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[Vinci]

I think they'll at the very least be asked about it. If it IS in development we'll probably see R&D pick up on the fin reports too (unless its done that already, I havent really been following them)

They bought a shit-ton of land not too long ago to set up a large R&D facility. Whether that's for the next console, for Wii, or for general product testing, no clue. But yes, they're spending a pretty decent amount on R&D, I imagine.

 

[Jme]

They bought a shit-ton of land not too long ago to set up a large R&D facility. Whether that's for the next console, for Wii, or for general product testing, no clue. But yes, they're spending a pretty decent amount on R&D, I imagine.

I understood it as they MOVED their R&D to the new expanded property, not set up 2nd shop.

 

[camineet]

All I want is a Wii HD - not to necessarily compete graphically with the PS360 but merely to output existing Wii graphics in HD native resolutions.

That's exactly what I DON'T want, a Wii HD that's graphically and computationally, 10 year old technology, that only outputs in native HD resolutions.

I am fine with Wii HD not coming out until 2011 or 2012 or even 2014, as long as it's a major upgrade in graphics and processing over the Wii, like going from GameBoy to GBA. That is, at least upto the level of 360/PS3 visuals and processing, if not somewhat better.


I do not think upgraded GameCube graphics will look all that great in 720p, 1080i or 1080p. I want Wii HD to be a next-gen console, meaning at least current-gen PS360 level if not PS360+ ...Even if it's not upto the level of next-gen Xbox720 and PS4.

 

[Vinci]

I understood it as they MOVED their R&D to the new expanded property, not set up 2nd shop.

I heard they combined all of their R&D groups into the one location. Doesn't change the fact that it was a big move and a clear indication of the level of R&D they do in general.

 

[camineet]

Nintendo increased their R&D spending in recent years, by an order of magnitude, from 2003 to 2007:

In 2003, Nintendo declared that $34 million was spent on R&D. This figure steadily climbed to $103 million in 2006 and the following year bumped dramatically to $370 million.

The reported 'Wii HD' is meant to be more powerful than Wii, not merely a Wii that outputs in HD.

the new device is said to be the true “next generation” Nintendo console, and far more than a simple refresh of the current hardware.

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.

the company is currently spending more than ten times as much on research and development as it was five years ago, and since the Wii was launched in 2006, R&D spending has more than tripled. While this could be attributed to any number of additional projects, the level of spending suggests that a large project is in the works. In 2003, Nintendo declared that $34 million was spent on R&D. This figure steadily climbed to $103 million in 2006 (the year that the Wii launched) and the following year bumped dramatically to $370 million. When asked to explain the escalated spending, Nintendo representatives were unable to provide comment.

The joint development agreement between IBM and AMD expires on December 31, 2011 but “may be extended further by the mutual agreement of the parties.” This suggests that Nintendo will be leveraging research and development from the partnership in time to ensure that it’s new hardware will be compatible with the Wii’s current “Hollywood” and “Broadway” processors.

It is unlikely that any official acknowledgement of Nintendo’s new hardware will come until at least 2009

source

 

[Vinci]

$370 million

holy shit

 

[SnakeswithLasers]

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

no

 

[Always-honest]

That's exactly what I DON'T want, a Wii HD that's graphically and computationally, 10 year old technology, that only outputs in native HD resolutions.

I am fine with Wii HD not coming out until 2011 or 2012 or even 2014, as long as it's a major upgrade in graphics and processing over the Wii, like going from GameBoy to GBA. That is, at least upto the level of 360/PS3 visuals and processing, if not somewhat better.


I do not think upgraded GameCube graphics will look all that great in 720p, 1080i or 1080p. I want Wii HD to be a next-gen console, meaning at least current-gen PS360 level if not PS360+ ...Even if it's not upto the level of next-gen Xbox720 and PS4.

agreed upon you are...

 

[CO_Andy]

OP "doesn't get it."

 

[camineet]

OP "doesn't get it."

sure i do.

*Wii is a disruptive console
*Wii is not about graphics at all
*The casual market doesn't really care much about graphics
*Nintendo is making a fuckload of money on Wii, why on earth would they announce a successor so soon.
*This generation is not like other generations, the next Nintendo console might be conciderably more than 5 years after Wii.

etc

Doesn't stop me from wondering what Nintendo might say about their next-gen plans this year.

 

[I AM JOHN!]

Doesn't stop me from wondering what Nintendo might say about their next-gen plans this year.

The point of announcing their new console being in development is to usurp the other console manufacturers by saying "we're thinking ahead to the future and it's going to be AWESOME!!" and bring hype to their coming system at the expense of everyone else and their "plebeian current-gen systems." But Nintendo's no longer competing with Microsoft and Sony. They don't care what they do. Why do they need to talk about anything when the market they're catering to could care less about the new Wii and is just fine with more games with the Wii ___ branding?

