Wii U Price, Release Date, Details Leaked By Ubisoft Dev?

A developer claiming to be from Ubisoft Milan has posted a batch of Wii U related information on an Italian message board. The developer believes that the price for Wii U will be between $350 – $450, and that the system will launch on November 23rd. Nintendo isn’t expected to reveal pricing or a release date until sometime after E3.

  • Wii U supports DirectX 11 and is already running Unreal Engine 4
  • Wii U will support to touch-screen controllers
  • The console has 2GB or RAM, 560MB dedicated to the OS
  • The launch date will be 23 November
  • Launch price hasn’t been decided but will be between $350 – $450
  • Rayman Legends, The Avengers, Assassin’s Creed 3, Just Dance 4 are all on Ubisoft’s Wii U schedule, with Killer Freaks from Outer Space set to arrive weeks after launch.
  • There are currently multiple versions of the console with developers
  • Graphics are powered by the Radeon HD 6770 chipset
  • Assassin’s Creed 3 will run at 60fps at 1080p, compared to 720p on PS3 and Xbox 360
  • Wii U will come with pre-installed software
  • Crytek, EA and Valve are all working on Wii U
  • Valve are working on a digital distribution platform and Portal ports
  • Wii U will support achievements
  • Wii U’s UI will be customisable
  • The new button has some link to the Wii Vitality Sensor
  • The trigger buttons won’t be analogue

Wii Price To Drop To $99?

Nintendo might be planning to sell the Wii for $99 sometime later this year. The rumour comes from a Kmart employee who managed to take a snap of the revised pricing for the console from the company’s database. It would make sense for Nintendo to announce a price drop for Wii during E3 as the company shifts its focus onto Wii U, which is due for release later this year. We should know for certain in just a couple of weeks.

Tip: Ray B

Revised Wii U Controller To Feature ‘Clickable’ Analogue Sticks?

A source close to UK trade publication MCV has told the publication that the recently leaked Wii U controller will feature clickable analogue sticks. The revised controller – which was revealed by a QA tester at Traveller’s Tales, is apparently based on an older design which has been given the go-ahead due to developer feedback.

FLCL Game In Development For Wii U?

Namco Bandai is apparently busy developing a game based on the Fooly Cooly franchise  for Wii U. The information stemmed from a the 2001 series’s IMDB page message boards, which isn’t exactly the most reliable place on the internet. VG247 contacted a Namco Bandai representative to see if there was any truth to the rumour, but as expected they refused to comment.

Details Regarding Wii U OS?

Rumours have emerged online relating to the Wii U operating system, which is described as “huge” and “never seen before on a normal home system”. The source who claims to have knowledge of the OS states that Nintendo has reserved at least 512 MB of RAM for the operating system alone. Nintendo hasn’t shown of the system’s operating system, leaving only developers privy to such information. We should get a closer look at the user interface and the system’s capabilities in the next couple of weeks.

Nintendo Comments On Star Fox-Metroid Fusion Wii U Rumour

Kotaku has contacted a Nintendo of America representative to discover whether there’s any truth to the Star Fox-Metroid Fusion Saga rumour which was doing the rounds on the web yesterday. As expected, Nintendo of America replied with the standard ‘we don’t comment on rumour or speculation’. I guess we will just have to wait until E3 to find out.

Retro Studios New Game To Be “Star Fox & Metroid: Fusion Saga”?

The Paul Gale Network, which is renowned for posting rather obscure rumours, claims that the game Retro Studio’s is working on for Wii U is a Star Fox and Metroid collaboration. We already know that Retro Studios are possibly working on a Star Fox title for Wii U, although this idea sounds a little too far-fetched. All will be revealed at E3 which takes place in just a few weeks.

  • Some folk at Retro Studios wanted to develop a new ip that involved 3rd person sci-fi action with intense aerial combat.
  • Others apparently were leaning towards taking the Star Fox helm.
  • Nintendo sees Retro Studios as a very competent developer and worked with them in creating the hybrid title of Star Fox – Metroid: Fusion Saga.
  • The title has multiple gameplay mechanics and needed a wide staff of talent to incorporate the many ideas.
  • The story begins as you control Fox McCloud and the Star Fox team on deep space mission in your Arwing, flying through a Meteos-like stage. As you enter a light speed warp, there’s a collision with an orange ship (Samus’) and the game continues with you now plummeting to a planet as Samus in her craft. You’re in mild control of her ship, using the Wii U controller to look around and touch screen press the lit up buttons to prepare for impact (while the TV stays locked on what you see out of the cockpit). You’re now on land, as a “yet again” stripped down Samus Aran with the most basic of weapon abilities, in first person perspective, traversing through this unknown planet.
  • The game switches off between intense Arwing space and planetary battles as Fox makes his way to the planet that Samus crashed on and a Metroid Prime-like experience of gameplay as Samus on this planet, gradually uncovering its mysteries, leveling up, etc.
  • The Star Fox stages represent what the series is best known for, including the chatter and coming to the aid of the rest of your team, all range mode battles, and on rails stages.
  • The Metroid part of the game puts you alone, void of human or any talking character contact, and like the Prime series, sees you gaining upgrades, battling bosses, and in this case, repairing your ship.
  • The game is said to be epic in size, scope, ambition.
  • The pacing has been perfected to not interrupt what the feeling is behind either franchise, since Star Fox is more often known for being acceptable to have short sessions with and Metroid rather the opposite. You can opt to continue playing either just Samus’ part or Fox’s part without crossing over for much of the main game (or play it as it’s scripted back and forth), but will eventually have to complete both, as the characters will ultimately meet up.
  • There will be later parts in the game where you do get to control Samus’ ship and fly it Star Fox style.
  • Likewise, Fox McCloud will be controllable by foot (both the above and this bullet point represent a period in the game after the two sides meet up) and be played via 3rd person perspective. Think of Jet Force Gemini with Fox’s known agility as he’s portrayed to having in the Smash Bros. series. (Fox will move more like Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden and less like he did in Star Fox Adventures).
  • Though a tentative title, the idea behind the story of “Fusion Saga” is both a play on the fact that the two series are fusing together into one game and of course, a storyline behind Andross using Metroids to enhance himself, his army, etc.
  • Star Fox – Metroid: Fusion Saga is wholly a satisfying adventure game as Samus, an equally electrifying aerial combat game as Fox, and something that delivers an exciting, special change that fans will love.
  • In consideration was the Star Fox portion having 4 player co-op online, but instead the game will have leaderboards for time and percent complete for all parts of the game and multiplayer will be simply versus mode based.

Mirror’s Edge 2 & Battlefield: Bad Company 3 Appear On CVs

Battlefield: Bad Company 3 and Mirror’s Edge 2 have both appeared on a variety of LinkedIn profiles for EA employees. Michael Joseph C states on his LinkedIn profile that he “provided video game prototype, design and demo feedback on various AAA titles including the Battlefield: Bad Company 3, Dead Space 2, Devil May Cry 5 and other unannounced titles”. A profile from an ex-EA Software Engineer and another EA employee clearly states that they have both been involved with the development of Mirror’s Edge 2.