Wii Warm Up: Nintendo next

by Alisha Karabinus { Aug 16th 2007 at 9:00AM }

There's been a lot of speculation about a Wii 2.0, i.e. a half step up from the Wii, ala the DS Lite to the DS ... and of course, as soon as consoles debut, some future-watchers start looking immediately ahead to the next generation. In light of that, we wanted to ask you about your predictions, from practical to utterly wild, about Nintendo's next console move. Will we see a Wii-plus, complete with a hard drive and some other increased functionality? If so, when, and for how much? Or will Nintendo skip straight ahead to the next generation? If so, when will we see that, and what will it be like? The possibilities blow our minds.

[Thanks for the idea, vidGuy!]

Tags: future, harddrive

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 16th 2007 9:15AM

A full size Chozodian suit with Nintendo On capabilities.

Chicago_Josh @ Aug 16th 2007 9:15AM

I think Nintendo will make a Wii HD once the technology makes it affordable for them (where it can still be offered for the same price point.)

I'm sure a harddrive will be released at some point as well. If they don't make their own attachment, they'll at least have a firmware update so you can add one via the usb port.

Neal Eaton @ Aug 16th 2007 9:40AM

I believe that the next Nintendo console will have HD capabilities and a Hard Drive included. It will not include HDMI out of the box, but will be available. It will also support 5.1 surround sound.

It will be fully backwards compatible with Wii software, since it will use a more advanced version of the motion sensing controllers. But it will not play GameCube discs...they will be availble through the newly updated Online Store.

It will be as small and as energy conservative as possible.

hob @ Aug 16th 2007 10:14AM

I still think they'd be mad not to include an HDD so they can do game distribution online. Would save them a lot of money not having to press out all those DVD's.....

Steve @ Aug 16th 2007 10:14AM

Two Wiis duct taped together. Mind blowing!!

DaiMac79 @ Aug 16th 2007 10:44AM

I was thinking last night while playing Metroid that outside of lacking mass storage and HD capability, with the Wii nintendo has truly made the system we used to dream about in the SNES/early n64 days. It plays not only NES/SNES/N64 games but also other systems from other manufacturers, with others like NeoGeo and maybe eventually even portable titles from GB/GBC. I used to rant and rave about how if nintendo just made the N64 BC with NES/SNES it would quickly rival the PS1 in sales, just because of how popular those two systems were. Now I have that, yes I technically have to rebuy the games but my SNES hardware, system and carts, isn't getting any younger so its nice to have a newer box to play them on.

I think the Wii "lite/plus" will likely be more similar to the difference between the different skus of PS3/360 than to the difference between GBA/GBASP or DSPhat/Lite. The form factor will be the same, there might be colors or something but it will look very similar. They'll either expand the internal flash memory or add a microHD (what the iPod uses) with maybe 10GB for storing VC games, perhaps both. They might add DVD playback, but I doubt they will unless they actually upgrade the output to 720p (even if its just for DVDs), there just isn't much point otherwise. All of the upgrades they do will be available for existing wii users, most likely through the USB ports and an add-on.

Thats if they upgrade before 2010, at that point a true "Wii 2.0" that has more muscle and plays in HD should be expected.

DaiMac79 @ Aug 16th 2007 10:54AM

Sorry to DP, forgot to add that if they add mass storage they will have to either drop the original wii's price below $200 (perhaps $179) and put this new model at the original $250 price point or intro it closer to $300, I for one hope that they go the price cut route. The only way I could see a higher price is if they added WiiFit or something into it as a bundle, good way to push adoption of the board too.

samfish @ Aug 16th 2007 10:55AM

I think it'll be at least as powerful as the PS3, so they can ensure emulated backwards compatibility with Wii and Gamecube games. They won't just scale the GC/Wii chips up again, either. They'll probably use some sort of multi-core processor. It'll likely have a hard drive and HD visuals, too.

With any luck, they'll add an analog stick to the Wiimote.
Although they might even stick a little screen on it, kinda like Dreamcast's controllers had, too.

vidGuy @ Aug 16th 2007 10:55AM

Awesome.

Ok, I hope Nintendo's team isn't stupid enough to kill the Wii with a new console before the momentum dies down. The PS2 is still selling like crazy, but the PS3 is selling (is it?) to another market now. Sony hopes that when the PS2 is dead those people will start to migrate to the PS3. A new Nintendo console, though, would sell mainly to the same crowd (see how quickly the GC died?), so I'm hoping Nintendo doesn't release a new one until late 2012 or so, giving the Wii about 6 years of life.

