Nintendo New Hardware Rumors (2010)

[NayusDante]

Miyamoto has let it slip that new hardware is in development. While this could mean nothing, they are in a very interesting market position. The Wii has been a runaway success with the casual crowd, but only done well here and there with traditional gaming. Has anyone considered the possibility that they may continue supporting the Wii as-is, while launching a second console aimed squarely at the "hardcore" crowd, as in NOT a Wii2? They really don't have a competing product to the PS3 and 360 right now, but it would seem that they've had enough success to back two consoles at once. Thoughts?

[BHvrd]

Man people have hacked the hell out of the Wii and i'm sure this is what is driving them for a new or redesign more than anything. Wii is a hit and I see no reason to change the formula much, slightly improved visuals and HD while staying in the Ninetendo style and not going "realistic" and Dolby Digital for gods sake!~

It would also be really cool if they somehow incorporated DS docking stations on the unit and started making more cross breed games that you can play at home or take with you in some form or another. A GOOD Pokemon game like this could really get attention.

It wouldn't take much to get me back on-board with Nintendo.... OHHHHHH and for fucks sake get rid of friends codes!!! Seriously friends codes need to fuck off.

[Oobgarm]

Nintendo will not cater to a hardcore demographic with a console. There's too much money to be made otherwise. They've successfully ensnared the "casual" group, so it would make more sense to continue serving them.

[jb143]

But will the "casual group" entertain the concept of shelling out even more money when their original Wii plays just fine? It's like hardcore PC gamers updating hardware everytime a new game comes out while casual game developers need to make sure their games run well on PC's several years old. The casual gamer just can't justify spending that much on new hardware all the time.

I doubt that Nintendo is going hardcore, I just don't think only catering to casual will work too well. A middle ground approach.

[chrisbid]

the 'hardcore' market is dying a slow death, why would nintendo want to enter that mess?

[TonyTheTiger]

The Wii has been a runaway success with the casual crowd, but only done well here and there with traditional gaming.

I think this is pretty untrue. It's accurate in the sense that the Wii isn't much of a haven for third party games but, then again, neither were the GCN or N64. The Wii is basically the same thing. The best games are mostly Nintendo's own, there are a few really good third party games, and that's it. But the good games are REALLY fucking good. The only thing the Wii has beyond that is a sea of shovelware to wade through. I think the "hardcore market" people talk about is a misnomer. Otherwise we would have been hearing the same thing back in the N64 days. What "hardcore market" really means I think is "super high budget games."

I don't think another serious attempt at a console is coming for a while. People would scoff at the idea of spending another $300 for a Wii 2 at the moment. Plus there's the issue of competing with yourself. Having two machines out there, each vying for the same dollar, is lunacy.

[Swamperon]

Nintendo have stated numerous times that work begins on the next console as soon as the current one is released. There is always new hardware in development and I imagine it's pretty much the same with Sony and Microsoft. This is not news.

[NayusDante]

I'm curious that you mentioned Dolby Digital... I haven't looked at the pinout for the AV connector, but as far as I know, all we get for audio on the Wii is RCA stereo jacks, which can do Dolby Pro Logic. Could they do a software update to enable those as digital coax?

[buzz_n64]

An updated Wii will most likely come out the door soon, maybe Christmas 2011 we might see something, or 2012, but no sooner than that. Wii systems are still selling out, and the price isn't even below the $200 mark yet.

[Robocop2]

We still haven't had the flood of multiple different color wii's so I say we're still a ways off from an entirely new console plus the fact that Big N likes to milk a profitable console as much as they can.

[Oobgarm]

Wii systems are still selling out, and the price isn't even below the $200 mark yet.

They've been $199.99 for months now.

[kedawa]

That's not really below $200.

[NayusDante]

I don't think that price matters at this point, because it seems obvious that the Wii is going to get longterm support. People are going to see the Wii to games as VCRs were to movies, and DVD is a long way off. It seems likely that Sony and Microsoft will have new consoles in the next few years, but the Wii seems firmly in place. If the Wii is $200 now, three and a half years into its life, then I can see it surpassing the PS2 in terms of long-term sales and marketshare.

