Project Cafe aka Wii2

It's been an incredibly long time since a new home console has been released; I guess the last one was the PS3. Microsoft really took the bull by the horns and got everyone into a frenzy with their viral marketing, making the term a household name and setting the precedent for the game industry (see Portal 2, just last week). I remember being very excited for the 360, even though I had no idea what it was or what to expect entirely, but that's part of the fun right there. When the Wii was coming out, I only felt that tingle of joy slightly, as the uncertainty of motion controls had already set in. But I still saw the potential, and innovation. As it turns out the Wii was pretty disappointing, although it has some pretty killer games. So now we're in a situation where rumours for the next Nintendo console has absolutely broken through the brick wall, just like the Kool-Aid man, absolutely devastating the the rumour mill. And I am completely into it.

I'll tell you why: high definition graphics. This has to be a major detractor from the current Wii. Nintendo has foresight, yes, but they didn't have the foresight to see that HD televisions would be so widespread in a relatively short period of time. But perhaps my view is myopic; the target consumer for the Wii is arguably not me, but the more casual gamer who don't have big screen TVs, let alone a television that isn't a tube. The Wii is a massive success, but a bit of a failure for the intermediate to hardcore gamer. So this next Nintendo system will have high definition graphics; of course it's all completely rumour and nothing is fact, but it seems impossible at this point to not include HD. So there's that.

And what else could be lined up for the system? Touchscreens in all the controllers. Nintendo has always shown great innovation in controllers, and by extension, they have guided the gaming industry. All the current gen systems have a form of motion control now. After the N64, everyone put analog sticks in their system. The list goes on, but it's important to note Nintendo would not be the first to put a screen in a controller - see the Dreamcast - but they could be the first to do it successfully. Nintendo has been a pioneer in the touch screen business with their DS, and the train keeps on rolling.

I also think it's important to return to the foresight here, and use Apple as an example. I read an article a while back that described how the iPad was the product of years of live research: the screen being pioneered in the Macbooks until perfected, and the touch screen introduced in the iPhone and iPod devices. Culminating together, you have the iPad, the device they really wanted to release but needed to perfect first. I can believe Nintendo doing the same thing: you have the combination of motion controls and touch screens to bring out the "perfect" controller. Well, I'm not entirely sold on it, but there are possibilities; Nintendo first experimented  with multiple screen gaming with the Game Boy consoles, of course, but later on with Four Sword Adventures. Each player having their GBA connected to the Gamecube; each with their own screen, and each sharing the big screen up front.

There are many more possibilities out there, and they are all rumour right now. I can only hope we'll see an official announcement at E3 this year.

Update: I know, it's weird, I'm updating this before it's even been published, but so is the way of my blog (I typically write things up weeks before they are scheduled for posting). Nintendo has officially announced that it will be revealing their next system at E3, and that it will be released next year. So, I don't have to remain in a state of heightened anticipatory excitement for long, as we'll be getting all the details soon. But it makes you think about all these rumours in the past week eh?