I think Nintendo would be smart to keep the Wii name, similar to the iPod name sticking through each generation. This shouldn't create any more confusion than current iPods, where old models are priced low and soon disappear while new models take the old price. So in late 2012 we'd have a Wii for maybe $99 and a Wii for $249. The new Wii would have backwards compat with Wii 1.0, look very similar, have HD output and a HDD, use improved motion sensing, and have roughly the power of a 360 - strong, but still outdated in 2012. The biggest improvement would be an online structure that would rival Live, still free, but this is Nintendo we're talking about ;)

This strategy would do wonders with PR teams and developers. PR teams would love that they could add up sales, saying "The Wii has sold such and such millions worldwide", like the iPod could say when it reached 100 million. Developers wouldn't feel left in the dust with old games when the new console came out - a Wii game is a Wii game. The only struggle would be convincing Wii 1.0 owners to buy Wii 2.0 - since a lot of iPod owners don't upgrade to the new model until the old one breaks. Additionally, owners of Wii 1.0 would, after a time, not be able to play games marked "Wii", so packaging would have to clearly state games play only on Wii 2.0.

I'd much prefer this cycle to an HD-capable Wii released in a few years, which would really segment the market Nintendo will have. Many people are buying the Wii for its price as much as its features, but buying two Wiis at $250 in the same time as the other "more-expensive" consoles are out isn't consumer friendly.

ssuk @ Aug 16th 2007 10:57AM

I don't believe that Nintendo has ever made a 'step-up' version of a home console before. They've been common place in their handheld products since Gameboy era, what with the Gameboy... Then the Gameboy Pocket, Gameboy Advance Then the Gameboy Micro (though many may consider that a step-down), Nintendo DS to Nintendo DS Lite... But not for home consoles as far as I'm aware.

So I don't think we'll see a Wii 1.5, HDMI, although it would be nice, wont offer any substantial quality increase from Composite cable the Wii already offers (The Wii isn't really a 'next gen' console in terms of visual output, hence... You don't really NEED crystal-quality). I see offical Composite -> HDMI cables appearing, but that's as close it'll come.

srenehan @ Aug 16th 2007 11:02AM

I really hope they DONT push the graphics requirements up to HD. I'm sorry, but most games just don't need it, and the cost to develope art to that quality is probably going to be the deaththrows of the modern "everyone can win!" gaming industry that is starting to show up thanks to the wii ware and xbox live arcade.... opening up the development of console games to small companies then putting unreasonable demands on them to deliver extensive and graphically impressive content with out any real benifit to the end consumer.

I'm sorry, but Assassin's Creed would still be an amazingly fun game if it were programmed on the Game Cube, and the hardware could have handled the crowds properly if you weren't trying to create ultra high-realistic humans there. Making design decisions that don't require more processing power and months to years to the dev cycle is not a bad thing.

The wii is capable of some beautful games... and really, thats All i want from it. Give me a hard drive to make VC better / allow for an "install" option similar to the PS3 to destory load times, (but seriously...who doesn't have a DVD player already? if nothing else, there's the PS2. why pay an extra $20 a system for the MPAA or whatever licensing fees to be able to watch movies?)

CJC @ Aug 16th 2007 11:08AM

There can be no other choice!

Touchscreen holograms: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOSx7v87JCA

All other details are irrelevant.

mr nimblewick @ Aug 16th 2007 11:47AM

A bit too early for this, I think. By the way, anyone in Wisconsin who doesn't have a Wii should head over to Shop-Ko, my brother saw 15 at one last night, not going anywhere because they use tags instead of displaying them.

vidGuy @ Aug 16th 2007 12:00PM

Maybe it is early for us to talk about it, nimblewick, but Nintendo is already or will be soon designing the Wii's successor. Wii was in the early design stages shortly after Gamecube's launch.

Dan @ Aug 16th 2007 12:15PM

Work backwards with me.

GAMES SELL CONSOLES. Maybe not at first -- the coolest hardware can go a long way. But in the long run, people go where the game titles are, especially the EXCLUSIVE titles. Xbox had a big coup when Grand Theft Auto stopped being PSX exclusive. Halo and Fable are hugely responsible for their surge as a brand, because they're huge exclusive titles.

