Rumor - Wii2 specs leaked / Blu-Ray enabled / 1080p support / Q3 2010

[Teasy]

It doesn't play DVD movies, last I checked.

Actually there's free software out there that allows DVD movies to play on Wii (works even on un-modded Wii's).

Not sure why tirminyl was assuming the inclusion of a Blu-Ray disc drive would mean Blu-Ray movie support though..

 

[Asher]

If it's not official, it obviously doesn't count.

 

[Teasy]

If it's not official, it obviously doesn't count.

 

[obonicus]

The point is: the console, as released by Nintendo, has no DVD playback support. Remember, we're talking about what Nintendo is doing. Not what homebrew folks are doing.

 

[Iron Tiger]

A wii hd would kill the wii market. The wii will only just be 4 years old next holiday season. they are leaving a ton of money on the table and alot of adopters will not upgrade esp if its level of grpahics are on par with the 360 and ps3. If the system is above that then I don't see it costing less than $300 and will basicly be way more expensive than the 360 and ps3 both of which have large install bases and tons of games.

It works for Apple. There are apps being built for 3G and 3GS that don't work on the original iPhone. What does that do to people (like me) who have the original? Make us want to buy a new iPhone. iPhone still doesn't have a lot of features that are considered standard for smartphones, but that does nothing to diminish its popularity. In my experience, it's pretty terrible as a phone (can't hear much through the slit), but it makes up for it with other unique features.

Wii doesn't compete on graphics, and Wii 2 won't have to compete, either.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Not sure why tirminyl was assuming the inclusion of a Blu-Ray disc drive would mean Blu-Ray movie support though..

Well in the OP it says:

- 1080P and lower resolutions will be supported, for blu-ray movies and games.

So that's probably where he got it. Interesting rumour and considering that both Sony and MS have a new motion control methods coming next year, it wouldn't be terribly surprising to see Nintendo do something about it, but let's wait and see.

 

[dobwal]

It works for Apple. There are apps being built for 3G and 3GS that don't work on the original iPhone. What does that do to people (like me) who have the original? Make us want to buy a new iPhone. iPhone still doesn't have a lot of features that are considered standard for smartphones, but that does nothing to diminish its popularity. In my experience, it's pretty terrible as a phone (can't hear much through the slit), but it makes up for it with other unique features.

Wii doesn't compete on graphics, and Wii 2 won't have to compete, either.

Apples to oranges. There exists no belief by consumers of cell phones that the phone technology won't change in the near future. In fact, the opposite is expected and accepted, that phone tech changes almost yearly. Plus with every new iteration of the Iphone there have been new versions of other popular cell phones.

Its one thing not to play a 3 dollar app. Its another not to be able to play the latest and greatest from Nintendo in 2010 in all its glory on a machine that just about everyone bought at launch price within the last 3 years.

 

[eastmen]

It works for Apple. There are apps being built for 3G and 3GS that don't work on the original iPhone. What does that do to people (like me) who have the original? Make us want to buy a new iPhone. iPhone still doesn't have a lot of features that are considered standard for smartphones, but that does nothing to diminish its popularity. In my experience, it's pretty terrible as a phone (can't hear much through the slit), but it makes up for it with other unique features.

Wii doesn't compete on graphics, and Wii 2 won't have to compete, either.

apple devices are used for other htings though. The whole push of the wii was the physical aspect of playing games and the dumbing the games down for non gamers. What is 1080p going to bring to the table to make these owners upgrade

 

[zed]

Dont you think that it is too soon to have Wii2 in 2010?

not at all, apparently theres yet another DS version coming out this year (whats that? ~version 4)
The recent pricecut of the wii did not have the desired sales increase, the hype is dying. By this time next year sony/MS will have motion control. Seems about right to come out with a new product.
Im guessing it will be more powerful than ps3/xbox360, possible blu-ray. but tradein wii? no way

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Yes but all DS models are compatible with each other so all your buying is a new model that might be better in some way or another but on a phat DS you will still be able to play all the games that you can play on a DS LL and they will be exactly the same.

Besides that, Iwata recently said that the price drop did have the effect they wanted. Furthermore he said something we all knew for a long time already and that is that nintendo screwed up by not releasing a steady stream of good titels and because of that sales started to slow down.

A totally new model seems very unlogical to me. Wii sales might be down, but that doesnt mean its selling bad or that Nintendo needs a new model no make more cash. They still earn a buttload on hardware I'm sure and software still sells at boatloads at a time so there isnt exactly a need for a totally new platform yet.

