New Nintendo hardware in development

By Robert Purchese Published 31 July, 2008

Meeting expectations could be tricky - Iwata.

Satoru Iwata thinks gamers may be expecting too much from the next generation of Nintendo hardware - which is already in development.

"We are always preparing for the next hardware. We are under development," Iwata told Forbes.

"Every hardware needs some revolutionary features. This time around, it happened to be we had a revolutionary user interface. Will it be the same for the next generation? I really can't tell.

"It's natural for the current customer to expect Nintendo is going to once again do something different. If the people are expecting so many different things from Nintendo, it's going to be difficult for us to go beyond that expectation again," he said.

Iwata said recently that predicting console lifespans - referencing the 10-year plan Sony keeps shouting about - was "nonsense". The right time to replace a console, for him, is when developers can no longer innovate on that system.

Nintendo recently unveiled MotionPlus, a plug-in for the Wiimote that increases motion-sensing capabilities.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (47) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ps3owner #1 4 years ago

    mind control

  • PearOfAnguish #2 4 years ago

    How about an online service that doesn't rely on giving people a string of numbers as an ID? That'd be a fucking revolution.

  • Daymare #3 4 years ago

    I hope Wii successor will have both the Wiimote2 *and* a normal joypad in the package.

  • dadrester #4 4 years ago

    they're going to make a PS3?

  • speedjack #5 4 years ago

    +1 what Titus said.

  • spammage #6 4 years ago

    A printer that connects to the Wii and prints £10 notes? I'd buy that.

  • ps3owner #7 4 years ago

    Wii 2

  • spammage #8 4 years ago

    A p00?

  • Physically_Insane #9 4 years ago

    Nintendo, go backwards. A Gamecube but with awesome graphics and online play = perfection. Please!!!

  • orakio #10 4 years ago

    Handheld me thinks

  • Santino #11 4 years ago

    nintendo have tended to shake things up once every 2 of their generations, snes was an evolution of nes, n64 and its 3d and analogue control shook things up then the cube was an evolution of that. so i'm expecting a wii motion+ interface as standard and graphics a bit better than 360/ps3 are at now and launching at the same price as the wii did, then expect them to change things up a bit more the gen after that. they have expressed regret in the amount of storage space in the wii so i'm sure they will provide a proper amount in the wii2 or whatever it ends up being called, at least i bloody hope so, i hate clearing out my fridge.
    Edited by 1 at 31/07/08 @ 15:45

  • Goffee #12 4 years ago

    HD is a given now that the prices of GPUs with that capability are dirt cheap, plus the associated improvement in 3D detail and features.

    I hope they keep the system nice and slim - and purely a games console - I suspect that some of their success in Japan is down to the size issue and will help keep the dimensions of future systems down - negating any silly media features.

    As for controllers, I think they might come up with a wider range of controllers including something more like the standard PS3/X360 pad. For innovation, I bet a microphone is included in the standard controller for voice/singing games.

    Finally - I think the interface will be their grand fromage - full 3D and seamless access between games, online services and stores. All of which will require an SSD drive since there won't be an optical drive any more, bye bye disc boxes, Game stores and piracy, thanks to UID hardware encryption. That'll be the biggest change and I bet everyone moans like hell about it.

  • monkie_king #13 4 years ago

    Spammage: surely Puu?

  • MyPointIs #14 4 years ago

    Meeting the expectations won't be that tricky.

    Is meeting the competition that'll be.
    Edited by 1 at 31/07/08 @ 16:04

  • Darren #15 4 years ago

    I'd be shocked if the Wii 2 or whatever it'll be called doesn't support at least 720p. By the time it is released, a lot of people will have moved onto large HDTVs so 480p definitely won't cut it then.

  • Gamer64 #16 4 years ago

    When Iwata-san says "It'll be hard to go beyond that expectation" Doesn't that make anyone think that they WON'T Improve upon the Wii? I mean it does or less everything now anyway.

  • Cappy #17 4 years ago

    Satoru Iwata thinks gamers may be expecting too much from the next generation of Nintendo hardware - which is already in development.

    Meaning: It still won't be much better than a Gamecube or do 720p. ;)

  • ps3owner #18 4 years ago

    I got it!

    Wii light!

    it will be the same, just half the size ^^

  • myiagros #19 4 years ago

    The right time to replace a console, for him, is when developers can no longer innovate on that system.

    better get that new hardware out tomorrow then, cause there certainly ain't any developers innovating on the system.
    Edited by 1 at 31/07/08 @ 17:08

  • Santino #20 4 years ago

    [link url=htt p://wii.ign.com/dor/articles/895294/wii-motion-plus-and-live move-2/videos/LiveMove2_demo_video_073008.html
    ]http://wi i.ign.com/dor/articles/895294/w...[/link]

    i'm sure this will open up some further possibilities for more innovation than we already have on the system.

