StuBurns said:
Outclass and marginal seems contradictory.
To outclass is to be greatly superior, not marginally so.
Keep in mind that to a certain extent, ESPECIALLY to the laiman user, we are reaching diminishing returns on investment in graphics based on hardware.
Take the nature tech demo, now that we've seen it in higher quality (even then it's still offscreen, and not streaming) it's gorgeous, and clearly beyond the PS360 machines. In order to get something that looks magnitudes better than that or even zelda, MASSIVELY better hardware, that runs MUCH hotter and is put into a HUGE box would be required. It's not impossible but there are some good points that suggest MS and Sony would be wise to avoid such an investment.
1. The companies are businesses, and both MS and Sony only recently just began making profit, even in 2013 a machine that would "kill" WiiU graphically (if the innards are remotely like they are rumoured to be) would be both incredibly expensive, while still, to the common eye have a smaller graphical leap than most average consumers are used to seeing in a console. Nintendo has the advantage of being such a monumental leap over wii hardware that it is incredibly impressive to wii-only users looking to upgrade, while still being a decent deal stronger than ps360, likely even an all-out machine would be about the same leap over wii-u that wii-u is over ps360. Wii-U is a legit half generational leap if it's power 7/ HD 4850/5770. Such a machine would certainly have to be sold at a hefty loss, and would be large and hot, and likely unreliable on the hardware front... A huge risk. Wii-U being above, but still not completely out of sight of PS360 and more expensive allows sony and Ms to continue this gen for as long as they would like, and recoup some of their losses before being pressured to release an all out next gen console.
2. PSVita is only being released at a loss because of the direction sony is moving in. They've already stated that they believe handhelds are the future, and looking at japanese sales they may not be wrong. Everything about PSvita is giving a true console experience, controls and all, in a portable machine. If they are taking a loss on this handheld it's because of it's vital position, which is, ikn their minds apparently above that of a next ps console. I doubt they take a loss on both, and if the PS vita isn't a sales monster then I REALLY don't think they take a loss or push the next playstation to a bleeding edge tech. The investors aren't dumb, they realize that it was the PS2 that reigned supreme, weak tech and all, when SCE was the most profitable.
By the same token Microsoft has gone all in with kinect, and are in a great position to sell their hardware cheaply, which appeals to the connect crowd. Their core consumers seem satisfied with 360 hardware as long as it has gears and halo. Heck they've even expressed their desire to extend this gen as long as possible, and undercutting their new consumers with newer, better hardware doesn't seem like a prudent financial move. Wii-U allows them to achieve their dream of extending the gen, and i'm sure that this was nintendo's plan.
Basically I doubt the next round of systems are out before 2014, giving wii-u a full year of graphical superiority, meaning new engines will be designed for it, engines, which in the name of financial viability will be upported to the next two systems unless nintendo massively screws up by gimping the rumoured hardware, which as I believe it to be, shuld be able to receive next gen multiplats, which i'm sure is at least in most ways nintendo's plan.
If ps720 comes out 2013 it will be an incremental leap if they come out 2014 the leap will be more significant, but the wii-u should already have a pretty massive userbase that publishers just won't be able to ignore.
DisenLedZep said:
@Vita/PS3, people who follow Sony will have both, so why not include some functionality between them? You have the "advantage" that the Vita is a portable device, unlike the U controller. Some game features that would be "WiiU exclusive" can be easily implemented on a Vita/PS3 combo.
Should it be a must for all games? No.
Should it be a plus for most games? Yes.
@PS3/360, most of those comments are produced by the media (the famous PS3/360 comparison half to half screen) and repeated by fanboys to death. Sure, it will apply to multiplataform games. But PS3 only owners would be mad because the WiiU version is slightly superior visually? If that's the case, then I must say, people are stupid.
If games actually utilize the new hardware of wii-u they should be noticeably better graphically.
If 3rd parties simply make straight ports of their games they'll be overshadowed by exclusives tapping the hardware and nintendo's own games. It's in their own interest to make wiiu the lead console and downport games or else their cutting off what could potentially be 1/3 of the market. I doubt publishers are keen to miss out on free money for two generations straight.
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