Nintendo prepping "Wii HD" for 2011?

Look, we're talking three years from now, anything could happen by then. Singularity, jetpacks, you name it. So a teensy bit of HD graphics from Nintendo doesn't seem like too much to ask, does it? The filthy-rich company is purportedly showing off just such a Wii-followup to developers and publishers in the industry, who are nicknaming it "Wii HD" for the time being. A true sequel to the Wii, the followup will apparently stick with the core competencies (motion controls), while beefing up visuals (yes, please!), digital distribution, local storage and including backwards compatibility. The only hard evidence cited by What They Play, which originated the rumor, is that Nintendo's R&D spending has grown dramatically since the launch of the Wii. We're sure that cash is also being poured into the new DS and a number of other projects, but it's really not much of a stretch to figure Nintendo's working on a Wii successor two years into the Wii's highly-successful life cycle. All we've got to say is that a few of these improvements really shouldn't wait until 2011, and still others are long overdue.

[Thanks, JC]

[adam @ Oct 1st 2008 10:02AM]

maybe they should prep 'regular wii in stock' for 2011.

[Ignatius @ Oct 1st 2008 10:29AM]

Or colors, colors would be awesome too. I'd trade my launch Wii for a black one.

[Jason @ Oct 1st 2008 10:56AM]

Want mine? I haven't played it in months.

[HOOPER @ Oct 1st 2008 3:56PM]

@jason

Yeah I'll take it.

[icepop4who @ Oct 1st 2008 6:57PM]

when the wii finally catches up to HD, PS4 and XBOX720 will be in holographic 3D

but watch wii hd still sells more.

[Dave Chappelle @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:36AM]

@icepop.

wii HD still sells more? dude, a Wii HD will will not be as big as the original Wii, nintendo have targeted their console at 'casual gamers' who dont look at the big 'N' logo on the console just at what it can do. PS3 has SixAxis it is quite obvious that they will turn this into full motion in the future + good graphics, therefore 'Wii HD' and PS4 will be pretty much on par (ps4 will however, be graphically superior). Now into the equation the reason why ps4 would do better: ps4 will have a 'die hard' fanbase, then hard core gamers will also go PS4, Sony will lure even more people in with Blu ray (which could of course be matched by Nintendo if they choose)

Finally you may say PS4 will again be over priced but this is wrong as they have said they will make their next console with the Cell Processing unit and DDR3 ram (instead of XDR) so there is two very pricey parts of the console which are guaranteed to be cheap... lets hope they go BERSERKER with the gfx chip-set then.

but i should add i would favour a Wii HD and credit it way more then the present Wii.


oh ye and in this not too distant future, xbox will be DEAD!!!!..

[Dopefish @ Oct 1st 2008 10:03AM]

Wow, they might catch up with other major consoles by 2011?!

Incredible....

[Tim Spence @ Oct 1st 2008 10:12AM]

You don't make it clear, but you're obviously not talking about sales, are you.

Do Ninty care about whether their machine can push more pixels and others, or do they care about sales? Put yourself in the shoes of a businessman, and ask yourself that, dope.

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Oct 1st 2008 10:23AM]

Hmm... OHH by you mean graphically... I thought you meant in sales... I was confused, because Nintendo is still touting a 10M+ lead in that category.

Graphics are schweet, but it appears that Nintendo is winning this generation without an emphasis on them. And if Nintendo can win this generation with innovation and stellar first-party software.... they can afford to disregard much of the graphics part of the equation.

If Nintendo did some things right (see differently) with this future console, they could be in the driver's seat here. If they got decent specs on the thing (unlikely), fixed the debilitatingly featureless online support, and got some read third-party titles, they could be in business.

Now most of these things Nintendo usually fails to do, but not out of a misunderstanding of the market. They can get away without doing them. And if Nintendo can win a war without much risk or horsepower, why would they go to the extra trouble?

They don't need us hardcore gamers because they have countless adults who grew up with the NES, 8-year olds who don't know better and middle agers who can't tell the difference or are overwhelmed by the 360 and PS3.

Then again there are also idiots like me who went out and bought an entirely new console for a title or two (Zelda, Kart, etc.).

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Oct 1st 2008 10:24AM]

.....I really need to learn English.

[ZaxCG2 @ Oct 1st 2008 11:11AM]

"WOW. INCREDIBLE." ~Super Smash Bros. Narrator Guy

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Oct 1st 2008 11:33AM]

@High: "They don't need us hardcore gamers ..."

