Wii U Only as Powerful As Current Gen Consoles?

[Griking]

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2...ware-power.ars

"We'll have a few new features for sure, but I think visually, for the most part, it'll be pretty much the same," Donald said of the Wii U version of Darksiders 2, which is being planned as a launch title for the system. "So far the hardware's been on par with what we have with the current generation, so, based on what I understand, the resolution, textures, polygon counts and all that stuff, we're not going to being doing anything to up-rez the game, but we'll take advantage of the controller for sure."

I'm can't say that I'm surprised but I can't lie, I am a bit disappointed.

[NayusDante]

I feel bad for this Donald fellow. He said one thing about Wii U capabilities and the entire Internet goes crazy about it.

"On par" doesn't necessarily mean the same as "performance capped." We already know it's at least as powerful as PS3/360. His statement reiterates that. We won't know how much breathing room there is above that spec until later.

If you want a real analysis of raw capability, go petition Epic to do a UE3 benchmark on all the platforms including Wii U.

[kupomogli]

I'm already getting one as I don't own a Wii and I'll use it as a console as well as a portable console since you can play it anywhere there's a power outlet without the need for a tv.

If it's not much more powerful than the current gen consoles, that's a huge fanbase Nintendo is going to lose. It's already going to be more expensive than one of two systems most people already own, so aside from exclusives, why purchase the system when you can play the exact same game with the exact same quality on another console. Like the Wii, I see a lack of good exclusives for the Wii U, so good thing I'll be picking up the games I've missed to have some good games when the system comes out.

Also, depending on my opinion of the controller playing a regular game, I may or may not start purchasing my exclusives for the Wii, even if it does get a better version. Unless of course there's compatibility with that one classic controller pro which is like a SNES controller with R2/L2.

[RCM]

I'm not interested in Wii U in the slightest at this point. If Nintendo wants my attention (and $) stop talking horsepower and start talking innovation beyond drawing Dreamcast logos on Tekken characters' faces. Wii U might be the first Nintendo console I skip completely unless they really knock my socks off with their launch line up. And no, Mario and Zelda don't do it for me anymore.

[Emperor Megas]

I'm not interested in Wii U in the slightest at this point. If Nintendo wants my attention (and $) stop talking horsepower and start talking innovation beyond drawing Dreamcast logos on Tekken characters' faces.

Wait, what? What are you talking about, exactly? I don't know anything about the Wii U so that was lost on me.

[RCM]

Wait, what? What are you talking about, exactly? I don't know anything about the Wii U so that was lost on me.

From the initial Wii U sizzle reel (I believe) showing us what we can do with the "power" of Wii U.

[Emperor Megas]

From the initial Wii U sizzle reel (I believe) showing us what we can do with the "power" of Wii U.

Ahahaha!

[Rob2600]

Maybe I'm mistaken or misunderstood, but I thought Nintendo said the Wii U will run games natively in 1080p (whereas most Xbox 360 and PS3 games are upscaled to 1080p from 540p-640p). Am I wrong?

From a different Ars Technica article:

"Industrygamers.com scored the following quote from Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia: 'Some of the developers we spoke to indicated to us that the console will have 50 percent more processing power compared to the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. This is yet to be confirmed by Nintendo.'"

So at this point, who knows?


Also, a comment from the article in the original post:

"I think its only appropriate to remember that another member of the same company Vigil Games already contradicted that:

When we asked Bonstead if he thought it was possible that the Wii U version of Darksiders II would be the best version of the game, he said, "Yeah, just because the hardware is more powerful and it will have some extra features that I think will actually be useful to people playing the game. With it’s controller, [the Wii U version of Darksiders II] might be the best version of the game."

[kupomogli]

Maybe I'm mistaken or misunderstood, but I thought Nintendo said the Wii U will run games natively in 1080p (whereas most Xbox 360 and PS3 games are upscaled to 1080p from 540p-640p). Am I wrong?

Most PS3 and 360 games run at 720p. Very few games run at sub hd resolution.

[Rickstilwell1]

If they keep the Wii U name and the system turns out that it stinks, maybe people who don't like it will call it the Pii-U. hahaha

[The 1 2 P]

I'm personally less interested in it's power output and more interested in it's future games. So far I haven't seen much to get me interested in this system but I'm waiting for E3 to get some more info.

[j_factor]

Maybe I'm mistaken or misunderstood, but I thought Nintendo said the Wii U will run games natively in 1080p (whereas most Xbox 360 and PS3 games are upscaled to 1080p from 540p-640p). Am I wrong?

PS3 does not upscale PS3 games. They all run at 720p minimum (requirement by Sony), and some run at 1080p. With 360, however, you are correct, many games are running at a lower resolution and upscaled. Also I don't think any 360 games run at 1080p -- the system couldn't even output 1080p until a firmware update about a year after launch.

Most PS3 and 360 games run at 720p. Very few games run at sub hd resolution.

