Despite a wealth of Project Café rumours, the exact nature of Nintendo's new home console is well-guarded, with persistent whispers of a touchscreen controller the closest thing to solid details about how it'll actually work. At the recent investors' meeting, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata gave a little insight into the philosophy behind the machine:
As for the details of exactly what it will be, we have decided that it is best to let people experience it for themselves at E3. So I won’t talk about specific details today, but it will offer a new way of playing games within the home.
Whether that "new way to play" will be a touchscreen controller, a revised Wii Remote or something totally different is something we'll have to wait until 7th June to find out. Nintendo Life will be covering E3 as it happens, with Corbie Dillard on the show floor and our news team bringing you all the new announcements throughout what promises to be an extremely exciting E3.
[source nintendo-universe.co.uk]
Comments 85
I'm sure whatever it is, my wallet will hate it.
More innovation from Nintendo? Yes please. :3
Based on the rumours, quick mockup I did:
(click for bigger version)
buttons would be bigger, sticks would be lower etc, obv, it's just a quick and dirty
the whole thing would probably be a bit smaller than an iPad, obviously, but the main point I'm making is that it would be a lower resolution screen that would allow for maps, item selection (much like the DS' second screen), entire games could also obviously be played by touch. And I'm hoping they keep the pointer in for FPS games; touch control on the DS doesn't work quite as well.
I'm also curious about that "streaming" they talk of in rumours.
So excited. I knew it existed. Come on E3
And the fact it'll be playable is a bonus.
What if there's no TV? It transmits images to multiple handheld controllers?
Can I control games using the power of thought alone, Nintendo?
That may be the vaguest and most non-committal promotional pitch I've ever heard.
Do you guys remember the tingle tuner in wind waker????? I really hope they do something similar to that with the wii2 and 3DS. I had such a fun time with the tingle tuner while my sister played wind waker.
also, Substituting a big screen screen with a small non-HD screen just doesn't cut it for me....
BTW @tealovertoma how are we suppose to wave that controller around? Doesn't look to flinging friendly.
LOL @ picture capture
I'm bettting on a mind chip
called it here folks
Think about it, now I can play my game while my wife watches her TV show if the screen on the controller is true. Life is good =) All that aside, I like that there might be a touch screen input. It would make for some bigger RPG's/MMO's on home console.
@3 very good mockup only on the ipad you forgot to take the top part away and the red button on the ipad is on the screen. I'm guessing that the touch screen could be multi-touch and used as the controller.
DS/3DS player plz.
Fact: Gaming expos are 99.9% better with an added dose of Corbie. :3
Let it be good Nintendoh!
@Arcanum Not waving it would be backwards compatible with Wiimotes if Nintendo wants to keep doing the motion control thing. By gyroscope I meant what the 3DS has. And maaaan, I want Wind Waker 2 HD so bad.
@3DS the B button isn't on the screen... it's just really really shiny, because I forgot to delete the shiny filter from the buttons, haha
@tealovertoma So we get a brand new console more powerful then ever and a not-so-good wii remote....that would kinda suck.
@Arcanum: How many good motion controlled titles have we had? Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Red Steel 2 and... hopefully Skyward Sword. I guess the motions were kinda fun in No More Heroes and Madworld, but that's about it for me.
@3DSOh and I fixed the B button for you
Play with your unit in more ways than one!
@tealovertoma Well then I guess we have to hope for badass motion control games! I Loved the hell out of RedSteel 2 and I hope more games like that start coming out.
I legit laughed out loud at the picture of Iwata.
I can't believe it
this is so unexpected D:
but I know it will screw my wallet big time D:
@19 You only forgot Mario Kart, Metroid Prime Trilogy .. Etc..
Really hoping they don't drop motion. Nice mockup!
@19 bit trip beat ffs!
@19: Plus Tiger Woods. Best MP of any I've played.
Yeah, I REALLY hope it's that controller with the screen on it... Love that idea... <3
With the help of NintendoLife's Iwata image and my extensive Japan knowledge I've finally discovered the true nature of Project Cafe
oh no... The Other M: Maid
@tealovertoma
I would love to replay Wind Waker, remastered, with a touchscreen inventory like that. Fantastic, would be even more exciting than the OoT 3DS remake.
I think you basically have the right idea, and seeing it with Zelda somehow makes it click for me. Now I want my 4 Swords Adventures sequel.
@rwq: I guess motion controls in Mario Kart are "okay", but that would still totally be doable with the gyroscope. Metroid Prime uses Pointer, which I've included and thanks (I think Bit Trip Beat uses the pointer too?)
@Burning_Spear: Fair enough, not a sports fan, I heard it's a bit inaccurate but I'll give you that one.
@WariosWoods: Or... Wind Waker 2 HD... **drools**
It's not gonna be a revised Wii remote. How would that be a new way of playing? I'm pretty sure that the rumors about the screened controllers are mostly true.
