The lights are on
Gamers have been waiting years for Nintendo to finally release its Wii successor, and Game Informer has heard from multiple sources that the company will unveil it at E3 this summer if not sooner.
We have confirmed with multiple sources that this new home system is capable of running games at HD resolutions. There are conflicting reports, however, as to whether its graphics will be comparable to those on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 – meaning it could surpass or fall short of those systems. Either way it will offer competitive specifications. Moving to HD should greatly help Nintendo and its new console in getting more multi-platform triple-A titles like Portal 2 or Mortal Kombat. This, in turn, will strengthen Nintendo's historically poor relationship with third-party publishers/developers.
In fact, Nintendo is already showing publishers the system in an effort to get them interested and allow them plenty of time to start developing titles in anticipation of the system's reported late 2012 launch. This advance support marks a change from when the Wii launched. At that time, several Western publishers were outright surprised by the announcement, and it affected the software support for the platform.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata himself acknowledged that it needs to do a better job with its publishing partners at a 3DS press conference in the fall of 2010. "We need to decrease the concern that only Nintendo software can sell well on Nintendo platforms and third-party software cannot sell in the same volume. We feel a need to have closer ties with our third-party developers from the beginning."
"Nintendo is doing this one right," said an anonymous source. "[It's] not a gimmick like the Wii." What else, beyond graphics, this may imply about the system is unknown. What kind of controls the system will support (we imagine a need for both classic analog configurations and motion controllers) or what level of software and infrastructure Nintendo will provide for online gaming is also unknown. However, it's a positive sign that the system might be more than just an HD Wii.
We've heard about an HD Wii for some time now, and the time is perfect – almost necessary – for Nintendo to jump start itself with this new system. The company has been feeling the bite since Wii sales have declined from previous years, and this week's news that Nintendo could be dropping the price of the Wii on May 15 could be a precursor to this announcement and an attempt to move as many Wii units as possible out of the retail channel before the new system hits.
We do not have confirmation if this new system will be backward compatible with the Wii or if it will even carry the Wii branding as has often been rumored. It is our understanding that Nintendo is trying to embrace the western gamer and will likely launch a new brand with this console. Around the office we have dubbed the system Nintendo HD. However, this information at this point is conjecture.
We contacted a Nintendo representative regarding this information, and they would only say that "Nintendo does not comment on rumors or speculation."
Either way, it should be an exciting E3 for Nintendo and gamers alike.
For more on the rumors surrounding the new Nintendo system, check up our roundup of all the talk, as well as what some industry analysts have to say on the matter.
Email the author Matthew Kato, or follow on Twitter, and Game Informer.
sweet. I'm not sure if I'll get it when it comes out, but great for Nintendo.
The IGN article said that it would be backwards compatible and that the graphics were supposed to surpass the 360 and PS3. I guess we'll just have to wait and see
FINALLY omg i cant wait so many good nintendo titles
Hmm, thinking of the nostalgic Nintendo hits getting the justice they deserve..Like a pokemon game NOT on a handheld device. Or a pokemon MMO....*drools*
Could this be a second Game Cube? I speak up that the Game Cube was an awesome console. But will Nintendo be able to focus on fun game play instead of something new to mess up their games?
I bet Legend pf Zelda: Skyward Sword will be delayed if this is true, just like Twilight Princess was with the Wii.
I bet Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be delayed if this is true, just like Twilight Princess was with the Wii.
So Nintendo made the first move. Wonder when Microsoft and Sony will follow.
This sounds awesome, but I believe they will have to still rely on Motion Control on some point if they still want those casual players to get their brand new system. HD is great and all, but they are still going to need the games from both themselves and the third-party developers. Hope Nintendo does have this new console (if it exist) like around 2012. Seems that Sony and Microsoft will do the same as well.
nice
I dont think this will start anything. Its just an attempt by Nintendo to catch up to the pack of next gen consoles.
The "anonymous source" is what's intriguing here. The fact they called the Wii's motion controller a gimmick says to me that they haven't yet made a Nintendo game - so it's very likely a studio like, say, Epic saying this stuff. I don't know how I feel about that. I mean, on the one hand, it's about *** time Nintendo got some of the world's most talented studios onboard with their hardware. On the other hand, guys like that - if they're calling motion controls a gimmick at this point, 5-6 years after debuting, than they likely suck. And have nothing original to bring to the table. On the other hand, Nintendo desperately needs a new console anyway. But wtf does this do to their console cycle? When MS and Sony reveal THEIR next consoles, won't Nintendo have to upgrade again? Are they going to end up making twice as many consoles as their competitors from here on out, since Microsoft and Sony want 10-year console cycles?
This is going to be an interesting e3.
So, we really don't know anything. I mean, HD is a given at this point. At least half the US population has an HD tv by now if not more... I think.
It'd be nice to get 3rd parties interested in a Nintendo console again--something that's been lacking since the SNES was replaced by the N64. And I really, really hope there's some backwards compatibility so that I can just migrate all my GameCube, Wii, Virtual Console, and WiiWare things. But if not I can just keep the little white box hanging around somewhere.
I loves me some Nintendo news.
I'm would not mind an HD Nintendo console at all.
I doubt it. An Wii HD means nothing but ports. Nothing will change from this, The HD novity will ware off, and fanboys will still bash the Wii. All this gamer cry will be in vain.