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CNN: Nintendo may introduce next-generation Game Boy in 2005

jarrod said:
I dunno, I'm thinking it's more likely *another* GBA redesign rather than the next Game Boy. I'm sort of doubting Nintendo can get the chipset they'd want into a $99 handheld by that time.

Possible features that could be added...

-HDD (this is the one I'd kill for)
-SD card slot/media player (MP3/MPEG4)
-higher quality screen (backlit, larger, higher visibility, etc)
-wireless mutliplayer (WiFi or Motorolla)
-larger capacity battery
-headphone jack

...alll that in a $99 handheld would be a huge potential seller for Nintendo. Plus another 'extension' to the line would only bee seen as positive by consumers.
Click to expand...

I could see the headphone jack, higher capacity battery, and wireless play being added, but how could they get an HDD and a higher resolution screen in there and still keep the price at $99? Just not going to happen. We've been spoiled with the MP3 players with HDD's in them, but none with a drive even approach the $100 barrier, and that's not including all the other things that would need to go in.
 
segatavis said:
I wouldn't get too hung up on the $99 price point... its pure speculation just like everything else in this story.
Click to expand...
This has come from a Japanese retail source. McNeally however, is not using the latest version of what has leaked out.
 
Kung Fu Jedi said:
Why would Nintendo do this? I can only think of a couple of reasons, One they want to milk the GBA-SP for a while longer, and Two the redesign will somehow cut costs allowing them to market it for less money. Say a $50 GB, giving them more room to manuever with the DS price point.

But in the long run, aren't the developers starting to jump off the GBA bandwagon in favor of the DS? Hasn't Nintendo already hinted at the GB2? It would seem silly to release a new GBA at this point in it's life cycle. Ride the current design as long as it'll take them, shit focus to the DS as a bridge to the GB2, and let the little system that could ride off into the sunset.
Click to expand...


along these lines, we may be looking at a GBA in the "classic" wide form-factor with a backlight but no rechargeable battery that would be profitable for nintendo at $5o or even $40.
 
Game Boy Advance 2 set to stun E3 – DS to evolve into PDA

New model to launch this year – Climb-down looms for NCL

28th Feb 2005

The new model of the Game Boy Advance will be shown at Nintendo’s E3 press conference this year in what will be one of the most remarkable moments in recent videogame history.

The unit will be a true gaming machine and will come equipped with a large high-quality back-lit screen and analogue controls, very much, one might argue, like Sony’s PSP.

Nintendo staffers have confirmed to SPOnG.com that preliminary hardware will be shown both at the firm’s conference and encased alongside the Nintendo Revolution on the showfloor.

Indeed, SPOnG has been privvy to the emergence of the next-generation of Game Boy Advance for some time, though little more than it’s E3 debut was known.

As this news breaks, perhaps the most pertinent point to be mulled is exactly how Nintendo is going to explain the situation to fans and, of course, early adopters of the Nintendo DS. The answer to this conundrum is quite possibly the most incredible climb-down the games industry has ever witnessed.

Specifically, Nintendo will unveil a suite of PDA-focussed software for the DS powered by recently licensed Palm OS technology. The machine will evolve from a pure gaming machine into a PDA equipped to play Nintendo 64 quality games. Essentially, Nintendo believes that with the right software, it has a high-powered, wireless-enabled PDA capable of playing games of a higher standard than any competing device.

Picking up the pieces, however, will be something of a PR nightmare, something that Nintendo is fully aware of. The DS, announced so soon after the PSP was unveiled by Sony, was effectively a spoiler machine, aimed at snatching away market share from SCEI. Although this has been categorically denied by the Kyoto giant, the revelation that a new Game Boy, which in essence appears to be a PSP with a Nintendo badge, confirms this belief beyond any doubt.

The new Game Boy will be based around existing Nintendo GameCube hardware and will be, when it launches in the US and Japan towards the end of this year, the most powerful handheld console on the planet. SPOnG also believes it likely that the machine will make use of GameCube software. Revolution connectivity was confirmed.

By way of damage control, Nintendo must now cling to its ever-present third-pillar line regarding the DS. The firm has always claimed that the Dual Screen represents not a furthering of the Game Boy range, but something quite different. It would seem that those well-placed foundations will now be required to carry the hefty bulk of a complete reversal of application for a machine that was launched as a gaming device and will, within months, have its key role significantly altered.
Click to expand...

I have been working on this news for about six months.
You can believe it or not. I don't surpose it matters now.
I was under pressure to break it.
I maintained that it would look like guesswork which I believe to this day.
I'm going to watch Mac City now in the pub.

*gutted*

:'-(
 
FitzOfRage said:
They could also just make some cosmetic changes by redesigning the system again. Just by virtue of being a portable device, refreshing the look of the system would likely give it a short-term boost.
Click to expand...
Cosmetic changes like..? The SP is near perfect. If there was anything in need of a design, it's the DS.
 
I personally hope its not guesswork Folder.
These boards would be awesome/aweful after the dust settled.

Depending on your point of view.

