Gearbox President Randy Pitchford has confessed to Joystiq that the Wii U is a “really nice bridge to the next generation” and that the console is “pretty powerful”. Pitchford stated to the publication that he wasn’t able to say too much about the system, as there’s still plenty for Nintendo to announce about the platform at E3. Here’s what he had to say:
“Nintendo still has a lot to announce with their platform, and it’s not up to us to go ahead of them. I think it’s a great platform and I’m really excited about it, particularly with this game, there’s a lot of exciting opportunities like, ‘Wow, my motion tracker is there, and I can move it like this!'” he said as he moved his arms side to side. “There’s just so much cool stuff.”
“There’s a lot that we can do with that screen,” Pitchford said. “It’s a really cool system — it’s pretty powerful. I want to be careful, because I don’t want to risk any sensitive information that Nintendo’s not ready to share yet, but in our experience it’s a great system. I think it’s a really nice bridge to the next generation. I think people will be surprised. I don’t know off the top of my head how many of the specs they’ve released, so I want to be very careful not to jump the gun, but we’re very pleased with the hardware. And even since they gave us our first alpha kit, our very first ‘pre-prototype’ development hardware that they kind of let us play around with, they’ve done so many things to make the platform better. So it’s getting better for us as developers.”
here’s to hoping nintendo doesn’t focus more on graphics rather than gameplay. that would break my heart.
At this point I’d wish Nintendo to focus on graphics more.
Or become a FPS whore =/
That tablet would be awesome for FPS…..
I really don’t think they’re going for graphics. But it’s nice to know they’re not leaving them outside like they did with the Wii.
To be honest it is about time they started focusing on graphics, gameplay is unlikely to drop, I can’t wait to play Pikmin 3 it should look awesome
Indeed, both are important.
Some people tend to forget that.
Agreed games are a combination of different kinds of art and each kind is equally important.
it not about dropping gameplay, it’s about improving it and giving something new. and that controller is perfect for that.
If you’re worried Nintendo will start making mind-blowingly beautiful but uninteresting games, I say don’t worry.
3 words for you: Super Mario Galaxy.
They won’t. Good gameplay is a given with Nintendo. Now is time for some HD goodness.
I feel like hugging someone right now.
THIS! Good games are a GIVEN – now we know they’re FINALLY HD, everybody!
Sit back, relax, take 5 deep, deep breaths, and tell yourself this – this is Nintendo here. Doesn’t matter what they’ve done in the past; it’s their console, they’re gonna make it good.
In other words? Get ready for better games. But.
In.
Glorious.
HD.
-insert Nintendo franchise here- in HD. HIGH DEFINITION.
‘Nuff said.
So excited! I guess the things said before that the Wii U’s power is below X360 o PS3 can be discarded now.
The only way you can discard rumors is with facts.
Until Nintendo announces it, I’m not believing anything. It can suck, it can be awesome. No one knows.
I’m inclined not to listen to developers because they always say “_____ IS AWESOME” when trying to sell their games/products.
That’s true, but I’m more inclined to believe this source than all the ‘anonymous tipster’ stories that have been popping up. If this guy is willing to put his name behind his claims, it can’t be all that far from the truth.
Patcher uses his name.
As long as the gameplay is still top notch, also the UPad must be utilised well, i don’t really care about graphics.
Gameplay>Graphics
Indeed!
funny how these guys talk about wii u more than nintendo
I agree. I wish Nintendo would just open their mouths and give us something to talk about until E3. Anything!
Zelda tech demo.
That’s why I don’t trust those rumours which say ”Wii U isn’t powerful” and all that crap…
When REAL developers show up to talk about the Wii U they are all vague, and don’t say nothing special. but they always say it’s a great system.
Let’s wait until E3 before speculation, Nintendo will blow Sony and Micro away! For sure.
Agreed, besides it takes time to learn how to use a new system, let alone use it to it’s full potential (which usually doesn’t happen till the console gets near it’s end),
One thing to remember is that the console is using two screens, this could make the hardware seem less powerful to some people who don’t know what their doing.
Like a bridge to Terabithia.
Wow. I remember reading that in middle school.
More videos from the development team at Gearbox.
http://www.nintendo-gamer.net/2012/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-developer-interviews-gameplay-video/
Enjoy.
Graphics<Gameplay = always.
Remember the N64 how bad the graphics on it were? the gameplay was awesome which is why the games on it rocked.
You’re wrong, the graphics on the N64 were the best…during its time, that is. In fact, most of the games out for the N64 were used to demonstrate how awesome it was to be in 64-bit 3D environments. There was nary a person out there during the days of Ocarina of Time who thought the graphics were insufficient, because at the time, there was nothing higher in the graphical department. You say the graphics were bad because you’re seeing them from today’s standards. Obviously you should refrain from using such logic. It’s not as if Nintendo purposely made a crappy looking game just to have good gameplay. That’s stupid talk. Say whatever you want, but even Nintendo prided graphics as much as anyone did, and they even made a killing off it back in the day.
