Next-gen EA games will skip Wii U due to performance issues with Frostbite engine

EA's Frostbite 3 engine, which underpins many of the company's next generation titles, looks like it won't support Nintendo's Wii U. Johan Andersson, Technical Director of the Frostbite project at EA DICE, says the company tested Frostbite 2 on the console and found the results to be "not too promising," to the point where it "chose not to go down [the] path" of porting the next version. Leaked slides from earlier this year revealed that EA has approximately 15 games in development that use Frostbite 3, the implication being that Wii U gamers are going to miss out on some fairly big titles, including Battlefield 4, Star Wars, the next Mass Effect and, as Joystiq pointed out last week, this year's version ofMadden NFL. It all adds up to a notable loss of support for the new console -- but hey, EA-style gaming was hardly a core part of the Nintendo experience in the first place.

Source: Engadget 

Wii U Sales Jump 125% in UK

Here’s some good news for Nintendo’s offices in the European region: the Wii U enjoyed a 125 percent sales jump in UK during its most recent week at retail.

The cause for the upshot in sales? Blame it on Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and a price cut by retailers in the region. The new software and the adjusted cost pushed consumers to head out to shops and pick up the Wii U.

While 125 percent sounds like an awesome figure for Nintendo’s brand new console, it’s important to consider that the Wii U has been performing horribly in the UK. A more than double jump in sales still doesn’t make the machine as popular as the big N needs it to be.

Still, a positive is a positive, and hopefully this sales boost is a sign of things to come for Nintendo’s hardware. I’ll stick by my original perception of the Wii U: give it great games and it will sell.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Wii U gets UK price slash, after Nintendo ruled it out

Wii U sales may not have set the world alight, but Nintendo claimed just recently it wouldn't cut the console's price. Well now UK retailers have gone behind the gaming giant's back, and done so anyway, CVG reports.

Asda and Amazon have knocked £50 off the RRP of the Wii U basic and premium packs, selling each for £199 and £249 respectively. ShopTo is also in on the slashing, dropping its Wii U basic pack by £60 to £190.

But it's believed the trade price of the console hasn't changed -- it's still £205. Which would mean retailers are selling the device at a loss. Can things really be that bad?

It seems so. In January, Nintendo lowered its Wii U sales forecast for the year from 5.5 million units to 4 million. But company president Satoru Iwata was adamant it would not lower the price. "With Wii U, we have taken a rather resolute stance in pricing it below its manufacturing cost, so we are not planning to perform a markdown," he said in a statement.

He admitted Nintendo "had not yet fully communicated the value of the product," and that it would "work to enrich the software lineup which could make consumers understand the appeal of Wii U." Chop-chop.

The Wii U has been criticised for being too complicated for casual gamers won over by the original Wii. It's also under threat from the rise of cheaper (or even free) games for mobiles and tablets. Why buy a console with a tablet control, and be tied to its roster of games, when you can pick up a standalone tablet and have thousands to choose from? That seems to be what a lot of punters are thinking, anyway.

[Source: CNET]

Wii U System Update Improves Stability, Big Update in April

Nintendo released a brand new system update for the Wii U this morning. The update’s been labeled Version 2.1.3 U, and it’s available through the settings menu within the Wii U UI.

I’ve personally completed the update; a process that only took about 5 minutes, thanks to the ethernet cable and USB dongle duo I’ve recently installed. If you frequent the site, you might remember an article I ran back in December of last year. It was then that I spent a week trying to update my Wii U with no luck. I wound up calling Nintendo and, get this, they told me to move my console closer to my router.

It worked, oddly enough.

Regardless, today’s update is only a minor one. Here’s the full text from Nintendo’s support site:

Version 2.1.3 U available via an Internet connection includes the following improvements:

Further improvements to overall system stability have been made.*

*The previously announced system update, which adds new features and further improvements to the user experience, will be released in April.

The previously announced system update, of course, is the one that Nintendo promised back during a Nintendo Direct presentation a few weeks ago. That update will supposedly speed up UI performance and reduce load times.

We’ll have more on these updates and the Wii U as it comes.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Nintendo says it won't cut Wii U price, despite slow sales

It's no secret the Wii U isn't selling too well. Many claim the console has confused 'casual' gamers with its tablet-style controller. And as a sign of how it's struggling, Nintendo has slashed its outlook on Wii U sales for the March quarter. But it won't drop the price, it's said in a stout defence of its strategy.

"With Wii U, we have taken a rather resolute stance in pricing it below its manufacturing cost, so we are not planning to perform a markdown," the company said, BGR reports.

Just in case there was any doubt, the Nintendo spokesperson spelled it out. "I would like to make this point absolutely clear. We are putting our lessons from Nintendo 3DS to good use, as I have already publicly stated. However, given that it has now become clear that we have not yet fully communicated the value of our product, we will try to do so before the lineup is enhanced and at the same time work to enrich the software lineup which could make consumers understand the appeal of Wii U."

So that's that. Got it?

Nintendo cut the price of the 3DS after launch, so it's not one to blindly stick to its guns. And the Wii U only went on sale a couple of months ago, so a price drop so soon would show Nintendo had very little confidence in the console. It would also annoy anyone who paid full whack such a short time ago. So I can see why Nintendo is keen to avoid slashing the price.

I think critics are right when they say the Wii U is confusing for the average punter, especially after the simplicity of the original Wii. But I think maybe the age of consoles is on its way out, with the threat from far cheaper games for mobiles and tablets. Let's see how the PS4 shapes up when Sony lifts the curtain on it in a couple of weeks.

