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[Jive Turkey]

Why can't the controller double act as a handheld? Now THAT would be sweet.

That's the big E3 reveal. The controller is actually the 3DS. Connectivity lives!

 

[mclem]

I would say the threshold is much lower than ten games. I think five-six is enough games for a system to be worth owning.

I'd be okay with just one, really. Sheer passion for gaming can overwhelm important facts of finances, and I'm more likely to give something an extra pass if it's *interesting*.

 

[Barrett2]

Why can't the controller double act as a handheld? Now THAT would be sweet.

599 US DOLLARS

 

[Averon]

Hey guys, I hope I can get your attention on this.

The french website 01.net has posted perhaps what is the most complete story so far on the successor of the Wii. Link to the story (in french).

They have a very reliable source that previously told them about the specs of the Sony NGP.
Here are the bullet points. Most of them have already been reported by other sites, but here goes :

• the console is codenamed "Project Café"
• will be introduced at E3 2011
• architecture is very similar to the Xbox 360; the Café is a bit more powerful than the 360
• porting current xbox 360 titles to the Café should be very easy
• should be retro-compatible with GameCube and Wii games, and support all Wii peripherals
• Specs : CPU is custom IBM PowerPC with three cores, GPU should be an ATI from the R700 family, with a shader unit at version 4.1. Ram should be at least 512 Mb.
• the controller is a touch tablet, with moderate graphic output (appears to be sub-HD, so nothing comparable to an Ipad, for example.)
• controller specs : 6-inch screen, single touch (so no multitouch, it seems), front camera, acts as a wii sensor bar, has a d-pad, two bumpers, two triggers, possibly more.
• should be released in June of 2012 (for Japan ?), and holiday season (in the West ?)
• there is another big surprise they can't talk about just yet

I can do a full translation if you guys want, tell me what you think.

Sounds horrible to be honest. Tablet controller. Slightly more powerful than PS3/360. Goddamit.

 

[mentalfloss]

Just like "Project Butterfly" "Project Cafe" makes no sense.

It makes perfect sense. They're french.

 

[Skiesofwonder]

It seems wise now for Nintendo to do some damge control for these leaks and release the rumored PR statement early, like they did with the 3DS. These rumors are becoming so rampant and wide everyone is bound to be a bit dissapointed now with what Wii 2 really is.

Edit: If project Cafe' is right then obviously the big surprise is Vitality Sensor built in. They way you can view you heart rate, pulse, etc. on the controller screen at all times without needing to pause the game and bring up a menu, or worse, having a cluttered HUD with the sensor readings.

 

[Dabanton]

You can jump into the graphics arena without risking being just like the others.

The reason the Wii was different was not because of it's graphics.

It was the controller it was 'magical' when revealed. The graphics were nothing to write home about and yet it sold an obscene amount why jump back into the 'hardcore' gamer pit who would demand a decent controller,no motion control, 1080p for every game and a crazy graphics card.

Actually looking through this thread that's what many are demanding.

 

[Jocchan]

I'm not sure, but it'd be irrelevant anyway. They'll make whatever Nintendo wants. This chip would I guess be a custom part anyway, even if based on the R700 it wouldn't have any relation to a specific R700 part.

And on RAM, again, they're just saying 'we don't know, we presume it'll be like the 360 with a unified design and at least 512MB'. So I wouldn't get hung up on their number, it's not a claim they're making or something they're claiming they were told by their sources.

I know it's not a constraint, I was just curious

Part of the reason Move uses a large glowing ball is it's retro-fitted to the PS eye, which means ability to use IR is out, and you have to be able to accurately judge distance using a single camera. A system designed from the ground up wouldn't have to fit in with those constraints.

True.

 

[Zeliard]

No, 1080p output from the console.

(which, incidentally, is another thing running counter to the specs posted - if this thing is just 360+, how will it pump out 1080p visuals?)

It wouldn't. We'd likely just see a repeat of this gen in terms of sub-HD, sub-30 FPS games from most of the third parties if Nintendo's new console regurgitates circa 2005 specs.

 

[From The Dust]

It seems wise now for Nintendo to do some damge control for these leaks and release the rumored PR statement early, like they did with the 3DS. These rumors are becoming so rampant and wide everyone is bound to be a bit dissapointed now with what Wii 2 really is.

that's one of the rumors! the world is imploding! D:

 

[gofreak]

Meh their report doesn't make sense on many levels and conflicts too much with the other sources. A publisher said: "Nintendo is doing it right this time, this is no gimmick" according to GI and Project Cafe and Butterfly sound like total disasters.

I don't know, maybe I'm biased because I was suggesting a touchscreen only wiimote before we saw this info, and their info doesn't conflict with that necessarily

A touchscreen wiimote punctuated by a d-pad and the occasional button seems even less farfetched IMO.

