The NZA Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Really, this kind of talk is inevitable. Conjecture's already flying about the concept, here's one pool of sources: Report: Wii HD "Set for 2011" Citing "multiple sources in the game industry" veteran games journalist John Davison has filed a report on a new Wii, set to launch in 2011. Posted at WhatTheyPlay, the story says that Nintendo is currently "showing early presentations of its next home console hardware" . It's going under the name Wii HD, suggesting a significant graphical overhaul. Davison admits details are sketchy but says his sources are pointing towards "a greater emphasis on digitally distributed and backwardly compatible content". Nintendo will once again focus on innovating the console's controller. Davison, who is extremely well connected and respected in the game industry, points towards surging R&D costs at Nintendo as supporting evidence of his story. New Wii due by 2011By John - September 30, 2008 What They Play has heard from multiple sources in the game development and publishing community that Nintendo is currently showing early presentations of its next home console hardware. Apparently set to hit the market “by 2011” the new device is said to be the true “next generation” Nintendo console, and far more than a simple refresh of the current hardware. Unlike previous console transitions from Nintendo, the new system will be presented as a true successor to the Wii, and is being dubbed by those that have seen the presentation as “Wii HD.” There is no indication if this will be its eventual name, but the nature of the transition has been characterized as similar to “the shift from Game Boy to Game Boy Advance,” where familiar, key elements were left intact while the core hardware was made more powerful. It is expected by all those that we have spoken to on the subject that the new device will retain the Wii name in part. While our sources are reluctant to be too specific about “Wii HD,” they have been able to divulge some (albeit predictable) generalizations. High definition visuals are assured, as is a greater emphasis on digitally distributed and backwardly compatible content, indicating that the new system will feature some form of local storage medium such as a hard drive or large flash memory solution. It has also been indicated that Nintendo’s emphasis is again on what the consumer will hold in their hands and interact with, rather than the “console” itself. Nintendo has proven it can be extremely successful by leveraging processor technology that is not on the bleeding edge, and be more profitable and more innovative as a result. In a 2006 interview with Business Week, Nintendo visionary Shigeru Miyamoto stated, “The consensus [at Nintendo] was that power isn't everything for a console. Too many powerful consoles can't coexist. It's like having only ferocious dinosaurs. They might fight and hasten their own extinction.” Based on our conversations about “Wii HD” this attitude would seem to still prevail. But why should you believe this? Everything stated so far could easily have been the result of educated guesswork or speculation. While a Nintendo representative provided the expected response that, “Nintendo does not comment on speculation or rumor,” there is additional evidence, outside this commentary, to suggest that something is going on. In 2003, Nintendo declared that $34 million was spent on R&D. This figure steadily climbed to $103 million in 2006 and the following year bumped dramatically to $370 million. Based on figures from Nintendo’s annual financial reports, the company is currently spending more than ten times as much on research and development as it was five years ago, and since the Wii was launched in 2006, R&D spending has more than tripled. While this could be attributed to any number of additional projects, the level of spending suggests that a large project is in the works. In 2003, Nintendo declared that $34 million was spent on R&D. This figure steadily climbed to $103 million in 2006 (the year that the Wii launched) and the following year bumped dramatically to $370 million. When asked to explain the escalated spending, Nintendo representatives were unable to provide comment. The current Wii hardware is based upon processors and graphics technology supplied by IBM and AMD. These two companies have a joint development agreement together, which is described by AMD as being focused “on delivering a range of integrated platforms to serve key markets, including … gaming and media computing.” The joint development agreement between IBM and AMD expires on December 31, 2011 but “may be extended further by the mutual agreement of the parties.” This suggests that Nintendo will be leveraging research and development from the partnership in time to ensure that it’s new hardware will be compatible with the Wii’s current “Hollywood” and “Broadway” processors. As Microsoft learned in the transition from Xbox to Xbox 360, switching hardware vendors can make running older games on a new system a much more difficult proposition. The dramatic bump in spending at Nintendo may also be reflective of Nintendo’s work on a rumored new DS, said to feature a camera and music player. Iterating on the DS in 2009 would certainly shake up the market, though given the incredible monthly sales of the device it hardly needs reinvigorating for the time being. When the Nintendo DS was launched in 2004, the worldwide installed base of the Game Boy Advance was 53 million (on top of the Game Boy’s incredibly huge 118 million.) So far, 80 million Nintendo DS units have been sold worldwide, and demand shows no sign of slowing. It is unlikely that any official acknowledgement of Nintendo’s new hardware will come until at least 2009, however company president Satoru Iwata will be delivering his annual fall presentation this Wednesday. I fully agree that i see Nintendo following up still using the Wii name/concept completely. I look forward to a boost in power, hopefully they dont again leave the hardware in a position to miss out on some of the generation's best games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 A new Wii? Already? SHit, with an overhauled inside will come an overhauled price. Nintendo had best stow the kiddy shit if they wanna charge more than they are now because christ knows the only reason they done well with the Wii is because it's the new disco ball, and is a cheap alternative for the people who know no better. It pisses me off a little that they're expecting people to shell out for motionplus next year when the year after that or whatever they're just gonna put out a new damned console. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 well hey now, shit says 2011, even as a projected idea, so i wouldnt say "soon". and yeah, motion plus feels like a boning but you know, i did it years back for rumble paks so i know im just gonna grin & bear it. and yeah, oughta be interesting to see nintendo beef it up and still refuse to sell it at a loss, or price themselves out of their own market, but hey, they did good with the tech in the gamecube, and shit's getting cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 I wouldn't compare motionplus & rumblepacks. Rumble enhances an experience whereas all fumbling with the wiimote aside, newer games are going to neccesitate motionplus in a Wii gaming experience. And you're right, I see a projected release and think 'those fucks!'. WHile it held 'em back last gen but not-so-much this gen, it's still a bit of a gripe to see 'em not play ball in terms of Media. The Wii's gone upstairs now and it's getting more play than it ever did down in the Fortress, but it woulda been nice to not have to buy a new dvd player as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 ...again, worth pointing out: wii's homebrew channel meant not just bootleggin' Wiiware, it meant you could make your wii play DVD's. i set it up, just havent tried it out yet, for what its worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Motherfuck... Ah well. I followed all the instructions on your tute, just stuck at the part that requires a copy of Zelda: TP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Yeah considering the Wii came out 2006, a 2011 release date puts it right in line with a standard generation length. I think when we see an image of hardware, our emotional reaction is that its right around the corner, but this is just a picture of a Wii with a superscript '2' added to the controller (and not even on the console itself, mind you). That is not what the next Wii will look like. Anyway, I agree that they've banked so much with the Wii name (and bravo for them, it was certainly a bold choice...I would have voted against it if I had been in any position within the Nintendo company to do so), that it would be foolish to abandon it now. Sony and Microsoft both seem to get the importance that the name lends to branding, as they've keep their console's name from one gen to the next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Well in keeping with that here's to hoping the Wiimote mark 2 is more ergonomic(read: Powerglove) and that more importantly, in 2016 when the Wii 3 is released, it's a cybernetic Labrador that has all the ordinance of a tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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