Well, it seems it's that touchscreen-controller.. well, I hope it is something else though. Let us wait and see
The fact that he said "within the home" really lends credibility to the streaming, screened controller rumors, because as you know, that would indicate you can't take the supplimental screen too far away from the system. I think at first I was sceptical of how this would work but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to me. It's like combining the popularity of portable and tablet gaming with the comfort of traditional console gaming. It also eliminates barriers that might've intimidated some people in the past to get into console gaming. Really anxious to see more of this because in addition to seeing Nintendo developed games in HD resolutions (finally!) but also just to see that wacky but genius Nintendo philosophy turn the industry on it's head yet again.
I personally think any screen they would put on the controller would be too low res to allow for entire games to be played on it. I also don't really see the point of playing the games on there instead of the TV, that'd be almost like replacing the 3DS.
What I do think could happen, is streaming lots of other stuff: Stream a recipe from your Cafe to your Cafe controller, take it into the kitchen. Stream music to your controller (which now apparently has a headphone socket). Stream a chapter of a book on it, read it in bed. Oh and it should also have a camera or something, cause that'd be badass.
"Offer New Ways to Play in The Home "
hmmmm....
Interestingly Interesting
@tealovertoma
An 800 x 480 pixel screen would not be too low resolution to display games. Obviously not HD but the equivelent of playing on a standard definition monitor. portable LCDs even with those resolutions have become much cheaper sinse the popularity of smart phones and tablets that use them have surged, and remember, the controller would only act as a reciever and not need to contain all the components of normal portable game hardware, so it makes sense fiscally as well.
Guys, it's a home console, so don't get too excited by the revelation that it will be playable... IN THE HOME!
@Rapadasha Fair enough, but it'll be a real drain on the battery, which I have some worries about. It's all very interesting.
@Wolfenstein83: "Maybe you could stream games to the controller/tablet or whatever, and bring it with you wherever you want, then come home and connect it to the main hub, wireless or wired, and use it like a traditional or motion controller."
This. It would be great for RPGs or something like Endless Ocean. Rather than being confined to playing when your living room TV is not otherwise in use, you could bring it with you all over the house — maybe even outside of the house, to work, etc. I would complete so many more games if I wasn't limited to playing them on a TV.
If you want to take it out of the house it'll need a processor (etc) of its own.
What you're talking about is called a 3DS
@tealovertoma
I think Nintendo may actually provide an official charging solution this time for thier controllers, which might help with that. Also, other than if a developer chooses to utilize a constant use for the screen while you're playing on your TV, I'd imagine the screen will turn off (or at least the backlight) at times there is no need to be looking at the screen.
Charging station sounds sexy.
June 7th is too far away, COME CLOSER!
@tealovertoma Good edits, but lol, Ipad
I'm so excited
Burning spear you have a great idea i could only hope that's what it can do but if that's really what it could do i reckon it will cost twice the price of the console but i think that would be fair but im not going to get my hopes up just yet.
I am going for the totally new way.
a camera in the controller for augmented game play or somethin would be cool but head tracking would be way cooler. cant wait to see whats in store.
You know what this means...
New from Nintendo: Better Than Life for Cafe Advance
Is anyone else concerned that this console will be extremely expensive? "More powerful than both the PS3 and 360," and having a controller with a touch screen? Also, would this controller be replacing the Wii-remote or be another alternative? I don't think Nintendo needs more controllers at this point. Especially one that would be unnecessarily costly. But, I digress. We've not even seen what they're really working on, but mere speculation.
looking forward again only just got 3ds
@misterquin In my experience, ya get what ya pay for. Yay for cliche's.
An upgraded VMU would be cool. Nintendo could do it right.
I think it will be a redesign on the balance board. Something to stand on that is circular rather than rectangular and it has a pivot in the center that allows you to do walking motion in 360 degrees. which will make you feel like you are actually walking when playing zelda etc. thats my wild guess
Well, I guess I'm eating crow tonight. lol. I didn't believe that Nintendo would announce a console this year at all. I'm still not sure if we should believe most of the rumors that have surfaced though. No friend codes? Seems doubtful since they are still using them on the 3DS. But, then again, I didn't believe this new console was real so I guess anything is possible. Though, I would doubt this system is coming out this year. I think it would be very stupid of Nintendo if it is. I can't imagine the 3DS AND the new console both selling well, especially if the new console is as high as rumors suggest. We are in a recession after all. I doubt people can afford both the 3DS and the this new console. Here's hoping that the system isn't coming out till next year. I need time to save my pennies. lol. (that said: I'm still much more interested in 3DS news at E3 and hope it doesn't get overhadowed by this console...)
For me there's only one news item here: e3.
At least that'll settle things properly. Bring. it. on.
