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Topic: WiiU Virtual Console: The reason it barely exists

Posts 1 to 18 of 18

Dreamsleep

I fully believe that when they realized the WiiU wasn't going to be a massive success, like the Wii, they moved Virtual Console emulation to the next console, and handheld. Remember, Iwata has said that their next hardware will be compatible, and that games will work for both. We just don't know how they are going to implement that, hardware wise.

On the software side, though, it seems to me that it would be a great selling point, to move a ton of games, or even the entire Wii Virtual Console library to this new machine, and OS. It would probably be seen as a waste of resources to implement WiiU capability, since you can still buy it for the Wii, and play it on the machine.

Thoughts?

Atari 2600, Commodore 64/128, Sega Genesis, 32X, Sega CD, PC, Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, Wii, PSP, DSi, PS3, 3DSXL, WiiU

DefHalan

The next machine is still a few years away, fibal specs probably are not known and I don't think they are already developing games for it. I believe the reason why we aren't seeing many VC games on Wii U is because VC doesn't make Nintendo enough money. Sure it seems like an easy cash-in but there is probably a lot more than we know that goes on behind the scenes. If the VC qas the runnaway success that people believe it was on Wii then why wouldn't they have focused on it on Wii U from the start?

People keep saying the Xbox One doesn't have Backwards Compatibility.
I don't think they know what Backwards Compatibility means...

3DS Friend Code: 2621-2786-9784 | Nintendo Network ID: DefHalan

Dreamsleep

DefHalan wrote:

The next machine is still a few years away, fibal specs probably are not known and I don't think they are already developing games for it. I believe the reason why we aren't seeing many VC games on Wii U is because VC doesn't make Nintendo enough money. Sure it seems like an easy cash-in but there is probably a lot more than we know that goes on behind the scenes. If the VC qas the runnaway success that people believe it was on Wii then why wouldn't they have focused on it on Wii U from the start?

Very good arguments, and I don't know for sure if it makes a ton of money. My initial guess was that it was so huge for the Wii, that it would seem to me, that it was a good investment for them.

As to the time, well...you are kinda right. However, we all know that as soon as one piece of hardware releases, the next one is being worked on. This goes from either early design/concept phase, to actual hardware testing. They don't wait. So, honestly, they are probably already testing initial hardware, or at least drafting concept configurations, so they know what it can utilize, software/OS wise. I know that the OS is already being worked on, it has to be, since it's going to incorporate two different pieces of hardware. It's got to work, and work well. R&D is up for Nintendo, anyway. So, it's really the only thing that would increase that, as QOL is old technology, and would not spike R&D.

Atari 2600, Commodore 64/128, Sega Genesis, 32X, Sega CD, PC, Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, Wii, PSP, DSi, PS3, 3DSXL, WiiU

LzWinky

I honestly think everyone puts too much emphasis on the Virtual Console. Most games that would be released on Wii U would have already been on the Wii. The only real exceptions that are feasible are Gamecube games and a small handful of Nintendo titles.

Current games: Everything on Switch

Switch Friend Code: SW-5075-7879-0008 | My Nintendo: LzWinky | Nintendo Network ID: LzWinky

smirg

They probably don't put much more effort into it because most of the games that people would buy (e.g. Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda) are already available for the VC. They need to concentrate on selling more Wii U systems. The people who care most about having, for example, N64 and GameCube games on the Wii U VC probably already own a Wii U. As much as I'd love to see the Wii U VC library grow, they're probably better off putting their resources elsewhere especially considering that we can still play the N64 games through Wii mode.

Edited on by smirg

smirg

Gerald

I think if Ninty we're going to release N64 / GameCube games onto Wii VC, they would have done so my now.
I was hoping for Sega to expand on what they had on Wii VC, with more Arcade games, and Saturn / Dreamcast support. I guess there are not enough retro heads out there for Ninty wanting to make this happen

NNID: Ootfan98
3DS FC: 3909 - 7501 - 9000

Zizzy

WaLzgi wrote:

I honestly think everyone puts too much emphasis on the Virtual Console. Most games that would be released on Wii U would have already been on the Wii. The only real exceptions that are feasible are Gamecube games and a small handful of Nintendo titles.

This is true. Maybe Nintendo should just release that handful of titles to shut everyone up about Virtual Console. Also, developers that aren't Nintendo should look into releasing [more] retro collection titles. A Konami collection with Sunset Riders on the Wii U would make my year.

Zizzy

3DS Friend Code: 4425-1585-6021 | Nintendo Network ID: Zizzy147

scottp999

I really enjoy playing the old games on the old hardware (or retron5). The cartridge based systems are almost bullet proof and are widely available for anyone who wants to re-live them. I'd rather they put their resources into making new content, and keeping the backward compatibility of wii not only for wii u, but the future generation as well.

scottp999

LzWinky

Zizzy wrote:

WaLzgi wrote:

I honestly think everyone puts too much emphasis on the Virtual Console. Most games that would be released on Wii U would have already been on the Wii. The only real exceptions that are feasible are Gamecube games and a small handful of Nintendo titles.

