Rumour: Wii U Can Use More Than One Controller

[Livin in a box]

News came up after the Wii U’s formal announcement last week at E3 that the console would only support one controller, at least at launch. I have been told by a source, who wishes to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, that the console can use up to 4 controllers simultaneously.

The source said that he has only seen 2 being used at the same time by Crytek on a new CryEngine 3-powered title for the platform but he has heard that 4 can be used with no noticeable lag or glitches. It must be noted that this is NOT Wii Remotes but the new Wii U controllers.

Additional details include that Nintendo only opted to include a touch screen on the controller “a few weeks before E3.” I assume that a screen must have been included on the controller before if developers have been working on the Wii U for almost 2 years. The console is also 2 times more powerful than the Xbox 360 in its current state.

The main reason that Nintendo want to downplay using more than one Wii U controller at the same time is because they are expensive to manufacture, which I’m sure we can all understand. A gyroscope, sensor bar with cameras and all the other bundled technology inside can’t be cheap, which is a worrying factor for me- will the console be too expensive for the public to accept?

Apparently the source is going to let out more information soon, so be on your toes around Games Pundit because we might have some more exclusive news to share with you.[/p]

Source

This is a brand new source for us and you may know of him, but he has got some things right in the past. I am fully aware that Miyamoto has said that Nintendo is currently investigating more than one Wii U controller being used, but apparently that is already underway in Crytek who are developing a CryEngine 3 game. We already know that Crytek is working on something but I don't know if anybody knows about it being CryEngine 3 powered!

 

[Erdnaxela]

The console is also 2 times more powerful than the Xbox 360 in its current state.
+
QUOTESome of the developers we spoke to indicated to us that the console will have 50% more processing power compared to the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.

means PS3 is 50% more powerful than XBOX360? >.<

And wiimote plus + nunchuk = 55 euros, maybe the Wii U controller will be 60-70 euros, higher than that is too much.

 

[Cyan]

I think it's only natural that there is more than 1 controller support, else users will be jealous and will fight to play with the only available controller while other users are limited to wiimotes.

What I'm more curious is that he says it could broadcast 4 controllers without lags, and allow players to play different games at the same time (said in the Nintendo presentation at E3).
Probably not with 2 disc games, but the console will be powerful enough to broadcast two applications at the same time (at last multi-threading

)
Or maybe the controllers have CPUs and act on their own once an application has been sent by "local play", more like GBA+GC than PSP+PS3.

 

[KingVamp]

So in away, a two players game like DOA can be play by 4 players on one console by these remotes or each can have there own game.

Sounds neat.

 

[awssk8er]

When the first video for the WiiU was shown I figured it would only use one controller (Because it showed Wii remotes being used on it). I think it would be better with only one just for money reasons. It would suck if some people had multiple controllers and ohers didn't.

 

[tijntje_7]

Dude..

Or maybe the controllers have CPUs and act on their own once an application has been sent by "local play", more like GBA+GC than PSP+PS3.

A controller with a screen, (a gpu.), a cpu, which are able to render graphics as great as we've seen on the e3 demo's. A camera, multiple wireless devices stuffs.

This controller really is going to cost more than the console itself, really?

 

[Zarxrax]

I doubt the controllers will cost more than $100 each. But thats still pricy.

 

[Slyakin]

Okay, now I'm confused. How can we trust these sources? 50% more powerful is not the same as 2 times more powerful... Ugh.

 

[Deleted member 473940]

Well these 2 times powerful, 50% powerful 10 times powerful rumours will continue.. lol
Remember, 3DS was supposed to be as powerful as this gens console

.

 

[SparkFenix]

Nevermind.

Well the controllers will display games through streaming, like that other service, so the specs on it don't need to be that high

 

[WiiUBricker]

Not too fast guys. Read the recent Iwata Ask issue.

Miyamoto: Right now I'm planning that people can still be able to use their Wii Remote controllers that they already have, which means this time you now have five controllers to play with.

Iwata: You mean this new controller, and four Wii Remote Plus controllers for a total of five.

Miyamoto: Right. Five controllers. And we have people play in many combinations.

 

[Slyakin]

Okay, you edited your post. Never mind then!

 

[Ikki]

Okay, now I'm confused. How can we trust these sources? 50% more powerful is not the same as 2 times more powerful... Ugh.

The other guy said 50% more powerful than the PS3 and 360 when they're not equally powerful.


As for the controller thing, that's nice. Being stuck with a Wiimote when playing with a friend sucks terribly.

Of course, that assuming this is true.

 

[KingVamp]

Not too fast guys. Read the recent Iwata Ask issue.

Miyamoto: Right now I'm planning that people can still be able to use their Wii Remote controllers that they already have, which means this time you now have five controllers to play with.

Iwata: You mean this new controller, and four Wii Remote Plus controllers for a total of five.

Miyamoto: Right. Five controllers. And we have people play in many combinations.

Wasn't that during e3? Plus things can change...

 

[BlazerRazor]

I seriously doubt that the screen was added "a few weeks before E3". You don't just add a screen, a lot of work goes into something like this. Manufacturing needs to change, development tools needs to be revamped. It's not something you just throw on a controller and then everything just works.

The only "big" problem regarding multiple controller would be that the system would need to render potentially different scenes for each connected controller. The actual streaming I can't see would cause problems, that is, if all controllers received the same rendering.

 

[xakota]

This source is full of shit. There was talk of a new nintendo console with a screen on it months before E3, and developers have been working on this thing for months.

My prediction: Using more than one controller will be a feature introduced later, when Nintendo finds some amazing cheap plastic so they can manufacture it cheaper.

 

[cwstjdenobs]

I seriously doubt that the screen was added "a few weeks before E3".

So do I. But I can easily believe it wasn't a touch screen until a few weeks before. Especially seeing as the rather impressive tech demo's only use it to mirror the analogue stick controls.

 

[WiiUBricker]

I seriously doubt that the screen was added "a few weeks before E3".

The source is not talking about a screen, but about touch screen.

 

[machomuu]

They'll probably be $60 each. That's the price of a normal controller for a system this generation. I still think it's too high, though.

 

[Slyakin]

They'll probably be $60 each. That's the price of a normal controller for a system this generation. I still think it's too high, though.

Fortunately, it's not necessary.

As long as you don't have children losing the thing (come on, lose THAT beast?) you should be fine.