Could Nintendo's next home console entice the early adopters/graphic whores?

[WCP]

Think about how long it's been since the last home gaming console was released. This November, it will be a full 5 years since any home console has launched. Think about that fact for a moment. In the history of video games, when is the last time there has been a 5 year period with ZERO new console introductions? The longest drought between console releases that I'm aware of, is just under 4 years. Between the arrival of the GameCube on November 18th, 2001, to the launch of the Xbox 360 on November 16th, 2005. Just a couple days short of a full 4 years.


It's highly likely that Nintendo will launch the next home console. Most predict a November 2012 launch. Some think Nintendo could shock the gaming world with a e3 2011 announcement and a worldwide launch THIS November (doubtful) Still, whether it's coming in 2012 or this November, Nintendo will be first out the gate.

Certainly, Nintendo hasn't been interested in high-end hardware technology since the days of "Project Reality" with Silicon Graphics. Still, by default, the followup to the Wii should naturally benefit from the advances in CPU's and GPU's since 2004/2005, the years in which the 360 and PS3 designs were locked into place. The Wii HD (for lack of a better name), should easily have 4 times as much ram as the 360/PS3, and the GPU should be well beyond the GPU's in the 360 and PS3. For the first time since 1996, Nintendo will be the technological leader for a brief window of time. If it's a 2012 launch, Nintendo should have a 1 year advantage. If Nintendo could somehow shock the world, and get it out this November, they would have a 2 year advantage.

By default, the next Nintendo system is going to be the highest end home console platform. Surely, Nintendo will have a Mario game, or a Donkey Kong game, or something special to launch along with the system. Also, Nintendo will be well aware of the fact that the last go round, they didn't have the best developers in the world working on their system, mostly for technological reasons. Now, development teams like Rockstar North, Bioware, Epic, Dice, Insomniac, etc, etc, will be developing games for Nintendo's next console. I think the early adopters/console graphic whores, would love to jump on Nintendo's bandwagon if they could take them to a better visual level.

[udisi]

while the timing may suggest a new console, I don't see it yet. I wouldn't doubt that Nintendo is working on a new console, but I think it's launch will be determined by the competition. Right now, the wii is doing just fine for them. They've just released the 3ds. I don't think Nintendo needs to risk a new console until either Microsoft or Sony announce a new system. Nintendo is happy just soaking up profits on it's less powered wii.

I don't think Nintendo will go the high power route. They make money without the risk of an expensive, high powered machine. Sony and Microsoft lose money on system sales, Nintendo does not. The wii proved, they could lead the market with less under the hood. I'd look at Nintendo coming up with the next gimmick or next innovation in gaming. That's not to say they couldn't be working on a high powered system, but I just don't see the motivation for them, seeing as they are perfectly happy and profitable with their current business model.

[joshnickerson]

Will the next Nintendo home system be HD? Most likely.

Will it be a energy sucking power house pumping out mind-blowing realistic graphics years ahead of its competitors? Probably not.

Will it still be tons of fun to play? Definately yes.

[Swamperon]

Nintendo will in no doubt be the first to launch an 8th generation console. Presumably followed closely by Microsoft. 2011 is all about the 3DS. 2012 will see the 'Wii HD', at least announced and shown, if not released.

It will be in HD. It will be more powerful than the 360/PS3 but still be considered at most equal to the other 8th Generation consoles. Motion control will be retained and expanded/improved upon.

And it will be very fun to play. Mario, Metroid, Zelda especially and Super Smash Bros in HD are sure to attract many people.

Before that though we've got Skyward Sword and supposedly Pikmin 3 to play.

Just thinking... given how little we've seen/heard of Pikmin 3, I could see it being bumped to a Wii HD launch game.

[NEOFREAK9189]

the nintendo wii system sucks
the wii just is a game cube 1.5
I hope Nintendo make HD system for Hard Core Gamers

[Kyle15]

I can't believe it's been 5 years already! Things were just starting to get good too.

the nintendo wii system sucks
the wii just is a game cube 1.5
I hope Nintendo make HD system for Hard Core Gamers

Your farts sustain me.

[Enigmus]

the nintendo wii system sucks
the wii just is a game cube 1.5
I hope Nintendo make HD system for Hard Core Gamers

By this, do you mean the middle schoolers on Xbox Live?

