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Is "Wii HiFi" Nintendo's next console?

As John Davison said - http://www.whattheyplay.com/blog/2008/09/30/new-wii-due-by-2011/

..the new system will be presented as a true successor to the Wii, and is being dubbed by those that have seen the presentation as “Wii HD.” There is no indication if this will be its eventual name, but the nature of the transition has been characterized as similar to “the shift from Game Boy to Game Boy Advance,” where familiar, key elements were left intact while the core hardware was made more powerful. It is expected by all those that we have spoken to on the subject that the new device will retain the Wii name in part.

He talked to developers that had seen it. It's coming.
 

DaBuddaDa

Member
Hi-Fi sounds like one of those old 80s/90s nerd tech terms like the "world wide web" or "cyberspace". Please don't do it Nintendo!
 

ZeoVGM

Banned
gerg said:
On the one hand, lol wat?

On the other hand, Pachter redeemed? The date sounds reasonable, the graphical capabilities sound disappointing. If Nintendo wants to compete significantly with Sony and Microsoft (and I accept that that "if" may not pertain), then they need to match them technologically.

No. Pachter will never be "redeemed". He's been saying Wii HD for what, 2 years now? Obviously, eventually, an HD followup will get announced.

That's like if Pachter said in 2008 that Sony is going to announce PlayStation 4. Then in 2010, they announce it and he's redeemed!
 

Jocchan

Ὁ μεμβερος -ου
Jocchan said:
No. Launching a new console wouldn't be a response to MS and Sony launching Natal and Move.

Nintendo is really good at predicting downward trends. If you go back and look at when the DS Lite and DSi were announced, it was always after a slow downward trend of hardware and software sales.

Now, the Wii is seeing an always decreasing number of announcements from third parties. In Japan, this has been especially noticeable for a while. Third parties are bailing the fuck out en masse and those who stay have very few titles of large appeal that are guaranteed to get blockbuster levels of sales, with some possible breakouts and many probable failures.

Yes, Nintendo software does always sell incredible amounts, but third party software sales bring home a significant amount of royalty money that I really doubt Nintendo wants to give up so easily.

Considering how the Wii seems to be in a downward trend in both hardware and software sales everywhere, I wouldn't really be surprised if they decided to launch another platform soon.

Their goal might not be replacing the Wii, even though "fastest-selling console ever" doesn't really mean much if revenue is going down, but at least placing something else on its side and let the market decide.

With this I'm not saying OMG THEY'RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE WII HD NAO!!!!111! I'm just saying that, if they did, it wouldn't be so puzzling and random. It would make a lot of sense.
Reposting for the new page, and adding that - in case - the more unlikely part would be them announcing it so soon. Not launching it next year.
 

Bentendo

Member
TheKingsCrown said:
You linked to an article from September 2008? :lol

I know. I was reading it thinking "oh wow, COOL" then got to the end where it said "Update: Nintendo DSi confirmed", and was like... WAT.
 
Guys I bet eventually Microsoft and Sony will release new systems.

Bookmark this post, in two or three years, you will be calling me a soothsaying prophet.
 
TheKingsCrown said:
You linked to an article from September 2008? :lol

So? It's not like Nintendo decided to throw together the successor to the Wii on a saturday afternoon a few weeks ago.

ShockingAlberto said:
So not only have Nintendo been showing this since 2008, but no leaks since then until right now have appeared.

Nothing leaked on the 360 or PS3 years prior to its release? I'm not saying that the French blog is right, but Davison is a well respected reporter and he wouldn't publish without legitimate sources.
 

gerg

Member
omg rite said:
No. Pachter will never be "redeemed". He's been saying Wii HD for what, 2 years now? Obviously, eventually, an HD followup will get announced.

That's like if Pachter said in 2008 that Sony is going to announce PlayStation 4. Then in 2010, they announce it and he's redeemed!

That was a joke.

Jocchan said:
Reposting for the new page, and adding that - in case - the more unlikely part would be them announcing it so soon. Not launching it next year.

This.

Is 18 months an unlikely announcement period?
 

