Miyamoto: Wii U focus on second screen

Nintendo has a plan to boost the Wii U's flagging momentum at retail, and it starts with showing off just what the system can do. Speaking to Polygon, Nintendo icon Shigeru Miyamoto said Nintendo can do more for the system in terms of added features, a solid software lineup, and demonstrating the value of the system's second-screen controller, the GamePad.

"We're really focused on delivering content that takes advantage of that GamePad interaction and makes that second screen something that's very meaningful and so that's where we need to put our focus," he said. "So we're going to continue in the coming months to enhance the system, develop the system, and then also put our primary focus on developing strong content to make the Wii U a very appealing piece of hardware that I think when we get a couple years down the road it's going to seem very natural for people that Wii U is the system that they would have connected to their living room television."

Miyamoto said that players can expect some improvements to the system this summer. Nintendo has previously pledged to release system updates in the spring and summer to cut down on loading times, but that apparently won't be all. Miyamoto suggested that Nintendo would unveil the first use of the GamePad's near-field communications abilities this year.

However, other anticipated features are further out on the calendar. Miyamoto said the company was developing games that would support two GamePads, but that the timing wasn't right to bring those to market soon. As for cross-play using a 3DS, the designer merely said Nintendo is exploring the different ways it could leverage communications between the 3DS and the Wii U.