Nintendo's Wii U "Not a Next Generation Console"

Nintendo’s Wii U “Not a Next Generation Console”

Analyst claims Sony and Microsoft aren’t worried about Wii U because its not a next generation console.

Apparently Nintendo's Wii U is not a next generation console, according to games analyst Michael Pachter. Pachter explained the console due to be released in 2012 as "an Xbox 360 with a tablet controller and is likely going to come out at a higher price point than the 360 at the time."

"Their next gen system is a current gen system," says Pachter. Early rumors about hardware specs for the Wii U put it somewhere at parity or a little bit more powerful than current systems.

For those that are wondering if Microsoft and Sony are worried about the competition? Pachter doesn't think Microsoft or Sony really care much at all about the imminent release. "Microsoft especially is not afraid of the Wii U."

Yesterday, Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime announced that Nintendo is not worried about what the compeition is doing, and is ready to expand the Nintendo console userbase with the Wii U.

By Al McCarthy on January 12, 2012

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Dovahkiin
If the Wii U is “current gen” then that would make the Wii “last gen”.
I don’t think Patcher understands that Nintendo moves along it’s own technology timeline.
Most gamers would agree that Patcher is an *sshole. Who the F*ck pays this Sh*thead to make all these BS claims anyway.
- bob
  i agree
Matthew
The Wii U most certainly is a next generation console, and Michael Pacheter is underestimating Nintendo again and will have to eat his words like he does every other time. Here’s the facts:
-No current generation console broadcasts in true 1080p. The Wii U does.
-The Wii-U is not a tablet in the vein of the IPad. You’d have to be a complete idiot not to realize it’s a giant version of THE BOTTOM SCREEN OF YOUR DS IN CONSOLE FORM.
-The reason that it’s going to sell is very simple:Nintendo has sold all the best selling consoles in this department in this generation. The Wii and The DS. When you mix the Wii, The DS(the best selling systems nintendo’s ever had), HD graphics, and strong third party support(the past complaints against nintendo), then the Wii U is a system that will definitely be a success.
-The average consumer is going to see a new console. Even without a million great games, everyone knows “new” sells. Don’t be stupid.
Brian
I’m seeing a repeat of the Gamecube, fun system, but neither the sales or the features of its competitors
- Thomas
  Sorry disagree but the wii u is everything the wii was’nt and the competitors are’nt .I have $2k+ waiting for it my son and i are going to have ball my picking 2 up. The gameplay is going to be sick
That Guy
im not even going to comment on his stupidity…. oh wait. well while im here ill just play upon the cliche that michael pachter is a full blown retard that cant seem to form a reasonable human thought much less analyse the gaming market. that is all.
maddoggwolfie
Patcher has no clue. Under his terms there was an extra generation of console when the psone was release as the N64 would have been a generation after since the PSone was only 32bit while the N64 was 64bit. Generation of systems isn’t about specs but the timeline of the releases.
Wii was lower spec but certainly current gen as it influenced so much.
Wii U’s specs are better than current gen which also make his point null and void. I wish people would stop publishing this guys work as he is the worse games ‘expert’ out there.
2 Months ago he said the 3ds had failed and Nintendo should give up and make apps for Apple.
The 3ds has actually had the MOST successful first year launch in gaming history and still has 3 months to go to hit that 1 year mark. 15 million 3ds have now been bought world wide in 10 months where as the ps3 has just hit 50 million in 6 years. The figures don’t lie!
Consoles always do better in the 2nd and 3rd years of sales as the amount of software raises and price comes down. Also kids start going ‘but my mate Tommy has one mum’!
Tab
Patcher is famous for making articles like this because it draws him so much negative attention which is somehow seen as viewers or fans. Unfortunately, hits are hits on the web and his employers don’t care if he brings positive or negative attention because on the internet, attention equals money.
It is next gen because it brings something new to the table, among other factors. Hardware specs don’t solely decide what gen it is and neither does some sellout writer.
winterborn07
hehe oops sorry. I meant to say “Patcher’s review sucks”. I like this post!
AIRFREAK
It’ll sell.
jason
I like Nintendo, But I want NEW XBOX or PLAYSTATION!
yep i actually did that shit
I swear to god this guy just says the most controversial shit possible just to get headlines that look interesting on gaming blogs, I automatically discredit any article that involves this prat.
- Anonymous Tom
  Agreed…..
TurboFool
The lack of reader comprehension in this comment thread is painful to watch.
He’s comparing hardware specs, pure and simple, not literal generations. And considering the Wii was basically an overclocked GameCube with a completely new control scheme, it’s not unreasonable for the Wii U to be now up to spec with the 360 while the replacement for it is around the corner. So from a pure spec perspective, yes, it probably ISN’T a “true” next-gen console in the vein that most people think of them (a giant step forward in processing and graphics power).
I’m also certain he’s right that Microsoft’s not afraid of the Wii U. Why? Because if it’s anything like the Wii, it won’t compete with the next Xbox. The Wii didn’t compete with the 360. Most people I know who are gamers own both, or own a Wii and a PS3, or maybe all three. And anyone who owns ONLY a Wii was never going to consider a 360. Microsoft likely sees the Wii U in the same vein–as a system that can co-exist without stealing enough of its customers to make it worth sweating.
Pricing sounds about right. It likely WILL launch at a higher price than whatever the 360 is at that time, especially considering the cost of its controller.
There’s two important facts here: nothing he said sounds inaccurate, and he didn’t take a giant crap all over the console we’re excitedly anticipating. He didn’t say it would fail, he didn’t say it wouldn’t be worth buying, he didn’t say it was junk. He merely stated some facts that sound about accurate from what everyone else has said. Internally it will likely be comparable of mildly upgraded over the 360. Externally it’ll be a very different system, which will matter more than the mere graphical power.
Everyone cool with that? No? Then please grow up.
Mike
If the 360 wasn’t competing with the Wii, what the hell is Kinect??
- TurboFool
  An accessory to the 360. I don’t understand your question.
james
I like Nintendo
PC Player
From a PC Gamer’s perspective, I see the Wii U as a next generation game console just primarily that Nintendo brings creativity to their products than the other two. I admire Nintendo for their very successful N64 era and confidence in themselves than peeking at what the other is doing.
Now technically speaking, the Wii U is more powerful than the Xbox 360 even with just 3 cores running at 3.0ghz. For the reasoning that newer processor are more efficient at the calculations than earlier processors, but this is only true if Nintendo “choose” a latter processor and not an earlier processor with just an extra core running at 3.0ghz. I don’t remember but I thought I read that the Hollywood processor in the Wii U is just an overclocked version of the earlier GameCube chip, so hopefully Nintendo updates a little.
Now in the long-term 1gb of RAM is needed to compete especially a few years down the road as the base minimum as consoles are to compete. As someone above mentioned, smartphones are becoming quite powerful really fast just as computers in their environment. Any threat to the consoles will be smartphones primarily, so hopefully the big 3 don’t turn a blind eye to them.
I love competition, hopefully Nintendo can return to the top as they have always been a favorite of mine since childhood.