The price of the Nintendo Wii has fallen from $199 to $169.99 at major U.S. retailers like Gamestop, Amazon, Best Buy, Toys R Us, Target and others. The $30 price-cut is fueling the speculation and rumors regarding an E3 announcement of a successor to the Wii at E3 2011 in June.
The rumors parade kicked off last week, with unnamed sources saying that a price-drop for the Wii was imminent, specifically, that $50 would be sliced off the retail price on May 15. How (or if) today's cost-chopping relates to a potential bigger bargain coming in a couple weeks isn't clear... but I'd consider waiting a month before buying a Wii, just in case.
The revelation of the supposed price-drop led to the speculation that it was part of a Nintendo strategy to reveal their next generation of console at the Electronic Entertainment Expo to be held between June 7 and 9 in Los Angeles. Essentially clearing the shelves of old Wiis before the new one has its coming out party at E3.
Later that same day last week, a couple high profile media outlets (Kotaku and Game Informer) cited their own unnamed sources who not only confirmed the next Nintendo console would be announced at E3, but also had some technical information about how powerful the system would be and a release window (2012) for the rumored device. Here's what the rumor mills say about the Wii 2:
- The Wii 2 will be "more powerful than current-gen systems."
- will feature higher resolution graphics than the Wii (I'd hope so!).
The final, and most interesting, piece of Wii 2 rumor comes from, of all places, France, where website 01net.com went as far as giving the machine a codename: Codename Cafe. According to the French site, the Cafe will be powered by a “custom IBM PowerPC with three cores," an ATI-built GPU, and will sport at least 512MB in memory, putting it on-par with a 360. It will also reportedly be backwards compatible with both Wii and the Gamecube games.
Even more revolutionary than a graphically powerful Nintendo console is the advance word on the device's controller. The device, supposedly, combines the high-res display and touchscreen of an iPhone with the sticks and buttons of a traditional controller. Supposedly, you'll be able to stream full games from your Codename Cafe directly to your controller, to, apparently, take them on the go.
Nintendo has been almost entirely mum on the matter, issuing blanket "We don't comment on rumor and speculation" response to media queries, so for now, we're left with rumors, possibilities, analyst-analysis and fan created mock-ups of what the device's controller will look like.
In my opinion, there's a huge amount of smoke here, making it seem increasingly more likely that there is, in fact, a fire coming at E3. But don't take my word for it. I asked professional gaming prognosticator Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter about the rumors of the Wii 2, and while Pachter didn't have any firsthand knowledge of the device, he said, "Everything I know about Wii 2 I learned from the media, and they assure me that developers are getting SDKs now, so it sounds pretty true to me."
Obviously we'll let you know if we find out anything else, and I'll take this oppurtunity to remind you that if Nintendo announced anything at E3 2011, from a new console to a new Vitality Sensor, G4 will be all over it, as soon as it happens. We're planning massive, wall-to-wall E3 coverage, so keep your TV tuned to G4 and your browser pointed here during E3 week.
All of the best people are following Stephen Johnson's twitter feed. Also, email me if you wanna.
Comments
Displaying 1–17 of 17
skyler23
Yup totally agree.
Catman103177
Nintendo will do fine. This new console will help them retake the top spot in sales. Don't get me wrong, I also own a PS3 and Xbox 360, too, but unlike most of ya'll I like all three and I'm open-minded. Nintendo saved the gaming industry, without them the PS3 and Xbox 360 would not be possible. Know your history.
Catman103177
Nintendo will do fine. This new console will help them retake the top spot in sales. Don't get me wrong, I also own a PS3 and Xbox 360, too, but unlike most of ya'll I like all three and I'm open-minded. Nintendo saved the gaming industry, without them the PS3 and Xbox 360 would not be possible. Know your history.
Catman103177
Nintendo will do fine. This new console will help them retake the top spot in sales. Don't get me wrong, I also own a PS3 and Xbox 360, too, but unlike most of ya'll I like all three and I'm open-minded. Nintendo saved the gaming industry, without them the PS3 and Xbox 360 would not be possible. Know your history.
cwbys21
Destructoid is running with the idea that the touchscreen will be detachable and the Wii2 will be a console hand held in one, but like SonyGuy said, why would they have even bothered with the 3DS? One thing I am sure of though is that one thing that seems to be holding back current consoles that developers have complained about at times is the ram being only 512, yet Nintendo's next console is going to use 512? Especially when ram is super cheap? That doesn't add up.
teac77
"an ATI-built GPU"
Actually, ATI was bought by AMD, a company that builds the latest video cards. If the new console supports their forthcoming "Bulldozer" technology, I'll be sold.
theantigzus
honestly forget the console itself but look at the rumored controllers, how much would each controller cost on its own like $300. If they manage to pull it off why even have the 3DS, id prefer the 6" hd touch screen over the #ds anyday.
gerbg229
Even with price drop, I think that it i still to much. Just because i can buy a used one for $75 from a friend or one of the other million people that i know who have one. I just don't think that the hardware is worth it...
Renigade16
Umm yeah the people that didnt buy the wii and got the 360 or the ps2 arent gonna buy this unless its SUPERAWESOMELYEPICOVER9000!!I mean seriously whos left to buy this thing. The casual gamers already got the 1st wii. Their not gonna go buy a new wii with better graphics of theirs still works. Thats what makes them Casual gamers.
The hardcore gamers either bought a Kinect / Move Or still think this whole motion casual game thing is stupid.
I dont see who their selling this to.....
Symicide
still overpriced
SonyNmbrOneGuy
Stream games from your Wii2 to your controller for games on the go? If that's true then what's the purpose of the 3DS. Cool idea but sounds pricey....and pricey isn't Nintendo.
@CWhas2godhands
That's a very good point of which both Sony and MS recently found out. That super casual market is almost tapped. Soccer mom and grandpa won't be waiting in line to buy another Wii, but judging by the rumored specs, I'd say N wants the more consistent gamers back.
---------------------------- --------------------------
It's already been proven that having an entry level console (Wii) and a high end console (Wii2) works. I really hope this is the case. I'd love to play a real multiplatform title on my Wii2 with true next gen graphics and gameplay.
cwhas2godhands
I bet my parents, who for some reason bought a Wii, will not buy a Wii 2.
DownwithBigBrother
I think they should combine the vitality sensor and the controller minus the touchscreen, (bit too much, sorry Nintendo). With pads on the bottom to sense your pulse and apply it to the game would have endless gameplay changers and radical new ways to play. Ex: In cod when you snipe and the barrel moves up and down, well they could change it so if your heart is racing, the barrel is moving up and down faster than if your heartbeat is constant and normal. In resident evil the enemies could be harder and faster if your heartbeat was higher than slower. In a stealth game enemies could sense you easier if your heart beat was faster. In sports games you could be faster if your heartbeat was faster but after awhile, they could get fatigued. Many more possibilites for almost every genre, (except for strategy)
BlackDragon110
Well the price drop seems to be inline with the rumors so far. Makes things just that much more exciting for the upcoming E3. The only thing better than a new Nintendo console would be the annoucement of a new game for said system (new Mario).
UNEMPLOYEDxxxxJEDI
I think Nintendo might release a statement some time soon about a new console at this year E3. Doing this will give Nintendo lots of hype and lots gamers are going to be watching the press conderence.
Raisinbman
Game Informer is right. Trust them as much as you guys.
etooley7845
Yawn...
Displaying 1–17 of 17
Add a Comment