issues and come back to it later.

source?

that would be awesome if that's true... so wii u has been planned long time ago?



 

bananaking21 on 07 February 2013
NintendoPie said:
Let me come out and say this... the WiiMote was something they did just to get a quick buck. They just slapped it together! Just like everything else somewhat different.

But seriously, just because Nintendo duct taped a Tablet to a Dual Analog controller and shoved a WiiMote inside of it doesn't mean it's something they just threw together to differentiate themselves from MS or Sony.


i think they know exactly what they were doing with the WiiMote. it was even evident in its code name "revolution". they certainly didnt slap everything together and now after rereading you post i realized you were being sarcastic lol

and my point is i feel that they did just do it to differentiate themselfs. a lesson nintendo learned last gen was that the best way to compete with MS and sony is to be different



NintendoPie on 07 February 2013
KHlover said:

How right you are :D

Btw. for your username you are pretty critical towards Nintendo at times. I like^^

Wow, that looks almost exactly like the Wii U. Nintendo totally copied these people, I say they sue!



Screamapillar on 07 February 2013
bananaking21 said:
Screamapillar said:
bananaking21 said:
Screamapillar said:
You think the Wii U would have sold better with a standard dual analog controller?


i really dont know, too many variables like price, games at launch and marketing would effect. its not about the sales though. im saying that nintendo tried to make something new and fresh like the Wii remote with the WiiU, but couldnt and just went with the touch screen because they thought of nothing better. im actually gonna put that last part in the OP so people dont understand me wrong


Making a new controller with dual analog and all of the necessary buttons was a direct response to all the customer requests that their console have a universal controller that every owner of the system has.  That way the system can have the same games as PS3/360 without needing to re-develop games with IR and motion functionality.

In other words, they deliberately decided to NOT make some crazy, futuristic controller so that they could increase the chances of getting solid third-party support.  As well as win back so many of the hardcore gamer segment that they lost after the Wii.

@bolded. so your saying they decided not to do the thing that made the wii so succesful? i know its kinda off topic my question. but i do agree that nintendo strategy when it comes to third parties, target audince and even price point do effect nintendo's decision to make the controller

Not necessarily.  Wii U is fully compatible with all Wii Remotes and accessories.  So every single Wii U game could conceivably be made to work with the Wii remote if the developer chooses to.  I was just telling you the reason Nintendo went with the idea for the GamePad instead of expanding on motion control and moving more in that direction. 



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