Resident Evil Wii will be seen in 480p, 16:9 glory
by Ross Miller 
{ Mar 28th 2007 at 8:36PM }
Speaking to IGN, Capcom's senior director of strategic planning and research Christian Svensson has confirmed that Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles for Nintendo Wii will be presented in Expanded Definition 480p progressive scan and 16:9 widescreen.The revelation shouldn't be too surprising, considering the previous iteration Resident Evil 4 was letterbox widescreen on the GameCube (and given the option for true widescreen on the PS2 version). However, true to Nintendo's focus elsewhere, the list of games that use 480p / 16:9 widescreen is currently pretty small. Though the Wii, as Nintendo presents it, is a system that prioritizes interaction over graphical proficiency, the system is at least as powerful as two GameCubes duct taped together (we kid, we kid).
We expect the graphics of the games to reflect the console's ability and would like to see those visuals in as crisp an image as possible, whether the game in question is realistic or comical in presentation. We hope Capcom's decision is just part of a larger trend of future Wii releases. It is unknown if Umbrella Chronicles, currently scheduled for a late 2007 release, will be present at Capcom's Gamers Day event April 12.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
_spike @ Mar 28th 2007 8:45PM
99.9% of gamers can't tell the difference between 480p vs. 720p/1080p anyway.
the Wii is sooo powerful, can't wait to get this game.
ValdeZ Poole @ Mar 28th 2007 8:50PM
Welcome to 2001 Nintendo.. you missed the boat.
lol
360 and PS3 get the flagship game of the franchise.. and, Wii gets.. Umbrella Chronicles .. lmfao ... ahahaha..
Most likely this will be a port of the PS2 version with waggle controls and worser graphics
LongshotX @ Mar 28th 2007 8:50PM
Great we get to see the Wii maxxed out graphics wise within this year.
Daniel @ Mar 28th 2007 8:54PM
It's on the developer's shoulders to develop in 480p.
I expect first party games to be 480p, just like the gamecube before it, but third party developers can be lazy and just aim for 480i.
I'm sure that the Wii will have only 480p-supported games as the life cycle progresses. Give it a couple of years.
Rubang B @ Mar 28th 2007 9:01PM
You mean Cooking Mama: Cook Off, Elebits, Metal Slug Anthology, Pangya Super Swing Golf, Rayman: Raving Rabbids, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, and Trauma Center: Second Opinion WEREN'T in 480p and I couldn't tell?!?!?! I was robbed!
P.S. That one Wii hater used the word "worser." That was rad.
Shadow @ Mar 28th 2007 9:07PM
ValdeZ:You've played Umbrella Chronicles? That's amazing! Why don't you tell us how it was? It's obviously not as good as RE5 according to what you've said, but still, let us in on some details! Then after that let us know how RE5 was.
Also, it seems we have exlusive news from ValdeZ that Umbrella Chronicles will also come out on the PS2. You heard it here first on Joystiq!
ValdeZ Poole @ Mar 28th 2007 9:11PM
If you kant tell the difference between 480p and 480i ... then you need a new TV, asap.
Seriously, you kant tell the diff? What aboot watching progressive scan DVDs and non-progressive? Huge difference... it just is, dont try to rationalise it.
And, yes, Umbrella Chronicles will ship for PS2.. Capcom aint gonna let 1+ million sales slip through their fingers and esp. considering that RE4 GC was outsold by Mario Party 4... lol..
OmegaBlaster @ Mar 28th 2007 9:15PM
"Most likely this will be a port of the PS2 version with waggle controls and worser graphics"
Yeah exactly. They'll just port the PS2 version of RE4 instead of enhancing the better GameCube version. I'm glad you know.
Either you made a poor or misinformed attempt at trolling or an even worse attempt at sarcasm.
JonnyBoy2U @ Mar 30th 2007 10:55AM
Umm yeah its possible that RE5 is coming to the Wii to. RE4 did amazing on the Gamecube and Capcom is not that stupid to not realize the potential money it could make on the Wii. I'd buy RE5 as soon as it came out if it were on the Wii. I can't wait until piece of sh*t 3 loses yet another exclusive (GTA or FF). Then we'll see all hell break loose.
Rubang B @ Mar 28th 2007 9:23PM
I played all those games on a widescreen HDTV with component cables. I was too busy playing awesome fun video games and having a blast to count the pixels and see if each frame consisted of 1 or 2 fields. I really really really don't care about graphics. I still play roguelikes 'cuz I'm so hardcore and radical. I'm also a badass.
Yoshi Likes Boys @ Mar 28th 2007 9:23PM
Who let the retards in?
