Last week a few unnamed developers said the Wii U was essentially weaker than the current generation consoles, which added to the confusion over just how powerful the Wii U console is. Most developers, like Gearbox, have repeatedly said that the Wii U is more powerful than current generation systems, and some estimate it at about 50% more powerful. There certainly is some confusion as to just how powerful the new game console is.
But despite all the rumors surrounding the Wii U specs, Nintendo has neither confirmed nor dismissed any of them. Recently, the company came out with a statement, saying:
“We do not focus on technology specs. We understand that people like to dissect graphics and processing power, but the experience of playing will always be more important than raw numbers.”
This wouldn’t be the first time Nintendo isn’t focusing on specs. Unlike Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo didn’t tout the power of the Wii. Instead, it focused on the innovation and the motion controller. We pretty much expected Nintendo to continue this trend, focusing on the Wii U controller and its capabilities. Most of Nintendo’s press and promotion of the Wii U have centered around the controller, rather than the console. The early Wii U trailers do showcase some of the graphical power of the Wii U, though.
However, that’s not to say that system specs aren’t important. In the gaming world today, great visuals and technology is expected from a game. Some developers spend just as much time developing game engines as they do games, developers like Epic Games, id Software, and Crytek — all three of those developers have confirmed that their engines will be available for the Wii U.
We can’t say that we’re surprised at Nintendo’s statement, they most likely will never reveal the specs of the Wii U, those will have to come from developers once the NDA is lifted.
Image is from the Wii U title Killer Freaks From Outer Space.
