Topic: "Wii HD" in 2011?

[NWR_Lindy]

The successor to Wii is rumored to be coming in 2011, and will be HD.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/report-wii-hd-set-2011

This is at least plausible.  The Wii's 2006 hardware is similar to but slightly more powerful than GameCube's 2001 hardware, so it's logical that Wii 2's 2011 hardware would be similar to but slightly more powerful than the PS3/360's 2006 hardware.  It seems to be in step with the direction in which Nintendo is heading, which is previous-generation hardware buoyed by revolutionary input devices.

[Bill Aurion]

Not shocking, and not all that important considering it's years away...Let's just enjoy this generation for now! ='D

[bustin98]

I'm not sure how I feel about the next 'Wii'. I 'want' Nintendo to be the big boy on the block and use their new found riches to blow everyone out of the water. But knowing Nintendo and their philosophies, I think developers would be lucky to see something on par with the current 'next' gen. Nintendo doesn't want to create a machine that increases development time and costs, though I think we'll end up seeing a ton of 'Wii-makes' of games that couldn't be ported before.

The only 'good' thing that might happen is Microsoft and Sony not increasing their respective horsepower for a generation to take time and create their own unique console.

[KDR_11k]

Sounds stupid. Yeah, it'll probably come out around that time and it might have HD if that's something people want but those are really braindead conclusions that you don't need a rumor for. That's like "rumor: Nintendo to remain in the console business", a completely pointless rumor with zero news value.

Now if anyone here thinks HD means next gen graphics they'll be disappointed, Nintendo won't do any massive pushes for graphics, maybe throw something cheap in that would still be a big step up on the current Wii but a graphics focus is just pure moneywasting, 95% of what people want from their graphics are done by the Wii already and the remaining 5% are too expensive to be worth it. Expect graphics to be the first thing to get a cut if they want to bring the price down. Nintendo will invest the system cost into technologies that really improve the gaming experience.

If Sony and MS continue on their current course they will get eliminated from the console market and following them is pointless. It's no longer about power (really has never been), just blindly sacrificing everything for more power will just alienate your market even more and destroy you.

[vudu]

I'm not sure how I feel about the next 'Wii'. I 'want' Nintendo to be the big boy on the block and use their new found riches to blow everyone out of the water. But knowing Nintendo and their philosophies, I think developers would be lucky to see something on par with the current 'next' gen.

Can you really get that much "better" than the current gen?  The best looking games of this generation leave me wanting very little more.  Sure, not all games are amazing looking, but that's the fault of the developers, not the hardware manufacturers.

And we haven't even discussed cost yet.  If Sony/Microsoft want their next console to make significant enhancements over the existing consoles the price points are going to be $1,000+.

[Dirk Temporo]

95% of what people want from their graphics are done by the Wii already

What people are you talking about?

[Plugabugz]

HD to Nintendo = 720p. They will only go as far as they can be dragged.

[Nick DiMola]

HD to Nintendo = 720p. They will only go as far as they can be dragged.

Good enough really. Neither the 360 or PS3 do much with 1080p as it is.

[Toruresu]

Besides, by 2011 there be something else, thats better than HD.

[NWR_Lindy]

What makes this different from an outright rumor is that it comes from a respected journalist and likely some well-placed sources.  It's an indication that serious work on the next console has begun, which is notable.

Also note that three or four years from now, it will likely be significantly cheaper to produce games with Xbox 360-level graphics.  Nintendo will do fine being a generation behind hardware-wise, but that's about as far as they can go back and still charge $250 for a console.  For example, if Nintendo brought out a console today with PSOne-level power, they couldn't get away with charging $250 for it.

[Pale]

I think the most interesting part about the rumor is the emphasis on backwards compatibility.  I think that right there proves what Nintendo's new goals are in my opinion.

Look at this new DS supposedly coming out tonight.  It's possible, given the resolution increase rumor, that it will be a more powerful device by a little bit, but It's still a DS.

Then look at the Wii Motion+.  A rather confusing controller improvement that makes us all wonder why it wasn't there from the get go.

They made a extremely (relative to the competitors I mean) incremental change in their hardware, and came out ahead.  They aren't going to change that philosophy until they aren't ahead anymore.

My favorite part of the rumor to is that they are focusing on digital distribution, which HAS to also mean they are going to have a better storage solution in plcae, and HOPEFULLY  means they are worried about it enough to fix it properly on Wii.  That's really what I want to come out of tonight's press how-down.

[Stogi]

Ya maybe that and the inclusion of demos.

[KDR_11k]

Wasn't that Casablah guy respected too? So where's Kid Icarus then?

95% of what people want from their graphics are done by the Wii already

What people are you talking about?

The majority that doesn't whine on the internets.

They made a extremely (relative to the competitors I mean) incremental change in their hardware, and came out ahead.  They aren't going to change that philosophy until they aren't ahead anymore.

You're effectively saying Nintendo is too stupid to know when to switch approaches. They'll change when THEY deem it necessary to make sure they stay ahead.

[D_Average]

Freaky thought, I'll be in my thirties by the time Mario is in HD......

[that Baby guy]

It would be funny if HD meant "Hard Drive," and the journalist just mistook a scoop about Nintendo's plans to finally allow us to use hard drives in 2011.  Funny, but sad.

[D_Average]

It would be funny if HD meant "Hard Drive," and the journalist just mistook a scoop about Nintendo's plans to finally allow us to use hard drives in 2011.  Funny, but sad.

