Sep 13

Nintendo Wii U gamepad not for sale separately in US until games support multiple controllers

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Nintendo’s Wii U gamepad may be the star of the Wii U show, but it won’t be available as a standalone at launch. It will, however, be available when games that function with more than one WiiPad become available, according to Nintendo America CEO and prez Reggie Fils-Aime. “Through the launch window, there are no games that leverage a second controller. And so, during the launch window here in NOA [Nintendo of America] territories, we will not be selling at retail a second gamepad,” he told investors during a Q&A this afternoon. “But certainly, when the games come out, we’ll be making that accessory available,” he added. As for when games will take advantage of a second WiiPad is another question altogether, and one that Nintendo isn’t willing to answer just yet.

Initially, the Wii U only supported one WiiPad per game, with additional control handled via the Pro controller or Wii remotes. Nintendo changed its tune, though, following public outcry for multiple WiiPad support.

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Nintendo Wii U gamepad not for sale separately in US until games support multiple controllers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 13

SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: September 13, 2012

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Welcome to Thursday evening folks – just one day left to go before the weekend is here once again. Today we were finally given some actual details about the Wii U, and it’s safe to say that anticipation is quite a bit higher now that we know it’s release date and pricing. Nintendo started off early with pricing and release information for Japan, and later on in the day, gave us pricing and release date details for the US and European releases. We were also given a list of “launch window” titles for the Wii U, and we have to say – it looks pretty impressive.


We also found out that Bayonetta 2 will be a Wii U exclusive, as strange as that may seem, and Activision gave us some in-depth details about Black Ops II on Wii U. Nintendo gave us a glimpse at its own take on smart TV with Wii TVii, and this new feature has us intrigued, to say the least. We got word today that Apple’s new Lightning adapters aren’t going to work with some accessories, and the iPhone 5 event video was released as well, meaning you can watch the reveal of the new iPhone, along with the various iPod refreshes that were announced yesterday.

Apple has won a pretty big patent battle against Motorola in Germany, and today eBay revealed that it will soon have a new logo, ditching the old one after 17 years. Microsoft told us what it’s doing to fight the spread of the Nitol Botnet earlier today, and we’re hearing that Google threatened to cut Acer out of the Android party at one point in time. Samsung revealed its new Galaxy Victory 4G LTE earlier today, and we were treated to a list of availability by region for the iPhone 5 and iOS 6. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak shared his hopes for the iPhone 5 and told us what he thinks of the Apple-Samsung verdict, and that is definitely something you don’t want to miss.

Google showed off the first demo that was shot entirely shot with Glass today, and it seems that the trial run of Isis has been delayed to later date and won’t be happening later this month. NVIDIA has introduced two new Kepler GPUs, and Shuttle Computer Handels has introduced its brand new OMNINAS KD20 2-bay NAS. Finally tonight, NASA has talked about plans to have a manned colony on the surface of the moon, which we have to admit has us pretty excited.

That’s all for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up! Enjoy the rest of your Thursday night everyone!


SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: September 13, 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


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Sep 13

Black Ops II Wii U details unleashed

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As expected, Nintendo confirmed today that Call of Duty: Black Ops II will be coming to Wii U. Gameplay obviously won’t be too much different from its Xbox 360, PS3, and PC counterparts, but there are some features exclusive to the Wii U that helps this particular version standout from the crowd. Activision’s Eric Hirshberg ran through these features during Nintendo’s event today, with one of the most notable being that the game can be played on the Wii U GamePad’s screen.


That’s true for both local co-op and solo play. If you’re playing with a buddy, one of you can play on the TV and the other can play on the GamePad, whereas if you’re playing solo, you can play on the GamePad while the other people in your home do something entirely different with the TV. There will be an online multiplayer mode that lets players team up against AI enemies, but at the moment, we don’t know if that mode will feature alongside regular competitive multiplayer or if it will replace it entirely. Activision and Treyarch aren’t ready to talk about multiplayer in much depth yet, so expect more details on that soon.

According to VG247, Black Ops II on Wii U will feature “the most advanced textures, lighting and shadowing systems in series history,” in full force, and it will also give players a number of controller options. Those with the Wii U version will be able to play with the Wii U GamePad, the Wii remote, the Classic Controller Pro, and the new Wii U Pro Controller (which, according to Michael Pachter, may not exist were it not for the insistence of publishers like Activision). Zombies will also make a return in the Wii U version, but were going to have to wait for more details on that mode, and the Wii U version will also boast an expanded create-a-class feature, League Play, score streaks, and plenty of weapon enhancements, features we’re assuming will also be present in the other versions.

Finally, Activision says that the Wii U version is capable of running at 60fps in 1080p, even while playing online. That may not be the case when you’re playing on the TV and also streaming to the GamePad, but at least it’ll run at 60fps most of the time. All in all, the Wii U version of Black Ops II sounds like it will be able to hold its own, and we’re excited to find out more. Will you be picking up Black Ops II on Wii U, or do you need to find out more before you make that decision?

