Nintendo to reveal Wii HD tomorrow?

By Robert Purchese Published 1 October, 2008

Word is it'll have more storage room.

Nintendo may be planning to unveil new Wii hardware at the press conference it's holding tomorrow.

The model, dubbed Wii HD, has been shown to numerous developers and publishers already, according to What They Play.

We're told this will be a true successor to the Wii in a similar way that Game Boy Advance was to the Game Boy, and Nintendo apparently has a 2011 release slated for the high-definition console.

Aside from HD visuals, the report suggests there will be a greater emphasis on backwards compatibility and digital distribution, plus a large storage solution.

We're also told Nintendo has beefed up internal hardware research by nearly 300 per cent since the Wii was released in 2006.

Nintendo is expected to unveil a new DS at the conference tomorrow, too. This is said to contain a music player and a camera.

This is all just rumour for now, of course. Still - should be interesting, this conference.

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 (51) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Evolution #1 3 years ago

    Hmm...

    As it's just a rumour I can't really say anything else!

  • mr_chimp #2 3 years ago

    Sounds good...until '2011 release slated'.

  • Vice.Destroyer #3 3 years ago

    Please, Evolution. Speculate. Keep the wheels of the internet turning.

  • Hunam #4 3 years ago

    Isn't it abit early for all this?

  • DB2k #5 3 years ago

    its probably just a new Wii Hard Drive. And someone got the wrong end of the HD stick...

  • yupyup #6 3 years ago

    Wii HD D - at best I'm guessing. Wagglers don't care for the visuals.
    Edited by 1 at 01/10/08 @ 14:26

  • Buenos_Estente #7 3 years ago

    If it isnt to be released till 2011 is it a bit early to announce it and hinder current sales?

    A new more powerfull DS would be welcome tho thanks!

  • aldo_14 #8 3 years ago

    Wouldn't a hardware reveal 3 years before release be a bit too early?

  • Lebowski #9 3 years ago

    They should concentrate on more decent games first, instead of "Family Sports Fit Frisbee Mini-Game Fun Fair Island 2" or similar such tat.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #10 3 years ago

    I beleive they will be announcing the new DS tomorrow as the release for that will be fairly soon, but i highly doubt the will announce Wii HD 3 years before release for there competitors to steal there ideas.

  • udat #11 3 years ago

    "their"

  • Eraysor #12 3 years ago

    Extra storage space is a good idea, but people will not be happy forking out for a whole new console already, even if it's not out for ages.

  • CallousB #13 3 years ago

    Eurogamer are the only ones saying WiiHD may be revealed tomorrow. An attempt to grab hits I assume.

    Nintendo are hardly going to reveal a new platform that's not due for 3 years. At most they will reveal a Black version of the current machine...and that's highly doubtful.

  • ThePissartist #14 3 years ago

    Wouldn't this potentially damage sales of the current Wii? I guess most of the Wii buyers don't read into gaming conferences, but I think it'd be premature it announce a new console.

    A new DS would be great though - if the DS was like the N64, would a new DS have similar spec to the Gamecube??

  • Steroyd #15 3 years ago

    They should concentrate on more decent games first, instead of "Family Sports Fit Frisbee Mini-Game Fun Fair Island 2" or similar such tat.

    If their "tat" is selling way more than their decent games, then they should not be concentrating on decent games. :(

    I hate Nintendo.
    Edited by 1 at 01/10/08 @ 14:42

  • jonsaan #16 3 years ago

    How about dealing with the current Wii'is storage issue first?

  • electrolite #17 3 years ago

    Surely it's just WiiHDD?

    Maybe it's: -
    A) New Wii version with HDD
    B) HDD for existing Wii owners
    C) Vague news there will be a new Nintendo HD console in 2011

  • DFawkes #18 3 years ago

    I was going to post that it wouldn't happen, but then I remember the last time I was that sure was the rumour Bungie was leaving Microsoft. That'd never happen. Then it did.

    But I still doubt it. The only people that really notice a release this early would be gamers, the very people they've been refining their pissing aim against. It won't happen.

  • Lebowski #19 3 years ago

    "Surely it's just WiiHDD"

    In the spirit of Fonejacker, wouldn't that make it a "weird"?

    "Hello, is that Hermv? I want a Weird to play on my hurrrd. And 3 fur 2 on Doovde."

  • Evolution #20 3 years ago

    @GamesProgrammer

    "...there competitors to steal there ideas."

    As if that has ever happened to Nintendo!

  • drumbaby #21 3 years ago

    But why? Surely waving a bit of plastic about is enough for Ninty fanboys?

  • Razz #22 3 years ago

    Someones forgetting the Warhawk e3 demonstration

  • radlord #23 3 years ago

    No way will the 'Wii 2' be unveiled. A new Wii with better storage and maybe better AV connectivity will be a cert I should imagine though,.

