Major Square Enix title coming to Nintendo Wii U in 2013

On Monday morning it was revealed that Straight Right, developers handling the “Mass Effect 3” port on Wii U, also has an additional project in the works for Nintendo’s new home console.

According to the LinkedIn profile of technical project manager Chris Slater, Straight Right is “porting a triple-A Square Enix game to the yet-to-be-released Wii U platform”.

Earlier in the year, Straight Right CEO Tom Crago teased that a “big game in a well-known franchise will be released in 2013”. It can be assumed that this tease is related to the Square Enix game; however, the question now remains as to what the title could be.

Square Enix has a number of titles planned for 2013, of which include: “Tomb Raider” and “Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII”.

In January of 2012, Crystal Dynamics’ Karl Stewart dismissed the idea of a Wii U port of “Tomb Raider” and cited that if they were to port “Tomb Raider” to Wii U they would want to “build it with unique functionality.”

If not “Tomb Raider” or “Lightning Returns”, it could be an older title, so the possibilities are quite vast – like “Sleeping Dogs”.

Shigeru Miyamoto Stepping Down As Nintendo EAD General Manager This December?

According to a Neogaf user by the name of Shikamaru Ninja, legendary designer Shigeru Miyamoto is expected to leave Nintendo’s EAD division by December. Apparently, it troubles Miyamoto that his position as EAD General Manager overshadows the content created by new producers and directors at Nintendo’s largest gaming division. New Super Mario Bros. series producer Takashi Tezuka is rumored to take Miyamoto’s place at EAD.

Here’s a list of supposed changes at Nintendo, which the user claims are gathered from Guardian UK, Nikkei and Wired:

• Major shift in Kyoto development sources involving three Research & Development buildings
• Shigeru Miyamoto stepping down as EAD General Manager
• Takashi Tezuka becoming new EAD General Manager
• New Groups / New Producers announced for EAD Kyoto / SPD Kyoto
• EAD Tokyo Expansion / Masahiro Sakurai possibly Joining EAD Tokyo
• New Division lead by Miyamoto with younger staff focused on smaller scale games
• Miyamoto’s Departure Inspiring New IPs for the EAD Kyoto Division

Nintendo's Wii U Could be Sold Through Cable Providers Read more: http://community.nasdaq.com/News/2012-10/nintendos-wii-u-could-be-sold-through-cable-providers.

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime has hinted at the possibility of a partnership with Comcast  and other cable companies that would allow them to sell the Wii U. In an interview with the Seattle Times , Fils-Aime was asked if Nintendo would sell its new console through Comcast or other TV partners.

"It's certainly possible," said Fils-Aime, opening the door for the device to be sold at a reduced rate or given away for free to those who sign up for cable.

This strategy, where a service provider subsidizes the cost of a device by requiring buyers to sign a multi-year contract, has been hugely successful for Apple  and Samsung. It has been widely speculated that Apple will attempt to do the same with its television set, which is expected to carry a hefty price tag .

During the interview, Fils-Aime spoke about the potential benefits of studying the TV viewing habits of consumers.

"Certainly the way the system works, it gives us access to a lot of information, as long as the consumer agrees to share it with us," said Fils-Aime. "How we utilize that, we'll find out as we go.

"Again, we're not in the ad-serving business. We're not in the micro-targeting business. But certainly I can imagine as we build out the service that's something that Comcast or AT&T or any of the cable companies are really going to be interested in, potentially."

When asked if that gives Nintendo leverage in negotiating with cable companies, Fils-Aime replied succinctly. "Sure," he said.

Fils-Aime was also asked why Nintendo did not buy TiVo  and "go the whole DVR route."

"That's not what we do," he replied.

Wii U will have interactive TV, thanks to Utah’s i.TV

The Nintendo Wii U video game console, coming Nov. 18 for $299. Courtesy image. Wii U will have interactive TV, thanks to Utah’s i.TV Tech » Nintendo’s video game console will use company’s software to advance interactive viewing. By Vince Horiuchi | The Salt Lake Tribune First Published Oct 09 2012 12:09 pm • Updated 6 hours ago Provo • With the help of a Provo company, Nintendo’s next-generation video game console will turn TV into TVii. The Japanese gaming giant has partnered with Provo-based i.TV to develop a television service for its upcoming Nintendo Wii U console that not only will allow couch potatoes to watch television but also to interact with it.The service is called Nintendo TVii and it will be a new feature in the Wii U console, which will be released to stores Nov. 18 for $299.

Earlier this year, i.TV, which sits on the third floor of the historic Knight Block Building on Provo’s Center Street, was asked to design the television service and software for the console, allowing users to control their television with the Wii U’s controller.

Unlike the wand controller that gamers waved in front of the original Wii video game console, the new Wii U uses a game pad with a 6.2-inch touchscreen. Nintendo TVii turns that game pad and its second screen into a television remote in which users can get the television grid, organize their shows into favorites, and see instant information on what they’re watching — from real-time statistics on the football game to descriptions of important moments during a sitcom.

"We had a good sense for how people connect with TV," said i.TV chief executive, Brad Pelo, on how his company was chosen by Nintendo over dozens of competitors. "We were able to demonstrate the maturity of our thinking."

Here’s how Nintendo TVii works:

Once users connect the Wii U to a television set, they can control their cable or satellite box or TV tuner with the game pad. Netflix, Hulu and Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service are also integrated into the Wii U and can be accessed from the game pad if the user subscribes to them.

While watching TV, users can search for a program or movie they want to watch. On the game pad’s touchscreen, information is displayed about what the episode is about and whether it’s playing live or if it can be watched through Amazon, Netflix or Hulu. The service also works with TiVo digital video recorders, so users can record a program through the game pad or begin playback of a recorded program. For now, it works only with TiVo, but Pelo hopes it will eventually work with other brands of DVRs.

Displaying information on shows and movies is only half of what Nintendo TVii offers. The service also has built-in social networking features. While watching a program, one-sentence plot descriptions come up on the touchscreen during important scenes. Viewers with the Wii U can then comment about those watercooler moments, tweet something about them or even initiate a poll. They also can call up more information about an actor from the Internet Movie Database or they can go to a retailer’s website to purchase something related to the program. For example, fans of "American Idol" could push a button to go to a website and purchase songs or other merchandise from the show.

Nintendo To Showcase Adventure Time Game at NYCC

D3Publisher and Cartoon Network’s upcoming videogame Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?! will be showcased at the Nintendo booth (#1510) at the 2012 New York Comic Con, taking place October 11-14. The first game based on the Emmy-winning animated series features a story by show creator Penn Ward, which finds best buds Finn and Jake waking up to find their trash has been stolen by the Ice King, who wants to use it to make a Garbage Princess. The heroes must go on an epic journey across the Land of Ooo to stop him. The handheld action-adventure game is under development by WayForward and will be rated E10+ (everyone aged 10 and up). Hey Ice King! will be available in stores this fall for the Nintendo 3DS and DS systems with an SRP of $29.95.

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Batman Arkham City Confirmed For Wii U Launch Day

Warner Bros Games Montreal has confirmed that Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition will be a day one launch game for Wii U. The game was previously scheduled to be released during the Wii U launch window. Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition contains all the downloadable content from the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, and will be available on November 18th.

“Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition harnesses the power of the Wii U system and the Wii U GamePad with features that allow fans to further immerse themselves in the role of Batman like never before. WB Games Montréal evolved the incredible hit game by Rocksteady into a truly unique experience on Wii U.”

- Warner Interactive president, Martin Tremblay