Nintendo actually not resting on its laurels, already working on the Wii's successor

No need to phone in the shock police -- you had to know this was coming. After all, what kind of stockholder-pleasing company would Nintendo be if it wasn't already thinking about how to top the Wii? According to information in a recent Forbes piece surveying the field of gaming consoles, Nintendo is "already working on the Wii's successor." President Satoru Iwata shared that the Big N was "always preparing for the next hardware," though it would be unwise to expect said hardware anytime soon. With Wii consoles still hard (or at least not "easy") to come by in some locales, we'd say Nintendo is in no hurry to move beyond its current cash cow. Still, even Iwata admits that it "will be difficult" to exceed expectations now that the Wii has proven so successful. Not really, though -- throw in high-def support and you've got an entirely more lovable machine.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

[jt money @ Jul 29th 2008 10:47PM]

also known as the Wii Jr. or better yet the Wii ii

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 29th 2008 11:15PM]

Call it the WiiWii. Then you can tell all your friends you gotta WiiWii.

[someone @ Jul 29th 2008 11:30PM]

Wii + II = WII

[JohnTitor @ Jul 29th 2008 11:25PM]

wiiiPC, seriously though, who Nintendo has more shovelware for Wall-E to clean up than Asus (though I know it's really just chinese plastic toy companies trying to cash in)

[srue @ Jul 30th 2008 12:38AM]

I prefer: WW2

[Spiff @ Jul 30th 2008 12:48AM]

WiiToo

[Techie @ Jul 30th 2008 2:55AM]

This might be a stupid idea but I want them to fix the Virtual Gear and bring it back. REAL 3D!

[neofolklore @ Jul 30th 2008 7:46AM]

WWII please

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Jul 30th 2008 8:42AM]

They should call it WWII... and blame the Germans when it's a disaster

[Peter @ Jul 30th 2008 10:54AM]

It's going to be called the Super Wii, I just know it.

[Hardcore @ Jul 30th 2008 7:18PM]

Is it going to be two Wii's duct taped together or just 4 Gamecube's?

[Mark @ Aug 1st 2008 8:52PM]

* 2 Wiis or three Gamecubes. That's a far more fair exchangerate.

[Rudiger @ Jul 29th 2008 10:47PM]

It's fairly obvious what they need to do: Offer high-definition graphics (on par with Xbox 360 and PS3) with 1:1 motion sensing in an affordable package!

[Matt @ Jul 29th 2008 10:52PM]

Well they already got the 1:1 motion sensing, they need to do something else to top it. It won't just be a HD Wii.

[JohnTitor @ Jul 29th 2008 11:31PM]

what I think is they might put something that stays on sale with the Wii, keep wii's popularity and something for the core gamers, similar to PS2 slim and PS3, but more so since we're still waiting for the colorful wiis and ones with DVD playback, seems kinda questionable yes but you see it in every other industry keeping a device on the high end and low end

[Matt @ Jul 30th 2008 1:32AM]

We're waiting on a Wii with DVD playback? Really?

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Jul 30th 2008 8:47AM]

Yes.... DVD playback is exactly what we need....

It's been about 13 years since DVD players came out.... is it realy crucial to have one inside my Wii (aside from my Xbox 360 or PS3) to be able to play DVDs?

If you're that desperate for a DVD player that you're hoping for one in your console.... Nintendo console at that... then you're probably not in the market for something as *new* as the Wii 2 in the first place....

[someone @ Jul 29th 2008 10:49PM]

The Franklin twins say the Wii II (maybe WII) wont top the first one...

P.S. Where the hell is the next DS?

[tekdroid @ Jul 29th 2008 11:17PM]

the next DS would excite me the most. Portable gaming ftw.

[JohnTitor @ Jul 30th 2008 12:40AM]

DS sales are even higher than the Wii, just talk of another unit would shudder sales, but I did read they have a new model ready, not a successor like GBA to DS, more like DS to DS lite, but this time bigger screens and even thinner, not sure where I read it though

[Wolfticket @ Jul 29th 2008 10:51PM]

I bet Nintendo are actually quite happy their machine is relativity underpowered. Gives them somewhere to go without spending loads of cash on r&d.

[Craig @ Jul 29th 2008 11:30PM]

Honestly, I can think of a bajillion awesome enhancements without changing the hardware one bit. They're called "services" and "channels". Seriously...just by adding and upgrading some software components, the Wii could be a completely improved animal.

