A price, release date, tech specs and possible name for Nintendo's much talked about new console are the latest details in from the great mill of rumours.
According to IGN, the name 'Stream' is one of several being kicked about at Nintendo at the moment, possibly referring to the machine's ability to stream content and games to the large screens thought to be on the controllers (as first revealed by CVG).
The console will be able to stream games to the controller screens and, interestingly, the report speculates that the power of the console could allow for it to provide a "virtualized console for each individual unit". We assume this means multiple users could each be playing a game on the controller screen - possibly even different and entirely unrelated games, via a single console.
It reports that manufacturing will be handled by Taiwanese firm Foxconn, which is expected to make its first shipments of the console in October. This, is says, puts its street release at mid-October or early November. Again, the report speculates that Nintendo may hold off on its release until early 2012 in order to amass a large stockpile of units and give developers more time with launch titles.
On the topic of tech specs, IGN backs up previous reports that it'll pack a "revamped version of AMD's R700 GPU architecture, not AMD's Fusion technology as previously believed," and will outperform PS3's NVIDIA 7800GTX-based processor.
It also says the console's CPU is a custom-built triple-core IBM PowerPC chipset much like the Xbox 360 but with a higher clock rate. It will be capable of pumping out 1080p visuals with the possibility of stereoscopic 3D support, but it's not thought to be a staple feature.
Looks-wise, the source says it'll be similar in size to the original Xbox 360, but will apparently "resemble a modernized version of the Super Nintendo (SNES)."
This is all too exciting.
Comments
133 comments so far...
justforkicks101 on 21 Apr '11 said:
wii stream... really
alan666 on 21 Apr '11 said:
this must be wrong, the specs are consistent with this generation of consoles, the Wii 2 has to have more than this surly.
ste hicky on 21 Apr '11 said:
where's my bleedin credit cvg?
posted this 3 hours ago: viewtopic.php?t=124599#p1902331
Fr33Kye on 21 Apr '11 said:
While i'll probably skip this console(unless shinji mikami is on board), it is interesting to hear about it. I think its a bit weird to have two screens, especially at such a considerable distance apart. Imagine playing any game on a console and looking back and forth between your console and controller. For the ds, the screens were closer and i don't think action games were common, idk how that will play out. Though it seems that AR games will be coming to nintendo's new console. Eh, could be cool.
BOYD1981 on 21 Apr '11 said:
I think Nintendo have already proved that they don't need to release a high-end console to be successful with the current Wii, and it's most likely that current Wii owners, or atleast the ones that still use theirs, will be purchasing the new system.
ei8hty5ive on 21 Apr '11 said:
$400 usually equates to £400 when released over here... Sounds a bit pricy...
MD1500 on 21 Apr '11 said:
Wii? Stream? Do Nintendo have a fixation with urine puns?
ste hicky on 21 Apr '11 said:
doesn't sound like it to me. spec'd up 3 core cpu running faster than the 360. custom ati 4000 series gpu. dx10.1. shader model 4.1 instead of 3.0 on 360.... still no mention of ram,edram,hdd size,outputs,etc...
while the gpu alone will destroy this gen. it mightn't be bleeding edge in pc terms but it's a marked step up from the current crop of consoles.
that equates to graphics better than killzone 3's engine as a probability. what's the problem?
aawells07 on 22 Apr '11 said:
@justforkicks101 oh man i laughed out loud on that one thanks man lol. Im def on board ill purchase one fo sho
gothchild on 22 Apr '11 said:
Does sound like at the end of the day, "Stream" will be underpowered once again against the new playstation and xbox, but that's a way off yet and frankly, at the HD range, I don't know that the next machines from MS and Sony are going to look that worthy of a new generation. We're getting so close to photorealism these days, I get less and less excited about jumps in graphical quality.
Besides graphics though, game intelligence is exciting
I'm loving the rumours, but I can't wait for E3 when it all actually comes together and makes sense. At the moment, no one really understands how all this screen controller stuff is meant to work, and the controller is obviously the big thing.
sweatyBallacks on 22 Apr '11 said:
More power...give me more POWER.
GPU and CPU sound decent, but if it ships with only 512mb memory it won't be future-proofed hardly at all.
I would say 2GB of fast memory is a minimum.
jeffery6803 on 22 Apr '11 said:
if you interpret the system simply on specs it does not move it in line with the current generation it blow the current gen away a 7800 gtx pales compared to a ati 4850 gpu they are separated by 2 to 3 generation technology and while the video card will have 512mb of ram the system will have a additional 512 to 1gb for it self this system shall be similar to a high end gaming pc 2 to 3 years ago without the limitations of direct x by comparison the ps3 is similar to a high end pc 10 years a go without direct x limitations without directx to hold them back developers shall be able to make games that exceed anything on the pc currently and good news for pc owners ports might actually take advantage of new gpu architecture
the 4th hokage on 22 Apr '11 said:
i wonder if it'll use 3ds screens to deliver 3d content via the controller, as for the specs not being as high as some had hoped, the wii was more or less a repackaged gamecube and yet due to the game engine used, was able to produce some fairly demanding games at high frame rates. Nintendo have always considered the developers when creating their hardware to a point where i'd imagine they can now turn games around from concept stage in under a year.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
gothchild: i completely agree that when the next sony/ms machines hit they'll eclipse nintendo's latest,no problem.
thing is,they're rumoured to be over 3 years away which would give nintendo at least 2 years at the top of the pile technically in console land and able to boast of the best versions of titles as well as their own franchises,of course.
it would seem nintendo have removed themselves from the standard console cycle here if you ask me,if all this is true and the format exists then it would follow on that nintendo's next (after this) would launch half way through the next sony/ms machine's lifespan.
are we gonna have to get used to a new console every 2-3 years from at least one of the manufacturers?
lordirongut on 22 Apr '11 said:
It sounds good. However, it also sounds a bit far-fetched that it'll release this year, or even early next year since you'd imagine they'd want to jump in for Christmas sales. I'd still bet on November 2012.
