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After Playing Wii U, CNN Doesn’t Know It’s A New Console

Larry Frum, a video game journalist from CNN, was at E3 trying out Wii U on Tuesday. Frum begins his Wii U impression-article with a rhetorical question – “Will Nintendo’s forthcoming Wii U controller breathe new life into its aging Wii console?” Although Frum had a lengthy hands-on demo with Wii U during E3, he does not know that it is a brand-new console .

Frum thinks that Wii U is a new controller for the six-year-old Wii. I guess people are still confused about whether Wii U is a new console – even some video game journalists. Frum also talks about his experience with Wii U games and toward the end of the article, he calls Pikmin 3 a “kid title.”

143 thoughts on “After Playing Wii U, CNN Doesn’t Know It’s A New Console”

    1. exactly, just wow! that guy is an idiot. by that opening i can tell he is just a regular reporter coovering this. for anyone to call them self a video game reporter and not know that the WiiU is a brand new console is just plain stupid. I would understand if this was coming from someone that just plays games casually and really not invested in the industry. but for someone who does this for their job, he needs to be fired

      1. You’re all right, he can’t call himself a game journalist, but a simple common journalist.
        However it’s more anguished than that! He’s a normal human being not in the game industry clearly. SO pleple like him will look at the WiiU the same way so, if Nintendo want to attract hardcore gamers and from the very beginning the WiiU it’s perceived like another Wii iteration it will fail this objective…

        Naming it almost the same way as it’s predecessor and giving so much importance to it’s Miis, it’s a BAD MOVE. More titles like ZombiU are NEEDED to help normal people like this journalist forget the relation between Nintendo, the Wii and “kid titles” and “casual gamers”…………….

    2. Its funny because if you consider PS2 and PS3 new consoles then your on crack same look, same exact controller, just better graphics if that is a new console then I have no idea what NEW is. At least Nintendo has been bold enough to try new things and are usually the first to come out with new ideas that the rest copy later on.

      1. What?

        PS2 and PS3 have entirely different hardware, interact with the internet and their controllers differently, have incompatible game formats. Of course the PS3 is a new console from a PS2. What in the world are you talking about?

  1. I said this was going to be a problem. People that don’t care about video games won’t realize that this is a brand new console. They focus too much on the controller itself.

    1. And then with the focus on casual gamers… I know it’s a new system but the Wii U isn’t really aimed at me. It’s aimed at those who think it’s a controller.

  2. The press release for last year’s E3 said a “new console” would be revealed, they used the word “console” repeatedly in the 2011 press conference prior to the Wii U’s reveal, they finally showed close-up shots of the console next to the controller in all the Wii U related presentations. Even Ubisoft called it a new console.

    Really, it’s not going to get through the skulls of the unaware until launch, and that’s a best case scenario. They could be so trained by smartphone and tablet manufacturers to believe all technology has annual versions that they’ll still not get it.

  3. I believe this is Nintendo’s problem, not Mr. Frum’s. If Nintendo had named it something else… Sigh. They said they were making it to go back to their hardcore fans. If that were the case, they should have dumped the Wii name like a hot potato. The hardcore would figure out what Nintendo’s new console was. They could even put on all the ads, “from the makers of Wii,” to sucker some casual’s into the mix (the few that want more games than just Wii Sports, which they already own). I don’t feel like this is a console for the hardcore at all. Nintendo doesn’t seem to feel that way either.
    Sorry for the disappointed rant. Had a depressing day. I think most of us did.

    1. i had a good day actually cos games doesnt take up 100% of my life. that is probably 85, the rest is work and family time inc with the wife.

      On topic: I actually liked the conference. on a whole it wasnt great. but i had a few laughs and some of the games appeal to me like rayman batman zombi u New mario bros and pikmin 3. That already is betetr than the 3ds launch, Some people just want more and more and more…

      1. Tell me about it man, the show wasn’t bad. Not the best. But Nintendo’s plan I guess is kind of smart. They are just revealing games coming up for launch or within the launch window. Not stuff that’s 2 or 3 years way. Like they did with Gamecube and Wii a lot in the past. In short it looks like they learned from their mistakes. The CNN article doesn’t surprise me, that “news” agency is declining more and more each year. Most News shows are like that, they report fiction over fact. Because you get better ratings and ratings is the name of the game.

    2. It’s not Nintendos fault that Mr. Frum is stupid. When Sony releases the Playstation 4, will he make the same mistake? Perhaps they should name it something else, drop the Playstation name for crying out loud.