[IronBuddha]

Will the next Nintendo home system be HD? Most likely.

Will it be a energy sucking power house pumping out mind-blowing realistic graphics years ahead of its competitors? Probably not.

Will it still be tons of fun to play? Definately yes.

This.

By this, do you mean the middle schoolers on Xbox Live?

And this.

[kupomogli]

the nintendo wii system sucks
the wii just is a game cube 1.5

This.

I hope Nintendo make HD system for Hard Core Gamers

By this, do you mean the middle schoolers on Xbox Live?

And this. We don't need a third system with 99% of the releases being FPS.

[Icarus Moonsight]

It could, but I doubt that it will because that was their goal. It's expensive to draw those people and they are arguably more fickle in support than the customer dynamic of the infrequent, non-hobby level game player. What entices the graphic whores scares away many more types of potential users. Someone will serve them, but I don't think Nintendo ever has really, and they have more to lose than gain if they change that approach, especially now. Gamecube was the most 'hardcore' system they ever put out... Catch the pattern yet?

[Leo_A]

while the timing may suggest a new console, I don't see it yet. I wouldn't doubt that Nintendo is working on a new console, but I think it's launch will be determined by the competition. Right now, the wii is doing just fine for them.

Have you been following things like sales and paying attention to what's under development for the Wii?

It's basically where the DS was a year ago. Development is declining, interest is declining, and sales are typically down each month.

They just reached such a high peak that the downward turn for the Wii is going to be a long one with many months of healthy system sales. But I think all the signs indicate Nintendo and consumers are just about ready for a replacement (Personally, I'm betting on an announcement in the spring of 2012 with a Fall release in mind).

Take a look at Nintendo developed projects we have to look forward to in 2011. Granted there should be a few surprises we're not aware of (Such as hopefully some sort of release to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Zelda franchise that they've hinted about), but their slate was never so thin at this point in the year in years past.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Kirby's Dreamland
Fatal Frame 2 Remake (Sadly, it's all but certain we won't get that one)
Rhythm Heaven (Seems likely to be another Japanese exclusive after the DS title underperformed)
Pandora no Tou: Kimi no Moto e Kaerumade (No clue, but my money is on it staying in Japan)
Mario Sports Mix (Nintendo published, not even developed in-house)
The Last Story (Nintendo published, expected to be Japanese exclusive)

Sorry, but I think just looking at their slate of releases says it all. We're in the Wii's last year of being Nintendo's flagship console. They're clearly in the midst of WiiHD development unless they have an awful lot of projects to unveil in the coming weeks (Such as at E3) that are due later this year and the early portions of 2012.

You could see the same thing happening to DS development by them well before the 3DS was even officially announced.

[Dobie]

Will the next Nintendo home system be HD? Most likely.

Will it be a energy sucking power house pumping out mind-blowing realistic graphics years ahead of its competitors? Probably not.

Will it still be tons of fun to play? Definately yes.

Nailed it.

[joedick]

I can't imagine anything will come out soon. Most of Nintendo's studios are either finishing up or still working on 3DS games. They're not going to have anything ready to show just yet. Maybe the system'll come out Q4 2012, but I think anybody expecting an announcement at e3 will be disappointed.

[theclaw]

Maybe, maybe not. Look how the DS was in 2008. Nintendo had what for a holiday slate, Kirby Super Star Ultra? About it... They didn't even manage to get Fire Emblem out by xmas in the states unlike Europe.

[rlemmon]

I saw a vid were regi F. (prez. on Nintendo usa) said the 3 ds will be Nintendos focus for the next year. I think x mas of 2012 is looking like the time will see it. Nintendo is always working on the next console as soon as the current one is released there's no way they don't have the wii 2 gearing up for a huge launch. There just being very quite about it as always.

[WCP]

Will it be a energy sucking power house pumping out mind-blowing realistic graphics years ahead of its competitors? Probably not.

Basically, the main jist of what I was trying to say, is that Nintendo will "accidentally" be the technological leader, simply by default. Just because they will be the first out the box with a new console. I agree with everybody else in thinking it will be November 2012 (one month before the world ends ) , but still, that gives them a full year advantage over the 3rd Xbox machine. During this year, they will be the only game in town, if somebody is looking for the next-level experience.