To get the exclusive titles, you need to offer the highest profit margin to developers. The math is in $, not gHz or GB or even 'degrees of freedom'. PS1 offered developers a cheap medium -- CDs -- thus surging into the lead. Systems like N64 and PS3 actually LOST exclusive titles because there were too many extra costs (blu-ray and cartridges), and because their audience didn't offer enough game-buyers. PS2 and Super Nintendo surged into total dominance because they could project a huge audience, so developers knew there would be a lot of customers to sell to.

Wii is cleaning up now. Do you realize how many developers are jumping on with the Wii now? The problem is they can't do a port of their Xbox 360 or PS3 games, because the Wii can't handle it. So companies like EA end up following a 'casual' formula like that of Wario Ware. Companies like Silicon Knights express interest in the Wii, but ultimately stay out of it. However, there is HUGE PROFIT in taking an existing title, tweaking the graphics and the underlying code base, and selling it to an audience on almost 50% of the consoles out there.

*** The developers want to jump to the Wii, but can't fully take advantage of it. ***

Moreover, even though people will say the Wii is dominating now, I expect the momentum to die. Not that they'll stop competing for first place. But they'll lose a lot of loyal fans if they don't come out with serious competitors to Final Fantasy XXIIVVCMI, Grand Theft Auto 4, Metal Gear, Halo 3, Fable 2, Gears of War... Yeah, you can make a lot of money off of grandmothers, and not every "hardcore" game is a great game. But the hardcore gamer is an early adopted, and a huge influence on what their other friends buy, and give your system that much needed "cool" factor. Wario is great, but will never cut it in this regard. Mario somehow pulls it off, though. Metroid and No More Heros DEFINITELY cut it, but they need more of it. (Here's hoping Red Steel 2 works.)

Either way, I think there's just too much money (and fun gaming) in having a system even 80% as strong as the next Xbox or PSX. Nintendo would be foolish to not try to attract more developers and exclusives away from their rivals, who WANT to dance with Nintendo but can't. Nintendo also knows there's a huge advantage from being first to market, as PS1, PS2, and Xbox 360 have seen.

For all those reasons, I expect the next Wii to:

- come out early, in 2010 (give or take a year)
- make greater effort to compete graphically with PS4 and Xbox720, if only to snatch up titles like GTA5 or FF15
- improve the controller, as years of research can only help
- not have a hard drive, in order to keep costs down
- still miss the point of online play (sadly)

Jhongerkong @ Aug 16th 2007 12:29PM

@10

NES 2, SNES 2 were both revisions of consoles.

used cisco @ Aug 16th 2007 12:33PM

HDD is a must

Chris @ Aug 16th 2007 12:41PM

It has to be online play, via firmware upgrade or something else. The system already connects to the Internet, and Wii Sports lends itself so very well to the concept, partially because lag would have to be lower given how simplistic some of the graphics are.

Brian @ Aug 16th 2007 12:44PM

Clearly, they're planning on duct taping a third GameCube to the machine.

Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Aug 16th 2007 3:45PM

I think next Wii will not have HD.

But it would cost $100.

Of course Nintendo would pick HD - but I think it would be totally new development. (1080p/480p = 8 GameCubes taped together ^_^)

Also, I think that Nintendo would improve more their WiiMote. Once feedback from 3rd parties and customers would come in. To support more complicated game play, to support more types of game play. It was mentioned not once that technology behind WiiMote is getting cheaper - so it is good reason to start playing with it more.

Jeff @ Aug 16th 2007 4:19PM

I didn't want to read what everyone said so here is what I think Nintendo will do:
When they launch their WiiWare Service in 2008, they will come out with a new Wii that can play DVD's and has a Hardrive (5-10GB) built in for $300, and they will cut the price of the current Wii by $50 for this Christmas. They will also offer a hardrive to current Wii owners that will plug into the USB port for around $50.

Now for the next Wii, I think it will be the same but that it will have a larger hardrive built in and a better CPU and GPU. All for $300. And the wire between the Remote and Nunchuck will no longer exist.

mariolegend @ Aug 16th 2007 5:35PM

my thoughts about the next gen?

Well, after noticing the potential of wiiconnect24 within this generation and the comment nintendo did about HD on the wii, its highly possible later in time via an update that our wii might get the privilage to play in HD (at least in 720p).

but for the next gen, my thoughts is an advanced version of wii. Of course as expected, i don't see nintendo adding a hard drive at all in any future generation. My thoughts only indicate that nintendo will continue use of flash memory to expand on the size it currently uses. maybe add about 4gigs next time in the future.