A 16:9 6" 'tablet' with buttons attached might be less convincing still though, but I don't know if this controller necessarily has to have a 16:9 screen...or just be a screen layered on a wiimote-esque design.

 

[radioheadrule83]

The 01.net story is 99% bullshit. Come on! Why would they be any more privvy to details such as the project name and the way the controller works than the likes of Game Informer, Edge and IGN? It reads like embellishments on today's earlier rumours.

 

[From The Dust]

The 01.net story is 99% bullshit. Come on! Why would they be any more privvy to details such as the project name and the way the controller works than the likes of Game Informer, Edge and IGN? It reads like embellishments on today's earlier rumours.

NGP

 

[WillyFive]

It seems wise now for Nintendo to do some damge control for these leaks and release the rumored PR statement early, like they did with the 3DS. These rumors are becoming so rampant and wide everyone is bound to be a bit dissapointed now with what Wii 2 really is.

I want my virtual reality headset, and be able to burn my own games!

 

[gameboya]

Why in the world does ANYONE believe the new controller would have a screen on it? There are absolutely ZERO benefits to this. In fact it's counter intuitive.. you don't look OFF the screen you are playing to do something on a friggin 3" screen when you have a 50" in front of you.. these rumors are pathetic..

if anything it will have the vitality sensor built into the controller which depending on how sophisticated it is will allow some type of new control mechanism. if it can only read certain things like heartbeat and temperature then I call it a gimmick. if it can allow any type of control wheather that be moving or action etc.. then it will be EPIC.

The bottom line is whatever new technology they put in, it will HAVE to be in co-ordination with the current Wii controller. No way are they going to abandon something that prolific.

 

[gofreak]

The 01.net story is 99% bullshit. Come on! Why would they be any more privvy to details such as the project name and the way the controller works than the likes of Game Informer, Edge and IGN? It reads like embellishments on today's earlier rumours.

You could ask why they got all the low level NGP details before other outlets.

But they did.

They clearly have friends in a dev house somewhere. Probably ubisoft or the like.

That doesn't mean these same friends are those sharing this info, or that it's correct, but they do have a record here.

 

[Jocchan]

The 01.net story is 99% bullshit. Come on! Why would they be any more privvy to details such as the project name and the way the controller works than the likes of Game Informer, Edge and IGN? It reads like embellishments on today's earlier rumours.

Being a big-name site doesn't mean a thing. You can still have very good sources. I honestly find their rumor unlikely at best, but they *could* still be correct.

 

[BGBW]

People are still bring up Project Butterfly?! My my, it's the joke that keeps on giving.

 

[gnat_]

Hmmm. Instead, how about giving us some GAMES, Nintendo!

 

[Azelover]

There is no reason why this thing shouldn't be way more powerful the 360.

The controller alone would probably add $100 to the price, and you do the math. The hardware would have to be worth $100-$150, and that's without the marketing and profit. I think it's pretty spot on. Nintendo's focus shouldn't be on graphics., although the rumour itself is bogus.

 

[From The Dust]

People are still bring up Project Butterfly?! My my, it's the joke that keeps on giving.

it's a better name that Cafe

 

[mclem]

I told you, people LIKE arguing with me. They act like they don't, but they do. They will always find a way.

You like arguing with them, too, though, don't you?

 

[JohnTinker]

What are the rumor details from EDGE? Wario didn't update the OP with anything from EDGE

 

[Zeliard]

The funny thing is some of the various rumors seem to contradict themselves. 01.net has the fact that they revealed NGP specs on their side, so they could very well be legit (though some of their bullet points just sound odd), while the other sites are relatively prominent ones which generally have access to various sources. Yet the info is all mixed up.

 

[McHuj]

R700 GPU? Yuck. A 3-4 year old GPU by the time it releases sounds about right for Nintendo.

 

[[Nintex]]

Why in the world does ANYONE believe the new controller would have a screen on it? There are absolutely ZERO benefits to this. In fact it's counter intuitive.. you don't look OFF the screen you are playing to do something on a friggin 3" screen when you have a 50" in front of you.. these rumors are pathetic..

if anything it will have the vitality sensor built into the controller which depending on how sophisticated it is will allow some type of new control mechanism. if it can only read certain things like heartbeat and temperature then I call it a gimmick. if it can allow any type of control wheather that be moving or action etc.. then it will be EPIC.

The bottom line is whatever new technology they put in, it will HAVE to be in co-ordination with the current Wii controller. No way are they going to abandon something that prolific.

Just look at the DS, inventory screens, touch-control who knows. It's probably not going to be a stand alone handheld with CPU's and everything but just an added screen to the controller that shows stuff when it's near the Wii2. I think it's perfectly possible to stream images/video using some sort of wireless tech these days. I also think Nintendo will have multiple controller options, The Wii Remote, Classic Controller, Wii Fit, Wii MotionPlus etc. controller line-up worked out quite well for them.