Furthermore, Nintendo is savvy, and announcing a new system this year would be stupid and they know that. Any announcement they make is going to be bowled over by the sublime awesomeness of Dreamcast 2.

 

[Diablohead]

Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, I don't want to hear about a new console for another year yet, I think it's too fast too often.

 

[SturokBGD]

Nintendo don't announce anything when expected.

They announce the day after, when it's too late to go back on your decision to buy a DS Lite.

 

[lo zaffo]

I cannot make up my mind about Nintendo: if it were prudent it had not released Nintendo DSi, but Nintendo did it (quite well). So I think everything can happen: next home console in 24 weeks, plus Wii motion + in summer of 2009, sky is the limit.

 

[Woffls]

Nintendo could easily justify releaseing a WiiHD; It will appeal to the 'core' demographic because HD means you actually want it, and it conforms to their console strategy of releasing an iteration before the previous one dies off.

If Wii was going to start declining - some sales figures have been indicative of instability - it would be right now. I think announcing WiiHD for a release later this year is appropriate to keep the Wii brand in people's minds, and also to catch the 'core' half way between the last and next console releases from MS or Sony; naturally this would coincide with a new Zelda being shown on the new hardware with motion+.

The argument that we wont get another console in the market for a while is solid given the costs incurred already and the potential the current formats have. What we have to remember however is that Nintendo are completely exempt from this and they can do whatever the hell they please and get away with it, because their current focus market will eat it up, and so will we.

I still don't believe that the 'casual' market is sustainable at the levels we have observed over the last couple of years, and It would be irresponisble of them to not have a stable market to fall back on, i.e. us. That's partly my thinking behind WiiHD being viable for them. Incidentally I think it will match, not exceed, 360's capabilities, but not break.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Yeah, announcing PS3 killed the PS2

Well they sure didn't start talking it up when PS2 was living high in 2002.

 

[duk]

wtf for? no reason to... not for another 2 years

 

[Bizzyb]

No. There hasn't even been a price cut yet.

Wii Sports Resort and Wii Fit Plus will be front and center. DSi will likely also eat a bunch of time.

But they already DID WSR at last years E3 and Wii Fit doesn't need a sequel already.
Dsi stuff? yes. WSR and WiiFit Plus, uhh no

 

[majortom1981]

With the announcement of the new sensors from the company that makes the wii motion plus and the fact that amd(ati) gpus are getting really good and small i think nintendo can make a backwards compatible console that plays wii games and newer hd stuff and be cheap.

Heck just look at the 4770 gpu just released.

Make a dual or tripple core cpu from ibm(since all the work was semi done by microsoft on this front it would only take a die shrink) maybe a gpu based on the 4770 and make the next wii mote have the wii motion plus built in and you have a wii successor that is backwards compatible with the wii and a good leap ahead graphics wise.

 

[ksamedi]

I think this passage from the investors Q and A session was quite interesting.

You may not be able to believe this, but even when Nintendo has completed a hardware, it does not mean that we will surely launch it. From the initial concept building phase, it normally takes two to three years in order to develop a hardware. So, as soon as a new hardware is completed and introduced to the market, a team is established within the company which starts reviewing what the next hardware will be. Following a completion of a new hardware development, if the company determines that it will be better to continue with the sales of the existing hardware on the market after reviewing the circumstance comprehensively, it can no longer be used as it is in the future because that new hardware was optimized to be launched at that time. Some of the ideas may be used again in a new hardware. However, at the very least, we have had certain custom chips completed that ended up being unused, and it can happen again in the future.
So, Nintendo has always been prepared for the launch of new hardware. However, that hardware is not needed until the time our software developers see the end in making new software with the existing hardware, or unless we have no more new market to explore and all the potential consumers have purchased our hardware. The ordinary technology-driven companies would write the technology road map to anticipate what kind of technology will emerge in the future in order to determine a new hardware launch timing based mainly upon the convenience of hardware developers. In Nintendo's case, however, the more decisive factor is when the software developers will start demanding for new hardware as they cannot create any more software with surprise factors with the existing one. Nintendo has always been making the hardware in order to prepare for that day to come.
Accordingly, we have not been working with such a mindset of "what to do in the next few years." However, when we observe today's situation, I have the impression that the cycle for this time appears to be a bit longer than in the past. I also have the impression that an increasing number of those who used to believe in the past platform cycles are starting to say that the shift to the newer generations may take place a bit later than previously believed.

 

[1-D_FTW]

With the announcement of the new sensors from the company that makes the wii motion...

I'll bite. What was the announcement?

 

[Log4Girlz]

No, they've never been in situation before (the triumphant comeback), I think they are going to hold off on officially announcing anything (since they have hinted at new hardware like, from the very beginning) so as not to cool off demand for the wii or affect its mindshare at all. They know that whatever they put out will be orders of magnitude more powerful than the wii and won't need to hype it early.