14 DAY TRIAL // Video game hardware creator Nintendo says that the range at which the GamePad of the upcoming Wii U home console will be able to connect with the console will be decided by the actual layout of a player’s house and might vary a lot depending on the situation.
Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo, talks about the rage issue in a Iwata Asks segment, saying, “Differences will arise depending on whether you live in a house made of wood or an apartment of reinforced concrete, and what materials the walls are made out of.”
“Since the Wii U sends radio waves to the GamePad, these waves can be affected if they have to pass through certain materials (like steel or water),” he explains.
Tat Iwamoto, one of the original designers of the Wii U, says that one of the biggest mistakes players can make is to put the console in a television stand made of metal.
He states, “Radio waves weaken by the square of the distance, so even within the same space, too much distance could make them weaker, and having obstacles in between would be a disadvantage.”
Another representative from Nintendo, Bill Trinen, has recently said that the range is about 8 meters if the player is looking for the best possible performance.
Toru Yamashita also reveals that he was able to get the GamePad to work through the wall separating his living room from his bathroom.
Mileage might vary considering that Japanese living spaces tend to be smaller than the average ones in the United States and in Europe.
The GamePad is a new touchscreen-enabled controller that allows any developer to enhance the game experience he offers to fans.
The Wii U will be out in North America on November 18, December 8 in Japan and November 30 in Europe.