      -.-

    3. Nintendo said they were going after the hardcore gamer, not Nintendo’s hardcore fans. They already have them. As far as the conference goes, while it was a big letdown, they still did a pretty good show. Hell, it was better than M$’s.

  4. =| I don’t blame him. . .
    I mean i wish nintendo chose a better design for it
    and a whole new name and not just adding it with the Wii brand =/
    From the E3 and everything it look’s as though the next gen console’s
    will rip Wii U apart.

    1. ROFL what consoles? Stop saying bullshit when they aren’t even around. FYI the Wii ripped xbox and ps3 apart in terms of sales…

  5. In all honesty, whether it has ‘Wii’ in it’s name or not, there is NO excuse a -reporter/journalist/etc.- should not know that this is a new console. Nintendo has REPEATEDLY mentioned in specifics that it is a new console. They have announced the specs of the system. And what are they calling the WiiU if it isn’t a new system? It can’t be the controller because they made it fully clear that’s called the -WiiU- GamePad (not the Wii GamePad).

    There is no reason that he should not know that this is a new system. If that were honestly a problem, then people would have never understood that PSX=/=PS2=/=PS3 or XBox=/=XBox 360 because honestly the only change there is a number! They clearly understood Gameboy=/=Gameboy Advance or NES=/=SNES. So they have no reason to not know this.

    1. But something happened in this gen that those gens didn’t have to deal with: The annualized smartphone and tablet. Throughout their lives, they have the same name. The media and non-gamer public have been trained to think all technology now works like this. If these people get that it’s a new console at all, it will be at the launch.

      1. I shall put on my Swami cap that I stole from Johnny Carson…

        The Wii U has been stated to allow 2 tablet controllers to be used at the same time, this probably means that the tablets can be bought separately. At launch, I foresee a large portion of morons buying the controller and Wii U games and trying to play them with their existing Wiis. There will then be a huge backlash about being duped into buying a new console or some crap like that.

        Don’t believe that people could be that stupid? When the original Wii came out, a large enough population of jackholes played Wii Sports and ended up with Wiimotes lodged in their TVs. This is the reason for the wrist straps and rubber sleeves.

        1. Try watching some news footage from the SNES launch. Now there’s an amusing case from when people were dealing with the first real console generational leap.

    2. I am a very much so Nintendo fanboy, but even I can admit that I do understand why that guy could have thought that. From the looks of this E3, you could have seriously never known it was separate from the Wii with the exception of the 3rd party announcements.

      1. how can he not know its a new console, they presented it on stage stating that its a new console and with that come an all new type of gameplay to follow, what the hell was he listening at??

        1. the only possible reason to play the new wiiu and think its no different from the wii is this guy has never played the wii

  6. Not their fault. Even I know they’re different consoles yet I did not get that at all from E3…

    1. Its not thier fault . If people dont know its a console they will soon . Nintendo has said it enough . Now its time for people to learn

  7. They stood up on stage for an hour talking about things like Wii Fit U, SiNG, Just Dance 4, Nintendo Land, and New Super Mario U. So the Wii U is definitely aimed at the casual gamer. So Nintendo should have known that calling it the Wii U and keeping the same Wiimotes as part of the system would be confusing for their audience.

    At the same time, by keeping the Wii in the name, they alienated the “hardcore” audience because they know what that name means. Casual, fun games with a stress on playing with friends and family. Those who jumped ship, or planned to, know that it’s going to be the same-old-same-old Wii crap. Which they confirmed today at E3 when they heavily showcased all of their casual, “play with your friends and family” games.

    Calling it the Wii U was lose/lose for them.

    1. basing a console on a name? PERLEASE! There are plenty of core titles including batman mass effect 3 for those who never played them. Also Zimbi U and rayman (RLY HARD GAME) are EXCLUSIVE to wii U…

      also since when were launches fantastic? they NEVER WER! look at n64 with just mario 64 and star wars…. yeah exactly!

      and before any replies. I am not mad! XD I am reminding people that launches are NEVER amazing

      1. So you really think there aren’t people who see “Wii” and just shake their heads? Because they do. Unlike with the 64, talking about your Wii while your friends talk about their PS3 and XBox 360 can be slightly embarrassing. So of course the teenage gamers aren’t going to go for the system that results in penis jokes.

        And that wasn’t my point. For a lot of people, the Wii represents the time when Nintendo turned it’s back on it’s fans and focused heavily on getting old people and moms to buy and play their system. They pumped out casual game after casual game causing those of us who’ve been with Nintendo since the beginning to start looking elsewhere. This system was it’s chance to fix things after the Gamecube and Wii and it feels like they didn’t try. They’re still worried about grandparents. Instead of learning from their mistakes, history is repeating.