SupernovaReigns on 22 Apr '11 said:
If released this year all your going to see are PS3 and 360 ports
Your giving them a bit too much credit. In console terms this is what you call a "Dreamcast" type of leap. When Sony and Micro's Next Gen's come out it will be made painfully obvious. In the meantime soak it up Nintendo fans
Fr33Kye on 22 Apr '11 said:
Will you see the best version of franchises, or just ports of ps360 games? Will nintendo's next console hit its stride early enough? Developers get dev kits very early. So if they launch in 2014, developers may have the console early 2013 or 2012. We have no way of knowing how it will pan out. The possibilites are incredibly exciting. Willsony and mircosoft be ignored next gen? Will nintendo's next console be ignored while this gen winds down and developers are working on dev kits for the next gen? Will sony and microsofts next console be enough to eclipse the wii successor? It can't just be more powerful. I see a rise in ps360 only games, games may be ported to the wii, OR because of its unique interface not at all. The wii successor may lack multiplatform games! How will it affect the 3ds?!?! How will sony's handheld affect all of this? If sony's handheld becomes a partner to your ps3, will that affect nintendo's success? How do you spell success?! Will it really be called stream!?? Will pc gamers still laugh at our underpowered consoles?!? SO MANY QUESTIONS!
Edit: I dont think games would be ported from the new wii to pc. The interface is too different. I don't think this will affect pc gaming too much. Consoles didnt get ports of wii games, except for no more heroes 2 after move was released. I never got madworld so i dont think there will be much porting.
originalbadboy on 22 Apr '11 said:
October? Which year would that be then .... ?? Cos it ain't gonna be this year that's for sure ...
Someone is smoking some serious s**t if you they thinks it coming within the next 12 months. I mean the 3DS was a quick release considering we didnt even see much before E3 last year ... but even so ... no hint of hardware, or games yet ... the devs (if believed) havent really had the devkits that long so ...
The absolute earliest would be this time next year but there wouldnt be any point mid year ... so back end of 2012 is still the most likely possibility. If it was coming in less than 6 months we would know a hell of a lot more about it by now.
gmcb007 on 22 Apr '11 said:
You know I think somewhere somebody is getting a good laugh out of his wii 2 prank.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
freekye: all questions that won't be answered for a while i guess man.
if nintendo can get the likes of gta5 on board though looking better than rival versions it'll help sell the machine to most gamers who,to be frank,are generally shallow and go for candy.
i'll be honest,the idea that nintendo have got more juice to play with than the likes of all the skyrim footage we've seen (360 code remember),god of war 3,killzone 3,etc... for a zelda,starfox,kid icarus,waverace,fatal frame,last story II,etc...makes me quite,quite excited.
i'm a fan,there's a chance that i'm gonna get nintendo games that sink this gens best as i'm sure nintendo will make it sing better than most as they tend to with their own kit.
sounds good to me.
markyR on 22 Apr '11 said:
Hmm, the size of the original 360. Well as a owner of the 360 slim, I think the newer design is much better and can't imagine a bigger console! Oh well as the rumors seem to be flooding in then I guess the Wii 2 will be out this year, or stream or what ever.
sammikid on 22 Apr '11 said:
Coming from someone who didn't care much for the WII but owned every other nintendo console, NINTENDO ARE GOING TO CLEAN UP once they release their next console.
If it is speced out over that of the PS3, which it probably will be.
Every family that previously owned a WII, will probably get one,
Everyone from this current gen of consoles, itching for the next leap in gaming, waiting for the next XBOX or PLAYSTATION may get one.
I think they have their hand in all pies, this could play out incredibly well for them if they get it right.
For me, i went with the PS3 this gen because Nintendo didn't get it right this gen for the non-casual gamer (I once owned a 360, still have the bitter taste in my mouth!)
Considering the next PS is a number of years away, i would definately consider getting the next WII, if ofcourse there is a noticable step up from this current gen! and GAMES for us adults please
samon53 on 22 Apr '11 said:
Sounds like its going to be an absolute beast.
wasted-again on 22 Apr '11 said:
Damn! And I had money on 'em calling it "PUU"
shogunreaper on 22 Apr '11 said:
GL getting people to buy it.
PS30 will be getting a price drop soon, and if it doesn't come out this year then they might even be cheaper than that by the time it does actually get released.
And if it's only a little bit more powerful developers aren't going to start programming for it, they'll just stick with what they know and port games over.
Bad move by nintendo tbh, they should have just rode the next few years out, cause now when they do release it and sony\MS come out with a machine thats 2x as powerful a couple years later, they'll really be f**ked.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
well we can confirm one thing at the very least: it exists,it's not rumour anymore: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011- ... fe-rumours
miyamoto has confirmed it. whether it's all it's cracked up to be is up for debate but it's definitely happening.
