There has been a lot of hubbub around the Wii U’s television controls, so we’ll make this dead simple: There are reasons the TV controls are important and reasons they’re not. Here’s our take on both sides of the story. You can make up your own mind once with all the information.
Why they’re important:
– Nintendo has begun eliminating the need for other remotes and finally making it easier for us to access our consoles.
– Ease of use is seen as even higher by the non-gaming crowd if they can do everything with one device.
– There is more reason to keep it in your living room as opposed to the spare bedroom that people use for gaming.
– Once Nintendo TVii is launched, the GamePad will become a lot more integral in finding videos and consuming content on your television.
– They’re super simple to set up and set-top box and universal remote manufacturers could take a (serious) hint.
Why they’re not important:
– It seems unlikely that someone would use the GamePad when their standard remote is probably right beside it.
– Nintendo TVii isn’t out yet, and there is little reason to pick up the GamePad if you’re planning on watching television.
– Battery life is quite low on the GamePad. Try to turn on the TV more than once with it when the battery is drained, and you’ll probably never try again.
– You can only set one TV and set-top box to work with the GamePad. If you’ve also got an audio system or separate DVD player, you’ll be reaching for other remotes anyway.