Ushojax

Should probably not trust the 7-11 security cameras quite so much
I think Nintendo has grown out of revealing hardware more than a year in advance. There's just so much shit flying around this time of year it's hard to know what's credible, but this seems a little too much for Nintendo. They didn't show the final Wii name and software till about 6 months before launch, now apparently they're going to announce a console for Fall 2011? I can't see it happening. They are extremely anal about people stealing features and ideas, the thought that they would lift the lid on a new console and give their competitors enough time to rip the ideas off is absurd.
 

Psykotik

Member
2262_3.jpg


See this system here? This is Hi-Fi... high fidelity. What that means is that it's the highest quality fidelity.
 

Vinci

Danish
Ushojax said:
I think Nintendo has grown out of revealing hardware more than a year in advance. There's just so much shit flying around this time of year it's hard to know what's credible, but this seems a little too much for Nintendo. They didn't show the final Wii name and software till about 6 months before launch, now apparently they're going to announce a console for Fall 2011? I can't see it happening.

Exactly. Odds are, we'll hear about the Wii's successor next E3. Not this one.
 
Wii is almost 5 years old, and given its GCN-based architecture, it's technically closer to ten years old.

A new machine announcement is perfect, honestly - it's time.

Wii Hifi is a cool name, too - if it's real.
 

DaBuddaDa

Member
I fully expect the next Wii to be revealed at or around E3 next year to be released 2011 holiday season. I doubt Nintendo will show anything this far in advance.
 

J-Rock

Banned
Weird. Love the week before E3. Fucking rumor orgy. Good stuff.

So the name is a combo of High Def and Wifi? That's a crazy ass rumor considering Nintendo's history.
 
Jocchan said:
Reposting for the new page, and adding that - in case - the more unlikely part would be them announcing it so soon. Not launching it next year.

Considering the protracted manner in which Wii itself was revealed, I don't think some kind of Wii2 announcement is that implausible:

E3 2004: Gamecube successor confirmed under codename "Revolution"
E3 2005: First pics of hardware design, still under Revolution name
TGS 2005: Iwata reveals Revolution controller (Wiimote and Nunchuk); controller demos shown to press
April 2006: Wii announced as final name for Revolution
E3 2006: Full unveiling of Wii hardware and software

It's much too early for a full unveiling, no doubt. But if Nintendo's next console is actually set to launch in Q4 2011, there's at least a respectable chance that they might show something at E3.
 

Vinci

Danish
Father_Brain said:
Considering the protracted manner in which Wii itself was revealed, I don't think some kind of Wii2 announcement is that implausible:

E3 2004: Gamecube successor confirmed under codename "Revolution"
E3 2005: First pics of hardware design, still under Revolution name
TGS 2005: Iwata reveals Revolution controller (Wiimote and Nunchuk); controller demos shown to press
April 2006: Wii announced as final name for Revolution
E3 2006: Full unveiling of Wii hardware and software

It's much too early for a full unveiling, no doubt. But if Nintendo's next console is actually set to launch in Q4 2011, there's at least a respectable chance that they might show something at E3.

I have to ask: Why would they steal the 3DS's thunder? It's as important as their next console, if not more important. Again: If they announced the Wii's successor this E3, it would divert an ocean of attention away from the 3DS.

That would be monumentally stupid.
 

Instro

Member
2 Hardware announcements at one E3. Come on, such bs. If anything can be taken from the way the 3DS has been handled so far, Nintendo has no interest in announcing hardware far in advance.
 
Vinterbird said:
Nothing leaked on the 360 or PS3 years prior to its release? I'm not saying that the French blog is right, but Davison is a well respected reporter and he wouldn't publish without legitimate sources.
Again.

2008.

They showed this in 2008, less than two years after the Wii released, and are announcing it in 2010 for a 2011 release (18 months), with massive leaks coming from the most leak-proof company in the industry days before the press conference, when they are guaranteed to reveal another new system at the exact same time.

Guys, I am going to lay some really heavy revelations on you: Sometimes developers don't know what they are talking about. Sometimes they are far down the chain, sometimes they are being extremely vague on purpose or by NDA, sometimes they may say "I am working on new Nintendo hardware" and journalists leap to conclusions.