The_Jaster on 22 Apr '11 said:
Miyamoto said:
That's really nothing new though is it? Of course they are always working on new hardware & ideas for their next consoles & hand helds.
Once again I don't deny that this thing exists but all these extra rumours are getting real annoying & bring up to many what ifs & maybes.
ranaraptor on 22 Apr '11 said:
It's obvious that Nintendo will have been investing it's cash rich reserves into developing it's next gen tech. There is no one quite like Nintendo when it comes to innovation. E3 cannot come soon enough! It the mean time let the speculation and rumours continue!!!
boskersrevenge on 22 Apr '11 said:
A couple if things.
Just because the way things are now are not the way the next gen may play out. Last time Sony ruled, this time Nintendo but when it comes to a game library based on length of time out and 3rd party support, the 360 rules that one.
I am sure that the new console will share 3rd party games towards the end of the 360's and PS3's life but it'll also have 1st party and some 3rd parties will release (grimace) Stream only games. We'll see how many of us resist when Capcom land a huge game, Nintendo only, moving like s**t off a shovel and looking like Aphrodite herself. Not to mention if the R* rumours are true and whoever else seems suitably impressed.
So, while so many believe that the next gen will only start when the other boys say so, I put this little nugget in your head.
What if this new console proves irresistible and it turns out to be a major concern for all 3rd parties? That would mean one thing for the next xbox and the PS4, major releases will be done to the Nintendo spec and much like multi-plats on the PC are held back, all that lovely power in the next offerings by Sony and MS might be for very little outside their own 1st parties and exclusives.
Having said that I don't see how any of us could lose in a gen where all games are running at 1080p at a blistering frame-rate.
All I am saying is that this next console is clearly not a Wii but instead seems to be leaning towards targeting the core crowd again. Underpowered? By PC standards maybe, but I don't really get the point of owning hardware built to run, like two games.
charliecheswick on 22 Apr '11 said:
Yep,it's as if the truck loads of money they've made from Wii has funded their very own dream machine. There are a few ifs n buts...but,if the specs being rumoured are correct,this thing's going to be huge. I see people posting that even if it is way more powerful than PS3,it will only get the same version of games released for PS3 and 360. Well,if there's a Ninty home console that gets the same third party games as the other systems,i know which console will be sitting next to my tv.
I wouldn't discount an earlier release than what's suggested either. There seems to be a little too much information trickling out and if developers have had dev kits for months,we could be in for a nice surprise. Anyway,i've woke up too early for a bank holiday,i'm back off to my pit to dream of playing pc spec Battlefield 3 on the new Ninty.
shellster2 on 22 Apr '11 said:
I am really loving these stories.
IF Nintendo can grab the big multi platform games like COD, GTA, Battlefield, FIFA etc that look and play better sat alongside incredible 1st party franchises AND they get their online sorted I think they are going to kick arse bog time. It would be a beautiful thing.
boskersrevenge on 22 Apr '11 said:
Gotta love that bog time
robbo1337 on 22 Apr '11 said:
Foxconn making the innards? I guess the price can go cheaper when they run their production line like a prison full of the depressed
kreemkrackers on 22 Apr '11 said:
I see comments about Nintendo making a machine that targets the core and how great this is. Does anyone here in their wildest dreams believe Nintendo would want to re-enter the rat race with Sony and Microsoft that nearly took it under only a generation ago? They made a casual targeted console and it in turn flew off the shelves and made them billions and you guys really believe they will throw it all away to get back on the treadmill of powerful hardware targeted at the core? You must be crazy!
Nintendo have just made billions with very little effort whilst MS and Sony have worked their arses off trying to cater for a much smaller demographic by buying timed exclusives, exclusive DLC etc to take that extra 1% in revenue over the other or whatever. No company has loyalty to anyone so to think Nintendo have secretly been hoping to make a core targeted console after realising the money is elsewhere is lunacy. As the Ps2, Wii and DS have proven, a casual friendly console will sell more. Regardless of the specs of the console when it's announced, I pretty much think that Nintendo will make it cheap, make a profit on each one and aim it at the casual - It's what works.....
charliecheswick on 22 Apr '11 said:
I pretty much think that Nintendo will make it cheap, make a profit on each one and aim it at the casual - It's what worked.....
Fixed.
boskersrevenge on 22 Apr '11 said:
Well Mr. Kreem, it's all sounding very good so yes, a lot of people are thinking this could be a great thing.
Is there a problem with having a terrific console released?
justforkicks101 on 22 Apr '11 said:
it's so exciting
http://www.yasrsly.com/wp-content/main/2011_04/cookie-monster-excited-for-cookies.jpg
mrlister on 22 Apr '11 said:
Remember the head-tracking software for Wii? That went very quiet all of a sudden, and was said to be in Boom Blox but was removed? Combine with AR and a personal screen.
alan666 on 22 Apr '11 said:
members saying that the Wii-2 specs will destroy this gen of consoles are correct, but the Wii-2 should be looking at the next gen (eighth) which it is part of so it has to spec itself accordingly we all know Nintendo can get the best out of hardware but can the third party dev's, well not really look whats happened to the Wii, the best games are still in-house & is two years going to be enough because as soon as the xbox 720 & PS4 come out the Wii-2 will drop like a stone like the Wii has done, being out of step by two years or even three isn't a good thing really, a year at most is the max because you only get a couple of years where if you are locked together like the xbox 360 & PS3 the competition between the consoles sort of self-perpetuates & keeps the games & engine innovations coming, the Wii-2 devs will surly just stop developing for it when the xbox 720 & PS4 come out, like they have now with Kinect & Move.
i think that Nintendo have lived to long on software & re-releasing/refreshing old titles for a next gen console but maybe it's time for Nintendo to let the hardware tale the lead & let the third party dev's run away with it.
i agree with the other member that the $400 price will equate to £400 over here
AJDarkstar on 22 Apr '11 said:
Is this from the same source that claimed we were going to see the 3DS last October? I'll wait 'til E3 for more info, and if Nintendo say it'll be out by the end of the fiscal year then I'll know it'll be somewhere around the end of March 2012.
