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[Wandering Leopard]

It would be a decent sized difference. Just as the leap from Xennos to a modern 400sp GPU is a "decent sized difference."

I don't know what you mean when you say 400sp GPU, but would it be fair to expect the difference between the Wii2 to PS4/NextBox will be about the same as between an XBox and 360.

 

[Hot Coldman]

LOL. Damn GAF knows how to dream big. I think I need to start dreaming bigger

Don't worry, at least I know it's a dream. D:

 

[From The Dust]

When did this become "Project Café"?

Worst project name ever.

Spoiler

Behind Natal.

And Project Dolphin wasn't?

 

[KAL2006]

Well superior unless the one controller really is mostly touch screen controls as replacement for legitimate buttons. Then, sadly, we must abandon that ship

Well the rumors see it will have dual analogs and buttons as well as the touchscreen, I doubt Nintendo will be stupid to replace touchscreen for button like iPad/iPhone, they are aware gamers hate virtual buttons.

 

[EatChildren]

*This is still cynical enough though, no?

It is now, thank you.

But yes, I agree. Assuming third parties actually bother to give that support/ports, then yes I assume that will be the case.

Unless Game Informer's "Might be a little weaker than the 360" turns out true.

 

[EDarkness]

yeah i think maybe it will. I think devs will take the opportunity of Wii HD's launch to port PS360 games that have the benefit of all the years of HD gen experience, and so the games will look slightly better than their PS360 versions.

In fact, I think that's entirely how most devs are going to choose to fill the Wii HD's launch window until they have more time to develop good games for it.

You know, I don't have a problem with that. I have a 360 and some games I skipped out on due to cash issues, so if they came out on the new Nintendo system that would give me some motivation to play them. Depending on the game, I might hold of picking it up on the PC or 360 if a Wii 2 version is coming just so I'll have something to play on it.

 

[Doorman]

For all of the talk that Miyamoto's put out in the past regarding how game ideas are the driving factor behind a lot of their new console development, I'm weirdly encouraged if the news is true that Pikmin 3 has been bumped up to Cafe. The original Pikmin coming from the Mario 128 demo needed the Gamecube's power to render the actions of having 100 individual characters traveling with you. If you take that concept and expand upon it to the point that they need a more powerful console to pull off their vision, and thinking about some of the direction Pikmin 2 took with having two main characters and the co-op/challenge modes...

Are we possibly headed for a Pikmin Online? Several space captains each with a pikmin force, working together to take down massive enemies or explore a new world? Or if it doesn't go in that direction, you could make a game where Olimar doesn't just get a max of 100 pikmin with him, but more like 1000 or more. The entire scale of the series can expand dramatically now.

 

[1-D_FTW]

Whatever CPUs are integrated is kind of irrelevant, Current 360s actually integrate PowerPC cores and an AMD GPU on die already. I'm simply demonstrating the sort of GPU performance you can get in an integrated ~50w package in 2012, unless people expect Nintendo to release a console with a GPU weaker than last years integrated part.

P.s. There's absolutely no way Microsoft launches in 2012 with a system that merely matches modern day integrated graphics. They'll be miles away from the PC high end but not that far away.

What is the TDP of the lowest 4000 value part? 13 watts? Maybe Nintendo strips it down to 10 with some customization. You're talking a total system that's comparable to Wii at 25 watts total.

Assuming that one guy even works at AMD and wasn't blowing smoke, I don't see what's so crazy about MS using one of their upper tier integrated parts. It would be significantly more powerful than 360, have a very modest TDP (No more billions lost on RRoD debacles), and allow them to launch at 299.99 with a very tidy profit. Will it be at the obscene profit Nintendo is going to achieve? No. But it'll still be eons better than what they did with XBox or 360.

Same with Sony. They're going to use cutting edge mobile technology that allows them to be significantly more powerful than PS3, but have low TDP, and profitability at 299.99 launch price.

People expecting 100 - 150 watt mega consoles from either Sony or MS IMO are high. It's expensive and in the land of diminishing returns (not to mention software costs). These are companies that are in the business of making profits. Nintendo reminded them of that last gen.

 

[KAL2006]

PlayStation 3 is slightly better than Xbox 360.

WiiHD is a new hardware so we should expect bugged ports and the worst version of multiplatform games. Also, why develop a WiiHD exclusive if has the same power of the current generation?

