Wii Drawing Tablet On The Way

by Karlie Yeung - August 17, 2010, 5:38 am EDT
Total comments: 25 Source: (THQ)

THQ's uDraw GameTablet announced for Wii.

THQ are releasing the uDraw GameTablet this holiday season, bundled with uDraw Studio for a suggested retail price of $69.99. Europe and other territories will see a release in early 2011.

The drawing tablet is powered by the Wii Remote, and has a 4" x 6" drawing space and an included pressure sensitive stylus. The Wii Remote docks into the tablet. Features include "tilt-and-roll" movement for controlling in-game characters through game levels. SD card support is included for saving artwork created with uDraw.

Two separately available titles, Pictionary and Dood's Big Adventure will launch with uDraw for $29.99 each.

PRESS RELEASE

THQ Announces uDraw GameTablet for Wii - An Innovative Game Accessory Hitting Store Shelves This Holiday Season

uDraw GameTablet Launches with First Wave of Planned Holiday Releases to Bring Interactive Entertainment and Artistic Expression Together For Players of All Ages

Agoura Hills, Calif. - August 17, 2010 - Global video game developer and publisher, THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced uDraw^TM GameTablet^TM, a first-of-its-kind, innovative new gaming accessory developed by THQ as a Wii^TM exclusive scheduled to hit U.S. retail store shelves just in time for the holiday season.

The uDraw GameTablet will launch bundled with an expansive drawing, coloring and art-based video game, uDraw Studio, for a suggested retail price of $69.99. In addition to uDraw Studio, two other video games designed for use with the uDraw GameTablet - Pictionary^TM and Dood's Big Adventure^TM - are scheduled to hit store shelves on the same day for a suggested retail price of $29.99 each. The uDraw GameTablet is scheduled to be available in Europe and other International territories in early 2011. Future waves of video game titles are planned during calendar 2011 and beyond.

"The uDraw GameTablet is designed to target consumers of all ages this holiday season with a compelling price point and familiar drawing-inspired gameplay mechanic that has been enhanced for today's tech-savvy families," said THQ Chief Executive Officer Brian Farrell.

We've designed the uDraw GameTablet to offer something for everyone: the kids can doodle, save their creations on an SD-Card and print their artwork for display on the refrigerator. Students can improve their skills through in-game tutorial lessons. And the whole family can sit down together for family game time with products like Pictionary," added Executive Vice President, THQ Kids, Family, Casual Games and Global Online Services, Martin Good.

"We are impressed with THQ's innovative design and focus on bringing a new gameplay experience to the Wii owner with their uDraw GameTablet," said Steve Singer, vice-president of Licensing for Nintendo of America. "Nintendo is committed to providing fun and unique experiences and THQ's uDraw GameTablet seems destined to continue that trend."

About uDraw GameTablet

The uDraw GameTablet is a first-of-its-kind, innovative new hardware device that provides an entirely new and entertaining way for kids and families to play on Wii. Scheduled to be available in the U.S. this holiday season, the uDraw GameTablet combines a deep and immersive level of creative freedom with a line of video games developed to expand gameplay and expression.

The device is a small white handheld tablet with a 4" x 6" drawing space and detachable, pressure-sensitive stylus designed to offer more subtle control and precision than available on the traditional Wii Remote^TM. The Wii Remote docks discretely within the uDraw GameTablet, allowing the device to draw power directly from the Wii Remote. A convenient storage area hides the Wii Remote wrist strap and stylus when not in use. The uDraw GameTablet also features tilt-and-roll movement options, allowing players to interact and control in-game characters by moving and directing them through game levels. Additionally, SD-card support enables players to save and print their artwork and other uDraw creations.

The uDraw GameTablet comes ready to play with the uDraw Studio game and is scheduled to be available Holiday 2010 in the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $69.99. Pictionary and Dood's Big Adventure are planned to hit store shelves on the same day for a suggested retail price of $29.99 each.

About uDraw Studio

Packaged with the uDraw GameTablet, uDraw Studio was designed as a showcase piece for the capabilities of the device and features a robust set of art creation modes and user-friendly tools that help players create anything from simple doodles to intricate masterpieces that can be saved and shared.

About Pictionary^TM

Pictionary^TM, the game of quick sketches and crazy guesses, has innovative new functionality and game modes for the whole family! In addition to great classic Pictionary^TM play, new features include rotating canvases, one-line challenges and other fun gameplay modes in a lively game show setting.

About Dood's Big Adventure

In Dood's Big Adventure, players will navigate their customizable Dood through 60 levels across four gameplay modes in a world where coloring books come to life and user-created doodles, characters and background art populates the in-game world.

For more information on the uDraw GameTablet, please visit http://www.WorldofuDraw.com.

Talkback

ThomasOAugust 17, 2010

Now all we need is Mario Paint Wii...

GKAugust 17, 2010

If the tablet responded to the car painting mode in Need for Speed Nitro I might have a practical use for it...

broodwarsAugust 17, 2010

What took so long? :confused; Given the Wii's interface, this is something I would have expected to see 2 years ago.

MorariAugust 17, 2010

You could buy an entry-level Wacom pad for that price. This is an overpriced toy.

BlackNMild2k1August 17, 2010

Quote from: Morari

You could buy an entry-level Wacom pad for that price. This is an overpriced toy.

But it comes with a "game".

vuduAugust 17, 2010

Quote from: Morari

This is an overpriced toy.

Pretty sure that's the whole point, mate.

HalbredZachary Miller, Associate EditorAugust 17, 2010

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

Quote from: Morari

You could buy an entry-level Wacom pad for that price. This is an overpriced toy.