Rubang B @ Mar 28th 2007 9:25PM
:: ♫ Who, who who ♫ ::
Anonymous @ Mar 28th 2007 9:27PM
I just added Elebits to that Wikipedia list. It had 480p and widescreen.
Shadow @ Mar 28th 2007 9:27PM
So according to your logic, Mr. ValdeZ, every 3rd part who makes a game on the Wii will also release it on the PS2 for the sake of sales. So why then am I not playing Elebits on the PS2 or even Sonic and the Secret Rings? I want my Red Steel on PS2!
And some people can't see the difference between 480i/480p. I have friends that I've tried to show them the difference and they can hardly notice. Even less people can notice, or at least appreciate, 720 and up. In fact you need a really great TV to fully appreciate the higher resolutions, which is a fact I realized at GDC while playing Gears of War on some REALLY nice HDTVs. So I don't know what kind of money you seem to be raking in, but not everyone can afford to throw down a couple thousand dollars just for a new TV.
Finn @ Mar 28th 2007 9:47PM
Trauma Center -480p no widescreen
Rayman: Raving Rabbids has widescreen
to tell you the truth I think games with 480p are in the majority
SnesR0X @ Apr 11th 2007 8:54PM
a lot of dicks on this thing, anyway i want this game almost as much as i want re5, which i will be getting on my 360. Chance of this going to ps2, slim to none.
Eric @ Mar 28th 2007 10:14PM
_spike:
So 99.99% of gamers are fucking blind as bats?
dark @ Mar 28th 2007 10:13PM
@11
lol, you copying me now, thats coo.
chonguey @ Mar 29th 2007 12:03AM
It's obvious most Joystiqers have no real concept about how software programs, specifically 3D programs interact with the acceleration hardware. If you did, you might actually understand why the xBox360's/PS3's 1080p resolutions actually pose more of a problem to those respective machines rather than the 480p limit of the Wii.
Simply put,(all other things being equal) for a game to run at a reasonable frame rate at 1080p you have to have all the uber-expensive hardware (comparatively speaking) of the PS3/xBox360 class machines. A 1080p frame requires roughly 4 times the gross computational resources (variable amounts of RAM for textures, available pixel pipelines, clock cycles per second, etc). Have a PS3 on a TV that runs at lower resolution than that? 780p/1080i or 480p/i? Too bad. You had to pay top dollar for a machine that by its very nature has to waste your resources/money for a 10% market segment. And if you have a 1080p TV? Congrats. You're rich. It just doesn't make the game any more fun or intrinsically better simply because it's shiny.
Since the Wii has a 480p cap, a similarly-looking scene can theoretically be rendered with a fraction of the demand for available computational resources. That's why with a ceiling of a resolution of 480p, Nintendo didn't have to sell a console 2-3 times the cost of all traditional console price points while from a programatic sense be capable of producing a very similar looking scene. That 1080p resolution some gamers think they need is a high price to pay (both figuratively and literally.)
Cheaper console, cheaper games, potentially BETTER games due to lowered dev costs. Nintendo wins, the consumer wins. The only people who can't understand why this is a good thing are dumb Joystiq dorks who play video games, can write a Hello World style app in VB thinking it somehow makes them hardware/software experts.
Plus there is that whole cool controller thing too.
Rubang B @ Mar 28th 2007 10:29PM
I totally copied and pasted your music note from the other blog. I rock the backup vocals.
Ken Seang @ Mar 28th 2007 10:35PM
Joystiq can you please stop with the two duct tape comment on every Wii news, its getting really old... Anyways, I would like to see this enhance version of the RE4 engine and why aren't a lot of company using its engine? I know royalties would be pay towards Capcom, but I think they need the money since they can barely afford to get themselves in that so-called prestige video game awards...
Crazylink @ Mar 28th 2007 10:43PM
I think I need to borrow somesone's ED/HDTV.
Emperor Samoth @ Mar 28th 2007 10:53PM
Wasn't almost every Xbox game at least 480p? With some Xbox games going all the way up to 720p and 1080i, why do Nintendo fan-babies get all upset at argument of the two gamecubes duct taped together? It's 1.5 gamecubes (the .5 being the widescreen support) squished and soldered together, thank you very much.
Steve 3.2 @ Mar 28th 2007 10:55PM
Many older TVs (mine included) do not have component input, so I can't get get 480P. And I'm not buying a new TV for a Wii or any other system. (I use S-Video for my GC, PS2, Xbox, and DVD Player.)