This console is a mess. Nintendo you betta get your shit together this time, I want to play Animal Crossing, Monster Hunter and Dead Space on the same platform!

WTF, most of these rumors say Wii 2 will have familiar architecture, more similar to PC and 360. So you should get better ports instantly that are superior to PS3/360

 

[Door2Dawn]

GI never said it was a little weaker than 360

 

[StevePharma]

Exactly in the first year for Wii HD, it could get
Skyrim
Battlefield 3
Crysis 2
Witcher 2
Deus Ex 3
Mass Effect 2 and 3
Bioshock Infinite
COD
Mortal Kombat
MvC3
SSFIV AE
Tekken Tag 2
Dark Souls
Shadows of the Damned
Batman Arkham City
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Tomb Raider
Rage
Dragons Dogma
Dead Rising 2
and etc

all superior versions with the best graphics and optional wiimote pointer controls

But will you double dip for that? I bet most people won't.

Also this spec talk sounds great but if the online service is jack like on Wii and DS right now you most definitely don't want to play online/DLC/update games on this thing right?

 

[Amir0x]

It is now, thank you.

But yes, I agree. Assuming third parties actually bother to give that support/ports, then yes I assume that will be the case.

Unless Game Informer's "Might be a little weaker than the 360" turns out true.

eh i really can't imagine Nintendo going with a system less powerful than even 360. I mean, that's really nuts at this time. Even I don't think Nintendo is that unambitious.

But, yeah, I mean usually all systems have to wait around 8~10 months before games that have had some time to cook in the oven start arriving, particularly with the more involved next-gen productions, so I certainly believe 'enhanced' ports will be the name of the game early on.

I already can't wait for launch window to pass haha

You know, I don't have a problem with that. I have a 360 and some games I skipped out on due to cash issues, so if they came out on the new Nintendo system that would give me some motivation to play them. Depending on the game, I might hold of picking it up on the PC or 360 if a Wii 2 version is coming just so I'll have something to play on it.

Eh... for me since I have a PS360 and a fantastic PC, ports would have no use to me. Certainly a new system won't magically motivate me to get these games if I didn't have the cash. So I don't know why WiiHD would do that

But like always, it'll be a frustrating and difficult launch window until we get out of the developer's port whoring time period and start getting games that define the Wii HD.

WTF, most of these rumors say Wii 2 will have familiar architecture, more similar to PC and 360. So you should get better ports instantly that are superior to PS3/360

Even though I believe most ports will be slightly enhanced, this is also not how it works. You don't just instantly get superior. Devs STILL have to put some effort into the ports

 

[radioheadrule83]

And Project Dolphin wasn't?

Dolphin made sense in that the special GPU they got ArtX to design was called Flipper.

Café makes no sense to me at all as yet. E3 is going to be interesting.

 

[gofreak]

Everything indicates that the Wii 2 is not just another 360/PS3. Even the Speculation the french made totally contradicted the idea of just another 360/PS3 by the fact they speculated on a GPU that was multiple times greater than this Gens Consoles.

like 95% of sources are saying the Wii 2 will blow this gen away yet because one site says well we dont know then speculates on specs that are totally opposite to what they say everyone jumps on the one site bandwagon.

The French no offense to them couldn't even keep their story straight and say one thing while showing something entirely different then the wonderful state of gaming journalism just goes confirmed! to half ass speculation.

There's no internal contradiction in the french story.

A GPU of R700 heritage tells us nothing of performance. It doesn't have to be 'multiple times greater than this gens consoles'. You could have a GPU less or more powerful than PS3/360s, that architecture will scale to whatever performance level Nintendo sees fit. Something more powerful is likely IMO but how much more is unknown, and different developers may consider that difference to be more or less significant. As I said, for example, some devs might think something twice as powerful to be only 'a bit' more powerful than PS3/360 - if they are used to differences of the order of 10x or more with generational changes. Others might think a difference like that more significant.

So I don't see the conflict there...

 

[Always-honest]

Just a "notch above Xbox 360"?
Isn't that impossible after 5 years? Isn't anything you buy now, more than a notch above Xbox 360?

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Are all of the leaks coming from the same source, the French website's source? IGN's Jim Reilly seems to have a bunch of information, and it didn't sound like the French website's info.

