NEWS: Rumor has it: New Nintendo Console Debuting at E3 This June - Update: May Come Out in November 2011 Already

You can find the updates here

Nintendo's next console will debut at E3 in June, moving the maker of Mario and Zelda into the HD era. The news, first reported by Game Informer who cited anonymous sources in their report today, confirms rumors that have been swirling for months in the wake of slowing game releases from Nintendo.

Furthermore, we've heard that the machine will be more powerful than current-gen systems, meaning Nintendo, currently backing a Wii that is weaker in horsepower than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, will be showing a new console that is more powerful than those current competitors.

We've asked Nintendo for comment and will let you know if they shock us and spill the beans. Update: Nintendo responded to our inquiry with a standard "Nintendo does not comment on rumor or speculation".

E3 kicks off on June 7, though Nintendo's E3 press conference may occur the day before, if tradition holds.

http://kotaku.com/#!5792165/new-nintendo-console-debuting-at-e3-launching-in-2012-more-powerful-than-xbox-360-and-ps3

Let the speculations begin.

Apparently in addition to being a proper HD console with graphics capabilities eclipsing those of the PS3 and Xbox 360, the systems controllers will each feature a built-in HD six-inch (~15cm) touch-screen.

A French website has even published the alleged system specs; according to CVG this very site accurately leaked the features of the NGP:
It says the console will include a custom IBM PowerPC CPU with three cores, a GPU from the ATI R700 family with a shader unit at version 4.1, and at least 512Mb of RAM.

This would of course make HD console ports very easy for developers, but 'Project Café' will also include backwards compatibility with both the Wii (including all peripherals) and GameCube games, it's said.

The controller has a six-inch touch screen, a front-facing camera, D-Pad, two bumpers, two triggers and "possibly more," and can allegedly be used as a Wii sensor bar.

Late 2012 is the release date, and another "big surprise" about the console is set to be revealed at E3, the report concludes.
IGN News Director Jim Reilly hase also been Tweeting up a storm:
Dual analog sticks on the controller. Can stream game content from the console. Not sure if it'll be full games, mini-games, or apps.

There will be first and third party "Wii 2" games at E3. No clue if they'll be playable.

New Nintendo controller allows players to stream entire games to the device from the console - like a miniature television.
There's a massive round-up of the latest Wii 2/Project Cafe rumours over at NeoGAF. That is where I got this info. Thanks for telling us Andeavour.

I think they just need to make Wii Advance and be done with it. Which is, in essence, probably what this will be.

I always thought the Wii should have the same or similar capabilities as PS3 / Xbox, in terms of games, online community and options. All three systems have their advantages over each other, but the Wii has essentially remained a Family console with little or no Video Gamer appeal.

That was their mistake, since the Wii they focused too much on the family aspect, which has driven a lot of gamers and third-party developers alike away from the console - me included.

Darwin2011 wrote:Apparently in addition to being a proper HD console with graphics capabilities eclipsing those of the PS3 and Xbox 360, the systems controllers will each feature a built-in HD six-inch (~15cm) touch-screen.

lolwut?

This sounds very much like the GameCube/GameBoy Advance combination I never liked. They should rather focus on making the Wii remote ambidextrous. I still have trouble deciding which hand to use.

I knew it was only a matter of time before they shelled out a wii 2.

When making the wii alot of people were annoyed because it would have easily been capable of this had they spent the extra time on it. But they rushed it out in order to fill the utility console niche. Good news for widening their demographic, bad news for the standard gamer.

Still, I love my wii and will be excited to see what this brings, I just am annoyed that I won't be able to transfer all my hundereds of hours in certain games


And I don't think Im keen on the touch screen thing...

I still remember the time when someone would bring a brand new soccer ball to school.

Those days are gone.

Arkanay wrote:I still remember the time when someone would bring a brand new soccer ball to school.

Still happens here

Heres one for you guys about he Wii.

Recently a friend of mine purchased a TV and a Wii. Not being terribly tech savvy, she bought tghe most advanced Telly she could get her hands on. Now, it is so advanced, that there are NO connectors in the back of her telly that can take a Wii without having to purchase adapters. That show how silly the Wii is/was in terms of technology.