That being said, there's very little excuse for developers to not support both 480P and widescreen. Hopefully announcements like this will cease to be news worthy as all Wii games come to support both features.
Shadow @ Mar 28th 2007 11:04PM
Wow, just wow. Emperor, while I know the Wii is in form a powerhouse, you greatly underestimate it. First of all according to what you're saying the Wii is just a Gamecube with Widescreen support. The first problem with this is that the Wii has a definate graphics increase over the Gamecube. If you want proof of this look at Super Mario Galaxy, or even Twilight Princess if you want a direct comparison. While the two Twilight Princess games are very similar, there are some definate improvements in the Wii version.
Secondly, you do know that the Gamecube is fully capable of widescreen, right? Feel free to come back and call me a Wii fanboy, as defending the graphical capabilities of the Wii seems to get people called that a lot around here. Just realize how horribly wrong your statement is.
dark @ Mar 28th 2007 11:05PM
Rock on Rubang.......Rock on!
dark @ Mar 28th 2007 11:18PM
Just so you know. Hold down Alt and press 1 and 4 then release the Alt key and you will get ♫. What can I say, I'm a ♀genius♀ ☺
MG Midget @ Mar 29th 2007 12:32AM
That would be Resident Wiivil wouldn't it?
Saturn2888 @ Mar 29th 2007 1:29AM
Just PLEASE drop the duct taped crap... It was over after GDC.
Biphster @ Mar 29th 2007 2:35AM
Do Wii owners care? if they do then they need to think about buying a PS3 or an Xbox 360 if screen imagery bothers them.
The Wii isn't meant to be portrayed like this, its ridiculous. I mean really, so what if it can do 480p? So can the PS2, so can the Xbox, so can the GC, even a crappy $50 DVD player can. Its nothing special and just highlights the fact that Wii is underpowered. Is that the point of the article? If so.. dumbness.
And folks saying there isn't much difference between 480p to 720p and even 1080p... HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!! I get it now, thats why Nintendo never bothered with hi Def! HAHAHAHAAAA!! The Wii is doing well for itself but don't go kidding yourselves, it certainly DOES have alot of shortcomings which will gradually creep up on it once the hype settles.
BPM @ Mar 29th 2007 3:39AM
I like the duct tape jokes. It's really the only Wii meme that's been funny.
Rubang B @ Mar 29th 2007 4:32AM
Besides, it's more like 3 GameCubes, a NES, a SNES, a Nintendo 64, a Genesis, a TurboGrafx-16, a light gun, and a Power Glove all got duct taped together.
Imagine if Wario Ware had a minigame where you duct taped GCs together. That would be the awesome.
Xenhas @ Mar 29th 2007 5:30AM
to shadow... i own a wii.. its graphics so far are garbage for the most part. a couple exceptions... im really disappointed cuz i know it can do better but every game looks like crap... Twilight Princess an exception. If you have seen 1080p you can instantly tell its WAYYYYYY better than 480i/p.. Don't defend Wii's graphical side.. Nintendo blatently admited they don't care and if you're playing it, neither should you. I have a Wii and 360.. getting a PS3 in the summer. The later 2 have FARRRR superior framerate, graphics and resolution as well as processing power.. there's no point in argueing. Just face the fact that every console has its flaws compared to the others and in this case the wii has graphics (games are fun as hell though in my opinion).
Why doesn't everyone just quit arguing and go play the systems they love so much?
Tufas @ Mar 29th 2007 5:44AM
480p is what europe has since the 80's
Not HD at all. I mean, it will still look like
C - R - A - P
Wii = plastic
Tufas @ Mar 29th 2007 5:55AM
And yes - graphically speaking. the Wii is a Gamecube with added 16:9 support
Rogue Trooper and Starfox Adventures and Mario Sunshine, and of course, Resident Evil 4 - still look better than ANYTHING on this plastic oax
Two years from now, noone will give a rat's rear bottom for this - and its overpriced
BDB @ Mar 29th 2007 6:39AM
I hate it when people like Biphster, chonguey and many others, come into a fourm and try to act like know at alls. For gods sake people its a video game your life does not depend on it but yet u guys fight like little girls.
@topic
Cool. The Wii is still surprising us.
PS. I am a Wiifanboy and I'm proud to say it since the wii is kickin the competitors asses and it doesn't even have half the components of the 360 and the PS3.
Lou D @ Mar 29th 2007 7:20AM
The 480p limitation is a software/dev kit limitation, not a hardware one. Even the GC has a 2MB frame buffer and used the ultra fast main memory for double and triple buffering. It's still not known if the Wii has a bigger one, but the GC could do 720p, just no one actually programmed for it.