I think we can narrow down the possibilities to four potential SKUs...

1. Wii HD - Upscales, plays DVDs, integrated NetFlix, etc
2. Wii 2 - See: Reaction to Atari 5200, Video Game Crash of '84
3. Next-Gen Nintendo Console - Supported alongside the Wii (or Wii HD), competitive hardware
4. Nintendo R&D is just playing with prototypes

The best situation for US would be the third one, and I honestly think that's the best path to follow, from a business standpoint. The Wii could go another year without a price drop, and I can see it staying $99 for years to come.

[Graham Mitchell]

I don't think another serious attempt at a console is coming for a while. People would scoff at the idea of spending another $300 for a Wii 2 at the moment. Plus there's the issue of competing with yourself. Having two machines out there, each vying for the same dollar, is lunacy.

This. In the mid to late 90s, there was a time where sega had the genesis, sega cd, 32x, and saturn all on the market simulataneously. They all came out within 2 years of each other, and I think consumers got confused over what to buy in order to get the highest quality games. (In fact, at that time, the simple old genesis was probably getting the best software still. And the snes games coming out were still more impressive than the games coming out for these expensive toys.) I think that was probably harmful to segas competitiveness in the long run.

Personally, I really hope we don't see any new consoles from anyone for a long time. 10 year+ market cycles would be fine with me. Wii excluded, the current gen machines are insanely expensive to get working in their full capacity. (Or, at least they were when I bought them) With all the cables, cords controllers, and other hidden charges, my xbox360 cost me $600 and my ps3 cost me $700. I got them both after they had been on the market for two years, and they were still that costly. At these prices, we are not dealing with a simple toy. These are investments at this point, and 5 years of use wouldn't be enough for me to feel like I got my money's worth.

And just think how much more the next gen machines are going to cost...!

[The 1 2 P]

That's not really below $200.

Unless you live in a tax free state.

I think it's interesting that we've heard more rumors about new Nintendo hardware in the last two years than we've heard about new Sony or Microsoft developed systems. The Wii has been so successful that theres really no need for a new system yet. But I suppose that same arguement could have been made for every one of their handheld systems(except the Micro) starting with the original Gameboy.

My Wii doesn't get nearly as much playtime as my 360 and thats because so few of the games interest me anymore. The Wii gets about 2-5 games a year I'm interested in where as the other systems get 15-30. A new system at this point wouldn't interest me and I seriously doubt Nintendo wants to compete with themselves. The only real possibility I see is them releasing an updated version of the Wii. The Wii2, however, is still several years away.

[j_factor]

PSX was extremely popular, but Sony still didn't hesitate to release the PS2 five years later. I don't think the Wii's popularity necessarily has a huge effect on the timing of their next console. It probably does mean, however, that the Wii will continue to be supported for quite a while after its successor is out (much like PS2). I would expect to see Nintendo's next console in late 2011, with the Wii sticking around for another couple years.

Miyamoto's comment might just as easily have been referring to a new portable. There was that news not long ago about Nintendo securing a CPU deal.

[NayusDante]

Yeah, the rumor goes that Nintendo is building a portable around Tegra 2. I actually don't like that, because a ton of devices are going to use that same chip. There won't be anything to make it distinct from a Tegra-based phone, or the next Zune. It'll be easier to cross-develop, but it's still debateable whether that's a good thing or not.

[swlovinist]

Yeah, the rumor goes that Nintendo is building a portable around Tegra 2. I actually don't like that, because a ton of devices are going to use that same chip. There won't be anything to make it distinct from a Tegra-based phone, or the next Zune. It'll be easier to cross-develop, but it's still debateable whether that's a good thing or not.

This makes me happy due to Nintendo having decent technology and a powerful portable. They will get the ports of other portables, and have their own franchises to add to the mix. Win Win.

