Rumor: Nintendo courting Rockstar for Wii 2 development

by James Ransom-Wiley on Apr 19th 2011 3:00PM

The "Wii 2" rumors are raging again, for sure, but now they're in danger of burning out of control -- so let's backtrack. After delivering some spot-on NGP specs days before Sony's official unveiling ceremony, French tech site 01net earned its web cred. That's why the games media took notice (and some even corroborated) when the wonder site reignited the Wii successor rumors last Thursday, and then tossed in some more fuel the following day.

This week, 01net has come out with another intriguing report about Nintendo's supposed next console: Rockstar's on board. The site's sources claim that the Grand Theft Auto creator is the first confirmed company to secure a developer unit of the new Nintendo hardware. The sources add that the system, said to be codenamed "Project Cafe," is expected to be released in June 2012. And here's where the rumor starts to grow more wild.

Gamekyo somewhat carelessly throws out there that Grand Theft Auto 5 is also rumored for 2012 -- is it? (There's at least been some recent evidence that the next GTA is in the works.) And then, GoNintendo fits it all together: "Rockstar has a dev kit [...] working on GTA V (which is sure to hit PS3/360 as well) [...] hoping to have it available at launch." Eureka? Not quite.

But, boy, if Nintendo is on the verge of announcing the one console to rule them all and has a Rockstar logo to flaunt during the presentation? Talk about printing money ...

Via: GoNintendo
Source: 01net [French]

Tags: dev-kit, grand-theft-auto-5, gta5, nintendo, project-cafe, rockstar, rockstar-games, sdk, wii, wii-2, wii-hd

Reader Comments (149)

hmm..... interesting

@thekinslayer

HELL YEAH! GRAND THEFT MARIO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzSpl990C8w&feature=related

@Mr Hett

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk9oa_PiXAk

@thekinslayer - Very.

Having a very powerful machine 3 years before the other boys get theirs out the gate (the rumored 2015 release year), with GTA as a launch title, and not during a holiday rush?

Looks like next summer is going to be effing awesome.

@thekinslayer the rumors aren't the only thing that's raging..

@Nintendo Tim If we go by the rumors...it's only vastly more powerful than the current Nintendo home console...but slightly more powerful than the 360 and Ps3, in which case they'll probably all run said Rockstar game if it's not an exclusive without much trouble, especially since developers will be probably working on a new architecture with the new Nintendo system and it will be simple for them to port to the other consoles by now...I just can't see Nintendo going super powerful on the system, it's not their style, they want to sell it to the masses at a high profit without it being so expensive people don't want it

@thekinslayer

If it uses DX11 itll be interesting.

@Nintendo Tim

Most sites (including 01net) say that it'll be between the 360 and PS3 in terms of power. Don't expect a powerful console unless you're ready to be disappointed.

@Nintendo Tim

Well I don't want to disappoint you but, XBOX 720 and PS4 will be out in 2012, probably in OCT/NOV time frame.

Sony Drops new console every 6 years.

You are confusing Console Life with new console release. PS3 is a 10 year console, but they will not wait 10 years or 9 before they release PS4.

@pickupdoctor

If Sony had a new console planned for next year, it would have been released already. Combine that with the fact that Kinect is booming and PS3 has only just hit it's stride, along with the HUGE losses both Sony and Microsoft faced for the first few years, and I think it's safe to say that there's a good chance of them prolonging this gen.

@Mr Hett
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hsH39ekozE

So is the new Wii the next next gen, or just next gen. Because I still hear people calling this current gen, next gen consoles. I know it should really be just next jen, because the current gen is just the current gen. Also Jen thinks it isnt fair that I dont really care if she likes me or not.

@Dirty The phrase should be shot and buried. It's a relative term that always gets weird, obsolete, and reused.

@Dirty I don't think that the Wii2 should be considered next gen. Spec wise, it will just be catching up to the PS3 and 360, both of which will probably still be around for a few more years. So the Wii2 will just be current gen.

@Dirty

Less than Jake reference. You win, sir.

@Dirty

Whoa, Less Than Jake.

I haven't heard a reference to them in a while...

@Dirty

Big ups for the LTJ ref! Nicest band I've ever hung out with!

@MEGATOOL But it shouldn't be called the Wii2... It should be called...

... Super Wii

We brits will lurve that :D

@Dirty - Two of this gen, duct-taped together.

All kidding aside, the rumor pegs the Wii 2 as more powerful than either the PS3 or the 360 (which isn't hard considering that they are old at this point). In other words, it will probably be somewhere between this gen, and the true "next gen" that will come with the successors to the 360 and the PS3. Nintendo could make the Wii 2 truly "next gen" in the sense that it will be DX11, with a modern graphics chip, and processor, but that wouldn't really fit their new strategy of making money on every console (unless the thing came out at $500+ )

@MEGATOOL
So there's a reason behind this "megatool" screen name after all, huh?

@BananaBoat
You know, when you speak of "middle term", there's a name that comes to mind: Sega Dreamcast.