Power-wise, if it can do EVERYTHING the 360 can do, AND pump out 1080p on every game, then it doesn't need to be as powerful as the 720/PS4 will inevitably be (though Sony did admit they'd never do a repeat of the PS3 - so perhaps the PS4 won't be that powerful).
If Nintendo stick 2GB RAM in the thing (fingers crossed!) then it'll stomp all over current gen - the only trouble is the longer loading times, which Nintendo admit to hating, but it would allow a sizeable disc cache for a longer initial load then shorter in-game loads.
Nollog on 22 Apr '11 said:
Nintendo are probably banking on another "10 year lifecycle" for those consoles.
Think about it, 2014 is 2 years after 2012, and 7 or 8 after 360 and PS3 launched. What's 7 years after 2012?
It's 5 years after the expected launch of PS4 and Xbox720. Perfect time for a new Nintendo console.
kreemkrackers on 22 Apr '11 said:
Thinking about it, I totally agree with this. The Wii model may not be so successful the second time around, but you have to agree that the casual market brings in too much damn cash to suddenly ignore....
Of course there's no problem with a terrific console being released for you, me and the rest of the people on this forum, but Nintendo, Sony, MS and any other business for that matter has no loyalty to us. They have loyalty to shareholders who in turn have loyalty to money. Since the N64, Nintendo haven't made too much money out of the core audience and were left playing for the scraps leftover by Sony, hence why they went their own way.
You may be taking my comments the wrong way, I would LOVE Nintendo to make a kick-ass console - any gamer would. I'm no business expert or even an industry expert, but the one thing everyone knows about business is that they will go where the money is. I am quite happy to be proven wrong, but I just can't see a business who have had very little success chasing the core, then such astronomical success with the casual suddenly going back to the tough, gritty dog-eat-dog world occupied by 2 other giant companies.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
er,thought you hated this distinction? you mad bugger!
kiddin,agree with the rest of your post as well.
this could be sweet as hell on the other hand it could all be s**te. as much as i'm enjoying all this i'm finding it hard to take everything that's being rumoured on board.
some of it sounds a bit too good.
we've still got more than 6 weeks until e3 to go as well. i hope they announce something to shareholders on monday at their financial meeting. would certainly help the validity/lack thereof of certain claims.
sevvybgoode on 22 Apr '11 said:
I think the comment about Nintendo taking themselves out of the console "space race" could hold some merit. If they can release this by this time next year then they'll have a 2 year head start on ms and Sony. That means they can launch a successor to this halfway through 720 and ps4s lifecycle that would batter them technically again quite cheaply.
A £400 price point at launch would be madness though.
gippyhoe on 22 Apr '11 said:
Their next console: The Nintendo jet of p*ss
charliecheswick on 22 Apr '11 said:
Yep,the casual market has been a money spinner for Nintendo alright. It was a gamble and has paid off bog time
for Ninty. Again,it's only rumours but if the new console has this amazing sounding controller and uses the updated motion controller too,well,it's the best of both worlds and would cetainly allow developers to make games how they see fit.
As for the timing of it's release,i think this ties in well with Nintendo's disruption policy. If SONY and Microsoft launch their new consoles in 2015,it'll be one or the other for the majority of gamers. To interupt the usual console generation life-cycle,halve it if you like,could be a stoke of genius and leave Ninty's rivals playing catch-up with them every generation and thus recapturing the core gamers they seem keen on securing.
kirankara on 22 Apr '11 said:
First of all ign as a source lmao , they're not trustworthy for anything , proven consistently recently with thong like they're mass effect 2 comparison on ps3 and 360, which was about as scientific as asking my pet dog to bark at one he thinks is better.
Secondly , anyone wonder how many different posts c and vg can squeeze out of wii 2 without any real facts , and constantly repeating same story basically , between now and e3??
Spudfella on 22 Apr '11 said:
I'm still hoping for it to be Nintendo Puu
Padua on 22 Apr '11 said:
I'm don't see why Wii2 could not release this year/very early 2012. They could easily beat 360/PS3 specs, with technology that has been around for a while now and abundantly available. If anyone has a giant pile of cash to make it happen it is Nintendo.
I also expect an Android console by 2012 so the next generation is going to get crowded
sevvybgoode on 22 Apr '11 said:
I quite like IGN. At least they acknowledge the existence of comicbooks. This site doesnt even have a forum for them.
sweatyBallacks on 22 Apr '11 said:
It's quite simple: 'Ninty' should cough up cash to secure versions of COD and GTA on Wii 2, and it'll be a success, a bog time success.
