Nintendo recently revealed that the Wii U will only support a single touchscreen controller because of matters of price. Nintendo recently stated that the technology is available for more than one controller to work with the system, but it would be far too expensive for consumers to stomach. Satoru Iwata made the claim earlier to Kotaku, where he announced that Nintendo wasn't 'asking customers to buy multiple Wii U controllers'.
"In the future, we may look at what other opportunities there are for gameplay and, how having two of those controllers might create fun or interesting new styles of play, but of course in doing that, it would require a consumer to purchase an additional controller," he told shareholders. "Therefore, we would need to carefully consider how we could create such an experience and, potentially, how we could ensure that there would be enough value within that experience for the consumer to accept that cost and make that purchase."
It's already been known that the system will be able to make use of the Nintendo Wii controllers from previous consoles, but with only one new controller per unit, is the Wii U really only a Wii HD? There's likely much that needs to be detailed about the console before passing judgement. Nintendo's a creative company that has proved time and time again that their ability to think outside of the box resonates with consumers, but to a fanbase that enjoys the social aspects of gaming as much as the original Nintendo Wii's audience, getting to swallow the fact that only one centerpiece controller will come with the new console could be the toughest challenge they'll face.
By William Schwartz on June 18, 2011
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