The Wii's design puts the original 24MB of memory on the same die as the gpu for even faster access and gives the cpu 64 MB of GDDR3 memory.
In the end, a simple firmware update is all that is required to allow a 720p mode in the Wii's setting menu. The Opera browser is already rendering pages in 1024x600 according to webrequests.
Even a simple 540p option would make the Wii look great on a 1080p TV just because of the ease of scaling built into TVs.
meist3r @ Mar 29th 2007 7:54AM
In the end, after all hardware mumbo-jumbo and Fanboydom aside it comes down to this:
If you're a student like me (or someone with equally little money) you will go for the "lo-res" console (still fills my screen with enjoyable games though) because everything else is just unreasonable. An HDTV here in germany in a decent size (~25") is about 1500 bucks upward thus far from affordable. A comparably big CRT on the other hand comes in at about 300 bucks something even I could manage. It would take me years to save 1500 euros to buy an HDTV and if I hadn't got a Wii for Christmas I'd still be playing plain ol' Xbox1. So people who own Xbox360 or PS3 are either filthy rich because they could buy both (HDTV + PS3 + Games = 2 Grand -sheesh) or unbelievable impatient (I'll spend a lot of money for graphics power that my TV can't handle just because I want it NOW).
If you have an HD-TV -> Go buy an HD console
If you have no HD-TV -> Go buy an SD console
Anyway stop complaining about other peoples gear (not gears) just because you are in a better (or worser ;D) situation.
peace from Wagglevania
Prophecy @ Mar 29th 2007 9:32AM
You know I haven't commented on Joystiq in a while and now I see why the blanted fanboy thing is old all of you who hate a system because it only show in 480p need to get a life and stop living in your mom basement, who gives a fuck if Nintendo can't show 720 or even 1080 because their sale show 6million in 4months, I would care about it then.
Sony: 2.8mil in 4months (including Europe)
Nintendo: 6.5mil in 4 months
Microsoft: 9.77mil in 16months
Quit being a fanboy cause your losing! As a matter of fact your not losing sony is!
Prophecy @ Mar 29th 2007 9:33AM
My fault Nintendo is at 6.25mil
DrXym @ Mar 29th 2007 10:02AM
Wow 480p. That's really, really cutting edge.
Galley @ Mar 29th 2007 10:41AM
Only a handful of games support 480P and/or widescreen? What is this, 1999?
wait in the car @ Mar 29th 2007 11:14AM
Hey, look at all these great Resident Evil comments....
...oh, wait... Nope! Just a bunch of whiny babies.
Isn't it obvious by now that no one is going to be able to change anyone else's opinion on their console of choice by spewing tech specs? Just shut up and play already. Love your console, and let me love mine.
Slaziman @ Mar 29th 2007 12:09PM
I think many are confusing 480i vs 480p with Composite vs. Component, it's not the progressive scan that makes the massive difference, it's the way component works. I've yet to see a 480i vs 480p comparison when both are on component though, mainly because I live in Europe where only HD-ready TV's have component inputs, the "old" tv's only have SCART and RGB SCART (RGB SCART being similar to component, sans the progressive scan)
Zamfir @ Mar 29th 2007 12:19PM
I don't think you can call 480p @ 16:9 "glorious", but that's just what I think.
RUSKULL @ Mar 29th 2007 10:00PM
#42
it IS progressive that makes all the difference, only you can only see it using component cables. Running interlace using component looks like crap by comparison.
Mr Khan @ Mar 29th 2007 4:21PM
Those who stated the Wii is physically capable of at least 720p, they're right
Wii > Xbox, and Xbox could pull it off, it's only Nintendo limiting the hardware (if you look at the numbers, it is definitely strong enough to render that many pixels)
Maybe that's Nintendo's trump card to extend Wii's lifespan, give devs 720p capability in 2009...
But really i think this is a pointless article, it can be presumed that all top-tier Wii games will be in 480p, 16:9. All top-tier GC games ran with component output, too.
moreslavery @ Mar 31st 2007 11:17PM
OMG 480p?!
Mr. Ambrosia @ Apr 13th 2007 7:32PM
I heard this game is on rails, so it will be more like the HotD series... I'm still going to by this, though. This and the Wii port of RE4. And like JonnyBoy2U said, I hope RE5 comes to wii, even if the graphics are made less detailed in order to run smoothely. I'd buy that in a heartbeat. I pity anyone who thinks that good graphics = good game. It just doesn't work that way.
oh and damn you Square Enix, make a real Final Fantasy for Wii!