[NOTE: screenshot was not taken from the Wii U version of Black Ops II]


Black Ops II Wii U details unleashed is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


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Sep 13

Bayonetta 2 to be a Wii U exclusive

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Nintendo made a lot of big announcements during its Wii U event earlier today, but perhaps one of the biggest reveals was that Bayonetta 2 is coming to the console. Not only that, but Sega has opted to make it a Wii U exclusive, something that will likely come as a shock to fans. There wasn’t any talk of Bayonetta 2 being a timed exclusive, and since Nintendo is publishing the game, the chances of it coming to Xbox 360 and PS3 seem pretty slim.


That’s surprising, considering that the original Bayonetta missed a Wii release entirely – it only came to Xbox 360 and PS3, with Sega understandably skipping the Wii. Now its sequel will be exclusive to Wii U, which is something that’s bound to make some fans upset. After all, a lot of people loved the first Bayonetta, and many of those fans aren’t going to be happy with the fact that they’ll need to buy a brand new console if they want to play the second one.

Details are still extremely scarce, but Nintendo and Sega did show off a brief teaser trailer during the presentation. The teaser obviously doesn’t show any in-game footage, which leads us to believe that Bayonetta 2 is still in the early stages of development. Also absent was talk of a potential release date or window, so don’t expect Bayonetta 2 to be releasing around the same time as the games in that long list of Wii U launch titles. Have a look at the teaser below.

As you can see, there isn’t much to write home about in the trailer. It looks like we’ll be waiting for more details, and we could be waiting a while if development on Bayonetta 2 is in the initial stages like we suspect. In the meantime, tell us what you think – are you excited that Bayonetta 2 will be a Wii U exclusive, or do you want it on Xbox 360 and PS3 as well?


Bayonetta 2 to be a Wii U exclusive is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


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Sep 13

Nintendo TVii supported by ‘all’ major US and Canadian cable companies, dish services

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Nintendo TVii will support “all” cable and dish carriers in the US and Canada, Nintendo director of strategic partnership Zach Fountain told Engadget this afternoon. He said that no major carriers are excluded, and the only requirement for signing up is inputting your cable company’s account information to the Wii U. DVR and TiVO functionality are plugged in similarly, where users input information via web, and services resultantly pop up on the Wii U. Nintendo TVii launches with the Wii U on November 18 in the US and Canada for free, and remains exclusive to North America for the time being.

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Nintendo TVii supported by ‘all’ major US and Canadian cable companies, dish services originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 13

Nintendo Wii U expandable memory explained, TiVO hardware not built in

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The Nintendo Wii U may only have 8 to 32GB of internal memory, but the company’s taking a decidedly open approach to expanding that memory: add your own. “You can plug in a full-on three terabyte hard drive if you want. I’ll love you as a digital consumer,” Nintendo America CEO and president Reggie Fils-Aime told us during a post-press conference investor Q&A. Much like Sony’s PlayStation 3, the Wii U allows for expansion of memory via USB, whether that memory be Flash or otherwise. Fils-Aime explained that, with the continuously dropping price of memory, there was little reason to offer pricing for the Wii U — available in $300 and $350 — tied to an evolving hardware model.

“The reason we did it that way is that the cost of that type of storage memory is plummeting. What we didn’t want to do is tie a profit model to something that’s gonna rapidly decline over time. We’ll let the consumer buy as much as they want, as cheaply as they want,” Fils-Aime said.

Fils-Aime also confirmed that the Wii U doesn’t have TiVO hardware built into it — functionality will require an existing TiVO box. The same goes for DVR functionality, which Fils-Aime said Nintendo doesn’t want consumers to bear the expense of.

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Nintendo Wii U expandable memory explained, TiVO hardware not built in originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 12:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 13

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 expected to land on Wii U on Nov 13

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In the past, it has been frequently speculated that ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 2′ may land on Nintendo’s upcoming console, Wii U. These speculations have surfaced afresh now that Nintendo has announced the date and pricing of Wii U for the U.S. users.

The company has announced that the console is due to hit the U.S. market on Nov 18th and is going to carry a price tag of $299.99 for the basic set, with 8 GB memory. The 32 GB is going to set you back a cool $349.99. Black Ops 2 has been officially announced to be landing on the console and rumors have it that it would come just in time for the U.S. launch. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: More hints of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for the Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Wii U pegged for 18th November release in the US,

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Sep 13

Wii U launch titles revealed with Capcom, Donky Kong, and LEGO in tow

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It’s time for the first big official list of Wii U games to be brought to light, and with the pricing for the USA, Europe, and Japan already set alongside a November store date, the fun can begin! Starting with such giant titles as The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, LEGO and Donky Kong, it’s looking like Nintendo may still have some magic under their belt. Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime seems to think so too, noting that “the new system also creates extraordinary new possibilities for game developers, bound only by the limits of their imaginations.”