Oh man, I would not be surprised...

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

H.ot D.ogs are awesome.

[ShyGuy]

Looking forward to rebuying my VC games.

[Ian Sane]

So I guess then I can finally get all those great PS3/X360 third party games on a Nintendo console.

Realistically I see no point in MS or Sony releasing another console any time soon.  Graphics have really leveled off.  Now unlike Nintendo, I think HD was reason enough for another hardware upgrade.  With HDTVs around we have to have videogame systems that support them.  It wouldn't make sense for consoles to just stop.

Though for now I think they should.  About ten years ago we reached a point where arcades no longer had any technical advantage over consoles.  The idea of compromised console conversions was gone.  Today consoles have finally caught up to PCs.  It's very common for current PC games to be released on the Xbox 360 with no notable issues.  Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 had frame rate hiccups on the original Xbox but we're pretty much getting the exact same stuff now.  We don't have anything we look to now.  You used to look at arcade games and think "boy I wish my console could do THAT!" and used to do the same thing for PC games.  But now we don't.  There isn't something bigger that's right in our face.  There are no compromised ports (unless you just own a Wii).

The Wii hardware needs an upgrade merely because it's behind.  The Wii is incapable of handling many current games.  So there still is that perceived need of better hardware.  But after that I don't think it's necessary.  We can only go as far as photo realism and that's a level of detail I can't see being affordable.  Okay there's Virtual Reality but if you think making HD graphics raises the cost of development how much do you think that will?  The Holodeck is a fantasy.  There is a human limitation in technology unless we turn out like the Matrix and have technology that can create new technology.  In other words we pretty much have to create life.

MS and Sony will probably try to push it though and royally f*ck themselves over.  But I won't hand to keys to the kingdom to Nintendo just yet.  Nothing can stop a competitor from coming along.

I think the biggest problem with the Wii HD is what is the selling point?  "Hey we've finally got all that HD stuff the competition had five years ago!"  I know it isn't popular to say this but the Wii is a g!mmick.  It relied on the novelty of the remote to attract attention.  Without the remote it's pointless - a minor hardware upgrade to the Gamecube.  The remote is not the future standard of gaming.  The fact that they're releasing the Motion+ shows that they didn't even get it right the first time.  There's too much waggle and too much using the remote instead of a mouse for it to be the standard.

So without the big g!mmick how does Nintendo sell the Wii HD?  I think this is a big flaw in Nintendo's plan.  They rely too much on non-gamer ignorance.  They rely too much on hardware g!mmicks.  It's not just the remote but the Wii Fit pad and Mario Kart wheel and the zapper and now the Motion+.  You can't just tack on novelty controllers forever.  At some point the novelities will no longer attract attention and Nintendo has to impress with a quality videogame console.

Maybe we're in for another crash.  Sony and MS shouldn't release another console but will.  Nintendo HAS to release another console but won't be able to without exposing the Wii.  The best bet for each company is to stay put.  Whoever jumps the gun with a new console will fail.

[D_Average]

Realistically I see no point in MS or Sony releasing another console any time soon.  Graphics have really leveled off. 

No way dude, my appetite will NEVER be satisfied!!!  The coaches in Madden 09 STILL look like robots.

[Ian Sane]

The coaches in Madden 09 STILL look like robots.

All the technology in the world couldn't help EA make decent looking models.

[NWR_Lindy]

No way dude, my appetite will NEVER be satisfied!!!  The coaches in Madden 09 STILL look like robots.

Exactly.  I won't be satisified until every single person in the crowd is their own individual character model, and they're unique for every game I play during the year.  Maybe they could duplicate the virtual season ticket-holders, but they'll have to change up their outfits every game or I won't be impressed.

Wasn't that Casablah guy respected too? So where's Kid Icarus then?

Just because Cassamassina was wrong doesn't mean that every other games journalist is going to be wrong every time into eternity.

You're effectively saying Nintendo is too stupid to know when to switch approaches. They'll change when THEY deem it necessary to make sure they stay ahead.

No, he wasn't saying that at all.  He was actually saying what you just said: they'll change approaches when they deem it necessary, which is when they aren't ahead any more.  He didn't say anything about Nintendo being stupid at all.  That part is all your addition.

[Stogi]

What do outfits of fans have to do with the game?

Anyway, I can't wait till there's holographic blah blah fucking blah...

[NWR_Lindy]

What do outfits of fans have to do with the game?

I think my sarcasm may have been too subtle to be detected.  I'll have to work on that.

[Ian Sane]

Exactly.  I won't be satisified until every single person in the crowd is their own individual character model, and they're unique for every game I play during the year.  Maybe they could duplicate the virtual season ticket-holders, but they'll have to change up their outfits every game or I won't be impressed.

While this idea was obviously a joke I was thinking how going to this much trouble would cost way too much but then I thought of a very EVIL way to make the idea work.  Allow people to BUY virtual tickets for sports games.  Prior to the game's release they create their own character in an editor and then buy a virtual ticket to the games of their choice based on the real life league schedule.  Then those characters make up the audience.  You can even indicate which team you would cheer for.  So now not only is the work of creating thousands of individual audience members avoided but you actually have people PAYING you to do the work for you.  And if certain games don't sell out, well that's realistic.

Would people pay to be immortalized in a videogame?  Probably.