Nintendo isn't going to design a technological powerhouse, but by the simple fact of it not having a 5 year old architecture , the Wii HD should go beyond what we are currently getting with the 360 and PS3. If you simply consider the limited amount of ram that developers have to work with on the 360 and PS3, the extra ram in the Wii HD is going to be a god-send to developers. It wouldn't make any sense for Nintendo's console not to have at the very least 4 times the ram of the 360. Ram is cheap enough now that this wouldn't be an issue. The GPU in the Wii HD isn't going to be anywhere near as good as the one in the Xbox 3 or PS4, but by the sake of it being 5 years more current technology than the GPU's in the 360/PS3, it will automatically benefit from that. I'd be shocked if it didn't have a couple of launch games that are going to be big-time technological powerhouses in comparison to the 360 and PS3 games coming in November 2012. Even though I'm sure Microsoft and Sony will have some bangers that holiday.

I'm sure Nintendo would love to return to the days of the SNES in terms of having 3rd party games that sell huge numbers. Back in the SNES days, Nintendo made huge amounts of money from selling their own games, but they were also the platform on which the 3rd party games usually sold the most. That's quite a bit of extra revenue that Nintendo has missed out on in recent years. Games like Modern Warfare and NBA 2K11 and Bulletstorm, etc, etc, sell very well on the 360 and PS3, but the developers don't seriously consider making a Wii version, but with a "relatively" powerful Wii HD on the market, it wouldn't make sense for those games to not appear on that console, and to run at a much higher resolution, with a better framerate and higher rez textures. For the most part, the 360 and PS3 have 720p games running at 30 frames per second. A legit next-gen console should be capable of running games in legit 1080p at 30 fps. It could also have 1080p games that run at 60 fps.

I think early adopters and graphic whores would be all over this console if it happens, which I fully expect it to. Nintendo could potentially sell 2 to 3 million units worldwide in the fall of 2012 if they have enough supply, and can get the price in at about $299.99 .

[Leo_A]

They'd have to pack in a classic controller as part of the standard console bundle if they want to be as friendly as possible to 3rd parties.

Still having to shoehorn motion control into their biggest releases in 2012 if the WiiHD only shipped with motion controls could be enough to still keep 3rd parties away.

I think Nintendo would be best served providing both options right out of the box next time around. I suspect that is going to be Microsoft and Sony's strategy.

[Gameguy]

Won't the next one be 3D compatible with 3D TVs? Since they're going with 3D for handhelds they'll probably do the same thing with home consoles too.

[G-Boobie]

Basically, the main jist of what I was trying to say, is that Nintendo will "accidently" be the technological leader, simply be default.

I doubt it. Nintendo likes to make a big, fat profit on their hardware: Microsoft and Sony lose money on their hardware and make it up in licensing fees and royalties. DLC and downloadable titles too, starting this generation.

Consider that the 3DS just came out. Consider that it's not powerful enough to run the Unreal Engine, whereas my MP3 player and phone have no problems at all with it. What that means is that, yet again, Nintendo has started a four or five year hardware cycle with technology that's already obsolete: consider where smart phones and tablets are going to be in a year or two. The 3DS might have a revision down the line, mostly for cost and design issues, but it'll remain the same hardware. I have no doubt that the Wii successor will be HD capable and have some of the same online capabilities of the 360 and PS3, but since Sony JUST started making a profit on the PS3 and Microsoft is barely making a profit on the 360 hardware, I can't see Nintendo going that route. It'll be good enough, and that's it.

Here's the thing, though: who gives a shit? I played the hell out of my DS, and I've had some great experiences on the Wii. Graphics and "hard core games" don't make a console or handheld a successful platform. Games do that, and I suspect that the Nintendo games for the 3DS and successor to the Wii will continue in that tradition.

[WanganRunner]

Honestly, the 3DS is powerful ENOUGH.

It's an eensy little screen, and huge increases in graphical horsepower hit up against an exaggerated law of diminishing returns on such hardware.

The NGP will look better, but not as big a divide as the PSP had over the DS, IMO.

I can't believe the Wii has been out for five years, I feel like I "missed it", as there are so many titles I haven't gotten to play yet.

If I've learend anything from watching Nintendo since the launch of the original DS, it's that we have no idea what we can expect out of them in regards to hardware. Everyone wants to assume that it's going to be "Wii HD", and it might be, but we can't say that in any confidence.