Much later in development, this was expanded to a full screen that could display the game being played in its entirety, a concept which was suggested but not financially viable earlier in the project. Ideas on which direction to take for the new console led to a lot of debate within the company, and the project started over from scratch on several occasions. The concept of a touchscreen embedded within the controller was originally inspired by the blue light on the Wii disc tray that illuminates to indicate new messages. Miyamoto and his team wanted to include a small screen to provide game feedback and status messages to players (similar to the VMU for Sega’s Dreamcast). The system was first conceived in 2008, after Nintendo recognized several limitations and challenges with the Wii, such as the general public’s perception that the system catered primarily to a “casual” audience. With Wii U, Nintendo wished to bring back “core” gamers. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto admitted that the lack of HD and limited network infrastructure for Wii also contributed to the system being regarded in a separate class to its competitors’ systems, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was decided that a new console would have to be developed to accommodate significant structural changes. In response to its poor adoption, several notable third-party studios, including Electronic Arts and Ubisoft, announced that they would downplay their support for the console as part of their multi-platform strategies. The console was met with slow consumer adoption, credited primarily to a slow development of titles, along with its lower specifications in comparison to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The Wii U was met with a generally positive reception praising its GamePad controller, improvements to online functionality over the Wii, backwards compatibility with existing Wii software and controllers, affordability in comparison to other eighth-generation consoles, and non-reliance on a subscription for online functionality, while criticizing the GamePad’s battery life, issues with the console’s user interface and functionality, along with a weak lineup of launch titles and a lack of purpose.
Online functionality on the Wii U centers around the Nintendo Network platform and Miiverse, an integrated social networking service which allows users to share content in game-specific communities. The Wii U is backward compatible with most games released for the Wii.
Games can support any combination of the GamePad, Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Balance Board, or Nintendo’s more traditionally designed Classic Controller or Wii U Pro Controller for input. The screen can be used either as a supplement to the main display (either providing an alternate, asymmetric gameplay experience, or a means of local multiplayer without resorting to a split screen), or in supported games, to play the game directly on the GamePad independently of the television. The system’s primary controller is the Wii U GamePad, which features an embedded touchscreen, and combines directional buttons, analog sticks, and action buttons. The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support HD graphics. The Wii U is a home video game console developed by Nintendo, and the successor to the Wii. The console was released in November 2012 and was the first eighth-generation video game console, as it competes with Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One.