Wii successor confirmed for 2012, playable at E3

Nintendo has confirmed that it is launching a new console in 2012, and says it will be showing it in playable form at E3 this year. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata says this will be "a new approach to home video game consoles."

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Nintendo has confirmed a few of the less juicy rumors surrounding its next console. In an investor note released alongside its fiscal earnings today, the company stated it "has decided to launch in 2012 a system to succeed Wii." The note also mentions that the company will show a "playable model" of the new system at E3 this year.

"We would like to propose a new approach to home video game consoles [with the new system]," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told Bloomberg. "It's difficult to make 3D images a key feature, because 3D televisions haven't obtained wide acceptance yet."

The rumors surrounding the new system have run the gamut, claiming hardware power on par with (or above) the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, a code-name of Project Cafe, and a touch screen controller. This word from Nintendo doesn't give us any indication on the veracity of those rumors, but we'll know soon enough. E3 is June 7-9 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

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  • reply
    April 25, 2011 7:15 AM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, Wii successor confirmed for 2012, playable at E3.

    Nintendo has confirmed that it is launching a new console in 2012, and says it will be showing it in playable form at E3 this year. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata says this will be "a new approach to home video game consoles."

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      April 25, 2011 7:37 AM

      I thought the Wii was a new approach to home game consoles. WTF Nintendo. WTF!

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        April 25, 2011 7:41 AM

        That's what I'm saying. I guess it's a new new approach.

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          April 25, 2011 7:48 AM

          I guess they're just going to keep going at it from different angles till they finally make one where they lose money on it the whole generation.

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            April 25, 2011 8:22 AM

            Yeah... that damn Wii... it was only so popular that it was essentially impossible to stock for like 3 years! That approach obviously worked WAY too well.

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              April 25, 2011 8:32 AM

              A) I was being sarcastic with that post.
              B) If they ever virtual boy a home console they're likely fucked.

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                April 25, 2011 5:43 PM

                I was totally being sarcastic with you... no worries. :)

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        April 25, 2011 7:48 AM

        it's the new new

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        April 25, 2011 7:51 AM

        And... they're doing something new again? (at least according to them)
        Did you want them to be static?

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          April 25, 2011 7:53 AM

          They've been on an "innovate - enhance" cycle since the NES and now they're going all "innovate - innovate" and it's messing with my mojo.

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            April 25, 2011 8:17 AM

            Nintendo has to innovate because they can't compete with Sony and MS on their levels. Sony or Microsoft can dump an insane amount of money in to making a new console and can afford to lose $100 a console at launch. Nintendo can't do that so they need to innovate and try to grow the market in to areas that MS/Sony hasn't thought of yet.

            Also Nintendo is a much smaller company that the other two and because of that can do these quirky things since they aren't as beholden to some giant corporate hegemony.

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              April 25, 2011 9:22 AM

              i dont see why nintendo couldn't do that if they wanted to. i guess they dont have other lines of business to leverage, but their previous products have been incredibly profitable

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        April 25, 2011 9:42 AM

        What's not to understand about this? The Wii WAS a new approach to consoles... almost six years ago. That's more than enough time to present a newer approach.

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        April 25, 2011 5:48 PM

        yes but they were waved off so they're circling around to try another landing

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      April 25, 2011 8:02 AM

      I hope it doesn't require you to use motion controllers and waggle in every goddamn game.

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        April 25, 2011 8:10 AM

        3D kinect with motion controllers

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          April 25, 2011 8:23 AM

          You mean... Move?

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          April 25, 2011 9:01 AM

          I don't mind motion control for some games. It's pretty fun for tiger woods and party games. But I kind of just want to veg out on the couch and play Zelda and Mario without having to wave around a wand.

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        April 25, 2011 8:20 AM

        [deleted]

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        April 25, 2011 9:12 AM

        This. Shoehorned-in waggle "because it can" is so stupid. The Mario Galaxy sphere-riding segments come immediately to mind.

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      April 25, 2011 8:34 AM

      I'm pretty excited to see what they've come up with. Even if you dislike the Wii you have to admit Nintendo is very forward thinking and innovative.

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      April 25, 2011 8:34 AM

      It's gonna be a glove that allows the Wii to track your finger movements. Giving the user more power over the game play mechanics.

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      April 25, 2011 9:01 AM

      when will they pull a sega and stop making their own thing and make their games for other things?

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        April 25, 2011 9:13 AM

        When their consoles stop making bucket loads of money.

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          April 25, 2011 9:19 AM

          This. And Nintendo seems to be the first in many innovations. L and R buttons, four face buttons, 3d gaming, digital sticks, motion sensors. They're doing pretty good in the console department.

