Wii 2 is real. Playable at E3 this year!
Today Nintendo officially confirmed the existence of a successor to the phenomenally successful Wii, and mentioned that attendees of E3 this year would be able to "experience" the new console for themselves.
Via it's Investor Relations Information website, Nintendo released a small statement confirming the console to be playable at E3 this year in Los Angeles, with a plan to release it sometime in 2012. Speaking at a news confernce this morning, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata said:
As for the details of exactly what it will be, we have decided that it is best to let people experience it for themselves at E3. So I won’t talk about specific details today, but it will offer a new way of playing games within the home.
But this comment hasn't stopped the internet exploding with theories and rumours about the Wii 2, or "Project Cafe" as it's rumoured code name. There's a general agreement that the new console will have full HD 1080p output, with reports the form factor will resemble a modernized version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, but what's still sketchy at the moment are the insides of the console.
Games site IGN has claimed it's learned that the new system will be based on a revamped version of AMD's R700 GPU architecture, a depature from AMD's Fusion technology as was previously rumoured - this tech is reported to out perform the Playstation 3's NVIDIA 7800GTX based processor. Similar to the insides of the Xbox 360, the Wii 2's CPU will be a custom built triple core IBM PowerPC chipset, but with increased clocking speeds, with the ability to output stereoscopic 3D - all this is reported to set you back around $350 (£215) - $400 (£245).
Other hot news is that of the console's new controller. Sources have suggested it will use a 6.2 inch touch screen in conjunction with regular dual analogues and 8 buttons, and that the 3DS can be used to control your Wii 2. However Nintendo plans on controlling the new console, sources claim the controls are "not a gimmick like the Wii." and that they are "better than [Plays
Station] Move."
The confirmation of the new console comes at the same time the company reported its earnings for the fiscal year ending this March 31st. Nintendo has reported a 52% fall in operating income, from ¥356bn (£2.6bn) in 2010 to ¥171bn, with worldwide anual sales of Wii hardware falling from over 20m in 2010 to around 15.08m. Although the new console is not going to be reported in the company's 2012 projected earnings, with a rumoured $400 price tag, and an expected cut in Wii prices, we can safely assume Nintendo are hoping for a bumper 2012.
E3 takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, June 7-9th 2011. With today's announcement, Nintendo's conference is sure to be full to the brim of eager journalists and fans - Wii Vitality Sensor comeback anyone?