Journalism has this problem where the narrative of a story is important, because it's easy to explain to people raw data once they have a story to go with it. You see this in politics, where the narrative of "anti-incumbent elections" is having a hard time rationalizing a bunch of incumbents winning in the primaries. The narrative after the Wii released is that it could never stay in mainstream consciousness, the graphics were too old, the fad will end, there will be a Wii HD eventually.

So people hear "Nintendo's working on something" and the mind immediately assumes it's what they've been told to assume.

Hell, the article insinuates it might be the DSi!

The dramatic bump in spending at Nintendo may also be reflective of Nintendo’s work on a rumored new DS, said to feature a camera and music player. Iterating on the DS in 2009 would certainly shake up the market, though given the incredible monthly sales of the device it hardly needs reinvigorating for the time being. When the Nintendo DS was launched in 2004, the worldwide installed base of the Game Boy Advance was 53 million (on top of the Game Boy’s incredibly huge 118 million.) So far, 80 million Nintendo DS units have been sold worldwide, and demand shows no sign of slowing.

Then, a year after the DSi is released, the DS successor is announced.

I know you don't think Davison makes things up, I don't think so, either. But I don't think reality makes things up and I think Davison can be wrong and jump to bad conclusions.
 

gerg

Member
Vinci said:
That would be monumentally stupid.

Perhaps I'm being naive, but I think that you're overplaying the significance of whatever Nintendo would show. Would saying "new console next year, called XYZ, will be XYZ" (with no logos or whatever) really steal the thunder from a new portable launching within the next nine months that is playable on the show floor?
 

carlo6529

Member
Vinci said:
I have to ask: Why would they steal the 3DS's thunder? It's as important as their next console, if not more important. Again: If they announced the Wii's successor this E3, it would divert an ocean of attention away from the 3DS.

That would be monumentally stupid.

Thank-you.
 
Vinci said:
I have to ask: Why would they steal the 3DS's thunder? It's as important as their next console, if not more important. Again: If they announced the Wii's successor this E3, it would divert an ocean of attention away from the 3DS.

That would be monumentally stupid.

I don't think that a confirmation that Wii2 exists and is slated for late 2011, or even a few pics of the hardware, would necessarily be enough to steal 3DS's thunder at E3. After all, it's 3DS that will (probably) have half of Nintendo's press conference devoted to it, and will presumably have playable units on the show floor.

edit: Beaten by gerg, but the point stands.
 

levious

That throwing stick stunt of yours has boomeranged on us.
Vinci said:
I have to ask: Why would they steal the 3DS's thunder? It's as important as their next console, if not more important. Again: If they announced the Wii's successor this E3, it would divert an ocean of attention away from the 3DS.

That would be monumentally stupid.




if the successors to the two biggest current consoles are revealed together (although I'd say Wii2 reveal would be much less info than 3DS) all that would do is steal thunder from everyone else.
 

Ushojax

Should probably not trust the 7-11 security cameras quite so much
Vinci said:
I have to ask: Why would they steal the 3DS's thunder? It's as important as their next console, if not more important. Again: If they announced the Wii's successor this E3, it would divert an ocean of attention away from the 3DS.

That would be monumentally stupid.

Exactly. It was an impending leak that forced them into the bizarre 3DS acknowledgment before the DSi's Western launch. I just can't see why they would reveal a new Wii. It would do them no good at all. It could affect Wii sales, it could lead to people plagiarising their ideas, it would be pointless. I'm sure they are doing plenty behind the scenes, but a public unveiling serves no purpose.
 

Vinci

Danish
gerg said:
Perhaps I'm being naive, but I think that you're overplaying the significance of whatever Nintendo would show. Would saying "new console next year, called XYZ, will be XYZ" (with no logos or whatever) really steal the thunder from a new portable launching within the next nine months that is playable on the show floor?

Have you seen how much GAF and the gaming press like to speculate on mystery shit? They would pester Nintendo for information on the new console from the moment Nintendo confirms one to the moment they finally do a full unveil. It would waste a lot of Nintendo's time, would divert attention from the 3DS, and would not benefit them in any way.
 