Either way it'd be one hell of an entertaining E3
 
Folder said:
I have been working on this news for about six months.
You can believe it or not. I don't surpose it matters now.
I was under pressure to break it.
I maintained that it would look like guesswork which I believe to this day.
I'm going to watch Mac City now in the pub.

*gutted*

:'-(
Click to expand...


wouldn't they want to, you know, announce this before the PSP is released?
 
I do not know if it will happen, but Iwata has always said that the "third pillar" argument meant that GBE and DS schedules were not connected.

So GBE could launch anyday, considering GBA is 4 years old.
 
Nintendo's just gone insane, any way you look at it.

Dual Screens
PDA's
Handhelds backward compatible with consoles
Revolutions shifting paradigms

Strange days ahead.
 
The End said:
wouldn't they want to, you know, announce this before the PSP is released?
Click to expand...

That's possibly why McNealy thinks Iwata may mention it in his March conference speech.
Even if he doesn't, an E3 revelation could put the dampers on PSPs european party, although as a PlayStation device - it's success would of course, be unstoppable. But if Nintendo are serious about turning DS into a PDA with N64 quality game support, and releasing a true PSP competitor, think of it this way:

Come Christmas, customers have two Nintendo handhelds and one from Sony, each with their own shelfspace demanding attention. It'd be interesting to see what people'd do.

I'm actually starting to think I'd have them all.
 
I don't believe the CG-compatible part. It's a horrible business decision. You are effectively destroying the profit margins. You don't make money on hardware, at least for a few years. You make it on software. You get to play Resident Evil 4 on the GBE, which is great for the consumer, but Nintendo only gets the money for 1 game. Gamecube owners won't buy any software at launch, or at least, they won't have to.

It would be a great selling point and GC owners would almost have to buy one by default, but its a rediculous business decision. GBE will most definately play Gamecube-quality titles, but won't play GC games.
 
The End said:
man, the DS owners I know are going to be pissed
Click to expand...

Just think of it this way... you are getting a DS AND the new Game Boy for the same price as the PSP Value Pack. It would be great if they were packaged together... DS for you, GB for your kids...
 
Kung Fu Jedi said:
I could see the headphone jack, higher capacity battery, and wireless play being added, but how could they get an HDD and a higher resolution screen in there and still keep the price at $99? Just not going to happen. We've been spoiled with the MP3 players with HDD's in them, but none with a drive even approach the $100 barrier, and that's not including all the other things that would need to go in.
Click to expand...
Well, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. The screen might be too expensive, but I'd imagine Nintendo could get a good enough deal on microdrives next fall to release a $99-199 HDD equipped GBA. Costs just plummeted 40% this month actually.

Folder's info sort of puts a damper on this speculation though... too bad. I'd kill for an iGBA. :(
 
Guy LeDouche said:
I don't believe the CG-compatible part. It's a horrible business decision. You are effectively destroying the profit margins. You don't make money on hardware, at least for a few years. You make it on software. You get to play Resident Evil 4 on the GBE, which is great for the consumer, but Nintendo only gets the money for 1 game. Gamecube owners won't buy any software at launch, or at least, they won't have to.

It would be a great selling point and GC owners would almost have to buy one buy default, but its a rediculous business decision. GBE will most definately play Gamecube-quality titles, but won't play GC games.
Click to expand...


on top of which, if the TurboExpress taught us anything, it's that it's tough to play console games on a handbecause all of the text on screen is illegible.
 
I really doubt the next GB using optical media, especially if it's coming as soon as winter 2005 for $99. 3DM would be guaranteed at that point.
 
OK, so what does everyone ELSE think the average life of a handheld gaming system to be? Apparently 10 years is way too long to wait for an update, and now five and change is too short?

Anyway.

A new Game Boy that could match the PSP spec for spec would be really cool, especially with that lone Iwata comment floating around that the GCN disc would be good for a portable.
 
jarrod said:
I really doubt the next GB using optical media, especially if it's coming as soon as winter 2005 for $99. 3DM would be guaranteed at that point.
Click to expand...


so....nintendo is going to have slightly superior hardware, but their rejection of optical media is going to severely constrain the size of their games.

why does this seem familiar?

:lol
 
Nintendo DS still has lots of high-profile games coming out for it (Final Fantasy III, Castlevania, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, new Zelda, Advance Wars). It *is* the next GameBoy. Nintendo isn't just going to release some PDA software and call it quits. How can anyone even believe that...
 
Talk about fucking DS buyers, I mean suckers, up the ass.

I like Nintendo but sheesh, this is just too much.
 
open_mouth_ said:
GBA Next coming in mid 2006. We'll hear about it as early as E3 or Fall '05 to deflate PSP sales. It'll be even more powerful than PSP and have lots of the cool new DS features.

/speculation
Click to expand...


I could go along with that speculation. yeah.


though just as easily think that this is GBA SP 2.0
 
0wn3d said:
Nintendo DS still has lots of high-profile games coming out for it (Final Fantasy III, Castlevania, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, new Zelda, Advance Wars). It *is* the next GameBoy. Nintendo isn't just going to release some PDA software and call it quits. How can anyone even believe that...
Click to expand...

