Nintendo Set to Reveal New Console - New console is backwards compatible with Wii software.
Jim Reilly wrote:According to multiple reports today, Nintendo will reveal a new console at E3 this coming June.
Game Informer first reported the details, saying the console is capable of running games at "HD resolutions." Our sources have said the the console is significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and that Nintendo's intent is to recapture the hardcore market. Another source said it is capable of 1080p resolutions.
Nintendo is reportedly showing the console to publishers to garner interest for a late 2012 launch.
Additional sources tell IGN that Nintendo will release a pre-announcement this month with a full reveal expected at E3 and that the console will be backwards compatible with current Wii software.
A report from CVG states the new Nintendo console will use an all-new controller - not an updated Wii controller - with sources saying it will have a built-in screen. Additional sources informed IGN the screen has touch capability.
'Wii 2' Codenamed 'Project Cafe' - New Nintendo console details surface.
Jim Reilly and Rich George wrote:New details have surfaced from yesterday's reports that Nintendo is set to unveil its newest console, codenamed "Project Cafe."
According to our sources, the new Nintendo controller will feature dual analog sticks in addition to standard d-pad and trigger buttons. It'll mirror a Gamecube controller in general function but not in specific form.
French website 01.net has published additional details (via Develop), that say the touch capable screen on the controller is 6 inches in size, but we were unable to confirm the accuracy of the report. Additional details about the console's hardware specs could also not be confirmed.
Players will actually be able to stream game content to the controller screen from the console. It's unclear at this time what type of content it will be, whether it's full games you can take with you on the go, mini-games or applications.
At E3 in June, our sources also said Nintendo will show first and third party titles at the event, but it's unsure if they'll be playable or only in video form.
Update: Sources now confirm to IGN the new Nintendo controller allows players to stream entire games to the device from the console, saying it's like a miniature television. The screen size on the controller is also confirmed to be six inches in size.
Dissecting the Project Cafe Controller Rumors - Exploring the potential tech behind Nintendo's rumored controller.
Scott Lowe wrote:The Internet was set ablaze this week when the first wave of reports regarding Nintendo's next-generation console, the Wii 2, hit the web. First reported by Game Informer, and later confirmed by IGN's own sources, the console, which has been code named Project Cafe, will match or surpass the processing power of the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 and support a new controller that combines a traditional dual-analog design with an integrated touchscreen display.
Though many were quick to liken the concept to the Dreamcast, we've since learned that the intended purpose for the display may be far more complex, working simultaneously with the console to bring interactive elements and even stream full games to the controller.
Naturally, such a bold concept raises many questions and we'll likely have to wait until E3 for answers, but in the meantime we can provide some educated guesses based on the information we've obtained, and some old fashioned speculation.
Again, this is purely based on information provided by IGN's sources, our understanding of console hardware manufacturing, and some speculation; Nintendo has not confirmed or commented upon any of the reports thus far.
The Display
When reports first broke that the controller would feature an integrated display but maintain physical analog sticks, action buttons, and shoulder buttons, the first, albeit somewhat fantastical thought that came to mind was a design where the entire faceplate was an LCD display, however, we've since been told that the display will instead be a 6-inch touchscreen, likely positioned at the center of the shell.
The display will also reportedly support touch control, though we've not been told whether or not the display will support multitouch. The display will also allegedly feature HD resolution, allowing for seamless transmission between the console and the controller. Though certainly a possibility, the costs associated with integrating a HD display into the design suggest that the true resolution may be lower.
Even with the lowest quality components, a controller with an integrated 720p HD or greater display would require an MSRP of $80 or more. Aside from the cost of the display itself, Nintendo would have to use a built-in processor to control the display, not to mention additional chipsets for wireless connectivity. According to sources with knowledge of peripheral production, a controller of that complexity could easily cost $25 in factory costs alone, whereas a wireless Wiimote is estimated to cost Nintendo only $6 per unit. On the other hand, if Nintendo really wanted to push the concept, they could forfeit a portion of the markup to keep retail costs down.