Door2Dawn

Banned
Vinci said:
I have to ask: Why would they steal the 3DS's thunder? It's as important as their next console, if not more important. Again: If they announced the Wii's successor this E3, it would divert an ocean of attention away from the 3DS.

That would be monumentally stupid.
Stealing thunder?

They're made by the same fucking company. How the hell can they steal thunder away form each other?

And do you actually think nintendo would allow that to happen?
 
If you guys are lowering the bar to Nintendo simply saying a Wii successor is in the works, yes, that is possible.

This stuff in the OP


* It should be on par with the 360
* It should not be called Wii 2 but Wii HiFi
* It will be very online-oriented this time
* Community aspects will be a big component
* It should be out around November 2011

is not happening.

Nintendo working on new hardware? Not shocking.
 

Taker666

Member
:lol

Does anyone really believe that Nintendo would announce the next Wii now..

...at a time when they are still outselling the competition..

18 months before it's released?
 

gerg

Member
Vinci said:
Have you seen how much GAF and the gaming press like to speculate on mystery shit? They would pester Nintendo for information on the new console from the moment Nintendo confirms one to the moment they finally do a full unveil.

People already pester Nintendo with questions about future consoles that they (should) know will never be fully answered. All that would change was that people could submit the official name for whatever "Wii HD" or "Super Wii" moniker they've been using.

ShockingAlberto said:
This stuff in the OP

is not happening.

What's not happening? That they would do the stuff mentioned or that they would announce that they were doing it? Because while you may doubt Nintendo's motivation to undertake a specific change in strategy I wouldn't underestimate their ability to make such large changes.
 
MarshMellow96 said:
Nintendo are probably thinking that if they call their new console 'HD' they are publically admitting defeat to MS and Sony in that regard. By calling their next console Hi-Fi, they confuse everyone by going further backwards.

If it's on par with the 360, shouldn't it be called Wii-SubHD?
 

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
Door2Dawn said:
Stealing thunder?

They're made by the same fucking company. How the hell can they steal thunder away form each other?

And do you actually think nintendo would allow that to happen?

Ummm ... actually companies can quite easily steal their own thunder. As a matter of fact, it happens quite a lot.
 
Taker666 said:
:lol

Does anyone really believe that Nintendo would announce the next Wii now..

...at a time when they are still outselling the competition..

18 months before it's released?

The PS3 was announced long before it was released, when the PS2 was on top and outselling the competition.

Time marches on. I don't see what the problem is here if it's acknowledged next week.
 

Vinci

Danish
gerg said:
People already pester Nintendo with questions about future consoles that they (should) know will never be fully answered. All that would change was that people could submit the official name for whatever "Wii HD" or "Super Wii" moniker they've been using.

Of course they pester them about it, but that would heighten considerably if Nintendo put any sort of information out specifically about what their next console is going to be and when it is projected to be released. As long as they say, "We are always working on hardware; we will release a new console eventually," it dilutes a great deal of the nonsense. These are understood things; they are accepted, they fade easily into the background since there's no way to know how much they have firmly set in place for the console. Once there's a date, they know exactly what it's going to be, what it can do, how it works, etc.

The speculation would be immense. And there's no reason whatsoever to do that, drawing any attention whatsoever from the 3DS, when it buys them nothing for the Wii's successor.
 

FLEABttn

Banned
Taker666 said:
:lol

Does anyone really believe that Nintendo would announce the next Wii now..

...at a time when they are still outselling the competition..

18 months before it's released?

Sony announced the PS3...

...at a time when they were outselling the competition...

18 months before it was released.
 

Twig

Banned
Vinci said:
Have you seen how much GAF and the gaming press like to speculate on mystery shit? They would pester Nintendo for information on the new console from the moment Nintendo confirms one to the moment they finally do a full unveil. It would waste a lot of Nintendo's time, would divert attention from the 3DS, and would not benefit them in any way.
The, excuse my French, "casuals" would not care. At all. It is only us, the minority, the, ahem hem, "hardcore" who actually care. Only us who actually follow the industry closely enough to explode with joy (or anger) at the mere announcement of the existence of a console to be released in over one year.
 
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