Maybe Nintendo will make good on a feature that's seldom been used since the Gamecube/GBA era in which the 3DS would be used more regularly as a controller interface? With the circle pad, the 3DS is more than adequate to handle a console game minus rumble feature, but I digress. The controller for the console will probably be a proper evolution of what the Dreamcast VMU introduced along with touch support. Perhaps the new console will allow for the ability to load your console game onto the 3DS, albeit in a scaled down way, that you can take your gameplay with you, then re-upload it back to the console once you get back home. All speculation-- I'll let the rumor mill run wild on that, meanwhile, I'll just patiently wait for details come E3.
Dear Competition: Just give up. Thanks, Ninty.
Meh, I really don't care about the new system honestly. I'm still actually trying to get myself to care enough to buy a 3DS (the new Mario game might be that motivation).
Now the Wii had DS connectivity, so I'd presume that the new console would have 3DS connectivity. Nintendo have continually stated that 3D TVs were not widespread enough for gaming, so could the new controller's screen possibly be 3D capable? It certainly would allow for glasses free 3D in the home, with the console streaming 3D images to each controller whilst still playing the content as normal on the regular TV. It still wouldn't be the ideal 3D set up but at least it would let people watch the TV as normal.
@tealovertoma
I hope that it can stream full games to the controllers, or at least VC games. It could put an end to arguing kids if it could stream different games to different controllers, or one can play games while the other watches TV in the same room.
I'm hoping for all of that and more. Games at 60fps and at 1080p (something the other consoles boasted about but they don't often achieve), backwards Wii compatibility (but probably no upscaling), transferable VC/WiiWare content, Bluray movie playback (but I'd be ok with it just being for games) and a blend of analogue/motion/touchscreen controls that can handle any type of game.
It might be a lot to ask for and I'd forget a lot of it if they simply show me a kick F-Zero or Star Fox running at 60fps in 1080p. I can't wait to see something like that. E3 will certainly be interesting this year and so far it looks like another big win for Nintendo.
If Nintendo comes with something too much away from what the rest of consoles have, they will be once again with game developpers creating games for PC+XBox+PS3 and not drinking any Cafe at all.
@Mandoble: "If Nintendo comes with something too much away from what the rest of consoles have, they will be once again with game developpers creating games for PC+XBox+PS3 and not drinking any Cafe at all."
Most third-party developers are going to whine if they have to use their brains to develop something new. They don't want innovation; they want to be able to expend the least amount of energy to put their FPS across all three consoles. It's ludicrous that the Wii is in more households than any of the three consoles but they don't want to make quality stuff for it. Translation: They don't believe in their product enough to risk the development money. It's like an advertiser spurning the 18-to-24 market because they're still too young.
Nintendo is a very smart company. they are one of the only companies who makes a profit from the system that they sell. im sure nintendo has been researching and developing this system for a long time now. nintendo just have to get developers to make quality games from their new system. Most developers thought the wii wasn't gonna be a success and missed the boat, i think developers are fascinated with the big grapics and big power, but if u have nothing innovative to bring no one will buy it. How many shooters can u come out with, im not saying that most shooters are bad but if the market is saturated with just those then most poeple wont get them. lets hope developers learn their lesson and bring something new and fresh. And lets hope nintendo listens and work with developers also, cause it goes both ways. im being optimistic
@thanos316 "Most developers thought the wii wasn't gonna be a success and missed the boat, i think developers are fascinated with the big grapics and big power, but if u have nothing innovative to bring no one will buy it. How many shooters can u come out with, im not saying that most shooters are bad but if the market is saturated with just those then most poeple wont get them."
I couldn't agree more! They care more about graphics than gameplay. Yeah, sure, good graphics are nice. But gameplay is the most important thing in a video game, in my opinion. Nintendo is the only company who understands this, it seems.
I have super high hope for this, Nintendo. Don't let me down.
I'd just like to point out that, 9 times out of 10 (guess the odd 1 being Virtual Boy), Nintendo blows us away with their new systems, even if they're not quite the most powerful thing on the market. And their systems are innovative. How often have you see Nintendo's competitors copying them through the years. Only have to look at Kinect and Move for evidence of that. Whatever they do, it's likely to knock our socks off. I have 100% faith in the Big N.
That said, I DO hope they go for mind-blowing power that blasts the competition out of the water. And I'll give one big reason. Trivia time: How long has it been since a Nintendo console saw a mainstream Final Fantasy sequel? Almost 17 years, when Final Fantasy III/VI came out, that's how long. Unless you count FF IV: The After Years for WiiWare, which I don't, and Crystal Chronicles is a different series.
Nintendo is where Final Fantasy started. Where it belongs. There is no Cloud, Sephiroth, Squall, Zidane, Tidus, Vaan or Lightning without the NES and Super NES Final Fantasies to pave the way.