 

[1-D_FTW]

GI never said it was a little weaker than 360

Listen to the podcast. The only think they really had any firmness on was the graphics. And they said maybe slightly less powerful, maybe slightly more. The jist was it was close enough that people really couldn't determine which was better.

 

[H_Prestige]

Are of the leaks coming from the same source, the French website's source? IGN's Jim Reilly seems to have a bunch of information, and it didn't sound like the French website's info.

Why doesn't it sound like it?

 

[swerve]

dammit Nintendo, don't make me wait for Pikmin longer ;(

Miyamoto already used Pikmin as an example of a game which would benefit from HD. They give loads of hints out at the investor Q&As but never anything you can read solidly into until years later when it becomes obvious, in hindsight

 

[EDarkness]

But will you double dip for that? I bet most people won't.

Also this spec talk sounds great but if the online service is jack like on Wii and DS right now you most definitely don't want to play online/DLC/update games on this thing right?

I don't know if I'd double dip, but I might hold off getting a game if I knew a Wii 2 version wass coming. Depends on how attached I am to the game or if they're going to add IR control. I agree that a lot of people wouldn't double dip, but it also depends on when the games (and the system) are released.

 

[Mr_Brit]

There's no internal contradiction in the french story.

A GPU of R700 heritage tells us nothing of performance. It doesn't have to be 'multiple times greater than this gens consoles'. You could have a GPU less or more powerful than PS3/360s, that architecture will scale to whatever performance level Nintendo sees fit. Something more powerful is likely IMO but how much more is unknown, and different developers may consider that difference to be more or less significant. As I said, for example, some devs might think something twice as powerful to be only 'a bit' more powerful than PS3/360 - if they are used to differences of the order of 10x or more with generational changes. Others might think a difference like that more significant.

So I don't see the conflict there...

This. Depending on who you ask they might consider a 4850 derivative a lot more powerful or only slightly more powerful than the 360.

 

[deleted]

I doubt MS is just going to ride out Kinect for the next two years. This thing is bound to slow down. And Sony doesn't seem to want to do ps3-ngp ports in the first place.

Any potential benefit of waiting until 2013/14 is negated by allowing their competitor to have 1-2 years on the market by themselves. Sony/MS won't even be able to rely on leapfrogging Wii2's technology this time around either. It can get every multiplatform game unlike the Wii.

Didn't know that, I'm not too informed when it comes to the NGP, I just heard that ports will be possible, so why not use that fact for some cheap money?

You may be right on the rest, but Nintendo launched late this gen and look what happened. MS launched too early and it backfired through RRoD. Sony launched late and expensive and somehow managed to nearly close the gap to the 360.
It sounds plausible that they won't give the advantage of a year headstart, but I won't rule it out, depending on the circumstances.

 

[sphinx]

the sentence " Just slightly/Just a Notch more powerful than 360" is absolute nonsense.

The Wii is more powerful than the PS2, as seen in VERY specific part of games that could handle complex enviroments with lots of stuff going on, like in Mario Galaxy, other than that, it was never a "halfway console" like the dreamcast, it was defintiely PS2/GCN/XBX inside the Wii and for all intents and purposes, it remain as such for its whole life.

if Wii 2 is "just a notch" above 360, it just in reality isn't, which is very sad and lame. It will effectively mean, nintendo does it once again and brings 2006 hardware to the table in 2012.

I hope that part of the rumor is not true :-(

 

[Mithos]

But will you double dip for that? I bet most people won't.

I'll personally probably SKIP picking them up now and get them on Wii2 if there were to come out on it.

 

[Buckethead]

I'm not buying unless it's BC with Virtual Console and new VC games will be released.

 

[Opus Angelorum]

Isn't that impossible after 5 years?

Not strictly. The design (read : performance) would have been finalised at least a year a go.

Like any closed system, it's simply not a case of purchasing off the shelf parts and hoping they work effectively. Optimisation, efficiency and unity is the key.

 

[TheExecutive]

It might be the first console GTA that can manage something resembling a stable 30fps.

Why would the bring a GTA to Wii 2 when they could wait 1 more year and most likely get significantly more powerful hardware? If it is marginally more powerful than the 360 I see no reason to rush out a GTA for the Wii 2. The most likely scenerio is that they would build a game for Xbox3 and PS4 and port it down if at all. Sound familiar?

 

[gofreak]

This. Depending on who you ask they might consider a 4850 derivative a lot more powerful or only slightly more powerful than the 360.

