DP ServBot
04-01-2008, 01:19 PM
Nintendo to release R.O.B. peripheral in late 2nd quarter 2008.
Due to overwhelming fan demand, and what seemed like years of completely ignoring calls, letters, and posts on gaming message boards around the world, Nintendo will be updating what some may consider to be not only their most revolutionary piece of hardware but also what has come to be know as both Nintendo's #1 mascot and their most recognizable character to date.
Revealed at a recent "Robot Appreciation Day" press event in Japan - R.O.B. or the "Robotic Operating Buddy" will get a re-vamp and see a street date in all markets early this spring.
Nintendo Senior Managing Director Shigeru Miyamoto had this to say about everybody's favorite Nintendo peripheral/character : "We are very excited to introduce a new R.O.B. after all these years. While we are aware that R.O.B. has easily eclipsed the wild popularity of Mario, Clu Clu Land, Zelda or other Nintendo franchises over the years and that fans have continued to play Gyro Robo (Gyromite in the US) and Stack Up almost religiously for the past 20+ years, we simply felt that the time and the technology wasn't right for a new iteration until now ... and honestly really there was nothing wrong with the first version!"
Miyamoto went on to say that the new version of R.O.B. will not only interact with the Wiimote, but hold it and a nunchuck peripheral in his hands and fully operate it on screen. Acting either as a 2nd player, or playing any game from the Wii catalog completely in place of the player. Nintendo has over 100 Wii titles currently in development specifically for the new R.O.B. peripheral.
This new "passive" approach to what was formerly viewed as "active" gaming may seem to directly contradict the immediate success that the Wii Fit and Balance Board software and peripherals released this year in Japan have met. When reached for comment on this development Nintendo's chief marketing officer Reggie Fils Aime had this to say : "If there is one product that Nintendo fans have clamored for over the years, it is clearly a new version of R.O.B. and Nintendo, being a company that always listens to it's fans and critics first, felt that we were well overdue for an update, and that the time was indeed right."
Here is a leaked photo from Nintendo's R & D labs of the new R.O.B. in action.
Due to overwhelming fan demand, and what seemed like years of completely ignoring calls, letters, and posts on gaming message boards around the world, Nintendo will be updating what some may consider to be not only their most revolutionary piece of hardware but also what has come to be know as both Nintendo's #1 mascot and their most recognizable character to date.
Revealed at a recent "Robot Appreciation Day" press event in Japan - R.O.B. or the "Robotic Operating Buddy" will get a re-vamp and see a street date in all markets early this spring.
Nintendo Senior Managing Director Shigeru Miyamoto had this to say about everybody's favorite Nintendo peripheral/character : "We are very excited to introduce a new R.O.B. after all these years. While we are aware that R.O.B. has easily eclipsed the wild popularity of Mario, Clu Clu Land, Zelda or other Nintendo franchises over the years and that fans have continued to play Gyro Robo (Gyromite in the US) and Stack Up almost religiously for the past 20+ years, we simply felt that the time and the technology wasn't right for a new iteration until now ... and honestly really there was nothing wrong with the first version!"
Miyamoto went on to say that the new version of R.O.B. will not only interact with the Wiimote, but hold it and a nunchuck peripheral in his hands and fully operate it on screen. Acting either as a 2nd player, or playing any game from the Wii catalog completely in place of the player. Nintendo has over 100 Wii titles currently in development specifically for the new R.O.B. peripheral.
This new "passive" approach to what was formerly viewed as "active" gaming may seem to directly contradict the immediate success that the Wii Fit and Balance Board software and peripherals released this year in Japan have met. When reached for comment on this development Nintendo's chief marketing officer Reggie Fils Aime had this to say : "If there is one product that Nintendo fans have clamored for over the years, it is clearly a new version of R.O.B. and Nintendo, being a company that always listens to it's fans and critics first, felt that we were well overdue for an update, and that the time was indeed right."
Here is a leaked photo from Nintendo's R & D labs of the new R.O.B. in action.