Many people forget that Nintendo probably would be already liquidated by now - unless Wii was successful as it is. Their finances two years ago were about to run out in two years. DS alone isn't sufficient to keep N floating.

The point is that they made a business decision: forfeit fight in higher-end hardcore segment, by trying to tap into new less demanding demographics.

Wii can be for hardcore too and many hardcore games do not really need any HD graphics. The point is that Nintendo advertised console to casuals what lead to effect that other publishers also did orient their Wii tites on casual audience.

[fastharry @ Oct 1st 2008 11:39AM]

with no mention of beefing up online......Unbelievable.

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Oct 1st 2008 12:02PM]

Exactly Ihar.

I've been solely Nintendo my whole life. I looked upon the upcoming Wii, after being disheartened with the Gamecube (which I was very loyal and supportive of), and decided they've ditched me as their target demographic. I went out and bought a 360.

I had no intention of getting a Wii until the day it came out when I got the Zelda withdrawals... I couldn't find a console so I bought the title and waited it out. I did more waiting in a Black Friday Gamestop line when I camped out ....

(...by myself in my car with no other cars, staying awake until a line formed, I fell asleep at 6, woke up at 6:30 to find a line forming. I had 2 people in front of me, the store had 3 Wiis. I talked the guy in front into getting a PS3....)

And got a Wii. I played Zelda, loved it, but this console has been a gimmick for my nephew, niece, much older brothers and sisters (who grew up with NES in their teens) and even my parents. My girlfriend fires it up to vote with "everybody" on that damned channel, but beyond that it just sits there. Some games like Kart make me bust it out, but others like Brawl have been neutered like Madden for that "all-play" skills-need-not-play type of game.

Nintendo doesn't need us. Those that go out and buy a Wii are just gravy for Nintendo, who is doing Microsoft and Sony a service by acquainting people with gaming. They may gradually find their way to other consoles, but will likely remain at least semi-loyal to Ninty.... until Nintendo alienates them the way they did my generation for stuff like Gamecube before the Wii came out.

Regardless, Nintendo will have a market, and will be rolling in cash. Their first party titles and cost-effectiveness are just too tantalizing.

[a ham sandwich @ Oct 1st 2008 4:42PM]

YOU ARE NOW STERILE.

[Ogo @ Oct 1st 2008 10:05AM]

Wiiii Or Wii-ii

[Precurse @ Oct 1st 2008 10:34AM]

Everyone should know that the successor to the Wii is going to be Allll or Uss

[Ryan Trevisol @ Oct 1st 2008 11:51AM]

I thought they were going to use their trillions of dollars and buy Asus, and have it be the wEEE.

Though, seriously, if they can't get the graphics upgraded to HD by 2011, that's just plain pathetic.

[Flashpoint @ Oct 1st 2008 10:06AM]

Why do they need this?

Wii already can run 1980's most technologicaly advanced NES games.

[Valgas @ Oct 1st 2008 10:12AM]

Wii HD HDD please.

[Tim Spence @ Oct 1st 2008 10:13AM]

Wii HD HDD HDDD HDDDD?

[Mr.Stick @ Oct 1st 2008 11:07AM]

wii hd blu-ray!!!

[Joe Rodricks @ Oct 1st 2008 11:08AM]

HDii

[ethana2 @ Oct 1st 2008 11:18AM]

It needs more RAM, dang it. We can't run much of a desktop on 64 MB. Kick it up to half a gig, like the PS3.

[Steve Childs @ Oct 1st 2008 11:44AM]

The question is...

... will the people who currently have a Wii really care about graphics? Surely the current Wii is sold to less techy consumers, who otherwise would have been seduced by a 360 or PS3.

So, when a HD Wii comes around, it'll need more than simply HD graphics in order to convert existing Wii owners, who if it fails to entice over to the new console will simply carry on with the Wii.

The big 'N' needs to get this right, otherwise they'll end up with a Saturn on their hands. A decent console that no-one really wants because the Wii does the job fine.

[3dpenguin @ Oct 1st 2008 11:46AM]

Mr.Stick don't count on it, the only reason why the Wii is extremely successful is because its cost efficient and affordable, which is exactly the opposite of the Blu-ray game consul the PS3.

[farfisa @ Oct 1st 2008 10:23AM]

Actually, most of that R&D is going into making "softer mattresses out of cash," after discovering that beds made from cash are not really that comfortable.