        1. lul, people remembers what they dislike more than what they like… Have an another look here at http://e3.nintendo.com/ under Wii U games..
          Aliens Colonial Marines
          Ninja Gaiden 3
          Darksiders II
          Assassin Creed III
          Batman Arkham City Armored Edition
          Mass Effect 3
          Rayman
          and ZombiU

        2. My friends shake our heads when someone brings up Microsoft, have you seen what they’ve become. My friends enjoy the Wii and PS3. Depends on the gamers you talk to, if you have friends that shake head because of the Wii then they either A don’t own or have never owned it or B have only played Wii Sports and then got some crappy shovelware title like Boogie or something. So no, I’m not one of those people who is embarrassed to talk about the Wii, I haven’t met many people who are either.

          1. You’re kinda lucky. When I say I like the Wii, I often get “Lulz and you call yourself a gamer?” reactions. I’m still not ashamed to say I love the Wii just as I love all my other Nintendo and Sony consoles, because *I* know its worth.

        3. I don’t feel embarrassed to talk about my Wii in front of people. I hate how much the Wii gets shit talked on, just because it doesn’t have high def graphics. I just dont give a fuck. Something minor like that isn’t gonna make me jump ship. I’d much rather be playing low def Mario and Metroid than whatever Call of Madden bullshit is out recently. Just because it’s high def and you can see the chunks really clearly, doesn’t make it any less video game vomit. Any one who doesn’t have their head up the high def God’s ass, could tell you that there are MORE than enough excellent games for the Wii to keep you occupied for a very, very long time.

      2. Considering the features are “Wii Exclusive,” that implies Rayman Legends will be a multiplatform title. It also seems likely that mobile devices like smartphones and tablets will also get it, given Yves’ announcement about brining Wii U games to those platforms.

          1. He said unsuccessful games will be ported over to tablets and smart phones. But why let facts ruin your attempt at an ill informed post?

            1. Since this post,it’s been said Rayman Legends will be a Wii U exclusive, at least at the moment. I’m happy to be incorrect about that much.

      1. Hopefully Wii U will allow for VC games on the Gamepad (they probably will). I don’t think SM64 is the best example for that, though, since a portable dual-screen version of that game already exists as SM64 DS.

  8. Of course the graphics suck. I hope another ds/3ds confusion happens and iwata lowers the price on this pieace of shit

          1. i meen (my english sucks) that they must improve the wiiu’s graphics more because its not too mutch.i know what am i talking about.anyway lets just w8 i know that nintendo isnt stupit.wiiu will be 100% beast!

    1. Um. Look at xbox 360 2006 graphics. They were almost on par with the original x box graphics, because the new generation has not come yet.We have to wait for all of the big three to make their new consoles.

  9. Is it too late to change them name? Maybe they could call it the Nintendo Unlimited (Nintendo U) or something, so they could keep the U logo? Just drop Wii from the title altogether.

  10. Damn the wii u is Garbage 2 controles will make console lag and controller can only last 3-5 hr fucking pathetic jesus even 3ds last longer smh fucking disgrace

    1. The 3-5 hour time limit is a great way for parents to ensure their children don’t play for too long!

      1. Given that it only works within a certain radius, within the general range of one’s home, and the fact you can plug it in and play while it’s charging, it’s not too bad. If it were a full-on portable, though, that would be a major problem.

        Even after that, the Wii U Pro should last quite a bit longer since it’s not processing as much, and that can also be plugged in via USB.

  11. I don’t get why Nintendo didn’t change the name. They are gonna have a hard time proving to the casual audience that Wii U is a brand new system. Also, after that lackluster E3, Nintendo needs to get their act together.

  12. Pingback: E3'12: Especialista en videojuegos de la CNN cree que Wii U es un nuevo mando para Wii | www.nextn.net

  13. SICKR THE SPEFICATION OF WIIU HAD BEEN REVEALED AT IGN AND THE WIIU IS AS THE PS3 AND ITS NOT EVEN 50% MORE POWERFULL.dont believe me? then go and check

    1. i am verry dissapointed.i am thinking to w8 for the another nintendo console and playing my wii and 3ds and mac games only

      1. And you believe fucking ign?
        That’s even worse :(
        But yeah, I don’t think it’s gonna be that powerful :(

            1. beside a lot of devs already said its pretty much next gen, these are the people who actually have the kit..