High profile software is exactly why I think they can get away with having two tiers of handheld. If they go out and get the support, people will buy em.

They won't hold you at gunpoint and force you to buy either.

I'm really interested to see if this PDA stuff catches on.
 
The End said:
so....nintendo is going to have slightly superior hardware, but their rejection of optical media is going to severely constrain the size of their games.

why does this seem familiar?

:lol
Click to expand...
Well, 3DM is a rather perfect solution to handheld media. It benefits from the traditional advantages of solid state media (durability, low battery consumption, smaller formfactor) while dropping most of downsides (high cost, low capacity, program inflexibility, lead production timelines). This isn't exactly like N64 carts here, with time 3DM will climb to larger capacities than UMD's dual layered 1.8GB. They already have 256MB cards in production and the technology isn't even a year old yet.
 
but man, I would really love it if the next-gen GameBoy was to Gamecube what the GBC was to the NES. I wanna play Gamecube games on the go, like every other gamer. but i would not even mind if the new GameBoy was not compatible with Gamecube, so that the new GameBoy is a new seperate format--even though it probably adhears very closely to the Gamecube spec. kinda like the GBC compared to NES or GameGear compared to Master System. The GameGear *was* its own seperate format from the Master System, as GG had a much beefier color pallete (4096 vs 256).... but GG could also play Master System games with the Master Gear Converter.

anyway, I think that the new GameBoy might NOT have DS' primary features. dual screen and touch screen. but WIFI | wireless | internet, yes those are a given.
 
So how will Nintendo create a more powerful system, in relation to the PSP and DS, and still only charge $99 for it? Even if you presume a DS price drop before the release of this system, that would still put them in the same price category roughly. That PDA software had better kick all kinds of ass.
 
I don't know whether I should be yelling *cough*Bullshit*cought* or laughing my ass off at the absurdity of it (This would be batshit insane even by Nintendo standards). To be honest, I'm kind of doing both at the moment.
 
Kung Fu Jedi said:
So how will Nintendo create a more powerful system, in relation to the PSP and DS, and still only charge $99 for it?
Click to expand...
The chipsets aren't the high costs in either DS or PSP. I don't think it'd be that difficult to get a DC/PSP comparable spec setup in a $99 machine by the end of 2005
 
Kung Fu Jedi said:
So how will Nintendo create a more powerful system, in relation to the PSP and DS, and still only charge $99 for it? Even if you presume a DS price drop before the release of this system, that would still put them in the same price category roughly. That PDA software had better kick all kinds of ass.
Click to expand...

just a guess but:

A) no optical drive. B) the screen probably wont be as good. C) less features (as in, pure game machine)
 
NFans the world over should be PRAYING for this to be true. The DS was a rapidly cobbled-together stopgap measure that will tied them over for a bit, perhaps one more Christmas, but not much beyond that. They had BETTER have the new gameboy ready to roll by early 2006 at the latest.

PJ McNealy is one of the best analysts in the biz by the way. He's probably got good info on this.
 
jarrod said:
The chipsets aren't the high costs in either DS or PSP. I don't think it'd be that difficult to get a DC/PSP comparable spec setup in a $99 machine by the end of 2005
Click to expand...

I'd have to disagree with this. I know the screen is probably the biggest expense, but I don't see Sony being able to approach a $99 price by the end of the year, unless they plan on losing even more cash on the PSP, and I just don't see Nintendo being able to produce a handheld to compete with the PSP at that price point be the end of the year either.
 
don't be so surprised, Nintendo never saw the DS as the succesor to Gameboy. Bring it on! Atleast this thing could compete directly with PSP's sales numbers.
 
If the rumoured GBA2 does use indeed use the GC chipset I suppose they could manage the $99 price point. Maybe what we're see is a Nintendo determined, maybe even desperate, to defend its handheld turf. When the PSP launched in Japan it had the DS to contend with and it may have the GBA2 breathing down its neck in NA and Eurpoe.

Still, I can't get what the existence of both the DS and a new GB will mean for the consumer. Are they really going to be sufficiently different to coexist?
 
Diffense said:
If the rumoured GBA2 does use indeed use the GC chipset I suppose they could manage the $99 price point. Maybe what we're see is a Nintendo determined, maybe even desperate, to defend its handheld turf. When the PSP launched in Japan it had the DS to contend with and it may have the GBA2 breathing down its neck in NA and Eurpoe.

Still, I can't get what the existence of both the DS and a new GB will mean for the consumer. Are they really going to be sufficiently different to coexist?
Click to expand...

The chipset could be cheap, but then you've got to factor in a very nice LCD, a micro-sized GC disc reader, etc. I just don't buy the $99 thing.
 
Diffense said:
Still, I can't get what the existence of both the DS and a new GB will mean for the consumer. Are they really going to be sufficiently different to coexist?
Click to expand...


One has two screens. The other outsells it. (in the US)

Japan is the positioning failure.
 
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