But it comes with a "game".

My Wacom came with two games: Photoshop Elements and Corel Illustrator 4.0.

TJ SpykeAugust 17, 2010

$70? I don't know. It does interest me, but I wish it was $60 (maybe if they had included Pictionary with it). I am glad someone finally came out with this.

Already mentioned, but I hope Nintendo uses this to finally make Mario Paint Wii.

MoronSonOfBoronGarnet Red, Contributing WriterAugust 17, 2010

Of course, it's somewhat certain that Nintendo has their own designs for a tablet peripheral sitting around, and they are all somehow better than this one.

xcwarriorAugust 17, 2010

I don't like the price, but I am intrigued. I'll keep my eye on this.

Art_de_CatAugust 17, 2010

A new "Mario Paint" maybe? :P

BlueFlameBatAugust 18, 2010

This seems like a great idea, but so did UbiSoft's camera for Wii. I hope they actually expand the use of the tablet and even share it with other developers.

Mop it upAugust 18, 2010

This seems kind of pointless, I don't really understand how it works...

TJ SpykeAugust 18, 2010

Mop, have you ever used a tablet computer? That is what this sounds like, except you will also be able to tilt it for in-game actions.

MetrochicNovember 21, 2010

It doesn't come with a game. There's only 2 games available for it so far and you have to buy them separately.

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

Quote from: Morari

You could buy an entry-level Wacom pad for that price. This is an overpriced toy.

But it comes with a "game".

NWR_KarlKarl Castaneda, Contributing EditorNovember 21, 2010

For the record, it comes with uDraw Studio. How much of a "real game" that is remains to be seen.

I'll actually be reviewing this (along with Pictionary and Dood's) for NWR (should be coming in the mail sometime this week). Look for impressions coming soon.

BlackNMild2k1November 22, 2010

Quote from: Metrochic

It doesn't come with a game. There's only 2 games available for it so far and you have to buy them separately.

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

Quote from: Morari

You could buy an entry-level Wacom pad for that price. This is an overpriced toy.

But it comes with a "game".

As Karl said it comes with the "game" uDraw studio and then Pictionary & Dood's Big Adventure are sold separately .
I think Walmart or Target have a Black Friday deal where you can pick pick up all 3 with the tablet for $80 + tax.... or was it $100.

I'll have ot look it up again, but you basically got one game free and I think the other one at a discount too.

Chozo GhostNovember 22, 2010

Since this is a 3rd party peripheral it makes it less likely that Nintendo is going to back it (or anyone besides THQ for that matter). Still, that doesn't necessarily mean its not worth it for the game it comes with and the other 2 that will come out for it. But you can't expect this thing to really get a lot of further support than that.

BlackNMild2k1November 22, 2010

The deal I was talking about is @ TRU and it's not a Black Friday deal, it's a right now deal
http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=udraw&origkw=udraw&f=Taxonomy/TRUS/2254197&sr=1

Buy the uDraw Tablet bundle and buy either Pictionary and/or Dood's Big Adventure at the same time and get them for only $10 each.

Total for all 3 is $90 + tax ($40 savings)

quincytippensNovember 24, 2010

Na, its 99 for the tab and one game, it's only less if you buying another wii.

BlackNMild2k1November 24, 2010

Quote from: quincytippens

Na, its 99 for the tab and one game, it's only less if you buying another wii.

Well, thats probably because I first mentioned that deal 2 days ago and it was only a weekend deal.

HalbredZachary Miller, Associate EditorNovember 24, 2010

My hope is that Karl uses this Wii tablet for the same purpose I would: drawing erect phalli.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorNovember 24, 2010

Dumb question, but why doesn't some smart third party come along and create a Mario Paint/uDraw rip off that... *gasp* uses the DS connectivity/touch screen. I can't imagine there's many people with a Wii without a DS... so it wouldn't require anyone to buy a $50+ item for a small handful of games.

BlackNMild2k1December 03, 2010

Looks like uDraw is doing pretty damn well and no one is reporting on it.

Nov. 22nd 2010 - THQ's uDraw Sells Out
http://www.stockbriefings.com/thq-inc-nasdaqthqi-udraw-sells-out/3176493

Quote:

THQ, s Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI)’S new Wii exclusive item uDraw Game Tablet has reached the top slot in sales.
THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) Udraw Sells Out

In America (Nov 14th), one new Wii exclusive item was launched last Sunday by THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI), and it is selling well. So well, in fact, that Udraw is presently sold out at Toys R Us and Wal-Mart.

Industry analyst Michael Pachter said “I think the market is reacting to a long-awaited hit, and their timing in front of holiday is really good… The only thing that will hold uDraw back is supply, as the company said it intends to make only 1 million or so this fiscal year. If it’s sold out, I’m sure they will find a way to increase manufacturing capacity.”

THQ: uDraw Initial Sell-Through 'Very Significant'
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/31766/THQ_uDraw_Initial_SellThrough_Very_Significant.php

Quote:

Following the launch of THQ's Wii-exclusive drawing peripheral uDraw, CEO Brain Farrell said the tablet controller is living up to commercial expectations with "very significant" initial sell-through.

The exec didn't provide specific sales figures, but THQ previously forecast shipments of 1.25 to 1.3 million units of uDraw through the end of the current fiscal year, ending March 2011.

"We are working diligently to try and based on very significant sell-through we've seen in the first two weeks," said Farrell at this week's Credit Suisse Group Technology Conference.

NWR_KarlKarl Castaneda, Contributing EditorDecember 03, 2010

Well, my uDraw came in yesterday - been putting in a lot of time with it. Expect an article sometime next week.

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