I’m saying compared to today, N64 graphics are very bad, but still people play it today because the gameplay on it rocked.
N64 Graphics were great in those days.
The only bad hardware on N64 was the cartridge. It was too small and expensive, it limited N64’s texture potential and game content vs CD at the time. Big mistake for Nintey not to go CD-based.
What was like 32-64MB (512Mbit) vs 650MB CDs?
Name 1, just 1, sega saturn or sony playstation game that better graphics than Zelda 64? Perfect Dark? The 64 brought 3d graphics out of that “akward” phase it was in duing the beginning. Remember Battle Arena Toshindin? I hated the was that game looked.
I think you misunderstood, I said N64 graphics were great (meaning better than PS/Saturn). Just that, aside from load times, i think it could have been better if they used CD.
Notice 64MB carts&expansion packs made games like conkers bad fur day and perfect dark looked better compared to 32MB carts and 4MB ram. Not only that but i doubt you can fit massive games contents like GT in those carts.
It’s sounding like the system has a lot going for it. I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
As far as graphics didn’t they “hold back” some of the power of the 3ds til recently? Couldn’t that be the case with Wii u? Some of the resources for the system being locked out til later? Thought I read about it on this site with the 3DS. It could explain some of the more recent rumors about the system being more on par with current systems.
Is no one else here worried about the use of the term “bridge”? To me it just seems like they’re saying it’s not really next-gen at all, and just a halfway point like the Wii was. Sure it’s great to hear that the Wii U is powerful and that they’re supporting it, but if it’s just going to be ditched by the time PS4 and Xbox 720 hit the shelves then I’ll be very dissapointed. :/
Yea, it’s like he was trying to carefully not say he wanted or expected more.
Notice how he said “pretty powerful”. It’s like saying something taste pretty good vs delicious. It’s a sign of approval but not something to brag about.
I’m won’t be too worried about PS4 and X360, if WiiU is priced cheaper and has a good launch and 1st year games.
I’m not. I mean, the only way they wouldn’t call it a “bridge” it’s if the PS4 and 720 were coming this year too. Which we all know isn’t happening. Did people call the 360 a “bridge to the next generation” because it came out before the PS3 and the Wii? They certainly don’t do it now.
I like how finally a reputable developer comes out and has the balls to somewhat say what a system is about; without breaking NDA. In any case, there was never a doubt the Wii U will be significantly be more powerful than the X360 or PS3 seeing it is packing a POWER7 CPU with “a lot of eDRAM” probably from MoSys (anywhere between 24-32MB as Nintendo owns MoSys) and a Radeon HD RV770 GPU!!! It already is rumored to have more than 1GB of System and Video RAM so haters can just eat dirt!!!
Whats a bridge system (and examples please).
dreamcast?
I do wish he chose a better word than “bridge.” I know this isn’t what he meant, but that word carries the connotation of “isn’t actually,” and I could easily see more troll-happy folks taking advantage of that.
He used the word bridge because Nintendo will leave all the trolls under them. They will be left in the dirt ocassionally popping their heads up, to get some attention and failing even at that.
Leave luck to heaven.
What the…a nice bridge?
So it’s not next-gen???
You don’t have to be a rocket scientest to figure this out. It`s sounding more like a Wii360 with just enough power to squeeze by. Now that i think about it, it sounds like they had this planned since the launch of Wii. If the Wii wasnt a success, they probably would’ve built this instead. The Wii was a success, so now they’re going to attempt the same thing again. (a less powerful system, and a controller with a gimmick) It’s called going to the well once too often and it might just bite em in in the hind quarters if they keep pullin this crap. So much for those supposed lessons being learned.
Seriously, it’s a bridge….. It is only a bad word if you don’t know computers. Since that will always blow consoles out of the water.
There is no way in hell the ps4 or Xbox next will be able to catch up with nvidia or intel on the desktop.
The wiiu goal is he graphics at wii frame rates, meaning 30-60 fps in real hd. With added game play options that even pcs don’t have at an affordable price with exclusive content from Nintendo.
Face it the current hd system suck. It cost way too much to make even better graphics so the power of the pc will never truly get used. There is some thing called a happy medium. That is what console bring. They peel away multi media and give you some thing you can not get from movies are pcs, fun games that are exclusive.
Sony and ms will be gutted by all of this unattainable expectation since nintendo relies of game play. Ms would have to cripple pc gaming to keep up with themselves.
Nintendo will simply suprise people with how good the system is and the fanboys will get laughed at since hd at a good framerate is all that is needed to be next gen. Since last gen never accomplish that.
Plus half of gamers don’t need to know specs since they cant even understand them. Sony fooled you with the cell and ms got you to pay for some thing you already payed for once.
Hate all you want but nintendo has every one where they want them again. People with the weak dev systems are only telling on them selves.
This pritty much goes against what the unknow dev said lol!
I dont care as long wii u have most 3rd party port games