[BHvrd]

Yeah, the rumor goes that Nintendo is building a portable around Tegra 2. I actually don't like that, because a ton of devices are going to use that same chip. There won't be anything to make it distinct from a Tegra-based phone, or the next Zune. It'll be easier to cross-develop, but it's still debateable whether that's a good thing or not.

Oh GAWD, as if they haven't revised the DS enough to the point of absurdity. Seriously all the things Nintendo could focus on and lame ass add-ons and peripherals is still the same crutch they lean on after all these years.

If history proves anything Nintendo has always been an innovator in gameplay and software but hardware has never been their forte and more times than not has proven disastrous.

Another handheld is not what they need at this point.

[ShinobiMan]

I'm done with Nintendo. They would have to release one hell of a hardcore gamer's console before I jumped back on their wagon. The Wii's output of shitty games is almost unforgivable.

[gamedude45]

I'm done with Nintendo. They would have to release one hell of a hardcore gamer's console before I jumped back on their wagon. The Wii's output of shitty games is almost unforgivable.

I don't know why everyone hates the Wii so much. Everyone should have know from past experiance (the N64 and Gamecube) that the Wii wouldn't have alot of third party support.

So basically if you like first party Nintendo games get a Wii if you don't avoid it like the plague and to be fair the Wii has some decent third party games to such as No More Heros 1&2, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, The House of the Dead: Overkill and Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles & The Darkside Chronicles

it's a good system if you avoid the "shitty games" and their pretty easy to avoid considering how obvious those games are.

I don' know what you have against the DS but since your "done with Nintendo" you must have something against it.

Finally to end this mini rant what is the definition of a "hardcore game" anyway? Cause i don't know.

End rant

Back on topic i don't see Nintendo releasing a new console any time soon i think they'll probably update the Wii hardware for HD tv's.

[Zap!]

I'm done with Nintendo. They would have to release one hell of a hardcore gamer's console before I jumped back on their wagon. The Wii's output of shitty games is almost unforgivable.

But their first party games are some of the best the world has ever known, so it balances itself out.

[j_factor]

The Wii is my preferred system this gen and I'm not a huge fan of Nintendo's games. *shrug*

[DuckTalesNES]

I don't know why everyone hates the Wii so much. Everyone should have know from past experiance (the N64 and Gamecube) that the Wii wouldn't have alot of third party support.

So basically if you like first party Nintendo games get a Wii if you don't avoid it like the plague and to be fair the Wii has some decent third party games to such as No More Heros 1&2, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, The House of the Dead: Overkill and Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles & The Darkside Chronicles

Except that their first party games used to be INCREDIBLE and now they're pretty mediocre. Zelda 64, Mario 64, Goldeneye were OUTSTANDING games and the best in the whole market and were better than anything we'd seen before. Nowadays their best first party game is Smash Bros., but other than that what are their huge first party games that are so good?? Nintendo made their name by having superior games to the other systems, and with their exclusive licenses they should be doing better.

As a disclaimer, I own a Wii as well. I'm moderately happy about it, but wishes that Nintendo could return to their form back when the N64 was out.

[Zap!]

Except that their first party games used to be INCREDIBLE and now they're pretty mediocre. Zelda 64, Mario 64, Goldeneye were OUTSTANDING games and the best in the whole market and were better than anything we'd seen before. Nowadays their best first party game is Smash Bros., but other than that what are their huge first party games that are so good?? Nintendo made their name by having superior games to the other systems, and with their exclusive licenses they should be doing better.

As a disclaimer, I own a Wii as well. I'm moderately happy about it, but wishes that Nintendo could return to their form back when the N64 was out.

Goldeneye wasn't first party. Smash Brothers is fun, but far from their best first party Wii game. Zelda: Twilight Princess (and it's a launch game), Super Mario Galaxy, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii are the furthest thing in the world from "pretty mediocre" as you put it. All three are level 9 or 10 games. How about Metroid Prime 3? Wii Sports resort? Punch-Out!! Wii?