Overnight Nintendo have confirmed a new console to replace the Wii will arrive in 2012. Those lucky enough to be attending E3 Gaming Expo, June 7-9 in LA, will get a chance to actually play with the new device. At this stage it’ll very early build and will likely change considerably before final release. It will however provide an opportunity to get a sense of which direction Nintendo is heading.
President and CEO, Satoru Iwata says Nintendo will "propose a new approach to home video game consoles." A very intriguing statement indeed. The next version will surely have 1080p HD graphics, but can Nintendo take gaming in yet another new direction ?
This generation of consoles, Wii went in a completely different direction from giants Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3, a direction that ultimately proved successful. The Wii focused on a different interaction method – motion control, rather than the expensive highest possible graphics. Without the hardware costs, Wii’s were able to enter the market at a lower price point than competitors and a much lower manufacturing cost. Due to multiple-year high demand, the price remained the same for an extended period of time, resulting in fantastic profits for Nintendo.
The Nintendo Wii launched all the way back in 2006, so at this point the Wii has reached saturation. Everyone who wanted a Wii, has one. This explains the timing of the new console announcement. Don’t expect a new console from Microsoft or Sony until around 2014, as their HD graphics and motion add-ons (Kinect and Move) have extended their life by a few years.
A 5-7 year release cycle isn’t such a bad thing, given a investment in a modern console typically involves a number of controllers, peripherals, games and DLC.
Its still unclear as to the naming of the next generation console from Nintendo, what do you think Nintendo should name it ? Wii 2, Wii HD or perhaps something completely new.
More info @ Engadget