  14. The lack of journalism that’s displayed in those few sentences reminds me – mainstream media don’t want to understand gaming

  15. Well its true. And yeah pikmin is kiddy game. I hoped for mertoid or Zelda. But oh well its nintendo, the company that’s good in dissapointing. :)

    1. The first Pikmin was about trying to find parts to your ship and make it off a strange and dangerous planet before you suffocated. 2 was about finding treasures on that planet in order to pay back the debt your company has with threatening loan sharks. Clearly themes of childhood.

      1. Not to mention that it’s a strategic game, too. Kids would just be pissed off because the game can be difficult if you don’t use your brain at all.

  16. it doesnt make sense those specifications.i think nintendo will improve them for the wiiU or else the wiiU will be a current generation console unfortunatly.

      1. WAIT!? IS IT TRUE? WAIT A MIN.DO U MIN THAT IGN ARE BAD TROLLS WHO HATE THE WIIU? WHATS GOING ON? SOME1 PLEASE EXPLAIN!

        1. sickr (if u read my comment) ive found this from ignorants as u call them.(IGN)

          4 days 10 hours ago
          Back in May 2011, IGN built a Wii U (known as Project Cafe or Wii 2 then) based on hardware information received from game and hardware development. The IGN Gear team found retail PC components comparable to the ones Nintendo was expected to use in their new system and built a “raw” mock console… Read about the hardware build
          Console Hardware

          Storage
          Internal flash memory (amount unknown)
          Expandable memory via SD memory card or external USB hard drive

          CPU
          IBM Power®-based multi-core microprocessor

          IBM has also revealed it to be a 45nm chip, with embedded DRAM. Additionally, the CPU is based on the same chip that is used in the Watson supercomputer, implying it is a Power7 model. (Source: Kotaku)
          Previously rumored to be roughly 50% more powerful than PS3. (Source: IGN) Recent reports of actual hardware however suggest it to be much greater, putting it around 20% less powerful than the next gen Xbox (which is rumored to be at least 6 times more powerful than current gen consoles). Again, all rumors however.

          GPU
          AMD Radeon-based High Definition GPU

          Reports from 2011 suggest it is based on the RV770 architecture, unlike previous reports which merely pointed to the general R700 series and supports DirectX 10.1
          This chip is used in ATi’s Radeon HD 4800 series cards
          “Eyefinity-like multi-display tech for up to four SD video streams”
          According rumors about details leaked by a Ubisoft employee just before E3 2012, the console uses an AMD Radeon HD 6770 and supports DirectX 11
          Note that none of this is official from Nintendo
          Sources: Engadget, GameWatch[1]
          RAM
          According rumors about details leaked by a Ubisoft employee just before E3 2012, the console will have 2 GB of RAM, with 560 MB of RAM dedicated to the main OS.

          Wii U Daily Rumors
          In early December, Wii U Daily reported hardware information supposedly received from a Japanese developer. They consisted of:

          Quad-core, 3 GHz PowerPC-based 45 nm CPU, very similar to the Xbox 360 chip.
          768 MB of DRAM “embedded” with the CPU, and shared between CPU and GPU
          Unknown, 40 nm ATi-based GPU
          While Wii U Daily suggested that this would put the Wii U on par with the XBox 360 in terms of performance[2], PCMag.com clarified, that not only were some of the details inevitably misreported, but that just the processor specs would, ” ‘ In terms of raw power, … put the Wii U way ahead of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.’ ”

          INPUT/OUTPUT
          Four USB 2.0 connector slots

          Dimensions

          Height
          1.8 inches

          Width
          6.8 inches

          Length
          10.5 inches

          Media, Video & Audio

          Media
          12-centimeter proprietary optical discs holding 25 Gigabytes, equivalent to a single layer Blu-Ray Disc (Source: Kotaku)
          12-centimeter Wii optical discs

          Supported Resolutions

          1080p
          1080i
          720p
          480p
          480i
          Supported Video Output Connections
          HDMI
          component
          S-video
          composite

          Audio Output
          AV Multi Out connector
          six-channel PCM linear output through HDMI

          Source: Nintendo.com

  17. The thing is that as a video game journalist (technically) this guy knows the Wii U is a new console. But obviously slagging the machine off in the past has drawn more people to CNN’s site so he does it again. I mean come on, why the hell would people even care what CNN think of the machine? It’s all about getting people on to their site to make them more money.

  18. Looks like the article says “Will Nintendo’s forthcoming Wii U breathe new life into its aging Wii concept?” I don’t kno if they changed it after the original psot, but if they mean concept, I understand him better now.