All PS3 games run at 720p, but, tons of 360 games don't. Off the top of my head, I know that Halo 3 runs at 600p, and Tomb Raider Legend runs at 576p.

[Rob2600]

PS3 does not upscale PS3 games. They all run at 720p minimum (requirement by Sony), and some run at 1080p. With 360, however, you are correct, many games are running at a lower resolution and upscaled. Also I don't think any 360 games run at 1080p -- the system couldn't even output 1080p until a firmware update about a year after launch.

All PS3 games run at 720p, but, tons of 360 games don't. Off the top of my head, I know that Halo 3 runs at 600p, and Tomb Raider Legend runs at 576p.

Thanks for clarifying. So even *if* the Wii U produces the same level of graphics as the Xbox 360 and PS3, but every game runs in 1080p at 60fps, that would already be a nice step up. I have a feeling the graphics will end up being even a bit better though. Probably not a huge leap forward, but a noticeable improvement from what's out now.

And if the Wii U costs less than $300, that's a fantastic balance between technology and affordability.

[substantial_snake]

The idea of the tablet controller hybrid is interesting and I can see a lot of ways it could bring interesting features to games.

However I hope that being around as powerful (probable significantly more so) then the current consoles really allows for more cross pollination in terms of games. Despite all the advanced graphics or innovation features a particular console has its really about the games...period. I am not interested in another console to just play Mario and his many spinoffs, Zelda, Smash Brothers, with the occasional Metriod and Starfox with months of downtime in between the next Nintendo hit and the occasional standout third party offering.

I'm curious to see weather the gap is shortened enough to still provide the same relative experience as the other big console manufactures provide once their next machines come along. I think that time a year or two after the Wii U is released will really be telling weather the system will be another Wii for third party publishers or if its going to really compete again for the older market. I'll also be interesting to see whether Nintendo can convince the huge market they have made with the Wii to pick up the next "wii".

[kupomogli]

Not all PS3 games run at 720p. Also, while the 360 can upscale all games to 1080p, the PS3 can upscale some but it has to be developed that way.

Brutal Legend is 720p on the 360 but around 700 on the PS3 version. Battlefield 3 is the same way on both consoles. Chronicles of Riddick is sub HD on the PS3. Grand Theft Auto 4, one of my favorite games this gen is sub hd on the PS3, although the Episodes From Liberty City titles are 720p.

I know that Episodes From Liberty City can be upscaled to 1080p on the PS3. I'm sure there are also other games.

[j_factor]

Brutal Legend is 720p on the 360 but around 700 on the PS3 version.

Brutal Legend on PS3 runs at 1152x720 -- slightly less than standard 720p resolution, but only horizontally.

Battlefield 3 is the same way on both consoles.

Battlefield 3 is (slightly) letterboxed. It's still "720p" but running in a slight window (1280x704).

Chronicles of Riddick is sub HD on the PS3.

Just like Brutal Legend, it's only smaller horizontally. Still 720 progressive lines -- 1024x720.

Grand Theft Auto 4, one of my favorite games this gen is sub hd on the PS3, although the Episodes From Liberty City titles are 720p.

You're right. GTA4 apparently only runs at 640p natively and scales. So I guess I stand corrected -- PS3 games merely have to support 720p, and Sony doesn't care how the game gets there. But, the PS3 doesn't upscale, the game has to do it in software. That's still different from the 360, where they can simply release a game at any resolution and the console will upscale it. There's got to be fewer sub-HD games on PS3 as a result.

[Genesaturn]

I'm pretty sure Epic already talked about the Wii U and there is suppose to be a tech demo of the Samaritan running on it and looking beautiful , so if that's true then Wii U will be more than on par with current consoles.

[Leo_A]

The Xbox 360 has the occasional game that can natively run in 1080p. Going off a list from early 2010, the 360 had a half dozen or so retail games that could do it to about 15 on the PS3.

Not many on either console unless a lot has changed over the past two years.

Edit - Found another source from around the same time that said it's 5 versus 30. Not a huge number either way and there are no huge names on the list.

[Gamevet]

The Xbox 360 has the occasional game that can natively run in 1080p. Going off a list from early 2010, the 360 had a half dozen or so retail games that could do it to about 15 on the PS3.

Not many on either console unless a lot has changed over the past two years.

Edit - Found another source from around the same time that said it's 5 versus 30. Not a huge number either way and there are no huge names on the list.

I know Wipeout HD is 1080p and it looks pretty good.

[Ryudo]

I can't find this anywhere else. Plus reports keep being conflicting.

Some devs say it has a CPU of Xbox 360. Some say the CPU is the one powering Watson. Some say it's 50% more powerful. Some say it has over 700MB of ram and others say 1GB of ram.

So I have come to the conclusion to not believe anyone outside Nintendo at this point or Ifixit when they get a hand on it. Til then no one can agree how powerful it is.


Me personally I don't care. I just await to see what Monolith Soft is making for it.