wii-successor
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Nikkei: Wii successor has touchscreen controller, will arrive in second half of 2012
The Nihon Keizai Shinbun -- the same publication that successfully "predicted" the DSi, the DSi XL and 3DS -- posted an article today stating that the Wii successor's controller will feature a six-inch touchscreen, as previously rumored. According to Andriasang's summary of the subscription-only article, the controller will give "tablet-like controls" to games, and will also be usable as a portable game device on its own. The controller also includes a camera and a rechargeable battery. Nintendo originally specified "2012" for the system; Nikkei says it'll be the second half of the year. Of course, even given the history of the paper, this report remains unconfirmed and thus should be taken with a 6" grain of salt.
Nintendo profits fall 66% in fiscal year, 3DS sells 3.61 million
Nintendo's net income dropped to ¥77.6 billion ($946 million) for its fiscal year ending in March, marking the company's third year of profit declines. The figure is also well below the ¥200 billion ($2.13 billion) Nintendo estimated it would make at the conclusion of its previous fiscal year. If only Nintendo had some kind of distraction so investors wouldn't notice ... OMG, guyz, "Wii's successor" in 2012. Looking forward, Nintendo expects to have net sales of ¥1.1 trillion over the next year, a slight increase from the ¥1.01 trillion reported this year, but still below the ¥1.4 trillion in 2010 -- they may just be post-decimal figures when talking trillions, but those are hundreds of billions. The company is planning on a net income of ¥110 billion yen ($1.3 billion) by next March, through "vigorously" marketing the 3DS, releasing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for Wii and selling software from its "long-selling 'evergreen' titles." Nintendo noted in its financial report that it has not suffered any direct damage of the recent "Great East Japan Earthquake," but that an indirect impact is predicted regarding "individual consumption patterns or economic conditions in the future." Global unit sales life-to-date (March) of the Nintendo DS, 3DS and Wii hardware were 146.4 million units, 3.61 million units and 86.01 million units, respectively. Nintendo is expected to reveal a playable model of the "Wii's successor" at E3.
Nintendo announces Wii successor for 2012
Nintendo has officially announced its intention to release a new console in 2012. According to a note published this morning on the company's Japanese investor relations website, "Nintendo Co., Ltd. has decided to launch in 2012 a system to succeed Wii, which the company has sold 86.01 million units on a consolidated shipment basis between its launch in 2006 and the end of March 2011." The terse announcement does nothing to clear up rumors surrounding the system, which has been linked to high-definition graphics, motion controls and a handheld touch screen. Less trustworthy industry sources have even indicated that the system's rumored codename, "Project Cafe," hints at its ability to shoot a cappuccino directly into your gaping mouth. According to the investor note (posted after the break), Nintendo plans to show off a playable model of the Wii successor during this year's E3, which takes places in Los Angeles from June 7th. Update: Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is quoted in a Reuters article, saying, "We would like to propose a new approach to home video game consoles." This new approach, as you might expect, does not necessarily include 3D displays. "It's difficult to make 3-D images a key feature, because 3-D televisions haven't obtained wide acceptance yet," he said.