Now, it's time for a system powerful enough for Final Fantasy to return to us. Don't care if it's Final Fantasy XIII-2, Final Fantasy XIV Online or Final Fantasy XV. I want to see Final Fantasy come home to Nintendo, where it belongs!
Sony NGP dead on arrival.
Laugh out loud.
GIVE ME THE POWER TO BEND TIME AND SPACE.
@tealovertoma IDK if Nintendo is going to use an iPad as a controller (which would be funny) but you're right about Skyward Sword and Wii Sports being the only games we'd miss without motion controls. It's time to put an end to the waggle fest.
@BetelgeuseWC77 I found nothing innovative about the SNES, GBA, or the GameCube. Sometimes Nintendo doesn't surprise you.
@Gamesake: Nothing innovative about the SNES? it did have Mode 7, which gave the perception that you were playing in 3D and a few games could actually do that with the Super FX Chip.
@72 just capture Dialga and Palkia
@Gamesake: Not to mention that the Gamecube was a powerful little system! May not have been truly innovative in obviousness, but to be able to run better than its competition (though it didn't quite have the horsepower) in such a tiny package should have been considered innovative!
If THIS really is a picture of Wii 2 then I have no idea what to think. There isn't a slot for a anything: no disc, no controller ports, nothing!
CANNOT FREAKING WAIT FOR E3
@slapshot82 i hope this is what it looks like but i doubt it
He basically just said it will be new and will have the ability to be played at one's home. Color me surprised.
this looks like a devkit. it is too boring to be the actual console.
So looking forward to this!
that doesn't sound very good...I want to use a controller i don't want a bunch of other things that take away from the game. Look how the Wii turned out, i don't want another one of those. I have been a huge fan of Nintendo up to the Gamecube but they are going in a direction i don't think i can support. But Heck i'm still excited to see what it is!
@84, what are you referring to? whats taking away from the games?
@85.thesignpainter
I just want a controller to play games like normal. I had fun with the Wii mote and it could be used in some neat ways but for the most part i just want to hold a controller with both hands and press buttons. I don't care about the Graphics on the Wii but they hardly ever even tried to make them decent. But most games had an over abundance of Ease which took away from it. I had fun with my Wii mostly to play Collection games of older games, playing Gamecube games, and a couple of great Wii games but that was it. The Gamecube had many masterpieces on it but the Wii, slim pickings. If they just go back to what made the SNES, N64 and GameCube so great then it will be all great, but with all this "New" ways of playing really scares me. Please don't take away my controller.
@NassaDane
I just hope they don't have touch screen buttons, like iPhone/iPad games. There are no words for just how much I hate touch screen controls more elaborate than what you find on DS/3DS. That, I'm fine with. But, I CANNOT play action games on games for the Apple family. Especially the direction pad. I need a direction pad I can physically press down on and KNOW going in that direction. Can't do that on a touch screen, where maybe it'll interpret your touch as going up, down, left, right, upside down... anything but what you intended. I can't use such touch screen controls on anything but, for example, an RPG where a misinterpreted touch doesn't mean instant death. So, tealovertoma's mock up almost scared ME to instant death at first glance till I saw it was an iPad.
Why so many people here believes that developpers want more horsepower just to create more and more FPS? FPS are usually GPU intensive but with not such a big usage of the CPU at all. If you want to create really complex logics to develop a really smart AI, if you want to create a hi fidelity flight model, if you want to create a masive strategic game, if you want to resemble real physics, then you will need a more than decent horsepower. Add the fact that the more powerfull the machine, the less the cost of the developments. It is far easier to add an existing detailed model of the Eiffel tower to a map, than to add one and then start removing polys until you get a decent FPS while keeping a decent looking model or to create one from scratch. It is easier to apply existing real-physics formulas than to try to elaborate simplified versions in order to have something "credible" in-game, it is easier to do not waste time with all kind of tricks in order to reach a decent frame rate, etc. Wii is far more powerfull than the SNES, and there is a reason for that (not FPS related), just go and extrapolate.
I don't know what to think yet if it is a touch-pad based controlling system, I really like to have a grip on something. Playing a game on the screen while holding a touch pen or fiddling with the fingers... It would not be so much of a new way to play either.
I hope we are going to see something a bit over the top. Maybe the cafe name is a hint to it.
I would love to play video games the way they were meant to be played - no touchpad, no motion sensor, no whatever else they will think of. Just some buttons and a dpad. Nintendo is ruining video games with their "new ways to play"
Heh, the SNES hardware was a logical extension of the NES, as was its name. Mode 7 was added because those effects were being used in arcade machines. I suppose the shoulder triggers could be innovative. As for Gamecube, the Xbox and Playstation 2 had pressure sensitive triggers.
i think wii sports dose get boring becaues all you have to do swing to wii remote to do boxing,bowling,golf,baseball
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