Nintendo Kickstarts E3 with Pre-E3 Wii U Conference

E3 week is here everyone, and Nintendo has started the salvo of gaming news and updates with a pre-E3 web conference. This pre-show conference is about the Wii U hardware, and not to be confused with their big conference on Tuesday, which will focus on the games and Nintendo’s upcoming strategy for the next year.

It’s interesting that after the confusion of last year, Nintendo chose to devote 30 minutes solely to the Wii U, detailing what it is, what they see for the system and what makes it unique. You can watch the entire pre-show conference below.

For those with short attention spans, here’s the Cliff Notes version:

  • Wii U Game Pad has been updated to include analog sticks instead of circle pads, which looks much more comfortable for gaming.
  • Game Pad includes an NFC reader for cards/figures and also can be used as a TV remote
  • Game Pad includes motion sensor and gyro sensor
  • Works without the Wii U console to play games
  • Wii U Pro controller for hardcore gamers — yeah, it looks pretty much like a 360 controller
  • Wii U can be used for video calls and social networking
  • Miiverse is a place for Miis to gather, kind of like Playstation Home and a version of the Demon’s Souls messaging for all games

So what do you guys think? Has Nintendo won you over with their more focused take on the Wii U? Discuss!

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I write about samurai girls and space marines. Writer for Smooth Few Films. Rooster Teeth Freelancer. Author of Red vs. Blue, The Ultimate Fan Guide, out NOW!

5 thoughts on “Nintendo Kickstarts E3 with Pre-E3 Wii U Conference”

  1. The controller updates are much more relieving. The curves on the back near the edges, the curve on the top for the shoulder buttons, the actual sticks instead of pads, etc. I was worried that the big old tabled was going to be really uncomfortable to hold. I will say, though, that it still looks bigger than a Duke controller. The video calling and social networking doesn’t really interest me, but the Demon’s Souls-type messaging is pretty cool. The pro controller really worries me though–devs will either use one or the other, so ONE of them is going to be near-useless, in the same fashion as the Wii Motion Plus.

    You know, I really wihs Nintendo would just do a Sega and move over to just software. My PS3 is collecting dust. I can see Nintendo teaming up with them, and that would make me very happy.

  2. Sounds cool so far but honestly it’s all down to what games it has and the price. I don’t care how great your hardware is, no one is going to buy it if it’s too expensive and there isn’t anything worth playing.

    Fingers crossed for cheaper than ~$350 and Pokemon Snap 2!

  3. Wait…why have a tablet controller if you can just not use it? This might split developers focus…Nintendo is trying to have their innovative revolutions and eat it, too, but it just worries me about their focus.

    The other stuff was cool, but not exactly something that would make a person like me (moody loner with a devastating smile) run out and buy one. Still, just the preliminaries. We will see what else is coming soon.

  4. I actually watched this thing in its entirety when it aired and my god was it bad. The little trailer with the horrible acting didn’t help either. Maybe I’m too hard on Nintendo but none of this interested me in the slightest.

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