As previously mentioned, the other lingering question is whether or not the device will support single or multitouch haptic control, which could be used for minigames, creating contextual controls for games being played on the console, or games played exclusively though the controller itself. Again, adding multitouch support would drive up costs but potentially provide a more compelling gameplay experience.
Working Wirelessly With the System
If the controller is expected to support games and video streamed from the console, there are a number of plausible ways the device could connect with system. Currently, Nintendo utilizes Bluetooth and infrared technology for wireless communication with the Wii, which transmit standard button input, as well as motion sensing and on-screen pointer positioning data to the console. Depending on the capabilities and function of the new controller, however, 2.4GHz wireless technology may be the more realistic solution, as it allows for wireless video transmission.
Though the next-generation Bluetooth standard, version 3.0, allows for wireless video transmission, it has not been widely implemented by hardware manufacturers and as a result comes at a high cost. Alternatively, combining Bluetooth and a proprietary 2.4GHz system would be more cost effective and allow Nintendo to separate standard input controls and audio and video transmissions to-and-from the system.
A dual 2.4GHz and Bluetooth system would also support the claims that the controller could allow users to play games without the use of a TV, making it a handheld tethered to the range of the 2.4GHz transmitter, of sorts. If video and audio are simply transmitted to the controller itself, it could effectively end battles for living room TV usage or splitscreen multiplayer.
The Battery
Of course, these picturesque dreams of elaborate controller hijinks would have a detrimental effect on battery life, and Nintendo would have to pack a sizable battery solution inside. On the one hand, they could maintain a cost-effective removable battery solution, but a built-in rechargable lithium ion battery might be more convenient. The internal battery could potentially charge during use via a USB connection to the console, much like the PS3, and Nintendo could make life even easier by implementing inductive charging capabilities. They could make USB the default charging solution but offer an optional inductive charging surface of their own, as well as let third-party manufacturers provide a variety of alternatives.
Obviously this is pure speculation, but it would be awesome all the same.
Project Cafe: The Tech Behind Nintendo's Next Console - New pricing, hardware, design, and release information uncovered.
Scott Lowe wrote:More details of Nintendo's forthcoming console, codenamed Project Cafe aka Wii 2, have been revealed to IGN, including the system's estimated pricing, release, console design, processing architecture, and name.
According to sources with knowledge of the project, Nintendo's next console could have a retail price of anywhere between $350 and $400 based on manufacturing costs, and will ship from Taiwanese manufacturer, Foxconn, this October, putting the earliest possible retail release anywhere between mid-October and early November.
However, Nintendo could also opt to build up a sizable supply of the system and allocate more time for software and games development by launching in early 2012. Similarly, Nintendo could attempt to lower the retail price of the system with lower profit margins to make the price more alluring.
Since the manufacturing is taking place in Taiwan, the earthquakes and tsunami that hit Japan last month will not impact the console hardware as previously expected.
Additionally, IGN has learned that the system will be based on a revamped version of AMD's R700 GPU architecture, not AMD's Fusion technology as previously believed, which will, as previously reported, out perform the PlayStation 3's NVIDIA 7800GTX-based processor. Like the Xbox 360, the system's CPU will be a custom-built triple-core IBM PowerPC chipset, but the clocking speeds will be faster. The system will support 1080p output with the potential for stereoscopic 3D as well, though it has not been determined whether that will be a staple feature.
In terms of the design of the console itself, the overall size will be comparable to that of the original Xbox 360 and the system is likely to resemble a modernized version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
As reported last week, it will indeed utilize controllers with integrated touchscreens and be capable of streaming games to each controller, though given the power of the system, could also feasibly provide a virtualized console for each individual unit.
Finally, Nintendo is considering naming the console Stream, though it is potentially one of several names currently being vetted by the company.
We contacted Nintendo representatives, but they declined to comment on "rumors or speculation."
For more on Project Cafe, stay tuned to IGN.com.
