Speaking to Polygon today, Nintendo product marketing manager Bill Trinen said that the standalone Wii U GamePad, being released in Japan at half the cost of the full console, won’t be priced or released in North America until there’s content that requires doubling up. [Polygon]
TRANSLATION: We don't want people coming out on day one saying "The machine costs $600+ if you want to play two player games, so we'll make it impossible to buy on day one even though you'll eventually have to buy one."
I think it's more along the lines of:
We didn't plan on having support for 2 WiiPads. then everyone wanted it so we added in support late in the development. All the release games won't support 2 pads because of this so there isnt any point spending the money on packaging, shipping marketing etc until its actually needed.
I kind of agree with Foggy; but not that they want to make it impossible, but that they want people to buy two machines eventually.
Assuming that its going to be targeted to children again, especially with the skyheroes/spyro stuff, any household with 2 kids or more would need 2 or more would need the screen-gamepad. I mean kids cry and throw tantrums when their sibling gets to use the screen-gamepad and they get stuck with using the nunchuck. So this would force their parents to buy another controller; or in this case, buy 2 wiiu's.
Which will be never.
Nintendo even said that the console would struggle with two controllers and its obvious that the only reason they mentioned it was to shut up the naysayers.
Actually they have announced that it will have full compatability with 2 gamepads - but games would be reduced to 30fps to allow it to work. It was announced months ago.
Reason its not releasing on launch, is basic.. It wasnt planned to have this support to begin, and now that it does there is no games ~yet~ that use it. Only reason to have it for sale on launch is if you break your current one.
What if i break my Wii Pad? How do i purchase a new one?
Well they do have that problem where some people will assume it's just a new controller for the existing Wii, so by not selling it separately it will prevent them from buying the controller on its own and wondering why it doesn't work.
Wait, what - the system doesn't support more than one controller? What does this mean for MP later on down the track? I'm completely out of the loop on the WiiU stuff...
No no no no! bret c, youve got it all wrong. the system is backwards compatible with all wii games and also you use your existing wii remotes to play most of the MP wii u games and this usually consist of one person playing with the gamepad and other people in the room with a wiimote and nunchuk. thats up to 6 controllers at a time 2 gamepad support coming soon and up to 4 wiimotes
Will games still be made for the original Wii once the Wii U is relaesed?I only just got a Wii last christmas so i probably won't be buying the next Wii system. So what i wanna know is will Wii games still be made, or will they stop making Wii games when the Wii U is out?