Hasta La Gadget!

Nintendo’s next-gen console, the Wii U, has hit US stores in the first step of its global roll-out, a tablet-equipped attempt to take motion gaming to the next level. Sales of the Wii U began at midnight in certain locations, including New York City, where Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime counted down to registers opening in front of a well-packed crowd. Meanwhile, Nintendo paved the way for its new model with a last-minute firmware update enabling some of the headline features.

Out of the box, not all of the Wii U’s functionality is ready: the console demands a firmware update in order for some of the headline features to be enabled. That includes Miiverse, Nintendo’s social avatar feature, and the eShop, along with the internet browser.

The update also adds backward compatibility with the Wii, opening the door to a huge catalog of older games. The Netflix streaming app is also available today.

However, even with that update, one of the last-minute additions to the Wii U will still be missing. TVii, Nintendo’s take on the second-screen smart TV space, has been pushed back until December. Even when it launches, it won’t be available in all of the markets the Wii U will be sold in, limited to US users initially. Similarly, Hulu Plus, YouTube, and Amazon’s Instant Video player will all follow on in later updates.

Unsurprisingly, supplies of the Wii U are tight. Online sales have been frozen at retailers including GameStop and Amazon, while in-store availability is similarly constrained. Opportunistic eBay sales are seeing the Deluxe version of the console change hands for $480 to $550, versus the RRP of $349.99.

Meanwhile, the console will arrive in Japan and Europe later this month. Are you planning on scoring the stores to pick up a Wii U today, or are you eagerly awaiting delivery of a pre-ordered console? Or, is your heart set on a next-gen model from Sony or Microsoft? Let us know in the comments!

Nintendo’s Wii U arrives in the US is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nintendo took to UStream again to announce even more details for its impending new console. The company’s CEO was on hand to detail exactly what comes in the box with a very official-looking opening (Yep, Iwata-san just unboxed his own console.) It’s some pretty familiar packaging, but we noted that the AC adapter appears to be a weighty block separate from the main console. Alongside the main unit and the GamePad, the process also gave us a glimpse at the rest of the premium package, including a charging stand for the Wii U GamePad, console stand, HDMI cable, more cable twists, packaging and a beta test for the new Dragon Quest title. White-gloved console handling aside, the CEO had plenty more to explain — and some of it involved karaoke.

Continue reading Nintendo Wii U unboxed alongside more details: Multiple users, ‘karaoke’ microphones and Wii U Chat (video)

Filed under: Gaming, HD, Nintendo

Nintendo Wii U unboxed alongside more details: Multiple users, ‘karaoke’ microphones and Wii U Chat (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 07:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I’ve been a gaming fan my entire life. From the old days of arcades on through to today’s iPhone gaming, I’ve found a way to incorporate video games into my life. Without them, I don’t think I’d feel as entertained as I am right now.

A key component in my video game love over the years has been consoles. From the Nintendo Entertainment System through the Sega Genesis and countless devices that came after, consoles have been the cornerstone of my gaming experience.

[Image credit: jammagames]

For a long time, I believed that consoles were important, necessary elements in gaming. Without them, I reasoned, the gaming business just wouldn’t be the same.

But now I feel differently. Consoles might still be delivering some of the best gaming experiences out there, but I’m just fine with the prospect of them dying off. It’s a grand new world, and I’m not so sure that consoles are as important to capitalizing on that as they were in the past.

I first came to that realization recently, after a report surfaced claiming cable companies are considering launching a digital-delivery video game distribution model that will allow us to play titles without any additional hardware. The controller would either come from the cable companies.

That story made me realize just how unnecessary consoles have become. Sure, they facilitate gaming, but over time, they’re going to become less and less important. After all, with Web speeds increasing and cloud-based delivery gaining a footing, there appears to be a growing chance of consoles losing their importance in the gaming industry.

Of course, we should couch that by saying that the chances of consoles dying anytime soon are slim. For now, we still need hardware to produce outstanding visuals, and with major companies like Microsoft and Sony dominating that space, it seems difficult to fathom the possibility of either company allowing the console market to slip away.

“The Web is our new platform”

However, I do think it’s time we start accepting the reality that eventually, consoles will die. The technology industry is slowly but surely moving towards a model in which we don’t have unnecessary hardware connected to our televisions. The Web is our new platform, and over time, we’ll expect more streaming and cloud-based delivery than we do right now.

Already we’re seeing consumers opt for services that reduce their reliance upon hardware for movies and music. And if history is to be our guide, the video game industry typically follows close behind.

The big question now, though, is when the gaming industry might finally reach a place where consoles are no longer necessary. Current Web speeds are nowhere near where they must be in order to accommodate a Web-only solution. And there is still the issue of storage and the costs associated with that.

But the time is coming. It must. Consoles are great when they launch, but keep us locked in the past after several years. With consoles pushed out of the way, developers won’t be held back by hardware requirements and could enhance the state of gameplay far more rapidly than they are right now.

It might take a decade or more, but I, for one, can’t wait to see consoles go the way of the Dodo.

Why I’m OK with the Death of Consoles is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

As we pointed out, European gamers will be able to pew-pew or grapple on the go with the Neo Geo X alongside their US counterparts on December 6th, and now we know for how much and where: £175 in the UK and €199 elsewhere at Funstock. For that sum you’ll get the handheld with a 4.3-inch screen, joystick, game card, AES-style charging dock with HDMI output and 20 pre-installed retro games — with more arriving soon. So, if you’re up for kicking it 1990s style that side of the pond, grab it at the source.

Filed under: Gaming

Neo Geo X coming to Europe December 6th for £175 / €199 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 07:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With both the holidays and the Wii U fast approaching, Nintendo has decided to drop the price of its older Wii console to $130 when sold with Wii Sports Resort and Wii Sports. The cheaper package should arrive in the States by October 28th and will ship in black (alongside black Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers), thereby replacing the current New Super Mario Bros. bundle that sells for around $150.

Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo

Nintendo Wii console drops to $130 in two-game bundle originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 08:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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