    A the very, very least a storage add-on for the current Wii.

  • realworld666 Verified Lead Programmer, Fuzzy-Frog Games #24 3 years ago

    Given that most developers haven't had the wii motion plus device yet I find it highly unlikely that theyve spoken to developers about a new Wii thats 3 years off release.

  • jonsaan #25 3 years ago

    Lets hope the new storage solution has a really long wire that plugs into the Wii. Oh and hopefully it will take batteries too.

  • InfiniteFury #26 3 years ago

    Well they're making buckets of money on the Wii, perhaps they'll be jacking it up to compete on the technical level of the PS3 and the Xbox360 and doing a Microsoft ie delivering way ahead of the competition.

    Full compatability with previous Wii titles and all that and more familiar development opportunites for developers.

  • Demento41 #27 3 years ago

    Obviously they need to unveil a successor this early, after the huge trainwreck failure of the Wii.

  • Eighthours #28 3 years ago

    It's highly unlikely that they will announce the machine so early, even though they're supposedly showing proofs of concept to a few naughty whistle-blowers in the development community.

  • ekko #29 3 years ago

    I said this is what Nintendo should do a while back... A Wii with a HDMI port, the ability to "upscale" the games and a proper HDD. However this report is sketchy, why would Nintendo announce a new console just before Christmas and not release it for another 3 years? I think someone has their wires crossed.

  • Canyarion #30 3 years ago

    Revealing a new console with an emphazis on graphics, 3 years ahead of time sounds NOTHING like Nintendo.

    I could imagine an enhanced Wii with a harddrive and a HDMI port, but that's about it. And it would have to be released pretty soon. A bit like the DS Lite instead of the Gameboy Advance.

  • Troopa3k #31 3 years ago

    Maybe it's just as everyone has said - a Wii 1.1 (ala. Gameboy Advance SP, DS Lite, etc), and it's got a hard drive, and perhaps a HDMI port and upscaler. And the reason they are announcing it now is because it's due out on 20/11 (not 2011), which would be in time for Christmas....

    I'm more than likely talking arse though..........

    Edit: Reads better.
    Edited by 1 at 01/10/08 @ 15:53

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #32 3 years ago

    At best it'll be a Wii Lite - which it won't be as it's still selling like hot crack - so it's most likely to be a Wii HDD with, perhaps, an improved online store/VC interface.

    And the new DS super-lite too. Which, in my dreams, you would be able to download VC games to to play on the move.

  • Darren #33 3 years ago

    I cannot see Nintendo announcing the Wii's successor now as it could adversely affect current sales of the Wii. I mean Microsoft will release a successor to the Xbox 360 in three years time (probably) but I highly doubt we'll hear any concrete facts about it for at least another 18 months.

    More likely, as others have said, is that Nintendo are announcing either an HDD add-on for the Wii or a Wii HDD (i.e. with a built in hard disc drive). I think the Wii's lack of storage space is a more pressing matter personally and I'd hope Nintendo deal with that first as a matter of priority rather than announce a high-definition Wii that isn't out for another three years!

  • Alphonz #34 3 years ago

    Sounds pretty good but why werent the Wii and DS like that in the first place?
    its like what they did with the N64 by keepin it on cartridge. They could of made its amazing games even more amazing. but no

  • Eighthours #35 3 years ago

    Nintendo have said that any storage solution for the present Wii wouldn't be a hard drive, which to some has implied some form of online storage.

  • dr_faulk #36 3 years ago

    Expect a 3-screened DS. None of them touch. And no buttons.

  • dr_faulk #37 3 years ago

    @ Darren

    Yeah, but Nintendo quoted Apple's actions at impproving the iPod Mini before anybody released a better product. If they make themselves their biggest competitor, they'll keep ahead of the pack for sure.

  • HolyJebus #38 3 years ago

    Absolutely no chance of revealing a new HD Wii that won't be released until 2011. Are ye mental EG?

  • Darren #39 3 years ago

    @Eighthours - What's the point in offering online storage since it already exists now? I mean you can redownload anything you've bought from the Virtual Console as many times as you like which amounts to the exact same thing... doesn't it?

  • sneetch #40 3 years ago

    @GamesProgrammer
    "I beleive they will be announcing the new DS tomorrow as the release for that will be fairly soon, but i highly doubt the will announce Wii HD 3 years before release for there competitors to steal there ideas."

    Yes, they're Nintendo's ideas; HD, digital distribution and a large storage solution are all Nintendo ideas, if anyone else creates a console with those features then they're stealing ideas from Nintendo!