Also, if they release a new platform now, imo it can only fail. For a Wii2HD to make any sense right now it will have to be faster than x360/ps3. That will mean costs will very likely be higher than the current 200 - 250 euro pricepoint of consoles. So that means it will either be not competative on price or nintendo will need to take a loss on hardware (and why do that? Certainly if you have been making a profit on hardware for the last few years). And what about games? With 56million consoles sold devs right now dont even bother making wii optimized games, will they do that for wii2? I think they will just take x360 games and stick motion controlls on so you get the same thing as with wii now. Console could do much better on the gfx front but nobody can be botherd.

No I think Nintendo will just wait untill the next round of consoles, there is no need for a new platform right now.

Maybe they will release a new model with a scaler chip or whatever so HD output will look better but it will still be a Wii 1.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

From the sounds of it, the screen is just bigger and not higher resolution. Seems late in the game to be working on a large-screen DS when they could be looking at new hardware competitive with iPhone etc.

 

[Rangers]

This rumor doesn't seem to make any sense.

The only way it makes sense is if it's a slight upgrade, aka DS lite to DS, DSi to DSL.

Nintendo is trying to follow Apple's footsteps of selling you new slightly upgraded hardware every year, no doubt about that.

For a Wii2HD to make any sense right now it will have to be faster than x360/ps3.

Why?

 

[V3]

What's the leaked spec ?

 

[zed]

Besides that, Iwata recently said that the price drop did have the effect they wanted.

Nintendo expects to see its yearly profit decline for the first time this generation -- and has cut its profit forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 2010 to ¥230 billion
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25857
theyve lowerer the number of wii's they expect to ship by next year by 6million!

Check the weekly japan sales, their pricecut had minimal effect, on the week of its pricecut it got outsold by the ps3!
even worse it didnt even make 40k, last year it prolly averaged over that

 

[Iron Tiger]

Apples to oranges. There exists no belief by consumers of cell phones that the phone technology won't change in the near future. In fact, the opposite is expected and accepted, that phone tech changes almost yearly. Plus with every new iteration of the Iphone there have been new versions of other popular cell phones.

Its one thing not to play a 3 dollar app. Its another not to be able to play the latest and greatest from Nintendo in 2010 in all its glory on a machine that just about everyone bought at launch price within the last 3 years.

Substitute "iPhone" for any other Apple product. (iBook, iMac, iPod, Macbook, PowerMac.) With slight changes, appeal is restored. Nintendo would due wise to apply the marketing model that they've successfully proven with the DS line to the Wii. 4 years for a refresh is TOO long. Interest in the Wii began waning some time ago. And a refresh doesn't mean support for all existing software is discontinued. Why does a Wii 2 have to drop backward compatibility?

apple devices are used for other htings though. The whole push of the wii was the physical aspect of playing games and the dumbing the games down for non gamers. What is 1080p going to bring to the table to make these owners upgrade

Who says the only new feature of a Wii 2 would be HD graphics? The controller is already confirmed to be under revision. The input interface could get a complete overhaul, for all we know. The Wii could certainly stand to be simpler. My mom is afraid to even eject the Wii Fit disc to put in Wii Sports.

 

[JasonLD]

I don't see it happening. Wii still has large lead over any competing console, so I don't see any reason why they want to kill the Wii market prematurely by introducing a brand new console. It will definitely hurt Nintendo more than it helps them.

 

[Urian]

Let´s see:

-SNES was shown for first time in 1989 and the console was released one year later.

-N64 was shown for first time at the Shoshinkai 95 and the console was released in 1989

-Gamecube was shown in SpaceWorld 2000 and the release of the console in 2001

-Revolution/Wii was shown in E3 2005, the Controller in TGS 2005... Wii release was 2006.

Can you see the pattern here?

Wi HD for 2010? Bullshit

 

[flynn]

When the Revolution was first announced there were tons of rumors (most of them with very little resemblance to the final specs) and, after a while, Nintendo said that they were not interested in the HD-console competition but would focus giving players a new experience. And they did with the controller.

What would N gain from adding Bluray to the new machine? The 360 has a DVD player and seems to do fine, paying the extra licensing costs to go BR doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I also don't think a Wii2 has to be more powerful than a PS3 or 360 but if they want to go the HD way I hope they do more than just increase resolution, i.e. get a decent GPU and let TEV go to silicon heaven, it's served its purpose already.

 

[Brad Grenz]

I think this is completely bogus. 2010 is a year early. I think Nintendo is targeting 2011. They have no reason to panic at this point and deviate from a regular 5 year schedule.

 

[AlNom]

I'd think that software is Nintendo's problem... not hardware.