Will Nintendo's Wii U woo hardcore gamers back to the fold?

In a bid to attract a hardcore gaming crowd that has floated to rivals such as Microsoft's Xbox, Nintendo has lifted lid on a new touchscreen controller for its next-generation videogame console Wii U.

Industry executives and analysts gave the Wii U's touchscreen controller the thumbs-up. Many liked the innovation embodied by the separate device, larger than Apple's iPhone, but smaller than the iPad, said a Reuters report.

Wii U comes with a touchscreen, camera and video-call capability, plus an array of buttons and functions that might beguile gamers who love to play longer and more intensely.

Despite from being one of the leaders in gaming hardware, Nintendo has not been able to win users from its rivals like Microsoft and Sony. Its earlier introduction of 3DS handheld device was a disappointment that marred its user base.

However, gaming executive now hope that the new Wii U will bring a change to the scenario grabbing a considerable amount of market in the $65 billion video games industry.

The new console, which is still under development, is likely to enter the market between April and December 2012. Although, nothing has been announced regarding the price, speculations have been made that its price could touch $299, or about the same as an Xbox twinned with a Kinect motion-sensing system.

Key Features

To begin with, Wii U is the first Nintendo device to support high-definition graphics. It will sport a microprocessor or brain from International Business Machines and graphics processors from Advanced Micro Devices.

Its 6.2-inch touchscreen works like a second display. Now, what does it mean? The touchscreen shows the same images that are on the TV screen, providing gamers with additional information.

The Wii U's controller is capable of making voice calls and it runs old Nintendo games. It also features motion-sensor capabilities and can work in combination with existing Wii controllers.

Acting as a separate gaming gadget, the device can continue running a game on the touchscreen while someone else watches TV. However, it functions only in wireless connection with a Wii U console.

No doubt that Nintendo is trying hard to woo hardcore gamers back to the fold, and with the new Wii U on the fore, there are chances that the Kyoto-based multinational corporation could change the game slate.