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Wii U GamePad’s Screen Is Single-Touch For Precision

Nintendo software producer Katsuya Eguchi was recently interviewed by GameTrailers, where he revealed the reason as to why the Wii U GamePad’s touchscreen is single-touch rather than multi-touch. Cost is a factor but Eguchi says, “The number one priority we focus on in considering the touch interface is the precision of where you touch and the precision of how that’s reflected in the game.” While both multi-touch and single-touch screens have their pros and cons, which do you prefer for gaming?

76 thoughts on “Wii U GamePad’s Screen Is Single-Touch For Precision”

          1. IQue is basically a Nintendo “subsidiary” in China. The IQue Player is a Chinese version (changed to suit the CHinese government, probably) of a Nintendo 64. Nothing new, and won’t be released outside China (we’ve already had the N64).

    1. Exactly. Nintendo single touch experience is far more precise and it’s ok because the entire configuration of de GamePad. Try use a multi touch tablet like iPad ou Galaxy and you will unterstand why buttons are restrictive for a good experience in gaming.

  1. I prefer single touch. This isn’t an iPod where it needs Multitouch for the virtual d-pad and virtual analog sticks. Those input methods are already on the controller.

    1. Single Touch and multi touch screen work in different ways. IIRC, multi-touch ones, like on your phone, don’t respond to normal styluses (I think they use heat, but I’m not sure on that). Single Touch ones use pressure usually, and therefore work with anything that applys pressure. Styluses allow much more precision than a finger, which is what you would use in a multi-touch usually. I haven’t done research on this in a while though, so I could have outdated info.

      1. actually there are styluses that work on multi touch screens. it’s all about conductivity. there must be another reason.

        1. Ok. There are styluses that work on multi touch screens. But they are far from precise, looks like a finger …

    2. Single and multi touch have no relation on the TYPE of screen. What this article should state is that they are using Resistive screens vs Capacitive screens. Resistive “can” to multi touch with some trickery but mostly limited to one input at a time.

      Capacitive screens use the electrons in your body to make the connection. This requires very slight touches but accuracy is much worse. This type of screen is common these days on mobile devices. They require special styli that work but not as accurately as a resistive screen.

      Resistive DOES have the Win on precision but capacitive touch makes a much more enjoyable experience… especially on a large screen.

      You can buy whole android tablets with a capacitive touch screen these days for ~$70. A controller doesn’t need anywhere that power to operate. Nintendo could have went with Capacitive screen and still made bank.

      This will totally ruin this controller. Resistive screens really suck at scrolling and quickly navigating compared the newer (been around for years) capacitive touch screens.

    3. Well when you use an ipad or iphone which has “multitouch” somtimes you click the wrong key or press the wrong button right? Like on the touch keyboard when texting. This is because it is multitouch. The keyboard can pick up a “touch” in more than one place and the surface area of your finger can somtimes make the iphone/ipad think that more than one finger is touching the screen at once. Nintendo’s Gamepad is NOT multitouch and will INCREASE precision because say you go to poke a button with your finger on the screen. Well as you touch the button your finger has a larger surface area than a stylus so it “barely” touches part of another button. Well due to the lack of multitouch you will only activate the button you wish to select. The button your barely grazed wont work because you may only apply pressure to one area on the touch screen under the single touch feature on the GamePad…it is very hard to explain in words X_X

  2. Multi-touch would have amped the price up WAY too high and besides you have functioning buttons so I don’t see why you would want multi-touch on the controller

    1. Price is a huge factor, I feel like they at least discussed multitouch and came to this perfectly valid conclusion as well. In Nintendo we trust

    1. Each game so far looks like it works exceedingly well, and that more polish will go into making certain that every action takes place within the game

          1. very true. that’d be a better solution than having the physical buttons mapped to both the gamepad screen and the tv screen. pinch-to-zoom would have been nice, but it’s not a deal breaker – and hey, chances are they’ll release a multitouch ‘gamepad pro’ or ‘gamepad plus’ at a later date.