[Galley @ Oct 1st 2008 10:33AM]

So it might actually support 540p then? Good going Nintendo, you're halfway there!

[l3it3r @ Oct 1st 2008 10:33AM]

Sounds good to me. I love the Wii, and I love the PS3. Combining the best of both worlds would yield the perfect system in my opinion. Basically a PSWii.

[y3k.nik @ Oct 1st 2008 11:00AM]

I agree. I have both consoles, and beyond Rock Band, I cant turn on the ps3 when I have a crowd over, but turn on the Wii and the party starts again.

Something that can do games that I can play on single player (MGS4, COD4 or GTA) and also games like Karts and smash bros in one package will be the best console out there!

[gangsta jesus @ Oct 1st 2008 4:10PM]

i would love to see a merger between microsoft and nintendo.
Microsoft has decent graphics, good games, but unreliable technology.
Nintendo has bad graphics, good games, and reliable technology.

Good merger right?--I know it will never happen, but I can dream.

[kjb434 @ Oct 1st 2008 10:34AM]

I am one of those children of the 80s that had a regular NES and never got anything after that. The Wii came along and got one. I'll give it as a gift to my nephew and get the WiiHD when it comes out.

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Oct 1st 2008 11:36AM]

> [...] get the WiiHD when it comes out.

I'd first wait for games to appear.

[kjb434 @ Oct 1st 2008 11:39AM]

Well, I really don't care about the graphics capability of the machine since none of the games I'll play require it to blow me away.

It'll be more to have the latest console that is also backwards compatible.

[nathan.wong @ Oct 1st 2008 10:35AM]

Can't wait. That's the only thing missing...other than fun games made by anyone OTHER than Nintendo. Then again, Samba De Amigo by Sega is a blast to play. Love the songs.

[andyg8180 @ Oct 1st 2008 10:36AM]

Wii.... The most anticipated Dust Collector!

[霽月瀛台 @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:23PM]

HD Flash alike games?
OMG

[wud_e @ Oct 1st 2008 10:40AM]

I say keep the same look. DON'T CHANGE THE LOOK OF THE CONSOLE OR WII-MOTES NINTENDO. (Yes I'm yelling so that Ninty can hear me) :p Change the inside of the console though. Call it Wii 2 or Wii II or Wii Wii. Just keep the name Wii. Kind of like Sony Does for Playstation and MS for XBOX. Good Luck Nintendo! I know you can make a great Sequal to a great console. I mean heck the NES had Composite hook-ups. ;)

[Dessan @ Oct 1st 2008 10:46AM]

Wii Wii? Really...

[ZaxCG2 @ Oct 1st 2008 11:09AM]

They'll call it the Wii XD-6 for no reason and use the fontface they used for the Spiderman movie.

[ethana2 @ Oct 1st 2008 11:18AM]

I vote against 'Wii Wii'.

[wud_e @ Oct 1st 2008 12:29PM]

I really don't care what the name is as long as it has Wii in it. :D

[jitty @ Oct 1st 2008 10:43AM]

Wii HD: High Definitions 4 years after the other guys

[Tim Spence @ Oct 1st 2008 10:58AM]

See my (and others above) response here: http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/01/nintendo-prepping-wii-hd-for-2011/comments/14617731/

[jitty @ Oct 1st 2008 11:12AM]

Well, Tim, I guess they care more about sales than they care about making some of their customers, who want good graphics AND good gameplay, happy.

[Tim Spence @ Oct 1st 2008 11:31AM]

@ jitty

If people are buying something in hordes and demand is outstripping supply, why would you change the recipe? Because some guy called jitty on the internets said to?

[jitty @ Oct 1st 2008 5:41PM]

Well, that's great if people are buying it, but selling well doesn't necessarily make it a good console. Especially in my eyes. And you fail to see how Nintendo themselves changed the recipe up for what a console should be with the wii.

[Ian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:43AM]

So please let me know when I can go buy one on a store shelf. Still don't see them almost years later.

[bartoron @ Oct 1st 2008 10:43AM]

A graphical improvement would obviously be appreciated in the new console, but even the current Wii has some games with amazing graphics. SSBB is visually stunning, so I don't see why other games can't look as good as it does.

Also, a browser that supports Java would make the Wii a competitive media system.

[mocax @ Oct 1st 2008 10:54AM]

The new console may be called "i.am", if their collective ego keeps rising through 2011.