This system has been detailed several times in the past half year with our own hands-on experiences spanning the distance. You’ve got a Wii console and several different ways to control the system including the classic stick and nunchuck, a Pro controller that’s closer to a traditional console controller than any other, and the next-generation GamePad with integrated second screen. This system will be working with two set releases, each of them with different amounts of excellence inside – and different hardware, too.

As for the games, you’ll be working with the following relatively massive list – and note, some of these titles had already been announced before now, but most have just popped up this week:

Funky Barn
NBA 2K13
007 Legends
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
TRANSFORMERS PRIME
Wipeout 3
Skylanders Giants
Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game
Ben 10: Omniverse
Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Mass Effect 3
Madden NFL 13
EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer 13
Trine 2: Director’s Cut
Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien
Majesco Entertainment
Zumba Fitness Core
Jett Tailfin
TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2 Wii U Edition
TANK! TANK! TANK!
Nintendo Land
New Super Mario Bros. U
NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor’s Edge
SiNG PARTY
LEGO City: Undercover
Wii Fit U
Game & Wario
Pikmin 3 
The Wonderful 101
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Nano Assault Neo
WARRIORS OROCHI 3 Hyper
Darksiders II
Wheel of Fortune
JEOPARDY!
Toki Tori 2
Assassin’s Creed III
Just Dance 4
Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth
Rabbids Land
Sports Connection
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013
ZombiU
Rayman Legends
Scribblenauts Unlimited
Game Party Champions
Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition

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Each of these games has been confirmed by Nintendo – and/or their publishers – as being ready for in-store action either at launch day or inside the launch window for the console. The Launch Window in this case is sitting in-between November 18th 2012 and March 31st 2013. Have a peek at our timeline of Wii U news bits below to see the other items revealed this week – and stay tuned for the big launch later this year!


Wii U launch titles revealed with Capcom, Donky Kong, and LEGO in tow is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


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Sep 13

Nintendo’s Wii U Hits U.S. Stores November 18, Starts At $299.99

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Nintendo will finally make its Wii U available to customers this November, after having previewed the next-gen console for over a year now, the company announced at a press event today. The Wii U will come in a $299.99 Basic version in white with 8GB of onboard storage, and a 32GB Deluxe model in black for $349.99. It’ll hit the U.S. on November 18 and Europe on November 30.

The console will ship with one of its signature GamePads, the touchscreen controller that looks and behaves a bit like a standalone mobile console or a tablet, and which gives gamers an added element of play, either via second-screen content or via the ability to play games on the handset instead of the TV.

Early response to the controller device has been lukewarm, with many criticizing its battery life (three to five hours) and how it can’t operate as a standalone device without the Wii U base, something Sony is capitalizing on by making the Vita a second-screen device for some PS3 games. Another concern was that originally, each console only supported one GamePad at a time; Nintendo, however, has since said that the Wii U will ship with support for two GamePads at once. Wii U owners can also connect up to four Wii Remotes at once, and your existing hardware for the original Wii will be compatible.

For Nintendo, this is a huge launch. The company ran into trouble early on with its last hardware release, the 3DS, which started slowly even though it gradually gained steam. But following the blockbuster success of the Wii and Nintendo DS, it was a considerable wake-up call. The gaming giant posted its first loss in three quarters in July, owing to a 3DS that still wasn’t generating income despite an uptick in sales. Some credit the rise of mobile gaming as one of the reasons behind Nintendo’s flagging fortunes.

Depending on how the Wii U fares, we could see drastic changes at the Japanese game company. Shareholders have pushed Nintendo to consider becoming a platform-agnostic game publisher in order to get out of the thin-margin hardware game and bring lucrative brands like Mario to iOS and Android devices. The Wii U could be Nintendo’s last big chance to prove that it can still move hard goods, not just beloved gaming icons.


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Sep 13

Nintendo’s Wii U up close and personal: a photo tour

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Nintendo

We’re here at Nintendo’s Wii U event in New York City where the gaming outfit’s prexy Reggie Fils-Aime just announced US pricing and release details for the console, as well as it’s own unique TVii service. And now that those important tidbits have been squared away, it’s time to focus on the hardware. Yes, you may have seen the Wii U console many times before, but the House that Mario built‘s been notoriously stingy about giving media access to a non-tethered unit. Well, the time has come to see nearly every facet of this next-gen contender. As you’ll note in the gallery below, the only area the Big N wouldn’t let us photograph is this Premium version’s backside. For whatever reason, the company doesn’t want those ports shown, but we can tell you what they consist of: AC adapter, AV multiout, sensor bar, HDMI out and what looks like two ports for USB. Undecided on whether you should be placing that pre-order right about now? Then take a tour of this onyx pair and see if it changes things any.

Gallery: Nintendo Wii U console hardware tour

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Nintendo’s Wii U up close and personal: a photo tour originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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