As a result, Nintendo has been steadily clarifying details on their system as well as discussing a lot of “possibilities” - further corroborating the position that the Wii U reveal was more of a “proof of concept” unveiling - not a fully-formed announcement. That said, whether or not the Wii U made a strong debut at E3 - there’s no doubt that Nintendo has successfully kept the console on the front page of video game news blogs around the internet, with one Wii U detail after another.

Despite the lackluster response from hardcore gamers, and a somewhat wishy-washy sense of what kind of game experiences we’ll actually see at launch, Nintendo of America president and chief operating officer, Reggie Fils-Aime believes the Wii U is definitely poised for success - even after the heavy Wii market-saturation.

Speaking with Forbes Magazine, Fils-Aime asserted that not only does the console offer a “new gameplay experience” - Nintendo doesn’t anticipate the Wii U will be “a difficult sell,” even with the Wii still on the market.

That said, don’t expect everything on the big screen to seamlessly translate to the Wii U controller. When asked whether or not Netflix (or other media) could be streamed to the Wii U handheld, Fils-Aime landed back on the less-clear company line that dominated the E3 press conference:

Based on Fils-Aime’s example regarding transferring a game to the Wii U controller (when his wife wants to watch something else on the big screen) and combined with the uncertainty for Netflix streaming, it’s becoming increasingly clear that, aside from games, Nintendo isn’t intending on streaming a lot of media-heavy content to the device (especially since the console won’t play Blu-rays or DVDs). While the controller, based on the E3 press conference trailer, will be capable of displaying YouTube videos and other limited content on the big screen, it does sound as if, when it comes to streaming content to the controller, Nintendo is open to the idea but primarily focused on gameplay - especially since the controller is receiving all of its data from the console.

For example, when the user sends a YouTube video to their big screen from the Wii U controller, they’re not actually sending the file back and forth - only telling the console where to display it - since the video was on the Wii U the entire time. In this way, the Wii U itself acts a lot like an Apple TV - i.e. a digital hub. However, unlike Apple’s devices, which each have their own individual identities, the Wii U controller is inoperable if carried into another room - or used without the console powered-on.

Similarly, while other Nintendo devices will interact with the Wii U, gamers shouldn’t expect a robust multi-peripheral experience. Speaking about Wii U/3DS interactivity, Fils-Aime once again hinted at the upcoming Super Smash Bros. cross platform title between Wii U and 3DS. However, at a recent Nintendo shareholders meeting, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata was a bit more reserved on the idea:

That said, whether or not the Wii U will be able to connect with other Nintendo peripherals or stream Netflix to the Wii U controller is, for some people, beside the point - since Nintendo is a game company. To that end, Iwata fielded a question regarding the lack of third-party support for the Wii at launch, asserting that Nintendo has learned their lesson:

Gearbox co-founder Brian Martel, is one such developer - who, speaking with IGN, praised the system as well as the utility of the second controller:

Martel’s comments also reinforce the notion that the Wii U is still in flux, without firm technical benchmarks - not to mention getting relegated as a “stop-gap” between generations. It’s hard to ignore that the Wii U, much like its predecessor, is set to rely heavily on a gimmick, the two-screen experience, rather than high-powered tech - which could, once again, pay-off big time with the casual market. However, will the consumers that made the Wii a hit feel the same itch to buy a new console from Nintendo?

With so many details up in the air, it’s still very possible that Nintendo’s focus on a new “gimmick” may not ignite their casual fans in the same way - while also putting them behind the graphics and online-play curve once again - since high-powered next generation consoles, the Xbox 720 and PS4, will likely be arriving in the next few years.

Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick and let us know what Wii U details you’re hoping to see unveiled in the next year.

Sources: Forbes, Nintendo, IGN