But, as long as we're talking hardware upgrades, here's my list:
HD (1080i or p, I don't care) out with decent upscaling of legacy games
Digital audio out
Native DVD support (maybe even BD, but I can live without it)
SDHC slot (not just SD)
Gigabit Ethernet (right now, it's the only thing in my house that isn't)

And if anyone at N is reading this, consider adding two more Sensor Bars (for a total of 3) so you can triangulate on the Wiimote and give me true spatial relativity (I still think that'd be better than the add-on piece they've offered up).

[TavisJohn @ Jul 30th 2008 12:28AM]

I see no point in Gigabit Ethernet. If network connection is only (officially) used for online games... And most people do not even have 100mips internet... Than Gigabit is pointless. Even if they add network media playback you do not need Gigabit. My Modded XBOX with XMBC plays 720P content wthout problem over 10/100. (Most of my network is 10/100/1000)
My Wii works just fine via WiFi.
I agree with HD and Digital Audio Out. I am tired of seeing games that have Surround Sound logos on them... And no way to get said surround sound!
I see no need for DVD/BD playback. All that will do is increase the price. Everyone (mostly) already has a DVD Player. And I have yet to see a BD player that is even close to $200.00
As for SDHC, that would be awesome, but the only reason for it is for Home Brew.

[Uejji @ Jul 31st 2008 10:03AM]

If you have a system that can decode SPDIF over digital coax or toslink then it can surely decode Dolby Pro Logic II over stereo analog. Just because it's not "digital" doesn't mean it's not true surround sound.

[Uejji @ Jul 31st 2008 10:03AM]

If you have a system that can decode SPDIF over digital coax or toslink then it can surely decode Dolby Pro Logic II over stereo analog. Just because it's not "digital" doesn't mean it's not true surround sound.

[Chris @ Jul 29th 2008 10:56PM]

I hope its at least as powerful as the 360 or people are gonna laugh at them.
Any votes for names? Wii II?

[MMisterio @ Jul 29th 2008 11:05PM]

I think Nintendo proved by dominating the other 2 superior consoles that hardware power is nothing without gameplay.

I don't think anyone is laughing at Nintendo owning the console market AGAIN but with a "laughable" system

[PeterF @ Jul 30th 2008 1:18AM]

Gameplay? Wii? What gameplay? Stick waggling?

[David @ Jul 30th 2008 8:48AM]

@ Mmisterio

it needs to be more powerful than the xbox 360, just like the wii is more powerful than the original xbox

gameplay helps, but let's face it, you need to have some decent hardware, and hd support is a must this time

and i'm speaking as somebody who has a wii and loves it

[Crashlander @ Jul 29th 2008 10:56PM]

I'm glad you don't work for Nintendo. What kind of thinking is that?!

Of course there'll be another DS.

[iEye @ Jul 29th 2008 10:57PM]

You mean that they are not like motorola and sitting on their rear ends living off one successful product? (RAZR), and then finding out years later that they have nothing to offer except dated tech and antiquated design?
RADICAL!

[Eli @ Jul 29th 2008 10:58PM]

Yup, you're absolutely right. Sales of games for the iPod touch and 3D games for it are so successful that Nintendo will never make another touchscreen-based handheld.

[Vernon de Thierry @ Jul 29th 2008 11:02PM]

It could always be called the "Wii - Nii"
with a foot print only half the size, with half the power but integrating an entirely new mind control feature.
It would support all Big N formats and be half the price of it's competitors
Oh and who needs HD when there are perfectly good 60Hz telly's still floating around

[water.and.sand @ Jul 29th 2008 11:32PM]

Clever. (For anyone who doesn't know, "ni" means "two" in Japanese).

Personally, there are a lot of things I'd change about Wii:

1) Developers don't like creating games that utilize add-ons that not
everyone has. If the Wii Remote could double as a Classic Controller
rather than the Classic Controller being an extra peripheral, more
developers would make games for Wii.
Add X and Y next to 1 and 2 (they'd probably want to change the
numbering/letter scheme at this point, swapping 1 and 2 with the
current A and B), and add L and R.
In the many games that use the Wii Remote in its awesome Remote style
(pointed toward the TV), L and R would not be functional in order to
prevent accidentally pressing them.

2) I dislike the nunchuck. Holding two separate pieces of controller
is somewhat awkward, the cord can be annoying (smacking against you
when shaking, or accidentally pulling it out of the Wii Remote), it
is far less responsive than the Wii Remote, and it offers only two
additional buttons and (thankfully) a joystick.
There's a good deal of innovation that can be poured over the
recreation of this thing.

