Topic: Iwata Regrets Not Showing Wii U Console During Press Conference

[Crimm]

By focusing on the new controller, Nintendo may have created confusion about their next home system.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/26810

Nintendo might have put too much emphasis on their new controller, and not enough on the new Wii U console, said company president Satoru Iwata. He expressed concern that by featuring the controller exclusively, and showing no images of the console, they may have given the false impression that the tablet-like unit was either a stand-alone portable device or a new peripheral for the Wii.

While the shape Wii U is not greatly different than its predecessor, albeit longer and packing more powerful hardware, Iwata noted that he "…should have shown a single picture of the new console, then started talking about the controller." Doing so would have made it clear that the Wii U is Nintendo's brand new video game system, and that despite the fact the controller can display video (in place of a TV), the controller only works in conjunction with the new hardware.

He also expressed concern with reports in the press about the new console. He divided reporters into two camps: those who had played Wii U and those who "are simply writing about it from wire stories and pictures." Without playing the Wii U, "they cannot see how this is a game changer."

[ShyGuy]

Iwata regrets not telling his father that he loved him.

[MegaByte]

They really did mess that one up. Couple with the "Wii U" name, it wasn't immediately clear what we were looking at (until the brief new console pic flashed on the screen, and even then, I remember people in the chat arguing about it).

[TalesOfFan]

Does the console have to be that long...? Can't they fit the components in a cube? 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Does the console have to be that long...? Can't they fit the components in a cube? 

"deeper and wider"

and this is not a "that's what she said" joke.

[MegaByte]

You know what the gold pants Iwata Mii told me in StreetPass?

"Deeper and Wider"

[ShyGuy]

You know what the gold pants Iwata Mii told me in StreetPass?

"Deeper and Wider"

hahahahaha

[WrathOfSamus777]

Yes not showing the console was a mistake.  Not talking about any Wii games other than Zelda was also a mistake. 

[Enner]

It is regretful that they caused needless confusion. Nice of Iwata acknowledging it.


As for the size of the (prototype?) Wii U system, it looks as long as the box that the Wii comes in. I hope they consider having it be a bit wider so it doesn't have to be so much like a white plank.

[BlackNMild2k1]

It was actually a little wider than a Wii and a little longer than an 360Slim


It is actually "Wider & Deeper"


once again, not a "that's what she said" joke.

[KITT 10K]

Is it just me, or does it seem like Nintendo is slipping up a lot on numerous things with the new console? I'm a die-hard Nintendo fan so maybe I'm just being paranoid, (I'd hate to see Nintendo go the way Saga did). Who knows, (maybe this is Nintendo's way of making the new console appear to be less than "so so" and it'll end up blowing people's minds away). Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[Mop it up]

This just seems to further indicate that Nintendo was not ready to show the new system. Their presentation on the Wii U did feel like it was hastily thrown together, and if they have regrets like this, then it must be true. I understand that investors want to know what Nintendo is working on, and if that's the case then they should just show it to them. I don't really know why anyone else wants to know at this point.

[broodwars]

I regret that Nintendo didn't actually show any Wii U games in development (not even in that 3rd party demo reel, which was all 360/PS3/PC footage).  I agree with Mop: they made a lot of mistakes that point to them just rushing this prototype out the door just for the sake of showing off to investors.  And judging by their stock dropping, the investors would rather they had waited as well.

Besides, Nintendo holding off on showing off so much of the Wii U would have forced them to actually show off and announce new Wii software for NA.  Instead, we get a not-ready-for-primetime Wii U reveal and very little Wii software to fill in the gaps.

[Ian Sane]

The thing with E3 is that when you don't really have a good show, it usually is because you have nothing to show.  A bad E3 means a bad upcoming year.  The Wii U is not due until next year and likely after the next E3.  The Wii has a barren release schedule until that point.  That's how it is.  They can't show Wii U games that don't yet exist or show Wii games that will never exist.  It's like that infamous Wii Music E3.  Nintendo focused so much on Wii Music because they didn't have much else ready to go.  Not "ready to show" but literally not existing.  They had nothing to show at that E3 because they had nothing to release until the next one.

I don't think they presented the Wii U very well.  I knew they were going to release a new system and yet it took me a while to determine if it really was a new system or just a new controller.  But they were never going to be able to manufacture Wii U titles out of thin air to show.

[ThePerm]

in the n64 games nintendo would show a really shitty looking game and everyone would eat it up, they cant do that now so they wait for he game to be almost done to release any info on it. This wont be a problem next near because when they show off a game they'll all look decent even bad ones. So, this year they are just busy with Zelda. Next year they'll show off a Mario, and maybe they might make a Zelda teaser. If things fall like dominos every shooter will be available on Wii U

[mustbeburt]

i've already had several people say to me, "Hey, did you see the new controller for the Wii?".  these are people that don't own a Wii themselves, but know that i do.