    I bet you Microsoft and Sony will do just that as soon as Nintendo reveal their new and hugely innovative console; they'll create HD consoles with some sort of digital distribution network with a large storage solution. The bastards! ;)

    The Wii remote and nunchuk were the true innovations in Nintendos Wii, the rest of the console was pretty much just a slight improvement on their previous gen console. I'd imagine they will reuse the same control concept for the Wii HD (with maybe more precision) so I wouldn't be surprised if they announce it, it's basically just them saying "we have a new, more powerful version of the Wii in the works! Ooh, isn't it shiny, now with an entire 2 gigs of internal storage!".

    Unless of course, as other people have said, the HD refers to Hard Drive rather than High Definition in which case they may have been serious when they said they considered storage a growing problem. That would be great.

    If they do announce the Wii HD with a 2011 release date then I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the current crop of Nintendo big-name Wii games are pushed out to Wii HD. That would suck, to a degree, suck because there would be a 2-3 year wait (but, in fairness, who's to say there won't be at least a 2-3 year wait for the next Zelda/Mario anyway) but be good because they'll look even prettier, as evilfoxhound said "Imagine the new Zelda in HD *drools*". Drools indeed. :)

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #41 3 years ago

    @Eighthours - What's the point in offering online storage since it already exists now? I mean you can redownload anything you've bought from the Virtual Console as many times as you like which amounts to the exact same thing... doesn't it?

    I don't think many people know that, and it doesn't keep saved positions in games etc.

    A more developed form of that would be great!

  • sneetch #42 3 years ago

    @Darren
    "@Eighthours - What's the point in offering online storage since it already exists now? I mean you can redownload anything you've bought from the Virtual Console as many times as you like which amounts to the exact same thing... doesn't it? "

    Well, don't you lose your saves from the Virtual Console titles you delete then re-download (I haven't tried yet)? If you could store the saves on-line so that when you re-download the games you can continue from where you left off it'd be an improvement, wouldn't it?

  • smelly #43 3 years ago

    LOL!! Dont tell me i was right? LOL

  • smelly #44 3 years ago

    Itd make total sense to release a new machine with "motionplus" built in.

    .. and it makes total sense because nintendo's release schedule is a bit empty at the moment (maybe they're developing for the new one)?


    but on the other hand.. when the wii is selling so well worldwide? I dunno.. seems madness.

  • HolyJebus #45 3 years ago

    EGlol

  • spazmo #46 3 years ago

    EG in adding 2 +2 and coming up with 17 shocker!

  • Lawlost #47 3 years ago

    If this turns out to be true EG will have got a huge scoop

  • secombe #48 3 years ago

    If this turns out to be true EG will have got a huge scoop

    Or unbelievably lucky! I can't see any logic whatsoever in even hinting at a 2011 console at the moment. Maybe they are being nice, and in the face of the inevitable stock shortages this Christmas they are going to tell us all a new console is on the way, so at least most people can pick up a Wii if they want one.

    A new DS would make more sense, particularly as everyone in Japan seems to have at least two of the 'old' ones now.

  • scouserfuller9 #49 3 years ago

    All I can say is when Nintendo do release their next console I hope it's the next step up and not just a better version of the Wii with more storage space. OK, we'll be able to store more virtual console and WiiWare games on the console but lets not forget they can only be played on one so if you have a huge collection like I do you'll have to either keep both consoles downloading games on both or be a sad tosser by selling the current Wii with all it's downloads and then buying the new one wasting money on any if not all the previous downloads you had. Excluding handhelds if Nintendo show any console tomorrow it'll just be a upgraded version of the Wii similar to the DS lite and GBA SP anyhow but I can't see either happening.

  • bonker #50 3 years ago

    "Or unbelievably lucky! I can't see any logic whatsoever in even hinting at a 2011 console at the moment. Maybe they are being nice, and in the face of the inevitable stock shortages this Christmas they are going to tell us all a new console is on the way, so at least most people can pick up a Wii if they want one. "

    At some point, maybe sooner than we think, the Wii is going to reach market saturation for sure. At that point, I imagine N will see an extremely steep dive in revenues. We all know that there's a very large novelty factor to the Wii and long-term software revenues are bound to be relatively poor per unit.

    It could be that N are anticipating this and just keeping themselves ahead of the game with the new kit although 2011 sounds ridiculously far away!

    I'm no expert but I imagine that if you were going to develop a new console next year to perform at/near the level of the 360 then it wouldn't cost much to do it (£50 maybe?) as 360-level parts are going to be (if they're not already) priced very cheap by then ...

  • 3william56 #51 3 years ago

    So, you reckon it's speculation that Ninty will release a new console by 2011, and it'll have HD pixels? Not a real stretch - so even if there's no announcement tomorrow, in 2 years time when the wII is released (copyright), EG can dig this article out and claim psychic insider access.

    Maybe someone just spelt Wiipeout HD wrong.