Nintendo unveils Wii U gaming console

By on Jun 7, 2011 at 12:49 PM
Breaking June 7, 2011

After all of the rumors and speculation, we now finally have a name and details for Nintendo’s next-generation Wii console… the Wii U! Nintendo just announced the new Wii U at its keynote presentation from the annual E3 conference. As the rumors suggested, the Wii U controller features a 6.2-inch touchscreen centered between a d-pad and an analog stick on the left side and a second analog stick and buttons on the right side. The controller also features a microphone, stereo speakers, a camera, an accelerometer, and even a gyroscope — in fact, the controller can act as a console itself! Moreover, the controller becomes a second window into the game being played, showing different views of the current scene, plays and options in sports games, items in a players cache… the possibilities are endless. Nintendo also stated that all current Wii games will work with Wii U and the new Wii U controller. The console supports High Definition gaming, online gaming much like the solutions offered by Sony and Microsoft, and even social networking integration. Nintendo states that the goal of its Wii U console is to serve the avid gamer and casual gaming communities alike, with a single console. From the look of things, they might just be able to pull it off. The Wii U console will launch in 2012 and pricing has not yet been announced.

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  • Wuajaj

    first

    • http://twitter.com/livingbasehead Shelton

      First off your a tit. No one likes the guy that has to go post first just to show he has nothing better to do then sit on bgr and post what number he was to comment. thats why none of the other commenters have posted what number they are. 

      Secondly, anyone else hearing sony’s psp team going awww shit? 

  • http://twitter.com/MattSTKC MattSTKC

    what the hell kind of disater is this? It’s like someone at a wii and a Sega Nomad and took an epic shit

    • Peregrine44

      I had a nomad and that thing was bad ass besides the 20 minute battery life and weighing 5 lbs.

      • http://twitter.com/MattSTKC MattSTKC

        And the Cartridge sticking up 3 inches out of the top. Though genesis games portable was awesome. (digs nomad out of closet)…

  • http://twitter.com/MattSTKC MattSTKC

    OH THE HUMANITY!

  • Lechero

    just by looking at it, me thinks thats not gonna make for comfortable gaming

  • TheBadMan – UK

    Girls and kids everywhere you may cheer…!

  • http://www.apple.com/ios/ios5/ BoyRetardedReport

    This looks pretty cool, you can pause the game off the console, then resume handheld in the same spot! I like the idea just not a 6.3″ screen

  • Anonymous

    this controller should be pretty heavy for long gaming sessions. the screen is cool, but advanced gamers will want an xbox / playstation kind of controller

  • jfish10

    if the controller is light enough this would be pretty cool. i’m sure they could have gotten away with a much smaller screen… say 4″ and been fine. love this though… they took the dreamcast controller and made it awesome and effective. they have my interest with this. i’m a xbox user and have been for years. 

  • Waterloodiver

    I think my son and I are done with Wii and what ever is coming……
    Sellling the wiii and keep Xbox360.

  • Nathan Sheaffer

    I think it looks awesome!!  New console, new controller and new way of playing. Sign me up. Apple should take notes on innovation from these Nintendo guys!  Way to go Nintendo. And sadly enough, I can say that I have been with you every step of the way. Lets just hope that this economy can afford a system like this next year.

    • Brock Jackson

      Apple should take notes from this? Come on.. It’s another wii with an ugly ipad for the controller. They even tried to show their version of facetime and airplay in their demo video.

  • Anonymous

    Looks like throwing your controller after a game of Madden could get expensive.

  • Andy Howard

    This would be perfect for driving games. The view in front on the big screen, rearview on the little LCD.

  • Anonymous

    It can’t be anymore cumbersome than using the nun-chuck and simulating a seizure as a means to control a game.

  • Anonymous

    Its weird, not much details were given on the new console at all, if a new console is coming.  So far, we just saw the controller.  I imagine there will be a new console with HD graphics and video switching capabilities. 

    Nintendo wowed me for about 2 minutes with the Wii U controller and capabilities, but it ended when they did not talk about the actual console.

    • Anonymous

      spec leaks suggest that its more powerful than the PS3

  • DonRSD aka PSN DonVCorleone

    this is the evolution of the greatest invention inside of a videogame controller…….THE SEGA DREAMCAST VMU

  • Brock Jackson

    This new setup will be awesome! …for scrabble games.

  • Steve Jenkins

    More like Pee U. No, seriously tho, it seems like a half baked effort at competing with xbox and ps3. I grew up on Nintendo, but this is something that I wont think twice on passing over. Instead of paving the way they are playing with this stop gap type strategy.

    • DonRSD aka PSN DonVCorleone

      nintendo always paves the way for videogame innovation.

