We live in a fast paced world and if you don’t adapt to the changes it brings, then you get left behind. New products are always on the horizon to replace existing products that are no longer exciting.
Nintendo has unveiled their latest challenger, the Nintendo U in the console gaming battle against Apple,Sony and Microsoft. Apple is included in this space as handheld gaming on their handheld devices is slowly eroding market share from the big three.
According to Nintendo, this is a new paradigm for video games and home entertainment. The Wii U is a new console with many facets. It includes a controller with a 6.2-inch screen. Adding a second screen to the living room creates a multitude of new video game experiences while offering families a variety of options to customize their entertainment.
Previously, video games played on a home console have been confined to the TV and offered identical viewpoints to each player in a multiplayer environment. Furthermore, watching TV and playing console games have been completely separate experiences. The new controller removes these boundaries, creating a more dynamic and fluid gaming and entertainment experience. Visitors to the E3 Expo will see firsthand the type of gaming experiences made possible by Wii U and the new controller such as:
In single-player games:
The new controller can display information on its screen that does not appear on the TV.
The information and viewpoint can also change in the new controller based on the orientation of its gyroscope.In multiplayer games:
The player using the new controller can have a different experience than those looking at the TV. This will offer a wide variety of competitive and cooperative opportunities.
The Nintendo U is without any doubt a bold statement of intent. The handheld gaming device looks like a bigger version of a Sony PSP at first glance. However in 2012 this will become the replacement for the very successful Nintendo Wii. The launch of the device at E3 in Las Vegas has been very underwhelming and burdened with controversy. Problem number one is the complete lack of games that will be available on the new device. To a large extent, I believe the games play a very important role in the launch of a new console. If there are new titles that are not available on any other console that accompany the new device, it forces the potential buyer to think. The decision is then partly on ”do I want to play the new games on this new device”. It could be seen as another factor that influences the purchase decision.
The fact that the offering of games is a mystery at this time, I fear that this device is going to be in trouble right from the launch. Nintendo has another problem and that is there is a lack of social content available on their devices. The current success of the Xbox is partly due to the ability to message and communicate with other gamers while enjoying the gaming experience.The Nintendo U looks like a great device but for this to be a success for Nintendo it needs no further controversy. Is this a U-turn for Nintendo?