The_Jaster on 22 Apr '11 said:
yeah.
http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/data/263/medium/Whitesbog%20Bog~0.jpg
http://thm-a02.yimg.com/nimage/4f48cf46fd93c44e
sevvybgoode on 22 Apr '11 said:
^ Surely thats a Canal? Weve gotta wait for their next-next gen before we can make that pun...
The_Jaster on 22 Apr '11 said:
Doesn't look like it takes you anywhere though, I was going to post this:
http://thm-a03.yimg.com/nimage/95f1fe26be7b98f2
charliecheswick on 22 Apr '11 said:
If it streams games straight to the screen on the controller,bog time could be fun time. They should design a toilet seat that doesn't give you pins and needles in the legs from sitting on the crapper too long. Seriously,the times i've took a paper or mag ( easy! ) to read and come outta the bog walking like John Wayne isn't even funny.
boskersrevenge on 22 Apr '11 said:
Ah crap! My cover is blown.. bog time!
*strums lute*
*aways*
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
sevvybgoode on 22 Apr '11 said:
What the hell is that? Has the nuclear meltdown made real life Pokemon?
The_Jaster on 22 Apr '11 said:
@ sevvy
its a bog of course.
guess someone photoshopped it
boskersrevenge on 22 Apr '11 said:
PARRODOG! I CHOOSE YOU!
http://www.rudepalace.com/img/fun/mixed-animals/mixed-animals38.jpg
sevvybgoode on 22 Apr '11 said:
^
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
wtf?
flipper on 22 Apr '11 said:
So Nintendo will have a few years on the matket as the most powerful console you can buy, which is funny. They are going to pull the carpet out from both the PS3 and the xbox without even trying.
It will be just powerfull enough for all the 3rd party games to score just a bit higher on all the sites, which is even funnier... plud Nintendo's great home grow 1st party games finally in HD..
Then Sony and MS will put out overpowered consoles a few years later that cost a mint that nobody will buy because by then we will be in the throws of the next great deppression, hysterical.
The_Jaster on 22 Apr '11 said:
Parrodog.
I want to throw it some skuttle bones.
shellster2 on 22 Apr '11 said:
Taking the p**s out of my typo are you beatches? Bogger off all of you
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
if rolf the dog was on this board too,it'd be the best board ever. hang on: http://crujonessociety.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/rowlf.jpgwii2? mmm,got something about that in C# minor. check it out you crazy cats.
yeah,i've just spammed the board with jim henson characters,what about it people?
secretly,you're made up and feel better every time you look at the pics. be honest.
addition: you've gotta see this people,posted elsewhere too but this can't be seen by just nintendo fans.
get on who this guy is using as a reputable source: http://wii2blog.com/wii-2-to-use-next-g ... processor/
jesus f*cking christ!!!!
i imagine his supplied info was all typed with the caps lock on.
alan666 on 22 Apr '11 said:
the controller for the Wii-2 should be a normal one, or at least have a normal type thats compatible to play FPS, driving games without waving the pad about they should get R* to develop games for it in the adult 18 rated games or 15+ at least Nintendo have to start getting the main third party developers back on the system, maybe even get Crysis 3 on it, after all Crytek have been moaning about more powerful consoles, maybe Vavle could get round to releasing Half File 2 Episode 3 or even Half Life 3 for the Wii-2
maybe the next GTA game will be a launch title
wwinterj on 22 Apr '11 said:
I own a PS3 and Xbox 360 but have yet to pick up a WII due to the lack of games that interest me. However I do plan on buying a black WII early next year at the latest. No doubt with WII 2 coming out WII's will be even more cheaper than they are now.
It will be a while before I even think about buying a WII 2 but I'm still interested in what Nintendo have to show. I have to admit the WII 2 sounds great if these rumors are true but it all depends on the games it will have for me.
Lupe101 on 22 Apr '11 said:
Hey, anyone up for some completely unfounded speculation ? ok then here I go.
I don't think this is Wii-2
The Wii is still selling very well. Nintendo has a habit of updating it's consoles ( gameboy - advance-DS-DSlite-3DS ) but this doesn't sound like an update of what the wii does. The controller seems to be a move away from the wii's setup and what this machine does doesn't sound like an upgrade that maintains the basic wii philosophy. It sounds like a completely different system with different parameters and goals.
I'm pretty sure there will be a wii 2 or a wii lite but what we're hearing about doesn't sound like a wii. It sounds like some sort of hub based streaming games console.
So if we imagine for a moment that this isn't the successor to the wii but is instead a new type of console nintendo are going to announce the whole thing starts to make a lot more sense. So what could it be ?
Well it could be some sort of "classic" games console looking to compete with the 360 and PS3 while further differentiating the wii from it's console competitors. Something that looks to emulate the graphics and game play experience of the other consoles whilst leaving the nifty motion control stuff to the wii and wii 2. This would make a certain amount of sense as the wii isn't really competing for the 360 Ps3 market whilst kinect and move don't seem to have particularly dented Wii's monopoly on motion control.
Another possibility would be some sort of hub that through a fast connection to the controllers streams amazing graphics to a sort of hand held portable machine, a similar concept to cloud computing PC users are getting into. Handle the hardware from a central hub and stream it to the player thus removing the necessity to have the hardware contained in the hand held ( sort of defies the point of a hand held but again it sounds more like the rumours we are hearing )
Not sure what the purpose of such a machine would be but it certainly fits what we’re hearing about better than a natural evolution of the wii.
Anyway that’s my guess. There will be a new Nintendo console at E3 but it isn’t wii 2, it’s something entirely different. But again, this is just mindless speculation on my part.