      4 controller ports on the console
      analog stick
      rumble
      multiple buttons / shoulder buttons

      the list goes on
      i love this idea, though the controller looks like a mini ipad.

      just give me a ps3 controller with a nice 3.5-4″ screen on it for picking plays in NFL 2k (when it finally returns) and im fine

      • Steve Jenkins

        I agree totally that Nintendo paved the way for modern gaming. But, This release, the Wii U, is a stop gap  strategy, now if they dropped something that totally blew away a PS3 or XBox, then I can see that, but this is an HD Wii with a huge ass controller. I want to know more about the console and hear about exclusives, most of the release games for it will be across all platforms.

      • Anonymous

        100% certain that sony and M$ will copy nintendo once again with the ps4 and xbox720 and implement a similar type of controller.

    • painted_dog

      … you can dismiss it as people did the original Wii, (of course most of them were so short sighted they couldn’t see the possibilities as they had tunnel vision on only machine spec.s, .. faster CPU, Faster GPU, more RAM, etc… but the balance of a great new way to play along w/ afford-ability, solid game & creative thought, led to Sony & Microsoft copying. I’m not saying that it will be the game changing system that the Wii was originally, but open your mind a bit, get out the thinking the same things about what a game system is supposed to be & then think of what it could be … & i think one can see the potential of Nintendo’s Wii U  ..    …  Wii U Wii U Wii U Wii U Wii U … ;-)   .. sounds like a kid’s playful noise/sound making…   :-)   

  • Anonymous

    They placed that right joystick like they’ve never needed one before.

  • http://about.me/brandonmccall brandonmccall

    Content for the younger demographic.

    • Anonymous

      Xbox360 and ps3 are kiddie as well. You want a real mature gaming experience. get a gaming PC.
      go to gamestop and see what actual kids drool over. blood, gore, guns, sex , etc. 
      “oooh look at the new grand theft auto , you can kill and do hookers” “New call of duty COOL!”
      Kids eat that up.
      Xbox360 and PS3 are small time compared to PC gaming. Also Sony and M$ cant stop copying nintendo.

    • Anonymous

      Xbox360 and ps3 are kiddie as well. You want a real mature gaming experience. get a gaming PC.
      go to gamestop and see what actual kids drool over. blood, gore, guns, sex , etc. 
      “oooh look at the new grand theft auto , you can kill and do hookers” “New call of duty COOL!”
      Kids eat that up.
      Xbox360 and PS3 are small time compared to PC gaming. Also Sony and M$ will continue to copy nintendo.

      • Anonymous

        here we go….

  • SFbert

    I miss the getting up off your butt aspect of it.   Might have to move to the Xbox. 

  • Rudy Herfurth

    Watching the videos on Engadget – not going to lie…this is pretty intense.  It puts anything cool you have seen with electronics to shame.

    Best system when it comes out hands down…except it keeps with the Nintendo ‘under 14′ theme which loses some marks.  I can see Microsoft and Sony taking notes.

    • Anonymous

      What is the definition of kiddie for you? Bright colors and cartoony graphics? What about game play? who cares, as long as everything looks ultra realistic right? lol
      To me its what actually young kids like. Go to any game store or section of a store.
      What are kids drooling over? games with blood, guns, gore, sex, high saturation earth tone graphics games, etc. Seems to me those are the games kids actually like. So in actuality xbox360 and ps3 are full of kiddie games. making them kiddie systems as well.

  • Anonymous

    LOL! I though it “throwback thursday” when I first glanced at it. WTF.

  • Jsantana0793

    Okay, I’m at work so I only seen a little of the Nintendo press C and I have to say.. WHAT!!! so is this a one player controller.. I take it that only one person at a time will be using this thing. Who is this marketed too?? It looks nice, its a cool idea, but it does not look like a fun controller in the hands and how long will the battery last? oh there are technical questions.. I will not under estimate Nintendo, but there are questions. Plus, what is the cost? I already know that its hard to spend money these days. Even the PS Vita is kinda breaking the bank. $249.99 and $299.99 and you don’t even know how much the games will cost too. Now before you boys start with me about cell phone prices, you all know you can get a discount price with a contract or just wait till amazon puts a phone on sale. You will not get a break on no gaming console until the markers start marking them down. The whole Pad touch screen thing is getting out of hand for my taste. I love the button controller, tapping on a screen feels very flat to me. I play games on my phone, but very little. Well, I’m a good sport. I love gaming in what ever format it comes in. I was not out of my seat impressed tho.

  • Anonymous

    The Dreamcast did it first. Remember VMUs, although this is clearly at another level..  This looks really interesting and pretty ridiculous at the same time.  Really it’s gonna come down to how well games can take advantage of this in a natural way, which probably means some Nintendo games will use it nicely while its crap from everyone else.

  • Dvintin69

    oh boy all the boring shitty games for origiinal wii will work with wii u and be just as boring and shitty! nintendo sucks. xbox 4 life. nukka what

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