@TheShaper - I've been hearing that comparison a lot. The real challenge for Nintendo is going to be convincing the mainstream market that there is a reason to upgrade from their original Wii's. If they still play Wii Sports, and they like it, what reason do they have to put down another $300+ dollars on a new system?

Nintendo may have go to toe to toe with Sony and Microsoft next gen, and hopefully their Wii 2 will place them in a good position to do so. If it is another half-step like the Wii was from the Gamecube though, I'm not so sure that they'll be in good shape down the road, especially now that every console has motion controls.

@BananaBoat

Actually, if they were to use a GPU based on the 5770, they could probably keep the price at or below $350, which would work out for them very well. The core gamers would snatch it up first, while the "casuals" would wait a few years (which they'll end up doing no matter what Nintendo does). Within 3 or years or so, they could get the price down to $250 and start throwing a few more bones at the casuals, who by then might finally be willing to upgrade. Thus, Nintendo gets a full generation of strong sales while still making a bit of a profit while Microsoft and Sony launch at huge losses trying to overpower Nintendo's console only to end up with a bunch of ports from said console which don't really use the extra power too well. Too bad Nintendo didn't think of that. It's brilliant!

@GrayHero - I doubt developers would gimp their games across the board in order to get them onto a weaker Wii 2. If anything, I could see them creating games for the other two next gen consoles (PS3 and 360 successors) and then scaling them back for the Wii 2 port, just like what happens during this gen with the Wii.

The 5xxx series isn't very good with tessellation, and other DX11 features. It also doesn't have some of the video processing features that will be even more important next gen. They are also a larger die size if memory serves, compared to the 6xxx gen, and the upcoming 7xxx gen of cards (not to mention Nvidia's offerings). Could Nintendo create a decent DX11 console using that part? I guess, but with a year to go, there is no reason why they shouldn't wait it out and make their GPU based on the newer models coming out of either Nvidia or AMD.

I wouldn't believe it if I saw L.A. Noire for a Nintendo Console, or any Rockstar game for that matter.

@pally321

Chinatown Wars and Bully Scholarship Edition would like a word with you.

Whatever, there's just gonna be stacks of unsold copies at the BB.

Probably would have to use them for doorstops.

@pally321 I imagine the negotiations were quite easy.
Nintendo:" You print money right?"
R*: "Yep, we hear you also print money".
Nintendo: "Wanna print some money together?"

@whookid
LOL, nice one.

@OneManFreakShow
Oh, sorry I completely forgot about those haha

gta 5 on the next wii? sounds good to me!

This give me the tinglys!

That would be quite a coup d'etate.

I really can't imagine Rockstar going exclusive with GTA5 though. To anyone.

Woo! Nintendo is back! (Hopefully)

Wii two...
WII TOO

@Captaindrek1

Wii2D2

@Captaindrek1

Breaded with Doritos crumbs and deep fried.

I agree with you. I mean to me theirs nothing wrong with labelling a console next gen as a successor to the system before it but to label a group of consoles next gen gets confusing when consoles release on different dates...

I wouldn't mind a spin off, like when Nintendo and Rockstar came together for Chinatown wars, but please just be GTA5.

Looks like nintendo is about to retaliate full force. First 3ds, then this....OK.

mmmmm...Juicy.

Solid 3rd party support is really whats going to make the next system,if they do actually have a new GTA game around the launch of the system it will go a long way.

Would do quite a bit to assure gamers that they are focused on serving the hardcore players again... GTA won't be confused for Pokemon.

@Truant You got a problem with Pokemon?
BW > GTA4

@Helghast102 It's true. I loved playing Pokemon White more than GTA IV. Not that it's a bad game but it was just nothing like GTA: Vice city or San Andreas.

I can't wait too see what nintendo dose w/ the next system but since i didn't play it much at launch i'm going to wait a bit this time around especially until the price is reveled unless there is a game that i really want to play at launch then i'll be waiting for it until there is more games

I expected something like this to happen, but I'm a little nervous about the possible result. Obviously Nintendo seems to be targeting a wider audience for their new console, but I hope that means multi-platform games won't be dumbed down for it. Otherwise, there's no real difference between this and the crappy COD ports (among other games) they get now anyway.

"if Nintendo is on the verge of announcing the one console to rule them all"

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Nintendo has done a lot over the past to alienate core gamers and it will take a lot more than just decent specs to lure back PS3 and 360 gamers.

@MEGATOOL To be fair, Uniracers was a game that was technically made by Rockstar North back in the SNES days

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniracers

@MEGATOOL Bah, that comment wasn't for you :\

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Rumor: Nintendo courting Rockstar for Wii 2 development

Reader Comments (149)

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:04PM thekinslayer said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:14PM Mr Hett said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:22PM bigwhiteyeti said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:24PM Nintendo Tim said

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Posted: Apr 19th 2011 4:11PM TheShaper said

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Posted: Apr 19th 2011 4:43PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 5:47PM GrayHero said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 6:22PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:06PM pally321 said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:12PM OneManFreakShow said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:23PM Tim from Bestbuy said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:36PM whookid said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 4:10PM TheShaper said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 5:16PM pally321 said

Posted: Apr 19th 2011 3:07PM psnkillstrike said

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