Imaduck on 22 Apr '11 said:
If they call it the Stream ..... they'll have made 2 consoles in a row with a sort of slang-for-p**s (or at least sugestive) name
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
they can call it the rectal prolapse for all i care if there's a true 1080p zelda with an engine that smokes god of war 3 on the way.
boskersrevenge on 22 Apr '11 said:
Hehehehehehe.... I think think rbt's name was the best so far.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
i advised him to patent that within minutes of the post.
absolute class.
rbt2 on 22 Apr '11 said:
They can call it Erectile Dysfunction and slap a picture of Pelé on it for all I care,
I'll still get it on day one.
The_Hun1 on 22 Apr '11 said:
so its an xbox 360 1.5 machine then?
afterall same chip, just faster as the cpu and r700 based graphics instead of a r600 based graphics chipset ala 360.
and that's the pricing of it right now, talk about very little value for money, it should be at a 360 price point right now if that's the hardware.
also the xbox 360 graphics chipset is better already the nvidia one in the ps3, it's just the cell chip that gives the ps3 abit of an edge overall.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
i may have to draw the line at 'anasthesia free penile surgery: feel the pain like never before' though.
every man's got his limits.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
r500 in 360 fella.
bit more than a 360.5 tbh. the dx10.1 bare minimum and shader model 4.1 compared to dx9.c and shader model 3.0 suggest a bigger gap than you're implying tbh.
boskersrevenge on 22 Apr '11 said:
How about "Super bouncy man-fun giggle party donkey friend"?
rbt2 on 22 Apr '11 said:
I liiiiiiiiiiiiiike It!
genfactor on 22 Apr '11 said:
When this thing is released, it will be the most powerful machine on the market yet people complain about it being underpowered. Only Nintendo can accomplish that kind of PR.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
spot on.
sevvybgoode on 22 Apr '11 said:
I think the cloudesque streaming to the controllers is the most interesting rumour so far... If that is true than the potential could be amazing.
There is no way a joypad with a screen in it can be cheap so if the Console uses an on-live type running of the pads techy bits than that would be an easy way to reduce the costs. That does have a few unique opportunitys available if true...
Multiplayer at home without split screen or buying multiple handhelds. The family type gamers that the Wii has been so succesful with will love this idea.
If the Wii2 could stream different games to different controllers from the base unit then im in.
Maybe thats why that pic deliberately showed 4 pads? A base unit that can power 4 DS type consoles or play proper games on the screen...
E3 cant come soon enough
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
anyone else think this opens up yet another possibility: ds/3ds playback on tv. touch screen in your hand and game on tv?
could i finally get the ds FFIII on a hdtv?
rbt2 on 22 Apr '11 said:
Dunno about that mate but it does seem as if they're gonna implement 3DS into this new system in some way.
Not at the expense of non 3DS owners natch!
The_KFD_Case on 22 Apr '11 said:
If we look at the more recent past console history cycles, and presuming these "Stream"/Wii 2 rumours are correct, then Nintendo is actually the only current major console company to keep up the traditional 5-year-console-life-cycle (more or less), unlike MS and Sony with the Xbox 360 and the PS3 respectively.
"Stream" sounds interesting, yet like some others I am a bit underwhelmed by the rumoured specs -then again I am a PC gamer at heart, and thus am used to reading about cutting edge hardware specs. These rumoured specs will put Nintendo ahead hardware wise, yet it is not the knock-out hardware punch that I and certain others were hoping to see, if these specs are true.
The_KFD_Case on 22 Apr '11 said:
Not necessarily. It wouldn't be the first time a company has successfully pulled a blind-sider on the public. Depending on how long, how hard, and how successfully Nintendo has been at work on this rumoured "Stream", and with a bit of luck at the right times and right places, it may be ready for launch within the next 12 months. Regardless, E3 will hopefully shed some official light on this - one way or another.
The_KFD_Case on 22 Apr '11 said:
Nothing on any of the consoles, nor based upon the rumoured specs of the "Stream", will put my gaming PC and laptop to shame. It'll come down to good programming which will still be limited by what the hardware can support. Also, there is no single game - regardless of how good it looks or plays - that'll make me buy a new platform just to play that one game. It needs to earn its keep. One game doesn't cut it in my book. A dozen or so games, along with promising future titles, and then we can talk turkey.
The_KFD_Case on 22 Apr '11 said:
A salient observation on your part, yet consider this: The casual crowd is just that - casual. They are almost bound to be less likely to keep buying new consoles and new games in the same way that the so-called "hardcore" crowd is. This places Nintendo in a potential conundrum: There is the allure of a larger market share with the casual crowd, as you point out, yet this market share has already been heavily milked by the current Wii console. At the same time their pandering to the casual crowd has steadily lost them ground with the "hardcore" crowd - the same crowd that may be more likely to stick with them and spend more money per person in the long term than the casual crowd which may have had it's gaming appetite filled for now.
sevvybgoode on 22 Apr '11 said:
Nintendo usually put out a few decent titles per generation though.
Usually new console hardware is comparable to or superior to current pc hardware due to their linearity and set spec.
We don't know what the true capability is until any official reveal though. Everything we see or guess until then is just rumour.
The_KFD_Case on 22 Apr '11 said:
LOL!