  • ekko #21 4 years ago

    I could see Nintendo doing a Wii HD - which would just be a normall Wii but with a HDMI socket and some snazzy way of up-scaling games to 720p/1080p and a hard disk inside which could copy games to or something. All games could work on both versions of the Wii so wouldn't alienate casual gamers who have braved the console world for the first time by making their console obsolete. Not sure if the up-scalling thing would work, probably not.

    Never going to happen though, as this wouldn't involve making people buy all new accessories again.

    Actually, Nintendo are probably just developing all the different colours for the Wii Blue/Red/Yellow/Green/Rainbow, etc

  • Durandle #22 4 years ago

    I think when he says "hard to meet expectations" he means that the Wii was a massive change from the norm, but whater is next, will more than likely just build on that - so no crazy new interfaces, just better chips and the like - I'd expect HD, better Gfx hardware and storage, but nothing massively different.

  • mkreku #23 4 years ago

    I remember the internet blowing up when Sony announced that they were introducing a new controller and people would have to pay for it!!1 Now Nintendo does the same thing (improve their old controller) and people will have to pay for it. Where's the rage? Where are the hordes of angry fanboys? I don't get it.

  • #24 4 years ago

    its going to be a console capable of HD shovel ware and mario games, with mario type other games with more fucking mario games.

  • Ryze #25 4 years ago

    @Physically_Insane

    "Nintendo, go backwards. A Gamecube but with awesome graphics and online play = perfection. Please!!!"

    and console sales numbering about 37.

  • Ryze #26 4 years ago

    @mkreku

    Sony have pissed everyone off just about every month for the past 5 years.

    Nintendo have just made the Wii even better, after making an awsome comeback with the Wii.

    If they could make a fully backwards compatible Puu with full HD specs and online functions that better the 360, then they could snatch away a load of PS3 / 360 gamers in 2010, 11 or whenever the sales slow down and they've released all of the colours.

    I might have bought a PS3 by then, but if the Puu is looking like it's on the horizon then Ueda, Houser and Jaffe will have to save the day for the P$£ and Sony.

  • smelly #27 4 years ago

    >High definition and a hard drive would be a major shot in the arm for the system.

    Meh on the HD.

    480p is good enough. There's next to f-all noticable difference between 480p and 720p when playing a game sat back a few feet from the tv on your sofa - unless you're some sad fanboy with his cock in his hand pausing the game and getting close to look at the pixels (or has a shit hi-def tv which doesnt play 480p properly)

    Improved graphics? Yeah i'm ALL over that.. Needing to spend money to go above 480p? Well marketing will have us believe it's ESSENTIAL. But personally I think it's bollocks.

    (and this is coming from someone with a 52" 1080p tv)

  • Ryze #28 4 years ago

    Yeah, ok.

  • Goffee #29 4 years ago

    @Mo - "That's all well and good but what about the high cost of actually developing those games in HD?"

    All devs for the past few years create their art and renders in HD and scale it down for the target system, that's not really an issue. The question is can you do something unique with HD, rather like LBP on PS3

  • yagisencho #30 4 years ago

    Who said Iwata-san was referring to a tv console replacement? The DS is the one that's up for a refresh.

  • FFS #31 4 years ago

    TitusGroan
    31-Jul-08 15:22:05

    HD.

    Proper Online.

    More internal storage.

    More 3rd party support.

    As well as all of that, I'd like to see a return to more traditional control. The pointer function on the remote is great. But something like the 360 controller with the Wii's pointing and rotating abilities would do me fine. I don't want to hold the remote like a bat anyway.

  • smelly #32 4 years ago

    @FFS:

    Screw that!

    I *LIKE* having my hands seperated when playing.. makes it comfier on the sofa to play led down, etc.

    I'm not keen on having to shake my wrist every so often.. but i like the pointer, and i like the fact you can have your two hands apart

  • smelly #33 4 years ago

    "The DS is the one that's up for a refresh."

    Good point, well made.

    I expect to see the DS2 next years E3 (or sooner)

  • Santino #34 4 years ago

    the DS is selling far too well for a new handheld to be coming out anytime soon, far too well.

  • FooAtari #35 4 years ago

    What Iwata means is that they have a couple of machines that have made them a shedload of money, they can probably milk it for at least one more gen so why change the formula.

  • Sid-Nice #36 4 years ago

    I'm hoping that Nintendo will tape 3 Gamecubes together instead of 2.

  • Stuz359 #37 4 years ago

    There is no reason not to do HD in the next generation for nintendo. The Wii is almost 2 years old so if a standard console lifespan can be expected the new one will arrive sometime in 2010/11. I have a 9600gt graphics card at the moment, certainly not cutting edge but can play Crysis on high at 1280*1024 at a decent frame rate. In three years time it would certainly be possible to manufacture this level of technology cheap as chips so Nintendo could make a profit on every console sold. I would expect the next Nintendo console to have at least this amount of graphical grunt while MS and Sony go for after technological super graphics which will be around then, charge £300-£400 and lose money for two years on them.

  • oerhoert #38 4 years ago

    It would make absolutely zero sense for Nintendo to actually reveal any new machinery until at least 2010, the way things are looking now for them.