Looking at wikipedia, (naively) looking at gflops, something between the 45xx and 46xx models could probably fit this description for a lot of people. At the higher end of that range, the 4670 is marked around twice the gflops as Xenos (IIRC its spec), and some devs might well describe something in that range as 'a notch above' or 'similar'.

And tbh, I think a GPU like that would be entirely plausible. But with Nintendo, the problem is that ANYTHING is plausible. Although this type of chip might seem stingy today, stingy in 2012, they've shown remarkably difficult-to-fathom stinginess in the past. So anything is believable, that makes speculation problematic and difficult.

We could be optimistic and hope for something more 4870X2-ish though

 

[Rlan]

It seems kind of insane for a controller to have a screen on it. Not just the perception of it, but the cost. Fucking Wii controls cost a mint to purchase, and almost all of us bought 4. Fuck buying 4 controllers with screens on them!

 

[French]

if Wii 2 is "just a notch" above 360, it just in reality isn't, which is very sad and lame. It will effectively mean, nintendo does it once again and brings 2006 hardware to the table in 2012.

I hope that part of the rumor is not true :-(

DS and Wii had outdated hardware and sold bajillions, why wouldn't they do the same thing again ?

 

[EDarkness]

Eh... for me since I have a PS360 and a fantastic PC, ports would have no use to me. Certainly a new system won't magically motivate me to get these games if I didn't have the cash. So I don't know why WiiHD would do that

But like always, it'll be a frustrating and difficult launch window until we get out of the developer's port whoring time period and start getting games that define the Wii HD.

I'm in the same boat. I have all the systems and a good PC so I can really pick and choose what version to get. Generally, I get the PC version, but sometimes I pick up the 360 version or even the Wii version depending on how I'm feeling about that particular title.

Even so, we can pretty much expect tons of ports from the get go with a few Nintendo specific franchises leading the pack. Probably won't get anything mind blowing awesome for about a year after the system is out, but I'll hold off on some things (saves money in the short term) if the Wii 2 ports are compelling enough, or I might double dip depending on what extras are there and if the game was good. It's really hard to tell at this point. So much stuff we don't know right now.

 

[From The Dust]

DS and Wii had outdated hardware and sold bajillions, why wouldn't they do the same thing again ?

because it would mean losing third party support. something which Nintendo is trying to prevent

 

[Buckethead]

How did we get on GTA?

Anyway there's a 0% chance that GTA V will be on 'Wii 2'.

Church.

 

[Futureman]

Why would the bring a GTA to Wii 2 when they could wait 1 more year and most likely get significantly more powerful hardware? If it is marginally more powerful than the 360 I see no reason to rush out a GTA for the Wii 2. The most likely scenerio is that they would build a game for Xbox3 and PS4 and port it down if at all. Sound familiar?

I thought GTA5 was in development for 360/PS3?

If these rumors are true, it could launch on all 3 systems in 2012, with the Wii2 version being the best of the bunch.

 

[ASIS]

DS and Wii had outdated hardware and sold bajillions, why wouldn't they do the same thing again ?

Because they said they wanted to fix the problem with 3rd party developers? I would be fine with 360-esque graphics but I definitely want more support this time around.

EDIT: beaten

 

[EMBee99]

Couldn't the controller just be the bottom half of a 3DS?

Hell, couldn't the 3DS work as a controller for the console? Seems like a natural step considering how StreetPass works and also since mobile/console shared play will be a nice, big trend for gaming.

Regardless, I'm betting dollars to donuts that a lot of unused DS touchscreens are being fitted into Cafe control pads as we speak.

 

[Door2Dawn]

DS and Wii had outdated hardware and sold bajillions, why wouldn't they do the same thing again ?

Because they're trying to "recapture" the hardcore with the new console. They ain't gonna recapture anything if its "slightly weak/stronger than the 360".

 

[TheExecutive]

Really interested in how their online system is going to work will it come with a headset or mic and a earpiece in every box?

I mean they want to attract third parties who know that if your game doesn't have a decent MP it may well sink, also DLC delivery is probably going to be another massive sticking point. the Wii as we've seen has an absolutely shocking online setup. MS and Sony have spent years getting their online areas in order. I can't see Nintendo having a service worth a damm for at least 4-5 years.

