http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/EdgyDude/is-wii-u-s-touch-screen-controller-a-red-herring-hiding-a-deeper-strategy--244644.phtml

Intro:

A couple of weeks ago in a comment thread a discussion arose about how Windows XP users and the HD twins are are holding back gaming development. At the time I thought it was a foolish idea but while writing a rebuttal I stumbled upon a much more interesting idea:

What if Wii U's touch screen is nothing more than a huge diversion hiding a deeper strategy?

Finish:

To close this already long post, I think there's a lot more to Wii U than meets the eye and while others have presented some interesting perspectives as to why Wii U could be the big winner in the race of the 8th gen consoles, IMHO they have only scratched the surface. Of course this is all coming from my point of view and as the Wii proves, even best made plans can take unexpected turns in reality. But all in all, I think Nintendo has planned this more thoroughly than we give them credit for.

EdgyDude makes a remarkably compelling argument. I recommend you all read it through. If you can't be bothered actually reading it, and feel like coming in and making some inane comment about how Wii U is going to fail, I recommend that you stay away, because otherwise you'll almost certainly be blown apart. You're going to have to attack the actual argument if you want any chance of making a counterpoint.

Anyway, discuss.

Man, I really wish you had made a summery of all the things he had to say :P Guess I have to head over to the blog and read it... I'll be back... but probably not too soon by the sound of it...

I only saw this pic..




what are we talking about again?

It seemed like something that is a little too long and detailed to really provide a sufficient summary for it. The basics are held within the parts I quoted.

The point isn't so much about what is happening right now, but what happens once the other platforms are released. Wii wasn't the first one out of the gate, so it wasn't in the same position as the Wii U in that regard (and that's probably the biggest failure in his effort to equate the two systems - he describes the Wii as having come out "close to the start of the generation").

And his greater argument isn't that the Wii U will be a phenomenon like the Wii, but that there's more to the strategy than meets the eye. It's less about the results and more about the intent.

As for THQ, the point is that it'll serve as a case study for the other publishers. Development costs spiraling out of control, greater focus on "online passes", etc, and the fact that they didn't really put much support on the Wii (they did publish de Blob, but other than that, the only notable releases were the niche Deadly Creatures and their WWE series).

And if you pay attention, EdgyDude doesn't so much predict that third parties will all move to the Wii U, but that those that don't are going to fail anyway.

I'm going to read it now.

@OP, you say, "EdgyDude makes a remarkably compelling argument". I doubt that very much.

Bejezus - what a load of horse-shit.

I mean, honestly - are those arguments!?

I wish I could take this guy on in a 1-on-1 public (live!) debate.

tagging for later. they should add a tag list in the buddy so we can just press a thread to tag instead of posting

Sorry for the delay, had to google "natalie portman closer" ^^ damn she's fiiiine!

Anywho, first off; THQ. They didn't fail simply because of higher developing costs, afaik. What I can gather the uDraw for PS360 cost them a shit ton of money, making that particular argument useless.

Secondly, I think PS720 will share quite a few ports among them, which Wii U might get some of - and likely gimped down versions at that.

Right now there is nothing compelling consumers to buy the Wii U, and this probably won't change. The future is indeed looking bleak right now, and that blogpost is simply wishful thinking. The thing is, lower specs forces developers to be creative with the hardware - as he points out. Just look at Mario Galaxy and Skyward Sword - excellent examples of that. But, this is nothing 3rd party will use a lot of since they won't be developing a whole lotta games for Wii U, mostly porting them I'd guess. This means that no one but Nintendo themselves, and maybe a handful of others, will get creative with Wii U.

"iLike"