In case you are wondering, you need a RGB or SCART to connect a Wii, of which I have 2 of each on my telly (as well as 3 HDMI, 1 USB, 1 SVGA and 1 component). On the back of my friend's telly are 5 HDMI and 3 USB, all the other connectors are outputs. It even has one of the HDMI sockets labelled as SCART.

Ohno!

I dunno, I'll wait till I see what games are coming out on it. Personally, I think I'll stick with my Gamecube.

Vektrix wrote:Recently a friend of mine purchased a TV and a Wii. Not being terribly tech savvy, she bought tghe most advanced Telly she could get her hands on. Now, it is so advanced, that there are NO connectors in the back of her telly that can take a Wii without having to purchase adapters. That show how silly the Wii is/was in terms of technology.

When they asked Miyamoto why the Wii didn't have an HD option he said it would take at least another five years for HD to become mainstream and for HD Tellies to be close to affordable. Unfortunately, his prediction came a couple of years earlier and since they hadn't made official plans for a successor for the Wii - to keep up with the 5-year cycle - they are quick falling through the cracks and need a serious beast of a machine to catch up in HD video gaming.

I used to love my gamecube. I wish I still had it

I actually like the wii. When it comes to games, I'm really not all the fussed over amazing graphics. I care about replay value and general entertainment, and thats something that for me at least the wii seems to do quite well.

It should be interesting to see what this new console will be like. Ninetendo has been out of the comptetive console market for a very very long time, so it will be interesting to see how they try to compete with xbox and ps3.

LordRemington wrote:I used to love my gamecube. I wish I still had it

I actually like the wii. When it comes to games, I'm really not all the fussed over amazing graphics. I care about replay value and general entertainment, and thats something that for me at least the wii seems to do quite well.

It should be interesting to see what this new console will be like. Ninetendo has been out of the comptetive console market for a very very long time, so it will be interesting to see how they try to compete with xbox and ps3.

I think for some graphics is extremely important in terms of replay value - shoot 'em ups are like that for me. Whereas other games, like Civilization and Railroad Tycoon, the graphics is very subsidiary to the gameplay. With the Wii, many games are supposed to be active, and other things are more important. The graphics on the Wii is perfectly adequate considering most of the games are silly or family oriented. The Ten Pin Bowling game has average graphics, but is no more or less exciting to look at than most bowling alleys I've been to.

I have always said since the Wii came out, you still need a PS3 or Xbox as well if you are a serious gamer. With Kinect and Move, Wii no longer has it's gimmick advantage either.

To be fair, I can't see this being a sell-out.

While Nintendo have Mario and Zelda that they can put into HD and have exclusive games, the GIANTS such as PS3, XBox and PC/Mac have a vast amount of games well suited to HD gaming. As far back as the PS1, Sony had the Wipeout series. It was a good game, and was already suited to HD gaming. It was kinda asking for it.

PS1 version



PS3 HD version



What are nintendo meant to do with Mario? Make the mushrooms more realistic?

They are too far behind, if you look at it. The giant companies with well-established HD consoles have their fingers in all the pies. Nintendo will be left with the games the others rejected

To be honest Marky, what you're saying is already well on the way to becoming true. Nintendo's profits have halved since 2008 and they're still falling. To really get back in the game, if you'll excuse the pun, they have to re-invent the games they make.

That will provide quite a challenge for them.

They are REMEMBERED for their family games, with cartoonish graphics and interesting gameplay. They'll alienate the families with realistic FPSs, and they'll alienate the hardcore gamers simply because they're the ones who gave us the Wii

They could jeapordise their franchise if they don't pick wisely

I sort of disagree and sort of agree with you there Marky.

Whatever console Nintendo bring, big games companies will still make games for all the four platforms (Xbox/PS3/Wii/PC and Mac). The FIFA series, Pro Evo series, Guitar Hero series and a load others will be available for all the platforms, of that I have no doubt. Stragetgy Gamers will probably always flock to PC/Mac for games like Civilization, SimCity and the like, but the consoles are much better suited to action/platform games.

As you say, they have Mario and Zelda to focus on as their Nintendo-Only games (a bad move for me since I think both are awful anyway, but that is me). Zelda in particular has the potential for some amazing graphical adventures. Whilst Mario is not that obvious where it can go graphically, it is sucha popular franchise (Why? Seriously, why is an Italian Plumber so good? )

Xbox have Halo, which is graphically stunning, as it's big draw as well as Xbox Live - but that costs a subscription, something will continue to mark it down for me, despite the fact that Xbox live is supposedly far superior to PSN.