Now If we are predicting this new "wii" to come in around 2010, then we might see a new technology implemented in the next round. This could be anything wild that we might wiki it and find. Though what kind of technology? The hell I know! My guess is something that is cheap enough for nintendo & company to profit on our hungry dreams in playing games.

Now the only thing we should do is not dissapoint ourselves about what is to come. We shouldn't mind about tomorrows generation of gaming. We should enjoy what we have now and let us be surprised about the gifts that may come tomorrow.

I'm 26 years old, and knowing nintendo's habits, its nothing like the competition. They tend to survive with new ideas. learning through the years, nintendo will dissapoint you in every wish you make. That is why my attitude with this subject is null. I might put my thoughts here what I want to see, but in the end you are setting yourself up for a fall.
so my fellow fanboys, live life to the fullest and dont mind tomorrows gaming world because you the fanboy control its destiny.

- g -

krd1979 @ Aug 16th 2007 5:43PM

I think you guys lack some imagination... not that you have bad ideas, but look at Nintendo's history and how revolutionary the Wii is. Yes, HD and HDD would be nice, as would a better CPU/GPU, but Nintendo will most likely be looking for a way to yet again "disrupt" the industry. I expect the next console to have a new name (Nintendo has never really followed a naming convention.. unless they call it the Super Wii) and be low cost ($200 range) and have a revolutionary new controller. Online features and backward compatibility will be expanded and it will have more interaction via a built in camera/microphone. I wouldn't expect a huge push for graphics (perhaps 2 - 3 times the processing power of the Wii), but I think it will be more intergrated with the new portable system (maybe a way to seamlessly transition a game from portable to home console). Other than that I figure Nintendo will yet again surprise the world, they will continue to inovate and entertain and will hopefully have reclaimed and maintain their dominance.

Mr Khan @ Aug 16th 2007 5:53PM

Statistically, it has been shown that Wii is capable of 720p, maybe not at the full 60fps, but certainly at 30 or so, and there's an even chance of Nintendo either unlocking that potential or not. Opera too may implement the HD capabilities of their browser, but i don't think a Wii HDD will ever come around

Now, next-gen is a different story, where (like samfish said) they'll probably get a CPU about as strong (although not as awkward) as the CELL, so as to provide strength for effective soft emulation, and do something simple to change the controller for the better

Adam M O'neill @ Aug 16th 2007 7:37PM

Believe me, Australia would just prefer a half decent release schedule for the current console.

Rob @ Aug 17th 2007 3:39AM

if they make a wii plus i will be so angry.
if they make anything it better just be an expansion for my current wii.

Leo @ Aug 17th 2007 8:19AM

I'd be happy just to see more Wii colors released. :(

Dan @ Aug 17th 2007 11:48AM

they'd better not make a next generation. I bought Wii because I though Nintendo promised this was the last system I'd ever need to buy.

vidGuy @ Aug 17th 2007 6:47PM

Assuming that's not sarcasm, Dan, what made you think that? It's not like Nintendo is saying the Wii is on a ten-year lifecycle or anything... **snicker**

jdub @ Aug 19th 2007 12:04AM

In a year or two, as the number of HDTV's increase, I think Nintendo will come out with an updated Wii to cater to their HDTV owning audience. Most likely though, all I think we'll see is an HDMI port and upscaling ability added to the machine. This way, HDTV owners will be able to get a little better picture quality (giving the Wii a few more years of life).

One could also hope for upscaled DVD movie playback, but this is Nintendo :)

Tyler @ Aug 20th 2007 10:57PM

I think Nintendo won't call it the wii, it will be able to display HDTV, it will play Blu-Ray discs (or HD-DVD, whichever wins the format war), it will have two or more wireless sensor bars for better connection, it will have a faster processor (so your character with a sword swings as you do), and it will add one or more motion sensors (like to the upper arm or something), and add more sensors each generation until your whole body is immersed in the game

Dan @ Aug 21st 2007 1:38AM

i'm glad someone appreciated my sarcasm. the idea that a system should last 10 years is a recipe for disaster. makes it very easy for someone else to come along with a superior piece of technology.

wii would be smart to get the jump on the competition next generation -- not being so soon that they don't know what the competition is up to.