        1. its up to developers what how they should do this with touch buttons…..
          yeah i agree but did U see the zombiU gameplay?, i mean they use the screen as an extra buttons.

  3. Of course multi-touch. Like Vita screen its perfect for gaming and browser. Single-touch is outdated since 2005. Also its not comfortable to use like multi-touch. People are stupid thinking single is better than multi.

    1. Somtimes newer isnt better than the old….look at Hollywood. Remaking movies since God knows when! Most of the time the origionals are better than the remakes. <– this is exhibit A. Wii U utilizing single-touch = Exhibit B :P

    2. Oh I didn’t realise people are stupid enough to want a cheaper gamepad so they can afford more games. And Wii rofl at U for buying a PSV (see wat i did there? ;P)

    3. To be honest.. Vita may be good. But it’s touch screen sucks if you compare with the 3DS (and DS too) why? Multitouch.

  4. I love single touch, it lasts longer, and and multitouch is not necessary on the GamePad, it has hardware buttons. Screw the people who think the Vita is better than anything. Vita blows so much!

    1. Hey!The Vita isn’t a bad console,It just needs games. Darn all these fan-boys think they’re forced to have one console SMH.

      1. I agree, Vita is a good console, let it take its time to become just as successful as the PSP was. But Nintendo pwns =D

      2. We have plenty of consoles! and you need popularity to public as well as good games… lots play mario cos of fun AND they remember older playin older version

  5. Either have 2 analogue sticks OR a touch screen, but you really dont need both.

    You cant use both sticks and a stylus at the same time so who gives a fuck?

    All this extra shit just makes the thing more expensive!

  6. When you transfer your entire game to the GamePad’s screen, multitouch would have been a lot better so you can pinch in and out of the game for zoom. It’s a bummer :\
    AND it’s inevitable that Sony will make their own GamePad with multitouch that will make Nintendo’s look worse in comparison.

    1. sony has pretty much already made their own gamepad. it’s called the vita. but nintendo has the advantage in this situation because i highly doubt many people would be willing to shell out $250 just to be able to play their PS3 as if it were a Wii U

    2. Well Sony will have to wait a crap load of years because Nintendo has recently pattented it’s Gamepad controller… by then who knows maybe Nintendo will have made an updated Gamepad!?

  7. Whats the use of multi touch just waist money it has buttons. Most people own or a 3ds and dont complain. And what vita game makes good use of the stupid touch screen anyway when it has buttons now thats a real gimmick

  8. Nintendo single touch experience is far more precise and it’s ok because the entire configuration of the GamePad, analog sticks and digital D-Pad, etc. Try use a multi touch tablet like iPad or Galaxy for games and you will understand why buttons are better for a good experience in gaming. That’s why DS family or 3DS are fantastic for games.

    1. You clearly miss the point… Multitouch makes the touch clumpsy and inexact. And as much as I like the backtouch on the Vita so doesn’t it make as much sense on a home console as on a handheld.

  9. HEY,

    Why dont we just keep the gamepad and get rid of the Wii U console?

    It has the same battery life and charge time as a 3DS anyway!

    We could call it the 3DS XL

    …. Then all the Nintendo fags could stop bitching about the 3DS only having 1 analogue stick! XD

    Or 3DS XL

  10. in all seriousness, why the hell would you need multitouch on a screen that has buttons and analog sticks around it? seriously, all games that are on mobile devices that use multitouch would be better with buttons anyway.

  11. @anonymous luv how u point certain facts but disregard others like nintendo abonding u for casuals,begging for foreign games yet they claim risks even though they can put virtual console.region lock, lied about wii and delayed specs and so on

  12. @anon they saved gaming? Well without nintendo pcgaming would have still gone strong heck half of nes library were ports from commodre and atari & ya were impress even though graphics dont matter lol besided even if they did so what only fanboys kissbut

  13. Single touch is better for the gaming experience Nintendo is bringing with the Wii U. The Upad has buttons so multi touch is not needed. Leave luck to heaven.

  14. Pingback: Wii Games Are Playable On The Wii U GamePad | My Nintendo News

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