 

[Skiesofwonder]

Why in the world does ANYONE believe the new controller would have a screen on it? There are absolutely ZERO benefits to this. In fact it's counter intuitive.. you don't look OFF the screen you are playing to do something on a friggin 3" screen when you have a 50" in front of you.. these rumors are pathetic..

if anything it will have the vitality sensor built into the controller which depending on how sophisticated it is will allow some type of new control mechanism. if it can only read certain things like heartbeat and temperature then I call it a gimmick. if it can allow any type of control wheather that be moving or action etc.. then it will be EPIC.

The bottom line is whatever new technology they put in, it will HAVE to be in co-ordination with the current Wii controller. No way are they going to abandon something that prolific.

Honestly now that I think about it, the screen is probably mostly there to give you your readngs from the Vitality Sensor. Yeah, it can be used for other things (HUD, Maps, Inventory, Simple gameplay) but imo it makes the most sense to have your readings available at all times to read and guage instead of having to pause/clutter the HUD on the main screen with them.

 

[Graphics Horse]

I wonder if the screen could be something off the wall like colour e-ink.

 

[NolbertoS]

Nooooo..the next gen wars will begin too early. I was just starting to get comfy this gen and now gotta save up more money for the new consoles in 2 years time. With Wii 2 rumours everywhere its only a matter of time before PS4 and Xbox 720 rumours will begin.

 

[Jocchan]

The funny thing is some of the various rumors seem to contradict themselves. 01.net has the fact that they revealed NGP specs on their side, so they could very well be legit (though some of their bullet points just sound odd), while the other sites are relatively prominent ones who generally have access to various sources. Yet the info is all mixed up.

Reminds me of the Revolution speculation.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

People are saying this rumor is ridiculous but how would you have reacted to a rumor detailing the features of the original Wii before you knew anything about it?

It's Nintendo. Nothing is out of the question.

 

[frankie_baby]

Does anyone else remember a fan made bullshit mock up of a new Nintendo handheld that floated around briefly a year or so ago it was Wii remote shaped the entire top was a screen and had a dpad and a couple of buttons sticking out of the screen?

 

[NegativeZero]

It seems wise now for Nintendo to do some damge control for these leaks and release the rumored PR statement early, like they did with the 3DS. These rumors are becoming so rampant and wide everyone is bound to be a bit dissapointed now with what Wii 2 really is.

This. Things have gotten so out of control, it would behoove Nintendo to address the rumors as soon as possible.

 

[Interfectum]

Just look at the DS, inventory screens, touch-control who knows.

A bit different to look an 1/2 inch down vs. having to look completely away from a TV screen.

 

[Steve Youngblood]

It wouldn't. We'd likely just see a repeat of this gen in terms of sub-HD, sub-30 FPS games from most of the third parties if Nintendo's new console regurgitates circa 2005 specs.

Well, there's tons of conflicting information, so obviously we can't really draw anything from it. It does, however, reinforce my belief that the "It will also do 1080p resolutions" is meaningless without context. I never understood why that was supposed to be a piece of juicy gossip. Of course it will be able to render 1080p, but render what?

 

[Lonewolf_92]

If we 'assume' Nintendo's RAM is a shared CPU/GPU pool like the Xbox 360, they need more RAM to get any sort of leverage out of their 'extra power'. I could see Nintendo cheap out on the CPU but if they're going this route they'll invest in RAM and the GPU. The lack of RAM has bitten them in the ass so many times that I doubt they'll cut costs on that ever again.

Not to mention that RAM is dirt cheap now even at the consumer level. It would blow my mind to think that a current cheap gaming PC could possibly have a MASSIVE RAM advantage over a yet-to-be-released "Next-Gen" system, even one by Nintendo.

 

[shuri]

Interesting, now if only Nintendo and 3rd parties would bring it when it comes to software.. There's no escuse for yet another wasteland, it's been going on for 3 gens in a row.

 

[gofreak]

The funny thing is some of the various rumors seem to contradict themselves. 01.net has the fact that they revealed NGP specs on their side, so they could very well be legit (though some of their bullet points just sound odd), while the other sites are relatively prominent ones which generally have access to various sources. Yet the info is all mixed up.

Funnily enough I think the 01 article explains why there's conflicting info.

I mean the GPU would be a fair bit better than what's in PS3/360 (assuming it was a 320 shader unit variant or more, or something like that). But CPU - well on the face of it - probably would not. Who knows about RAM.

So that might be why some say 'it's around the same as 360', some say 'it's competitive' and others say 'it's substantially more powerful'. They may all be correct from their own frame of reference if those specs are true.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Hey guys, I hope I can get your attention on this.

