Yesterday, Nintendo Japan released a full spec sheet detailing their new console, the Wii U – and there’s a factoid on the sheet that’s raised a few eyebrows.
According to Nintendo Japan, a fully charged Wii U Gamepad will only give you about 3 to 5 hours of gameplay. worse is that the device will take 2 and a half hours to charge (but hey, better than fishing around for AA batteries, right?).
Thankfully, you can play while charging the controller – but a handful of hours is just not enough for the “core” gamer audience that Nintendo’s targeting. “For those who are mainly interested in multiplatform games with longer more intense forms of gaming there is the lighter Pro controller,” Iwata said on the Nintendo direct pre-e3 video.
Could this, coupled with confusion amongst the general public about the Wii U, leave the wii U dead on arrival? Many, confused by the name, believe the Wii U to be an add-on accessory to the original console. Hell, even CNN thought so, in their (now heavily edited to save face) hands on.
“Will Nintendo’s forthcoming Wii U controller breathe new life into its aging Wii console?
Hard to say at this point, but the Wii U is a solid accessory that will bring a fresh element to Nintendo gaming.”
Here’s a video detailing the Wii U Gamepad.
Last Updated: June 6, 2012