The_KFD_Case on 22 Apr '11 said:
No f*cking way! :O
Still, it says wiiboy101 and not wiigodboy101-or-whatever, but they are awfully close name-wise.
ste hicky on 22 Apr '11 said:
wiiboy101 was the handle after wiigodboy101 i'm sure of it. gotta be him.
ste hicky on 23 Apr '11 said:
fair enough kfd,in my reckoning i've expected the wii2 to fall in between this gen and what some would consider the next,offer more capability than a ps3,offer better shaders and do 1080p for the last 12 months or so.
anyway,you're used to dx11 now ain't ya? in console land,you know as well as i do,this is a decent step man.
i think there's a good chance that there'll be a decent knock on effect for pc gamers here too,no more dx9.c ports. dx10.1 would be the worst you guys would get if the console took off. surely you guys are sick of xbox ports and would welcome this?
in the end though it's still all speculative and even if the rumours of a 4000 series are true,what exactly is it? is it better than a 4850? worse? what's revamped mean,is it capable of more than an off the shelf model? is it even up there with a ps3 when the console is running games? has this all been bulls**t?
i'll be interested to see how this turns out but i'm quite pleased at the prospect tbh,i'll get a zelda that potentially will smoke skyrim in 1080p.
kfd,how could i not be happy about that man?
TOKEN on 23 Apr '11 said:
SNESBOX
ste hicky on 23 Apr '11 said:
http://www.okaygeek.com/storage/post-images/gaming/nintendomockuppresentation.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1303436650735possibly fake but worth a look.
the blurb: project cafe is simply the most developed,friendly sdk the industry has ever seen. deliver unparalleled next gen performance at current gen cost. it doesn't get any easier than this.
easy portability from pc/360
anytime live update post release
integrated m-live framework (as best as i can tell,bit blurry)
this is supposed to be from a slide show that's gone round to devs lately. we'll see soon.
aj101 on 23 Apr '11 said:
What I'd like to know is how much better can games get on HD TVs? Can they exceed 1080P? Because I've got the feeling that whatever Nintendo release next won't be that easily superseded by what Sony or Microsoft release next. Anyone with more technical nous please tell me if I'm wrong.
Apart from that it's all pretty interesting
Think I'll wait on E3 to see what's happening. Though I agree with everyone saying Nintendo is cash rich and sitting pretty to release a console they really want to release.
charliecheswick on 23 Apr '11 said:
Nice sluething hicky! If that's a fake then it's a pretty elaborate one. Could we see direct ports from pc games rather than from 360/ps3,say......Battlefield 3
. GOOD GRIEF!
voodoo341 on 23 Apr '11 said:
Highly unlikely it's going be called Stream. There's a company called Stream, all the web addresses are taken.
Ali_ on 23 Apr '11 said:
It's the number 2 motion control console from Nintendo so surely it should be called the Nintendo Pooo?
charliecheswick on 23 Apr '11 said:
Shellster thinks it's called the Woo 2! HO HO,the bog time joke just evolved!
sevvybgoode on 23 Apr '11 said:
They couldnt call it the Wii-Stream as that is just plain wrong...
Maybe the Striim?
Dragovian on 23 Apr '11 said:
Not on current TVs. There are others standards like 4K and 8K, but you'd definitely need a new TV for those. On an existing HDTV, you could have everything at 1080p and 60fps, which would still be a huge improvement upon the PS3 and Xbox 360.
horngreen on 24 Apr '11 said:
It could be as powerful as 2 360s but Mario Kart and games like it will still look like Mario Kart and games like it.
Balladeer on 24 Apr '11 said:
Bloody hell!
The_Jaster on 24 Apr '11 said:
Your probably one of the folk that say that Nintendo make Kiddy games............I always thought those folk needed to grow up, quite ironic eh?
ste hicky on 24 Apr '11 said:
huh? is mario kart supposed to look like battlefield 3 now or something?
it's mario kart ffs.
ricflair on 24 Apr '11 said:
I didn't get that either. Something looks like what it looks like?
I can't still believe we have the Nintendo/kiddy graphics/console rubbish, just because the graphics are more cartoony.
In god knows how many years, when we have true photo realistic graphics and games look like films, I'm pretty sure Mario etc will still be cartoon type characters. Doesn't mean they don't/won't look amazing either.
Balladeer on 24 Apr '11 said:
I'm looking forward to my ultra-realistic Mario personally. His powers will include starting his rescue missions five days late, asking Peach for a cuppa and then charging her an extortionate price for the rescue, only for her shower to burst as soon as she gets back to the castle.
Also he'll be Polish.
sevvybgoode on 24 Apr '11 said:
Super Mariusz?
http://www.criticalbench.com/images/strongman/pudzianowski5.jpg
sonic_uk on 25 Apr '11 said:
Even if it was the same power as the 360 and Ps3 a console is only as good as its games. Judging by the Wiis mainy shovelware and casual catalogue there isn't much that appeals to me so I'm still more than happy with my Ps3 and 360 and the games on/coming out for them until the next gen Sony and Ms machines arrive. The new controller sounds intriguing though - as long as it isn't motion controlled.
charliecheswick on 25 Apr '11 said:
IT'S OFFICIAL! Nintendo have confirmed a playable model will be on show at E3. News is over at IGN. Sorry i can't post link as i'm surfing on the phone during bog time!
ste hicky on 25 Apr '11 said:
http://nintendo-wii.playnation.de/public/temp/allgemein/nintendo-wii-2/nintendo-wii-2-2-playnation-de.jpg_sized_582x436.jpg
ste hicky on 25 Apr '11 said:
don't worry fella,here you all go: http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/116/1163764p1.html
http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/116/1163764/megaton_1303716204.jpg
boskersrevenge on 25 Apr '11 said:
Well, we know it's real although I am still taking everything else with a pinch of salt.....