The french website 01.net has posted perhaps what is the most complete story so far on the successor of the Wii. Link to the story (in french).

They have a very reliable source that previously told them about the specs of the Sony NGP.
Here are the bullet points. Most of them have already been reported by other sites, but here goes :

• the console is codenamed "Project Café"
• will be introduced at E3 2011
• architecture is very similar to the Xbox 360; the Café is a bit more powerful than the 360
• porting current xbox 360 titles to the Café should be very easy
• should be retro-compatible with GameCube and Wii games, and support all Wii peripherals
• Specs : CPU is custom IBM PowerPC with three cores, GPU should be an ATI from the R700 family, with a shader unit at version 4.1. Ram should be at least 512 Mb.
• the controller is a touch tablet, with moderate graphic output (appears to be sub-HD, so nothing comparable to an Ipad, for example.)
• controller specs : 6-inch screen, single touch (so no multitouch, it seems), front camera, acts as a wii sensor bar, has a d-pad, two bumpers, two triggers, possibly more.
• should be released in June of 2012 (for Japan ?), and holiday season (in the West ?)
• there is another big surprise they can't talk about just yet

I can do a full translation if you guys want, tell me what you think.

I can believe this but still for a console coming in late 2012 many things could change
from Ram to Sub-HD screens - You don't need HD screens to show to publishers so whatever Nintendo is showing for people to have leaked info like this they can hardly say its final specs.

NGP is coming sooner and the specs are much closer to final, well at least I hope 60% of the above is far from truth

 

[[Nintex]]

A bit different to look an 1/2 inch down vs. having to look completely away from a TV screen.

How so you just tilt your head and for typing and stuff it could be quite convenient. Connectivity in Four Swords and Chrystal Chronicles worked quite well from a gameplay perspective. It just didn't catch on because you needed 2 systems. Adding a screen to the controller removes that barrier.

 

[1-D_FTW]

What are the rumor details from EDGE? Wario didn't update the OP with anything from EDGE

More accurate pointer than Move. Getting rebranded. And the major western publishers have had dev kits for months.

 

[Nicktals]

The bottom line is whatever new technology they put in, it will HAVE to be in co-ordination with the current Wii controller. No way are they going to abandon something that prolific.

If they have a port for the sensor bar, why would the new controller have to coordinate? The Wii coordinated with the GC, and the Wii remote definitely doesn't act as a GC controller.

 

[Quadrangulum]

I'm not inclined to accept the rumor since there seems to be plenty of ground for conflict with the many other rumors from the slew of credible sites in the OP and it seems technologically confused but if it is true it would behoove Nintendo to launch sooner than late 2012.

 

[xtop]

:/

was hoping for something that would be closer to competing graphics wise to xbox 3/ps4

 

[Luckyman]

What are the rumor details from EDGE? Wario didn't update the OP with anything from EDGE

http://www.next-gen.biz/news/sources-confirm-more-details-on-wii-successor

 

[ultron87]

Why in the world does ANYONE believe the new controller would have a screen on it? There are absolutely ZERO benefits to this. In fact it's counter intuitive.. you don't look OFF the screen you are playing to do something on a friggin 3" screen when you have a 50" in front of you.. these rumors are pathetic..

if anything it will have the vitality sensor built into the controller which depending on how sophisticated it is will allow some type of new control mechanism. if it can only read certain things like heartbeat and temperature then I call it a gimmick. if it can allow any type of control wheather that be moving or action etc.. then it will be EPIC.

The bottom line is whatever new technology they put in, it will HAVE to be in co-ordination with the current Wii controller. No way are they going to abandon something that prolific.

You should've played Crystal Chronicles on the Gamecube. Inventory on your GBA's screen without pausing the game for your friends? Hell yeah!

 

[Somnid]

A 6" screen? I don't think so, not likely given ergonomics. Also, again I must point out that anything coming from the West is bullshit, they likely haven't seen anything. Whereas the second Nikkei reports this you know it's legit.

 

[Fafalada]

If we 'assume' Nintendo's RAM is a shared CPU/GPU pool like the Xbox 360, they need more RAM to get any sort of leverage out of their 'extra power'.

What makes you think SM4.1 means "extra power", or high power at all?
There's a plethora of chipsets out there with 4.X featureset that are considerably lower power then even the PS3 GPU.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Reminds me of the Revolution speculation.

As I said, it reminds me of the 3DS rumour mill, which seemed to have been churned up by either:

a) The existence at one stage of a Tegra-powered 3DS prototype, or;
b) Nvidia muddying the waters by making an almost-public pitch for the project and dropping info to the press themselves

 

[BowieZ]

ITT: uncommonly frequent use of the word 'behoove'