Nintendo's Iwata: Wii could be around for three, five, or eight more years
By Donald Melanson 
posted Jun 5th 2009 9:10AM
posted Jun 5th 2009 9:10AM
He's still not firmly committing to quite as long a console lifespan as Microsoft and Sony have, but Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata has now dropped word that the Wii could be around in its current state for longer than some may have suspected. In a wide ranging interview with VentureBeat, Iwata responded to a question about console life cycles by saying that when it comes to timing for a new Nintendo console launch, "it may be three years from now, five years from now or eight years from now." Iwata further went on to say that, "if we have an opportunity to make a new console, it will probably support HD," although he disappointingly added that Nintendo has "not found a significant reason" to make the current Wii HD-compatible "at this time."[Via MCV]
"the Wii could be around in its current state for longer than some may have suspected"
I don't think so... there's a black one coming soon...
You're reading it all wrong. He's saying that the Wii will eventually come in liquid, gas, or even plasma form.
It makes no sense for the current Wii to support HD, since the quality of the rendering engine isn't that powerful anyway. And the only HD disk format is Blu Ray, which is like giving your enemy the keys to your checking account.
I suspect the Wii has just 3-5 years left before it will have to come out with newer technologies.
It would be sufficient to upgrade the GPU to render existing things in HD. It would change games from crappy blobs of pixelvomit on the screen to at very least distinguishable shapes with poor but workable textures. That's all they really need for a WiiHD. Besides games.
For games, HD is not tied to the media specifically. The 360 pumps out HD graphics and it uses discs. The only problem is with a lot of textures, it is easier to run out of space. Thus, Microsoft has developed a lot of tools that developers can use to generate data in real time (things like trees, simpler models). You'll also notice that while CG cutscenes were much more prominent back in the PS2 and Xbox era, 720p/1080p CG content takes up an ungodly amount of space (don't believe Microsoft when they say "real-time graphics are super amazing!")
Anyway, Blu-ray isn't required, but it gives developers more breathing room.
I think it's ridiculous to speculate on console life. It'll last until the next best thing comes out. And Nintendo, Sony and Micro. need to understand that they're not here forever (hey Atari, Sega - how YOU doin?).
very true. Personally, if Microsoft and Sony DO somehow try to stick with this '10 year console life' plan, I think Nintendo would be smart to release a new updated system that makes the 360 and PS3 look outdated.
Is Joe Consumer really satisfied with 480p? I'm not the audience he's referring to, so I can't say for sure, but I'd wager that people would gobble up a Wii capable of HD graphics. They seem to gobble up anything else with the Nintendo brand on it.
Also, I find it disconcerting that he feels the Wii is capable of another three to eight years of life. We're talking about a system Miyamoto himself stated is being taxed by a game like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which is ostensibly a DS port with more players.
To be honest I think he's referring to Hard Drive and not HD video
But I think a Wii HD will come seeing as Wii games can be emulated to run in 720p and 1080p on PC so all it needs is new Wii hardware or something. An add-on would be nice.
Miyamoto decides? But Miyamoto just recently stated the Wii is being taxed by a game like New Super Mario Bros. Wii!!! The new black Wii should at least have had DVD playback and more capacity. What a shame!
strange, like the right doesn't know what the left is doing... guess the chief doesn't talk to his developers much or maybe he's just denying everything until they got working silicon and still secrecy mode to keep sony and m$ off their trail.
I'm going with the idea that Nintendo is waiting for a reasonably priced Blu-Ray/SSD/DirectX11 market to come into play to bring about a reason for a strong upgrade cycle.
What do you expect him to say? If he says they're coming out with a new console any time soon it'll stop people from buying the Wii. Nintendo has nothing to gain by announcing the Wii HD or whatever the console is called any longer before release than they need to get some good buzz going, which they could do in as little as a couple of months.
Only 1 out of the dozen people that I personally know that own a Wii actually have it connected to their TV with component cables.
Most of them don't even OWN a HDTV.
Most non-gamer/home theater enthusiast consumers cannot tell the difference between HD and a standard 480p signal. You throw them some component cables and let them see some shiny Gamecube-quality graphics and they're happy.
That's what the Wii sales are based off of (the "average" consumer), and they've done well. Iwata and company don't have a real need to update to a new console anytime soon if the majority aren't demanding it.
What they are demanding, however, are MORE FREAKING GAMES! AND LOWER THE DAMN PRICE OF 1ST PARTY TITLES FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!
Seriously, with more peripherals than you can shake a nunchaku at, and games that are WAYYY overpriced for what they are, the Wii is way too pricey for a gimmicky system.
Why Mario Kart is still $50 is beyond me... no wonder bootlegging is getting more and more rampant.