PS3 has Wipeout (I have Fury HD - Nice Piranha on Sol 2 Marky ) which is an amazing game, and highly under-rated, Resistance and Gran Turismo - all graphically stunning offerings. It also has Blu-Ray capability built-in.

Wii will have to have Zelda and Mario, and if they play it right, that can work. Zelda, as I said has good potential graphically. Perhaps they can make Mario Kart Extreme HD with photorealistic karts and tracks? I just don't care about that though, since neither franchise is any good as far as I am concerned. As Tom says, they need to work on a new set of games for it, or bring in some feature that neither Xbox or PS3 have to be successful.

It is a dilemma for Nintendo. As their profits shrink they are left with less room to maneouver; they are slowly being strangled out by Sony and Microsoft. They need, as Vek says, something new that changes the whole scene. Maybe this rumoured console might be enough to save them; but I don't think games alone can do it.

Thomas1134 wrote:It is a dilemma for Nintendo. As their profits shrink they are left with less room to maneouver; they are slowly being strangled out by Sony and Microsoft. They need, as Vek says, something new that changes the whole scene. Maybe this rumoured console might be enough to save them; but I don't think games alone can do it.

Well, games alone could if they come up with something completely and utterly new. They do have a head-start on Microsoft and Sony in regard to motion control. I consider the Wii only worth getting for three things, Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort and Wii Fit, currently. Updating the graphics on these titles would do wonders, they need not lose their family market with that. With this head start, they could release the new console with a really amazing motion control game, just a matter of them working one out.

However, I agree with you Tom, games are highly unlikely to do such a thing for them. There needs to be a change with the console's usability or features that must help their fortunes. I just can't help them at this point, because I don't know where they can go with it. Nintendo obviously beat SEGA in the long run, but Sony and Microsoft are completely different beasts.

Vektrix wrote:
They do have a head-start on Microsoft and Sony in regard to motion control.

I beg to differ

Sony have the FAR more precise and usable Move, and XBox have the Kinect. The reason the Wii sold has been taken out of the consideration, bearing in mind both other consoles took what made the Wii sell, and made it better.


@Vek: I know, I use either Piranha or Triakis, but my favourite track has to be Moa Therma I need to race you at some time

Still, Marky, it was Sony who added the motion-sensor to their PS3 controllers after Nintendo announced the Wii remote.

Nintendo may not be the economic genius in the gaming market but they were the first to do pretty much anything in gaming.

I just hope their next console can get them back "in the game" and deliver us proper games unlike those anime arcade wannabes.

I have the new Nintendo 3DS and it is revolutionary. The gaming experience it delivers is awesome and i love it. Nintendo are always in the top few for designing new experiences. Augmented reality cards are created by them.

Someone, on my job's behalf, lock this. I don't want to get blamed for anything that could possibly leak on to the web.

Lum, this is a friendly debate, none of what we are saying is informed by anything other than our own experiences.

Marky, Nintendo had the Wii out in 2006, Microsoft and Sony did not release their motion sensor tech til 2010 - I'd say a four year head-start on that one, let's hope they used it wisely.

Actually, Shadow, that is probably where the new Nintendo Console could go - 3D gaming. Pity that I cannot see 3D on a TV screen... I can't even tell the difference with Standard and High Definition.

@Marky: Assegai or Triakis is my thang, I also love Anulpha Pass, Moa Therma and Metropia. Indeed, we should, Eliminator is pwnsome.

I think that at the moment 3D gaming, however great its potential, needs to be an added bonus. If Nintendo markets the new console solely on 3D capabilities, it will fail due to the sheer lack of people able to play 3D games.


@Vek: http://www.wipeouthd.com/fury/en_GB/ Which Fury ship do you think looks the best?

Others can vote, btw Just click the 'teams' tab to see the craft


I personally think Harimau Fury or Goteki 45 Fury are the best looking, with the EG-X looking badass and the Triakis Fury looking the most suited to combat, with the snarling ensignia on the nose and the camo paint-scheme