This is true. Maybe Nintendo should just release that handful of titles to shut everyone up about Virtual Console. Also, developers that aren't Nintendo should look into releasing [more] retro collection titles. A Konami collection with Sunset Riders on the Wii U would make my year.

Judging by the comments since 2008, I doubt anyone will be silenced. Nintendo could release a bunch of Gamecube games, everyone would be happy for about 10 minutes, then some group will gripe about a lack of Dreamcast titles thus calling the VC system backwards and pointless.

This is mostly why I don't care about Virtual Console anymore. I'll still buy games from it, but I'd rather not really comment on its state too often

Current games: Everything on Switch

Switch Friend Code: SW-5075-7879-0008 | My Nintendo: LzWinky | Nintendo Network ID: LzWinky

SCRAPPER392

They are working on the emulators. Iwata already said that adding GamePad support, button mapping, restore points, and multiple controller options doesn't just happen. That is the reason why, and not being that high of a priority is probably part of it, too.

They aren't moving on as fast as you think. Their OS or whatever might be compatible with the next console, but that is the OS; not the console. Why would they cease development if it would be compatible with both? The answer is that they wouldn't.

A for effort.

Edited on by SCRAPPER392

Qwest

3DS Friend Code: 4253-3737-8064 | Nintendo Network ID: Children

larry_koopa

I know for me every classic SNES and N64 game that I want I already have downloaded from the VC console on my Wii. For this reason I've never felt the need to even look into the Wii U Virtual Console. Why exactly would I need to buy Super Mario World yet again??

My game library ranges from Mario Kart to Call of Duty to Tales of Xillia to Diablo 3 to Forza. To me gaming is about having fun - not blindly supporting only one company while thumbing your nose at "the evil other systems."

Nintenjoe64

I think after about 8 weeks they realised that the Wii U was only being bought by hardcore Nintendo fans who would already own most of their best VC games. The cost of them making good emulators for each console outweighs the amount of money they'd receive from every fan spending £1.00-£1.49 on upgrading their Wii collections so they would prefer to use their reliable NES emulator to sell games that will only sell to a captive audience of Nintendo fans. If Wii U has an amazing Xmas and 3DS is on track, they will probably start taking the Wii U VC a bit more seriously.

I only posted this to get my avatar as the forum's thumbnail.

Emblem

The VC doesn't turn much profit, that is the one and only reason why its growth is slow. Take a look at the digital sales on any Nintendo finacial report for the last 10 years and you'll get a rough idea of how little the VC actually brings in.

Emblem

LzWinky

Diddy_kong wrote:

I know for me every classic SNES and N64 game that I want I already have downloaded from the VC console on my Wii. For this reason I've never felt the need to even look into the Wii U Virtual Console. Why exactly would I need to buy Super Mario World yet again??

Well for one thing it would only be $1.50

Current games: Everything on Switch

Switch Friend Code: SW-5075-7879-0008 | My Nintendo: LzWinky | Nintendo Network ID: LzWinky

Gerald

WaLzgi wrote:

Diddy_kong wrote:

I know for me every classic SNES and N64 game that I want I already have downloaded from the VC console on my Wii. For this reason I've never felt the need to even look into the Wii U Virtual Console. Why exactly would I need to buy Super Mario World yet again??

Well for one thing it would only be $1.50

It's also the convenience of having the entire library on the gamepad and being able to control via gamepad, not having to switch between Wii & Wii U Modes, for me, is worth paying for again at discount

NNID: Ootfan98
3DS FC: 3909 - 7501 - 9000

NinChocolate

Every game. On the Gamepad. All I want.

NinChocolate

Dreamsleep

One thing that I think people are missing is, some things are done, not necessarily for making huge amounts of money. I seriously doubt BC nets them huge Wii software sales. It's a drop in the bucket, overall, to be honest. But, it's a value add to the ecosystem that you boot up when you sit down to play. The Virtual Console can be something that Nintendo can say that they have over the competition, just like backwards compatibility. It can be something that they can tout with every new generation, they just need to make the OS slicker, and smoother, like Steam, so that it works generation to generation. Just like Steam loads up on every machine known to man, the Virtual Console should do much the same thing, and have some kind of interface to work with each new system.

I'm not saying it's easy, but it could, and should, be done.

Atari 2600, Commodore 64/128, Sega Genesis, 32X, Sega CD, PC, Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, Wii, PSP, DSi, PS3, 3DSXL, WiiU

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