E3 Rumor: Powerful Wii HD with HD Controller
A deluge of Wii 2 rumors with your coffee, sir?
Earlier in the week it was reported that Nintendo would be dropping the price of its motion-sensing Wii console to $150, bringing the cost down a full hundred dollars from the launch price. Though it was hard to argue with the logic (the Wii is five years old at this stage, and sales are declining), rumor had the price cut scheduled for May 15, just three weeks before E3. Many wondered why Nintendo would make that kind of announcement so close to E3. Why not just wait a few weeks and announce it at the convention?
Well, today’s rumors lend credence to reports of a price cut while also providing a reason for not waiting until E3 to announce it: Nintendo is planning a Wii 2 launch for E3. That’s the latest. According to sources from both IGN and Game Informer, the device will be revealed at or before E3 (which runs June 7 to 9), and will support HD. Though GI’s sources couldn’t agree on how the graphics would compare to that of the Xbox 360 or the PS3, IGN’s sources say "significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360." These same sources also revealed that the new Wii will be backwards compatible with older Wii games.
Throwing yet more turf on the Fire of Hope is a report from CVG claiming that 1080p is not the only thing the new Wii will have going for it. Nope, Computerandvideogames.com reports that the new Wii will also come with a new controller. Sources say the controller will be quite different to the original in that it will also feature an integrated HD display. CVG’s sources also confirmed IDG’s report regarding the power of the console and backwards compatibility.
"Nintendo's plans sound unreal," one source said. "Publishers are already planning launch titles and it's all very exciting.
"The hardware is even more powerful than current HD consoles and backwards compatible with Wii.”
All three publications are saying it’s going to be an E3 reveal but a 2012 launch.
So, who’s excited?
Further Reading
- Wii-HD ,
- Backwards-Compatible ,
- Launch ,
- Release ,
- Price
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Hopefully a more powerful Wii will push Microsoft and Sony to bring out new consoles in turn taking advantage of new technology getting us out of this 2006 era that's holding back PC gaming.
"significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360."
Lolololololol. Take that 360/PS3 owners. About time too, but still the fact remains. PC = win.
Oh, enough with the "consoles kill PC gaming" rubbish!
Consoles are not holding back PC gaming, DEVELOPERS are. Cut through all the bullshit and it comes down to one simple thing: as a console is a single design with no hardware variation, they are vastly more simple to develop for - faster development = faster turnaround of games = faster sales = MORE PROFIT.
That is the ONLY reason. If PC gaming was as profitable as consoles then developers would still be investing the time.
And no amount of Wii HD, PlayStation 4, Xbox 720 or whatever will ever change the developers' minds.
PS4 or Xbox 720 will allow devs to take advantage or new hardware helping PC gaming progress. Consoles do hold back PCs back for the reason you just explained. Its not the developers fault, they are a business after all.
Even if its more powerful that the Xbox and the (GPU only) PS3 it won't be pushed to the max as developers won't bother their ass.
I hope it puts pressure on Sony and MS for a next gen system, though.
Being as the Wii featured an Ati gpu you'll probably find the reason Nintendo are waiting about a year to release it's successor is that is the approximate time Amd will have their 7xxx series of graphics chips rolling out - with 22nm architecture over the current 40nm along with better DirectX 11 drivers, stream processors and sterio 3D capability. They would likely have released things sooner but the current 6xxx series is the first batch to offer 3D
Being as the Wii featured an Ati gpu you'll probably find the reason Nintendo are waiting about a year to release it's successor is that is the approximate time Amd will have their 7xxx series of graphics chips rolling out - with 22nm architecture over the current 40nm along with better DirectX 11 drivers, stream processors and sterio 3D capability. They would likely have released things sooner but the current 6xxx series is the first batch to offer 3D
Haven't Nintendo have said that the Wii 2 is unlikely to be 3D?
Haven't Nintendo have said that the Wii 2 is unlikely to be 3D?
I don't know.
They may keep it 2D upon launch but then after perfecting new 3D peripherals (controllers, cameras and the respective software entailed) enable the 3D capabilities of the chipset via an update [flash the chip] rather the same way PS3 never supported 3D on launch but does now.
It seems more convincing when you consider the rumours have sprung up in the same time frame AMD have (as far as seems logical) finished unveiling the 6xxx series with the APUs and OEM home theatre cards now released (6790, 6310 etc). Who knows, the next Wii may have a watered down Bulldozer board (probably not but would certainly be nice if it did).
I don't know.
They may keep it 2D upon launch but then after perfecting new 3D peripherals (controllers, cameras and the respective software entailed) enable the 3D capabilities of the chipset via an update [flash the chip] rather the same way PS3 never supported 3D on launch but does now.
It seems more convincing when you consider the rumours have sprung up in the same time frame AMD have (as far as seems logical) finished unveiling the 6xxx series with the APUs and OEM home theatre cards now released (6790, 6310 etc). Who knows, the next Wii may have a watered down Bulldozer board (probably not but would certainly be nice if it did).
According to IGN there is a 6" screen on the control and games can be streamed to it so maybe they are looking at other things besides 3D ATM.
According to IGN there is a 6" screen on the control and games can be streamed to it so maybe they are looking at other things besides 3D ATM.
Maybe the controllers will double up as miniture hand held console in themselves - though that would totally conflict with sales of the 3DS
Maybe the controllers will double up as miniture hand held console in themselves - though that would totally conflict with sales of the 3DS
I was thinking that myself so maybe it will be limited to only streaming. So it wouldn't work outside, still would have better graphics then the PSP2 without a doubt.
I was thinking that myself so maybe it will be limited to only streaming. So it wouldn't work outside, still would have better graphics then the PSP2 without a doubt.
*NGP
That thing has four gpus from what I've heard around the net. I doubt Sony have managed a hardware miracle and crammed quad core graphics chips into mobile souloutions though at this point as neither AMD or Nvidea have even gotten more than two single core chips onto the same PCB in a desktop environment as it stands. It seems more realistic it's merely an early adoption of gpu hyperthreading at most.