    Nintendo needs to keep the Wii U in the public’s eyes approaching it’s launch. Leave luck to heaven.

  19. I told ya boys wii u is another wii damn only as strong as ps3 lol guess nintendl thinks ya stupid(& theyre right) and they think ya not worth the investment taking risks…yikes what an insult

    1. The specs have been confirmed and it’s far in excess of the ps360 it’s as powerful as a current mid range gaming pc
      So err next trol playstation fan boy
      Besides even the ps4 and 720 won’t be any more powerful than a mid range pc, graphical capability will barely improve this gen, it’s all about processing power – better AI, larger area, more RAm for other features
      People who think the next playstation or Xbox will look twice as nice graphically need to get their head out of the clouds, we will never see the same jump we did between ps2’s generation and ps3’s

  20. This is why people who don’t know games/tech shouldn’t be games/tech journalists for a newspaper! You wouldn’t make a food critic the foreign correspondent
    Somebody please tell me he is being corrected violently in his comments

  21. Just weedeledeeing.

    There’s a difference between Wii U’s possibly arisen confusion, and being a complete moronic dumbass.

    1. The One Who Wrote This

      I’ve lost it a LOOOOOONG time ago, but this makes me lose a LOT more respect for them.

      *gives a high five*

  22. Idk guys I watched Nintendo conference yesterday and i felt like there was something missing don’t get me wrong it had good stuff like pikmin 3, super Mario u and zombiu, but where’s the exciting third parties games all they had to show where the same games as last years I was expecting anouncements for games like dead space 3, gta 5, cod:black ops 2, re6, I was expecting Nintendo to steal the show with third parties and they didn’t deliver i watched it with my cousin and I’m trying to get him to get one and the only titles he liked where zombiu and Batman cause of the neat controller stuff hopefully this system will get the third party support it needs and do as good as wii ill be getting mines on launch

  23. Well TGS(Tokyo Game Show) is right around the corner they might announce more WiiU games or even its specs, but take note that the games could very well be just for Japan..

  24. What an idiot…..
    I mean, there’s still gunna be confusion I suppose, I think I can see people in the future refering to the Game Pad as the “Wii U”, let’s play the “Wii U” So I recon that’ll become an umbrella term of sorts… so who knows. The hardcore gamers understand it and to be honest that’s all that matters in my opinion at the early stages anyway, on release.

  25. Oh my God.. I dont want to sound very pessimistic. We , as nintendo fanboys, always try to defend the wii u. However, the image that the general public has towards the new nintendo console is very bad. It seems that the wii u will be really a FAIL. NINTENDO, DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      1. ^this. I’m a lot more excited about the Wii U than I was with the 3DS before launch, and I absolutely love my 3DS right now. The gamepad makes for so many possiblities, I just can’t wait to see how they’re gonna be exploited!

  26. camon guys… the pikmin titles are for kids! thats the truth… i dont like pikmin games because of that i never found them interesting, BUT wii u has a lot of potential within the hardcore gamers! for example batman arkham city o avengers battle for earth

    1. How is it for kids? please explain to me. I just dont get it. I hope you do realize that kids are not ‘everyone’. Correct me if im wrong but dont kids games have theyre on rating? C or something?

  27. I really don’t think anyone understands that Nintendo already said that they wont reveal much at E3 because most things will be at Tokyo Game Show, which is why people always criticise their E3 show, yet they mainly prepare for TGS.

  28. OMFG the guy who wrote this article for CNN is obviously trolling and should not be writing about video games….and to think i cant get a job writing a bout games if my life depended on it, and ive been gaming for almost 30 years. SMH no wonder the industry is going down the shitter.

  29. He is right… I don’t see how the Wii U is a next gen system. Nintendo failed terribly explaining that to us yesterday. :P STOP BITCHING AND FACE THE DAMN FACTS.

  30. Last year it would’ve been ok to be confused. nintendo wasn’t really clear about Wii U being a new console, and never highlighted it during their presentation. This year however is different. Being a journalist I think one should at least know it’s a god damn console.

  31. Wow. Did he NOT manage to see the Word “Wii” & the letter “U” beside it on the lower left corner of the controller?

  32. HEY! Pikmin can be a whole lot harder than it looks! But what do you expect from someone who thinks the iPhone is a console…

  33. Pingback: E3: news in brief

  34. People who know nothing about video games being paid to tell people about video games, I hate the world we live in.

  35. Pingback: “Nobody – Including Nintendo Themselves – Knows What Wii U Is” | My Nintendo News

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