Nintendo's upcoming console is looking increasingly worse with each passing day. Not only does the Wii U have a terrible name and a Fisher-Price styled controller, it's apparently less powerful than the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Yikes…
According to a handful of developers who wish to remain anonymous, the Wii U's tech can't even match the current generation hardware. Speaking to GamesIndustry International, a number of studios expressed their disappointment in the tablet-based machine, with one particular developer going so far as to say that "No, it's not up to the same level as the PS3 or the 360. The graphics are just not as powerful."
Another developer went on to support the prior's claims, saying, "Yeah, that's true. It doesn't produce graphics as well as the PS3 or the 360." As to why this is the case, the source went on to add that "there aren't as many shaders, it's not as capable. Sure, some things are better, mostly as a result of it being a more modern design. But overall the Wii U just can't quite keep up."
This is incredibly unfortunate, especially for loyal Nintendo fans who have been stuck with a standard definition console for way too long. Considering the fact that both the Xbox 360 and PS3 were released over five years ago, you would think that Nintendo would be able to craft something that could at least outshine such old tech, even if only by a slight margin.
Perhaps the limitations are due to that cursed tablet controller, as streaming content to the device might make it more difficult to really pack a lot of power under the hood. Is this gimmicky peripheral really worth the added baggage? According to a number of developers, the answer is no. "The whole thing about the tablet controller is that you only get one of them, and you can only use one and it’s not completely independent," one source said. They went on to elaborate further on their distaste for the tablet, saying, "The base console has to be on, and you have to be in range. Other controllers are just Wiimotes, or other Wii controllers. They may change the form factor or looks a bit, but it’s the same controller."
In the end, it all comes down to cost, and we all know that Nintendo likes to make money on their hardware, so if a cheaper console does the trick, that's undoubtedly the route they will take. They just better hope that this "revolutionary" tablet really resonates with the mass market.
I'm guessing the odds are not in their favor.