Hmm... maybe they could figure out a way to allow locking the Wii
Remote and Nunchuck together to form a standard controller...
I think it could be done. They'd be very different controls in
themselves, but as they are now, they're far from perfected.

[Mike @ Jul 29th 2008 11:04PM]

Coming in 2010: Wii HD

Just take the basic Wii hardware, give the CPU and GPU a steroid injection, throw in a small flash HD (4-8gig), tweak the controller a bit, and there you go.

Full backwards compatibility with upscaling for older games, DVD, and maybe Blu-ray playback, too.

Anyone wanna bet against me?

[Chris @ Jul 29th 2008 11:12PM]

Don't forget to start making them now so they'll actually have enough so everyone can get one.

[Crashlander @ Jul 29th 2008 11:09PM]

You're crazy, obviously. Move along.

[Mudkiller @ Jul 29th 2008 11:11PM]

Bluray, internal storage, much more powerful, etc..
Oh yeah, throw in some strong recoil forces into the 1:1 Wiimote2 :D

[Adderz @ Jul 29th 2008 11:15PM]

Im expecting graphics that match or exceed the PS3, a new controller design with more buttons, 1:1 motion sensing that doesn't require an add-on, a streamlined online service, dvd playback and a wireless nunchuk.

They have plenty of areas to improve on, so i dont know where the HELL "Iwata admits that it "will be difficult" to exceed expectations now that the Wii has proven so successful." THAT comes from.

[Cody @ Jul 29th 2008 11:20PM]

Something tells me your wishes for a better online service will not come true...Nintendo is too worried about little kids. I mean come on we won't even have a headset until the new Animal Crossing game comes out...and even then it won't really be a headset just a speakerphone type mic without the speaker.

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Jul 30th 2008 3:21PM]

> Im expecting graphics that match or exceed the PS3

I will not be surprised if Nii (Wii2) would be Cell based.

Cell prices went down considerably in recent times. If more manufacturers would pick Cell for some embedded stream processing (think HDTV) prices would only go down.

And since Cell already has one PowerPC core, that would provide easily backward compatible processing unit for Wii/GC games.

[John @ Jul 29th 2008 11:16PM]

uh.... I know dozens and dozens of college kids who love their DSes. And even if there is a maximum age where you no longer like your DS Nintendo is making out like a bandit day after day until kids reach that. i'm frankly none too keen on picking up an iPod touch for the games and hint, I'm over 14, so there you have it.

[Cody @ Jul 29th 2008 11:17PM]

If you think no one over 14 buys a DS you must've been living under a rock...I'm 16 and I have one...so do a WHOLE lot of kids in my grade at school...in fact we play them at school. So yeah we might have ipods but don't say we don't have a DS too. Now I just need to buy a DS Lite...

[John @ Jul 29th 2008 11:19PM]

Well, their successor to the Gamecube was basically a motion sensing gamecube, so I don't see where the huge difficulty in topping the Wii, at least technologically, could come from...

[Crashlander @ Jul 29th 2008 11:20PM]

I don't know what Nintendo are cooking up, but hundred bucks says it'll have headtracking as standard. Johnny Lee is going to get PAID.

[Yevon @ Jul 30th 2008 1:10AM]

That's what they said about Boom Blox, but EA pulled out that bonus feature out at the last second. It would be really cool, though. A bit nauseous, but still really cool.

[The Sound @ Jul 29th 2008 11:23PM]

People are surprised that Nintendo is working on the successor to the Wii?

You'd be stupid to think that they wouldn't be working on one. Both Microsoft and Sony are working on successors to their respective consoles. Why do you think Sony put a ton of money into the Cell tech?

[Vernon de Thierry @ Jul 29th 2008 11:25PM]

This is Nintendo we are talking about. They thrive on the concept of "exclusivity". We will only produce what it ordered. Did no one ever try to get all of the games for the Nintendo 64 or the Game cube. Don't get me wrong I am an avid fan but when back order times start to shoot out to a couple of months and you have kicked your mates butts so much that they don't like you any more you start to look for something else.

[Cycomachead @ Jul 29th 2008 11:29PM]

The motion sensing needs to get more sensitive. I can't see my Wii lasting forever with some quirks. Plus I'd like better graphics.

Also this flicking motion can't be good. Remember iPod's thumb? How about Wii's wrist.

[neofolklore @ Jul 30th 2008 7:46AM]

Durex dual pleasure.