    The problem with the Wii isn't the lack of HD /at all/. No one really, honestly, deeply cares about HD. HD is a nice-to-have, what sells consoles are games, pure and simple. The "problem" with the Wii is that third parties still don't understand the market, and still don't dare to put the money, and more importantly, talent, that's needed into it.

    Nintendo isn't doing much wrong, at least. With Zelda, Mario, Smash Bros, Excite Truck, Metroid, Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Mario Kart, Battallion Wars and a massive selection of VC games on offer, to fault /them/ would be absolutely ridiculous.

    Of course, you could, and should, expect them to be more aggressive with new IP and concepts for core gamers, but the main issue is a lack of high profile traditional games, and that problem should be attributed mainly to third parties, not Nintendo itself.
    Edited by 1 at 31/07/08 @ 22:45

  • smelly #39 4 years ago

    >There is no reason not to do HD in the next generation for nintendo.

    Yes there is. It's a pain in the arse to back scale hd games to make sure they work properly at low def (which the MAJORITY still have).

    What the wii needs (graphically) is decent programable shader support and a faster graphic throughput.

    IMAGINARY EXAMPLE: Lets say for example the wii had the same graphics power (hell even the same chip) as the 360, but it's games DIDNT have to run in HighDef still (just 480p)... For the majority of the players playing at 480p still, the wii could have MORE things on the screen at HIGHER framerates.. And therefor theoretically look (and run) BETTER than a hi-def 360 game..

    Hi-def ISNT the be-all and end all. Run a lot of your hi-def 360 games in 480p and they wont look THAT much different (there isnt a HUGE difference between 480p and 720p).

    (obviously non-progressive 480i still looks shit though)

    .. And yes.. I do have experience that even experienced video game artists cant tell a game is running in 480p as opposed to 720p unless you actually tell them (or run the 2 side by side)

  • spacenugget #40 4 years ago

    @ Oerhört, I agree 100%, you just saved me typing for a few minutes. Thanks :)

    @ Smelly, I agree too but Exite truck whips along at a pretty blinding pace when you get good/lucky, and as it was pretty much a release game Id like to see what they can squeeze outta the wii 2nd gen or 3rd gen titles. Heck Soul Calibur 2, F-Zero etc look amazing still on the Gamecube compared to some earlier titles. So I look forward to seeing what they can get if they push.
    But there is a huge amount of Shi*e on the wii lately, its the PS2 problem repeated. oh well

  • robson_wii #41 4 years ago

    Full HD maybe / maybe not. Up or down scaling is easy although the image may look blury with scaling so if HD became mandatory then some kind of filter will be required. I doubt the developer would have to worry about this and it would be part of the machine architecture. BC / VC will be mandatory building on the catalogue of games. As for storage I think HDD and DLC are the way to go but that limits additional hardware push (i.e. balance board accessories etc.)

    Voice recognition and better interface should become a reality as Wii Talk is on the way. Wireless Nunchuck for total freedom?

    I personally want to see the full motion-tracking body-suit so you move the character in real life. Tripple jumping and wall bouncing becomes a reality then ;)

  • Diabeu #42 4 years ago

    make a proper controler

  • sneetch #43 4 years ago

    Sounds to me like Iwata is simply saying don't expect another wii-remote/touch-screen level of innovation in this next console. I'd imagine this is simply an announcement that we can expect another Wii with improved processing, graphics and more memory. Kinda like the GameCube vs the N64 (ignoring the switch to disks in the Cube, for a second). Unless he's talking about a new hand held in which case you can expect another DS with improved processing, etc. etc.

    It's a few years away either way, why replace the Golden Goose with the Golden Goose MKII when people still like the eggs from the first?

  • DAN.E.B #44 4 years ago

    make a console for gamers.

  • scouserfuller9 #45 4 years ago

    Whatever Nintendo's next console is gonna be called I don't know but it's gonna be a good 2-3 years before we see it so it's pointless predicting it's features now. I can see them coming up with something as surprising as the Wii though. You never know what the next generation consoles are capable of until you see them especially with Nintendo in terms of gameplay!

  • smelly #46 4 years ago

    @robson_wii:

    I'd rather screw hd.. and have all games run at 480p but with a DECENT graphics processor.

    Hd Nukes framerates.

    And yeah.. the hardware COULD be designed to auto-scale.. but then (like the 360) all games will be made for 720p at 30fps! And then scale down to 480p but still run at 30fps.

    I'd rather have games DESIGNED to run in 480p at 60fps with MORE on the screen..


    EDIT : Just in case there are thick people here that cant read.. I'm not suggesting this is possible with the current wii..

    Edited by 1 at 01/08/08 @ 19:49

  • robson_wii #47 4 years ago

    @smelly

    "I'd rather screw hd.. and have all games run at 480p but with a DECENT graphics processor. "
    "I'd rather have games DESIGNED to run in 480p at 60fps with MORE on the screen.. "
    Absolutely spot on. Mario Kart is so smooth and F-Zero GX was (and still is) incredible on a standard TV. Lets hope we still have the choice of proper 480p in 5 years time.