We've often wondered how Nintendo could possibly out-do the Wii in terms of innovation. Now we know the answer to our question is possibly "nothing." Speaking with Forbes on the topic of future consoles, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata admitted it will be difficult to one-up its latest console effort. When asked about the importance of hardware innovation, Iwata explained that "This time around, it happened to be we had a revolutionary user interface. Will it be the same for the next generation? I really can't tell."
"It's natural for the current customer to expect Nintendo is going to once again do something different," Iwata added, admitting, "If the people are expecting so many different things from Nintendo, it's going to be difficult for us to go beyond that expectation again." In the article, Iwata confirms that Nintendo is actively developing its next machine, but seems far more interested in software offerings. "The hardware is a kind of box that consumers reluctantly buy in order to play our games," he said. Reluctantly, Iwata-san? People are practically buying Wii without knowing what it even does.
[Via NWF]
Reader Comments (112)
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 10:19AM (Unverified) said
/not surprised...
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 10:46AM busydoinnothin said
Judging by how well they did with the Wii despite its shitty graphics and audio, I highly doubt that they will do much to push the limits of hardware in those two arenas with the next system.
However, if Nintendo wants people to not just buy a Wii but to ACTIVELY USE IT (I bought mine on launch day, hardly use it, currently sitting in box since the time I took it to my sister's party well over a month ago), they need to focus on what makes the other console offerings popular: High quality graphics and audio, solid online platform, quality games (not fucking mini-game compilations).
As far as my background goes, I've been a PC gamer exclusively for years; the Wii was my first console since the SNES, and I own a 360 as well. I play mostly FPS games. I believe that the Wii controls are the best controls for an FPS other than the keyboard and mouse. Being able to aim freely with the Wiimote most closely resembles the motion of the mouse. If the Wii had high-end graphics and quality FPS games (with online play), I would more than likely play it more often than I play games on the PC. I'd rather sit back on the couch and enjoy my 50" DLP and surround sound than to sit up in my computer chair and play in front of my 20" LCD.
However, if Nintendo wants people to not just buy a Wii but to ACTIVELY USE IT (I bought mine on launch day, hardly use it, currently sitting in box since the time I took it to my sister's party well over a month ago), they need to focus on what makes the other console offerings popular: High quality graphics and audio, solid online platform, quality games (not fucking mini-game compilations).
As far as my background goes, I've been a PC gamer exclusively for years; the Wii was my first console since the SNES, and I own a 360 as well. I play mostly FPS games. I believe that the Wii controls are the best controls for an FPS other than the keyboard and mouse. Being able to aim freely with the Wiimote most closely resembles the motion of the mouse. If the Wii had high-end graphics and quality FPS games (with online play), I would more than likely play it more often than I play games on the PC. I'd rather sit back on the couch and enjoy my 50" DLP and surround sound than to sit up in my computer chair and play in front of my 20" LCD.
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 11:25AM Shagittarius said
I have my computer hooked up to my TV.
Problem solved.
Reply
Problem solved.
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 12:49PM busydoinnothin said
So do I, though I haven't solved the problem of how to play FPSs on my HTPC. What do you use for a controller?
Reply
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 11:19AM zero2dash said
"There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again."
I will not buy a 3rd Nintendo and be thrice burned. I dealt with the Gamecube's shortcomings because RE4 was a masterpiece and one of the greatest games ever made.
I've been burned on the Wii and have nothing to show for it yet that has made it worthwhile.
They can come up with whatever the hell they want to; I'm not buying another Nintendo console in the future. I'll stick with Sony and Microsoft.
I will not buy a 3rd Nintendo and be thrice burned. I dealt with the Gamecube's shortcomings because RE4 was a masterpiece and one of the greatest games ever made.
I've been burned on the Wii and have nothing to show for it yet that has made it worthwhile.
They can come up with whatever the hell they want to; I'm not buying another Nintendo console in the future. I'll stick with Sony and Microsoft.
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 12:05PM (Unverified) said
You mean Wii Sports isn't the epic game that my grandmother keeps telling me it is?
Reply
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 11:42AM (Unverified) said
“Well thanks to the Wii people are now expecting so much from us and their expectations are reaching unreasonable levels to the point we might never full fill half of what our costumers are expecting Hell we can't even deliver Kid Icarus for the Wii so we might copy everyone else next-gen of just improve the graphics a bit and print money just screwing our fans but”.
“We are not going to expose details at this time, we don’t want those Sony bastards stealing our only gimmick that would make us different from the rest”.
“We are not going to expose details at this time, we don’t want those Sony bastards stealing our only gimmick that would make us different from the rest”.
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 12:45PM jumpshot said
wiiksauce
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 12:53PM fourblades said
Last line made me laugh, I do think that actually is very true!
Posted: Jul 30th 2008 2:07PM CJLopez said
Ya know, Intead of worrying about what nintendo will bring, i rather worry about what hadn't gave us already!!!!!
'll just wait for the time to come
'll just wait for the time to come
Posted: Aug 2nd 2008 2:56AM (Unverified) said
The next console better be truly next-gen. I don't care if they don't change the controller. I would prefer the traditional style controller anyway. Time to bring back hardcore appeal.
Posted: Oct 27th 2008 2:22PM (Unverified) said
for the next console hopefully they will have motion knee pads some for arms hands feet and maybe a helmet that would be awsome for smb4 u would be fighting instead of pressing buttons =-) total awsomenss who knows it could happen for all we no nintendo could be reading this right now =-)
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