[Source: CNET]

Significant Wii U Updates Announced by Nintendo

Nintendo promised this morning in their Nintendo Direct presentation that they plan to produce two system updates this spring and summer.

As you can see in the image above, these updates will bring quicker speed to the Wii U user-interface. Users have complained about this one for a while.

The spring update will also bring the Virtual Console to the Wii U. While the full VC catalogue will not be available at launch, they will come to the Wii U in batches. The bad news? You’ll need to re-buy your old games. The good news, however, is that they’ll come at a reduced price. Re-buy NES games for $1.00 and SNES games for $1.50.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Nintendo TVii app launches on Wii U in US and Canada on December 20

Nintendo of America announced this morning that its delayed Nintendo TVii service for the Wii U will launch on December 20. Nintendo TVii, first introduced back in September, intends to tie all of your currently balkanized media services on the Wii U -- various streaming services, your cable box, and your DVR -- into a single, cross-searchable application. At launch, the service will tie in Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video, but Netflix and TiVo are skipping the party until some time in "early 2013."

Nintendo TVii was given a December 8th launch date in Nintendo's home country of Japan, lining up with the launch of the company's new console; the TVii service notoriously missed the launch of the console everywhere else in the world, remaining absent ever after its various support services were added (Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant, etc.) as individual apps. Like those apps, Nintendo TVii wasn't built by Nintendo itself, but in a partnership with i.TV. It's unclear what lead to the delay of the TVii service, but we're glad to see it arrive ahead of the various big present-giving days.

[Source: Engadget]

Next Wii U system update due late December, will improve software loading times

The Wii U launch didn't go quite as smoothly as consumers would've liked, with a major update to sit through right after unboxing, and support for various video streaming services absent on day one. Well, head honcho at Nintendo Satoru Iwata has taken to YouTube and announced from his cream studio that the next system update is due late December. It's primarily being pushed out to improve the frustratingly slow software loading times on the new console -- an issue we highlighted in our review. Iwata only makes a fleeting appearance at the beginning of the video before it moves on to talking up the latest Dragon Quest iteration, but if you've got a decent knowledge of Japanese, the embed awaits you below.

[Source: Engadget]

Lovefilm now available for UK Wii U owners

Nintendo recently committed to bringing Lovefilm to Wii U consoles soon in the UK and the company has made good on its word. Pictured above is a dimly lit shot of the new app in action, which features HD content and optional video playback via the system's GamePad. If you'd like to give it a spin, head on over to Nintendo's eShop to claim your prize.

[Source: Engadget]

Google Street View and Maps coming to Wii U in January 2013

During today's Nintendo Direct presentation, Iwata-san had plenty of game footage to show to Japan-based fans, but he also casually mentioned that Google-powered maps and street vistas would arrive on the Wii U at the end of January 2013. As demonstrated by the man himself, you'll be able to swing the GamePad around to get the best view of anywhere that's been documented by Google -- including underwater. Navigation looks similar to the previously-seen Wii U Panorama View (which Nintendo confirmed would arrive Spring 2013) and although Street View isn't motion video, there's admittedly more to see from Google's cartography. You'll be able to navigate down roads, and use the vanilla map view and street view on both the big-screen and the GamePad. If you're liking what you hear, you'd better be quick: the app will launch free for two months, after which users will have to pay an as-yet-unmentioned price for access.

[Source: Engadget]

Nintendo TVii will launch with the Wii U in Japan on December 8th, IR remote costs $1

Nintendo's Wii U has yet to launch in Japan, but over there it's been revealed that the innovative Nintendo TVii app will be available when the console launches December 8th. Interestingly, the IR remote functionality that we've already seen packed in will cost 100 yen ($1.21) from Nintendo's eShop. The TV guide data will be pulled from Rovi's G-Guide service, ready to pull up even when you're not using the console, or in the middle of a TV show or video game. We still don't have an exact release date for the i.TV-based feature in North America (it's due in "select" European regions next year) but at least gamers can enjoy their Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and YouTube access until then.

[Source: Engadget]

Why Wii U could make it a Nintendo Christmas

Nintendo has been pretty busy recently, particularly with releases for its Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL games consoles. But while many will be looking at picking up the latest Professor Layton adventure or New Super Mario Bros 2, others will be holding out for the launch of the Wii U.

All things considered, it’s beginning to look a lot like a Nintendo Christmas, but what will Wii U bring to stores ahead of the festive season?

Wii U – a new games console for a new generation
With Wii U, Nintendo is not just updating its existing hardware line-up, it’s bringing something very new and exciting to the table. The rather nifty touch-screen Wii U GamePad controller works alongside – or in some cases instead of – your main television and interacts with what’s on screen in ways like never before. The new games console comes with an incredible line up of launch titles and is available in a bundle with the family-friendly Nintendo Land and as it’s a HD device, there is great potential for enjoying video and audio content too.

New Super Mario Bros. U – the brothers are back
What better way to celebrate the launch of a new console than a fresh take on one of the most beloved franchises around? Nintendo is launching the Wii U on November 30th and will put out a whole range of Wii U games to support it, but perhaps one of the most eagerly anticipated of them will be New Super Mario Bros. U. Using the new Wii U GamePad and four Wii Remote controllers, up to five players can play together and with easy drop-in players can jump in quickly. The GamePad also allows you to play in single-player mode which means others can use the main TV.

All the above, as well a high profile games that include FIFA 13, ZombiU, Rayman Legends, Mass Effect 3 and Call of Duty Black Ops 2, it looks like gamers lucky enough to get their hands on a Wii U games console will have plenty to keep them entertained well into 2013.

[spon Guest Post]