Nintendo Revolution Revelation on May 9, 2006

[Joe DeFuria]

I have no reason to doubt that Nintendo is tagetting for a world-wide 2006 release. It's the lack of any real information (aside from the controller) from pretty much anywhere (press, developers, hardware folks...etc) which is fueling my doubt that they are far enough along to actually meet that target.

 

[PC-Engine]

IMO 2007 is not an option. It needs to launch in time for Xmas 06.

 

[Joe DeFuria]

IMO 2007 is not an option. It needs to launch in time for Xmas 06.

I disagree, since Nintendo is after a wider audience than the PS3/Xbox consumers. So whether it's 2006 or 2007, Nintendo's plan seems to be to try and get new gamers that wouldn't have a PS3 or X360 anyway.

 

[Magnum PI]

It's the lack of any real information (aside from the controller) from pretty much anywhere (press, developers, hardware folks...etc) which is fueling my doubt that they are far enough along to actually meet that target.

Aren't nintendo known for their sense of secrecy ?

 

[PC-Engine]

If Nintendo plans to reveal everything about Revolution at next year's pre E3 event in Hollywood then a fall 2006 launch is doable and likely.

I disagree, since Nintendo is after a wider audience than the PS3/Xbox consumers. So whether it's 2006 or 2007, Nintendo's plan seems to be to try and get new gamers that wouldn't have a PS3 or X360 anyway.

But they would be naive to ignore potential Revolution as 2nd console buyers. Also they cannot ignore existing Nintendo gamers who will want it in time for Xmas 06. I have a feeling Nintendo fans will be VERY pissed if Revolution is released spring 2007 and Nintendo does not want that. GCN cannot hold the fort until 2007.

 

[tahrikmili]

Revolution will definitely be my second next-gen console. First is, of course, XBOX 360. I'll skip on the PS3 just as I skipped on the PS2 - I never liked their exclusive games and they seem to have even less exclusive dev support this time around. So long Sony.

 

[pc999]

If Nintendo plans to reveal everything about Revolution at next year's pre E3 event in Hollywood then a fall 2006 launch is doable and likely.

Bet on the likely if a long time pass between E3 and Rev launch they will lost the WOW factor, and MS/S PR will make some effect, plus there is no better time to sell a console to a no gamer (they probably have the money, the time, the spirit...).

 

[Corwin_B]

Also they cannot ignore existing Nintendo gamers who will want it in time for Xmas 06. I have a feeling Nintendo fans will be VERY pissed if Revolution is released spring 2007 and Nintendo does not want that. GCN cannot hold the fort until 2007.

Like Apple fans, we Nintendo fans are extremely quick to be pissed, and also extremely quick to forgive and come back (if we ever left).

Remember the huge noise over "Cellda" and Metroid Prime (First person Metroid ! Blasphemy, Nintendo sucks, I'm never buying anything from them again !) ?

Last gen, I got a NGC and a PS2 (I've got more games on the Cube, actually), this gen it will probably be the 360 and the Rev.

 

[Teasy]

Revolution to use 12GB proprietary discs co developed by Nintendo and Panasonic?

I didn't think this was a firm enough rumour to post an entirely new thread for so I'll just post it here instead:

From the Revo-Europe (formerly Cube-Europe) mailbag:

Q: Which kind of storage medium do you think the Revolution is going to use? Since I've read great things about Sony's Blu-Ray disc.
Richard, 16

A: The Revolution will initially use a proprietary disc standard developed between Nintendo and Panasonic. It uses 12 gig capacity discs. However, with a hardware attachment planned, it is quite possible more DVD standards will be supported in the future.

This is something I have actually been wondering about since E3 when Nintendo first gave us details on Revolution. At first they listed its disc format as "DVD discs" but within hours I noticed that had changed to "12cm optical disc". That made me wonder if in fact the discs were actually a proprietary format similar to DVD (same physical size) but with more storage. This could be one of the suprises still to be revealed.

http://www.revo-europe.com/special.php?sid=qa

 

[mckmas8808]

I didn't think this was a firm enough rumour to post an entirely new thread for so I'll just post it here instead:

From the Revo-Europe (formerly Cube-Europe) mailbag:



This is something I have actually been wondering about since E3 when Nintendo first gave us details on Revolution. At first they listed its disc format as "DVD discs" but within hours I noticed that had changed to "12cm optical disc". That made me wonder if in fact the discs were actually a proprietary format similar to DVD (same physical size) but with more storage. This could be one of the suprises still to be revealed.

http://www.revo-europe.com/special.php?sid=qa

Get the motherfreak out of here!! Even Nintendo is recognizing that game next-gen will hold more than 7.4 Gigs of space. This machine might actually be a revolution.

WOW!!

 

[Teasy]

Remember that its not definite yet though, I've sent a message to the site asking where he got this info. Hopefully its true though, 12GB seems like a very good amount of storage for next gen games.

 

[Branduil]

Remember that its not definite yet though, I've sent a message to the site asking where he got this info. Hopefully its true though, 12GB seems like a very good amount of storage for next gen games.

12GB would be more than enough for next-gen, I think. Also, you have to consider that at SDTV resolution you could get away with smaller textures.

 

[mckmas8808]

Remember that its not definite yet though, I've sent a message to the site asking where he got this info. Hopefully its true though, 12GB seems like a very good amount of storage for next gen games.

Thanks and keep us updated when he gives you an answer.

 

[PC-Engine]

That's pretty cool if true.

 

[PC-Engine]

I did a little researching and there IS a new optical disc based on red laser that can hold about 11GBs for dual layer..it's called FVD. I wonder if Revolution will use this or not.

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20051130A7034.html

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,115533,00.asp

 

[Teasy]

12GB would be more than enough for next-gen, I think. Also, you have to consider that at SDTV resolution you could get away with smaller textures.

Textures can still increase a lot over last gen though even at SDTV resolutions. Still only a few last generation games took up a whole dual layered DVD disc (and some of that space was only used to save access times anyway). So I agree, 12GB is just a little but more then neccesary which is always a good thing.

 

[pc999]

That should help reducing the piracy if it is true (like GC discs), anyone knows the price for that, if low, I truly can belive on it.

 

[OtakingGX]

Sega increased the capacity of a CD to 1 GB using available CDROM technology. From what I understand they doubled up the data, then slowed down the drive to trick the controller into thinking it was reading data at a normal speed.

Whatever it is, It'll probably be proprietary, to fend off pirates, and an easy way to do that is increase the capacity over that of a normal DVD.

 

[Ooh-videogames]

?

Wouldn't the Revolution technically be capable of HD resolution? (720p)

We really don't have to know its specs, considering the fact that the Xbox can do it. 64MB of total memory.

 

[Fox5]

Textures can still increase a lot over last gen though even at SDTV resolutions. Still only a few last generation games took up a whole dual layered DVD disc (and some of that space was only used to save access times anyway). So I agree, 12GB is just a little but more then neccesary which is always a good thing.

So Revolution presumebly will have the memory to store these high res textures?

Actually, that'd be pretty interesting if Revolution went for a much weaker gpu, but loaded it up with a ton more memory (on a side note, does ATI's ring bus allow for a 512-bit bus?). Do high res textures / bump maps require significantly more fillrate and shading power to use, or just more memory?