The_Jaster on 25 Apr '11 said:
Same.
martinawatson on 25 Apr '11 said:
cloud
sevvybgoode on 25 Apr '11 said:
To the Cloud! (i hate those adverts...)
Dragovian on 25 Apr '11 said:
It doesn't matter what graphical style a game has, it still needs powerful hardware to run smoothly, calculate enough polygons to construct the game world, run at a high resolution etc.
armbar on 26 Apr '11 said:
Gotta say I've always considered the frequently bandied excuse about Nintendo being "all about the gameplay" to be pretty lame...
Sure enough, Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc, games are very playable and often so to the point where one is distracted from the fact that the graphics are somwhat last-gen. However, wouldn't you rather play Zelda in stunning HD? Really?
I remember playing Metroid Prime for the first time and being blown away by the sheer beauty of it. Now that honestly ain't gonna happen anytime soon with the bloody wii, is it? Hopefully the Stream will bring a proper HD sequel to Echoes and a stonking 1080p F-Zero running at 60fps.
If they sort it out this time then there will be two console manufacturers worthy of my time...
The_Jaster on 26 Apr '11 said:
NO
sevvybgoode on 26 Apr '11 said:
I prefer the graphics on previous systems and XBLA due to some of their limitations. The art of inventive character design and non realistic graphics is pretty much in the realm of the indies again. This is due to most big developers chasing the photorealistic myth rather than incesting in creative or beautiful worlds.
Look at games like NiGHTS, Yoshis Island, Chrono Trigger ,Panzer Dragoon Saga (this list could go on forever tbh)...
The artist teams recognised they couldnt make that much detail so they tried to make their characters recognisable instantly. Take a screenshot from any of the modern FPS/Racer crowd and youd be really hard pressed to guess which game its from.
I just hope Nintendo dont go the same way. A photorealistic Link would suck harder than Justin Biebers first night in prison.
martinawatson on 27 Apr '11 said:
Did only one person hear what i said........CLOUD
armbar on 27 Apr '11 said:
Sounds like...ahem...a bit of denial there.
The_Jaster on 27 Apr '11 said:
Maybe I should of elaborated a bit more, would a Zelda HD be nice? yes, do I think HD is AS important as people have made it out to be this gen? NO.
boskersrevenge on 27 Apr '11 said:
Heh... you say that now but if the (thoroughly scandalous fan-wank) rumours are to be believed, Nintendo will have a tech demo at E3 where I for one will cry girly tears of joy once I see our favourite hermaphrodite mute glisten and sparkle in glorious HD.
*crosses legs*
The_Jaster on 27 Apr '11 said:
I just never got the hysteria of it all, the games just look a little bit smoother & look great on a standard Telly too, you maybe right however on the Nintendo E3 reveal but even then I'll will be gawping at the graphics not the fact its in HD.
Its similar to when folk used to go crazy for playing games through a Scart cable.....I just don't get it, its simplly not a big deal for me.
sevvybgoode on 27 Apr '11 said:
Blasphemer! RF Vs Scart was a massive difference...
armbar on 27 Apr '11 said:
IMO Ninty are one of the few companies who can make games which are playable and original enough to cause the player to disregard graphics in many instances. I also think part of this is due to the fact that Mario, Zelda, etc, have a graphical style which is big and bold and doesn't necessarily need HD as much as say Gears of War does.
However, I think certain games would benefit tremendously. For example, a first-person Metroid game or a blistering F-zero game running at 60fps. Mario etc has its place but we haven't seen many hardcore Ninty games this gen I feel...
I mean what about a HD Eternal Darkness for instance...
sevvybgoode on 27 Apr '11 said:
Dont Silicon Knights have a deal with MS now?
I agree that HD graphics can benefit games immensely but the Art direction is the most important part imo... The Dishwasher sequel is hardly pushing the 360 but it is the prettiest game ive played all year.
I hope Ninty takes advantage of the assumedley massive increase in power with more than shiny shiny. A Pikmin game with a million Pikmin would impress me more than Link having individual eyelashes.
ste hicky on 27 Apr '11 said:
rgb scart ftw jaster,absolutely essential for imports.
let's be fair out of the box rf was nigh on unwatchable.
moving on,i think silicon knights have a deal with ms but i'm not sure if ed is nintendo's franchise,or at least partly owned by nintendo.
btw,armbar: galaxy 2 is the most hardcore thing nintendo have released since the snes.
star 242: the perfect run will chew most gamers up. not me of course
,i got my letter off nintendo saying i'm master of galaxies and rosalina is on my starship but man,i had to suffer for that.
f-zero x and gx both ran in 60fps too. i agree that a big hd showpiece would benefit f-zero greatly though,as long as the soundtrack was right this time.
sevvybgoode on 27 Apr '11 said:
Ive looked and Nintendo still own shares in SK so Eternal Darkness 2 could be a possibility?
I know Too Human flopped but the original Eternal Darkness was a great game. Ive still got my US copy somewhere.
pRM8 on 28 Apr '11 said:
The WiiWii.
The_Jaster on 28 Apr '11 said:
NoNo