Pavolink said:
“That’s our real secret sauce is [the Gamepad], it is the only real innovation in this console cycle, it’s the only real new idea or game experience and with Super Mario Maker it shows you how magical it is to create levels with that Gamepad. It’s so easy and intuitive.”
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I like the tablet controller (even if I like the Wii U Pro Controller, the DS4 and the Xbox controllers a little bit more), it is a comfortable controller with many input options.
But it is not a "real new idea" and it is not an innovation, it is the evolution of the DS (2004) with bigger displays: Two displays, the lower one is a resisitive touchscreen, directional input (stick/digi-pad) on the left of the touchscreen, buttons on the right of the touchscreen, gyro sensor.
Other innovation-claims in this thread:
- downloading or installing other games/patches in the background: thanks to multitasking, this has been possible on PCs for decades, with Steam it got much more comfortable... finally the 8th gen consoles joined the party! I love the feature, but it is no innovation.
- game already playable after a partial download/install: I love that feature on PS4, kudos to Sony for integration it in the system. But again... no innovation. Some PC games already had similar systems, especially the Battle.net-launcher and many MMORPGs. Even many expansions / DLCs / in-app-purchases work that way: The game (or game demo) is playable with the core data, the (optional) rest of the data gets downloaded and installed later.
- SharePlay: lending games to friends or family is not a very new idea. First physical sharing, later account sharing, now it can be done by stream the video and input data... it is an evolution, not an innovation. If physical and account sharing "don't count": Steam's "Family Sharing" started a year earlier, Microsoft has also talked about it for the XBO in 2013, OnLive offered game sharing since 2011: http://venturebeat.com/2011/04/22/onlive-lets-you-share-a-game-with-a-simple-link/
- RemotePlay: getting access to another of your devices within the same network or even from anywhere in the world has also been possible for many years (of course both client and server need internet access). The PSP could access the PS3 content but it was a very limited access. On PC, there are is a lot of remote access software and protocols available since many years (the client doesn't even have to be a PC)... my favorite is Splashtop. The RemotePlay between PS4 and Vita/Xperia works pretty good... but again: evolution, not innovation.
- WiiU's "off-TV": sending a video signal of an entertainment device to another display (because you prefer some games/movies on a bigger display or on the small screen of your mobile device) in the same or adjoining room has also been done for decades. In the past you needed a cable for that, but for many years it is also possible wireless. It's very well executed on Wii U (almost lag-free, the range could be better)... but again: evolution, not innovation.
- taking screenshots: I absolutely love that feature on all devices that support it... but no innovation, it has been around for decades
- video capture: I also like that feature on the new consoles... but no innovation, it has been around for many years
- sharing game videos on online platforms: very easy and comfortable on the new consoles... but again: evolution, not innovation.