E3 2012: Nintendo, the Wii U and the Miiverse!

E3 is upon us and today in a pre-recorded conference the Global President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, revealed details regarding the Wii U, the system’s upgraded controllers and the Miiverse.

The goal of their new system, like the Wii before it, is to offer an experience that connects the family in new and exciting ways while implementing newer and more efficient technologies.  The president talked about a lot of lofty goals regarding the Wii U and judging by what was shown, the hardware is there.

The first bit focused on the redesigned Wii U GamePad.  The tablet controller is a bit larger this year and so is the touch screen at the center of it.  The controller now features analog sticks oppose to the circle pads featured on the prototype.  The back of the controller has been redesigned and the button layout has shifted to offer gamers the maximum amount of comfort even during long periods of play.  There is now a NFC Reader / Writer on the controller and a TV remote button that turns the pad into a remote if needed and if it’s compatible.

The second area covered, focused on the controller’s connectivity with the console.  With the Wii U offering a two-screen gaming experience there are numerous gaming possibilities and since there is no need for a fixed position, developers are free to use these features however they want.  Depending on the game, you can even stream what you’re playing on the console right to the controller while you give your TV a rest, or be kind and let someone else use it.

Another aspect was the announcement of the Wii U Pro Controller.  A brand new controller that will offer gamers a much more traditional gaming experience.  It looks like it will translate all the buttons from the Wii U GamePad.  Also confirmed once again was the fact that the Wii U can and will work with current Wii controllers, such as the Wii Remote, Wii Nunchuk and the Wii Balance Board.

Next up was the new Miiverse (yep that’s not a typo), as explained in the video the Miiverse is an attempt to connect the universe of Mii’s together right in your living room.  It’s an effort to make it so that you, the gamer, can interact with other gamers around the world whether you’re playing a game or just hanging around.

Now I know that to console owners out there that sounds a lot like experiences offered by the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, but this one will offer hundreds of Miis that populate your home screen and the ability to video chat and text chat via the controller and the Nintendo Network.  There will also a forthcoming app for all current smart phones that will allow communication with the Wii U and Nintendo Network.

So to sum up, today was about the basics of the new system, so what do you guys think?  Sound off in the comments below!

SOURCE: Nintendo