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            April 25, 2011 12:51 PM

            And analog sticks (the N64 had it before the PS1).

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              April 25, 2011 1:41 PM

              Probably the most important game controlling invention. 3D would still be dominated by joysticks on PC's if it weren't for that.

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            April 25, 2011 9:28 PM

            Don't forget memory cards and rumble, either.

            Seriously, Nintendo have always been well ahead of the curve (Except maybe with the GC)

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        April 25, 2011 9:23 AM

        I hope that never happens. Nintendo is the only really innovative company left in the console market.

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          April 25, 2011 9:25 AM

          I'd like to be able to have less consoles and more games, but that's me

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        April 25, 2011 6:37 PM

        TBH, that hasn't gone incredibly well for Sega...they aren't losing money like they were back when they were in the console biz...but they aren't exactly a huge success story either.

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      April 25, 2011 9:09 AM

      The Wii2 will launch with the new and improved vitality sensor.

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      April 25, 2011 9:21 AM

      Sweet, looking forward to getting my hands on it in June. Unfortunately, that is going to require waiting in line behind hundreds of morbidly obese bloggers for god knows how long :(

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      April 25, 2011 9:25 AM

      I bet the controllers will cost more then the console this time.

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      April 25, 2011 10:01 AM

      I'm so not interested in the tacky Wiimote/Kinect/Eyefinite etc. crap. With Sony and Microsoft, luckily that stuff was just extra junk for the kids, but with Nintendo fully integrating that and not making traditional controller interfaces anymore, they've lost me as a customer.

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      April 25, 2011 10:54 AM

      My breath is baited.

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      April 25, 2011 11:20 AM

      So skyward sword to be a wii2 & wii cross platform game then?!

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        April 25, 2011 11:35 AM

        This is more possible than I would like :(

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          April 25, 2011 12:19 PM

          I hope not... if the Wii2 is really a big leap over the Wii. A port really won't push the hardware much. I'd rather have a Zelda title really aimed directly at the platform.

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            April 25, 2011 12:31 PM

            Agreed, I'd rather have a Zelda made for the platform later than a sad (for the system) port earlier.

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              April 25, 2011 5:09 PM

              True I still find it hard to accept twilight princess as a Zelda game, maybe I'll just forget... why am I writing this post...?

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        April 25, 2011 5:24 PM

        I wonder if Link will go back to being left handed on the new console once they remove the wiimote.

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      April 25, 2011 5:10 PM

      Wii Dustcollector

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      April 25, 2011 5:14 PM

      I'm only interested if it is on par or better then the PS3/360, if it is I can see hardcore gamers flocking to it especially if it has a decent online, anyone up for COD 9/10 on a more powerful console? All those old grannys who loved playing the wii might just buy it too. Anyway maybe they'll pusy augmented reality more with this, I'm kinda excited.

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        April 25, 2011 5:24 PM

        Yes, see, I want the nintendo games AND the current crop of good stuff, not just mario 15, etc, etc.

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          April 25, 2011 6:05 PM

          Naturally.

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            April 25, 2011 6:55 PM

            I know, right? I mean it's common sense and they've been unable to pull it off forever. Give me the current cross-platform titles AND your exclusives and I'm there.

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      April 25, 2011 5:16 PM

      [deleted]

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      April 25, 2011 5:23 PM

      If regis filla what's his face in still in charge, yeah, not so much.

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      April 25, 2011 5:40 PM

      Please be running Wii titles upscaled like the PC emulators do...

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      April 25, 2011 5:41 PM

      I'm pretty damn excited for this. Bets on what games will be shown?

      Zelda is obviously out, which makes me sad. I'm thinking a new Mario game (hopefully as launch title), Mario Kart, and a handful of other 3rd party games.

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        April 25, 2011 5:43 PM

        That new Retro title, but DK Country came out recently. Which is sad, I want to see a real "New Generation" Metroid Prime come out.

        Oh, also Smash Bros. Which is why I'll be buying this stupid thing. I will do just about anything for a new Smash Bros.

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          April 25, 2011 6:09 PM

          Yeah I considered a new Prime title, but didn't they say they were done making those or something to that effect? I'd like to see them resurrect another franchise, maybe Star Fox or another Luigi's Mansion!

          I would be happy with a 1080p Mario Party honestly.

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        April 26, 2011 12:32 AM

        Super Mario Galaxy 3 HD

        please

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        April 26, 2011 1:12 AM

        Super Mario Sunshine 2! Pretty please?

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      April 25, 2011 11:43 PM

      This is going to be an amazing E3. Sony is going to have tons of NGP stuff, Nintendo with their new console and I'm expecting something huge from MS. I wish I was going.

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      April 25, 2011 11:54 PM

      I wonder if this one will have games?

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