Just think of all those years they could have invested and they floundered. I feel it's going to bite them in the ass especially if they're targeting the 'hardcore' again. MS and Sony can start their next gen with a base to work from and users already on board with their services.

Even if this thing was outputting obscene power. I highly doubt many 'core' gamers would stick around if the online is shit.

There is no fricking way that happens. Their largest demographic couldnt care less about online compatibility. If this system is only marginally more powerful than the 360 then they are adopting their strategy they had this generation. Don't expect Nintendo to care about online, or a hardcore community all of a sudden because a new console is coming out. If the power specs are true then its very telling.

 

[WrikaWrek]

A notch above the 360? Jesus, my interest has just flat lined.

 

[Sammy Samusu]

Are of the leaks coming from the same source, the French website's source? IGN's Jim Reilly seems to have a bunch of information, and it didn't sound like the French website's info.

Yeah, I'm not sure why we the french site information is being discussed as the real tea. IGN said WiiHD is "significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360".

 

[justin.au]

Café makes no sense to me at all as yet. E3 is going to be interesting.

OH MY GOD IT'S GOING TO BE A CAPPUCCINO MACHINE!

DAY 1

 

[Amir0x]

I'm in the same boat. I have all the systems and a good PC so I can really pick and choose what version to get. Generally, I get the PC version, but sometimes I pick up the 360 version or even the Wii version depending on how I'm feeling about that particular title.

Even so, we can pretty much expect tons of ports from the get go with a few Nintendo specific franchises leading the pack. Probably won't get anything mind blowing awesome for about a year after the system is out, but I'll hold off on some things (saves money in the short term) if the Wii 2 ports are compelling enough, or I might double dip depending on what extras are there and if the game was good. It's really hard to tell at this point. So much stuff we don't know right now.

I think if there was console exclusive games I'd probably get the Wii HD version IF the one controller doesn't abandon many buttons for touch screen control. The only exception would be if there is a online game, 'cause the online community is way more developed on PS360 and so I'd get one of those.


At least until PS4 and Xbox Next arrive.

 

[Dennis]

IGN said WiiHD is "significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360".

This is the vain hope that I cling to, like a drowning man, in this our hour of desperation.

I really would like to see Nintendo not simply give up on the hardcore market.

 

[Xater]

A notch above the 360? Jesus, my interest has just flat lined.

Yeah that is kinda uninteresting. Basically just a console update to get kinda "up to date". How does Nintendo imagine this to work out. They will be good for a year or two and then MS and Sony will be there with their new consoles and probably exponentially better hardware.

 

[EatChildren]

Yeah, I'm not sure why we the french site information is being discussed as the real tea. IGN said WiiHD is "significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360".

Because they got the PSP2/NGP specs spot on prior to reveal, aren't the only ones reporting "notch about the 360" in power, and IGN have been full of shit before.

 

[Amir0x]

This is the vain hope that I cling to, like a drowning man, in this our hour of desperation.

I really would like to see Nintendo not simply give up on the hardcore market.

I think the word 'significantly' can mean so many things

 

[Refugio]

How did we get on GTA?

Anyway there's a 0% chance that GTA V will be on 'Wii 2'.

Church.

If they put a GTA on it would probably be GTA IV. Super Wii's first test.

 

[H_Prestige]

Yeah, I'm not sure why we the french site information is being discussed as the real tea. IGN said WiiHD is "significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360".

There are multiple sources reporting on the new Wii. One person's "notch" may be another person's "significant".

I see no reason to discard the French site. At this point I think it is the real deal, especially after IGN confirmed the 6" screen.

 

[TheExecutive]

I thought GTA5 was in development for 360/PS3?

If these rumors are true, it could launch on all 3 systems in 2012, with the Wii2 version being the best of the bunch.

Well, their engine to build this gta5 is already built and I doubt it would be optimized solely for graphics whores on a wiiHD. I mean that makes NO fricking buisness sense from a TakeTwo perspective. It would seem more likely that Nintendo continues its gimmicky wiimote 2 scheme and TakeTwo doesnt bother with a wiiHD port because the controller is too different from their main target audience. (sound familiar?)

 

[gundamkyoukai]

Yeah, I'm not sure why we the french site information is being discussed as the real tea. IGN said WiiHD is "significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360".

They were first to talk about the controller , they also gave specs for the NGP and they were mostly right . Either way as gofreak said not every one see upgrades the same way.