Nintendo Revolution Revealed!

[DIEHARD]

 

[DIEHARD]

Each generation of video game consoles builds on the past to set new standards for the future. As the company with the strongest heritage of innovation, Nintendo redefines expectations for all next-gen systems by employing a wide-ranging strategy to attract more kinds of gamers to more kinds of games. When Nintendo’s new console, code-named Revolution, arrives in 2006, everyone will discover the meaning of All-Access Gaming.

"We will show the world what a next-gen system can be. Revolution marries the strongest heritage of innovation to the future of gaming," says Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. "With backward compatibility and the 'virtual console' concept, the stylish, compact body provides maximum gaming power. It will not only take home entertainment into another dimension by expanding the definition of video games, but it also will give you access to the great history of gaming."

Some of the system features that wowed the crowd at the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles include:

The cool look: The new console boasts high-quality materials and a smart, compact design, approximately the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together. A variety of prototype colors are being showcased during E3. It will come with a silver stand that makes the system a welcome, artistic component of any multimedia setup, whether it’s displayed vertically or horizontally.

Backward compatibility: The new console plays all games from the current Nintendo GameCube generation. But there's more…

The secret weapon: The console also will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

Easy expansion: A bay for an SD memory card will let players expand the internal flash memory.

Two disc formats, one slot: Instead of a tray, a single, innovative, self-loading media bay will play both 12-centimeter optical discs used for the new system as well as Nintendo GameCube discs. Owners will have the option of equipping a small, self-contained attachment to play movies and other DVD content.

The specs: The system boasts 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, wireless controllers, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi access. A worldwide network of Nintendo players can gather to compete in a comfortable, inviting environment. Revolution’s technological heart, a processing chip developed with IBM and code-named "Broadway," and a graphics chip set from ATI code-named "Hollywood," will deliver game experiences not previously possible.

The stars: Introduction of a number of new franchise properties will add to the world’s richest stable of stars, including Mario, Zelda, Super Smash Bros., Donkey Kong and Metroid.

Wireless freedom: A number of Wi-Fi-enabled launch titles are in development that will employ Nintendo’s newly announced wireless gaming service, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. A worldwide network of Nintendo players can gather to compete in a comfortable, inviting environment.

Freedom of design: A dynamic development architecture equally accommodates both big-budget, high-profile game “masterpieces” as well as indie games conceived by individual developers equipped with only a big idea.

"Our next console proves small in size but big on ideas," says Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of sales & marketing. "We’re throwing open the doors of gaming to wider audiences, from casual players to hard-core gamers who live for the thrill of defeating an endless army of wireless opponents."

Nintendo's All-Access Gaming philosophy covers the spectrum. The next console fits anywhere. It brings together new games and old. It gives people worldwide access through wireless Wi-Fi connections. And it opens the world of video games – to everyone. Software for the new console will even attract people who don’t consider themselves players. Adults, kids, men and women around the world will have access to the most popular video game characters, the best game franchises and the most engaging experiences yet developed – only with Nintendo.

Keep your browser pointed to www.nintendo.com for all the latest news on Revolution.

 

[***MH***]

lol @ nintendo....

*"look at me!!! here i am!" nintendo shouts from the distance.*

 

[Jordan]

I quite like the design...

I've always been a huge Nintendo fan, but I'm not so sure about there latest console. It's said to be only be 2 or 3 times as powerful as the Gamecube, where as the PS3 and Xbox 360 are said to be over 10 times as powerful as there predecessors.. It will be interesting to see what happens, as Nintendo has said that it was pointless to make the PS3 and Xbox 360 so powerful- that games have reached a graphical peak and the extra processing power is just a waste. Hopefully they'll be ok, but it would be a catastrophy if developers didn't want to port games to the system because of its technical specifications.

I'll definitely buy the Revolution... Super Smash Bros Online is a launch game, not to mention the Zelda, Mario and Metroid series' that it offers.. I'll buy the Xbox 360 as well because of Perfect Dark Zero and Halo 3... and the PS3 is looking awesome... Have you guys seen the Killzone demo?

I'm going to be out of pocket pretty often in the next couple of years I think...

 

[Caged Panther]

Nintendo will cotinue to survive as a console and game maker question is how big a role will they play in the industry?

 

[Jordan]

Nintendo seem to think it's ok to profit on there systems, and at the same time still lose market share.

I guess from a business standpoint, Nintendo are fine with it as long as they're still making money.

From a gamer's point of view, I would like Nintendo do something to get some of that market share back... but that won't happen as it seems Nintendo are resigned to the fact that they won't dominate again, and they'll just continue to do what is profitable (even if that means playing it safe).

 

[DIEHARD]

lol @ nintendo....

*"look at me!!! here i am!" nintendo shouts from the distance.*

Make fun of Nintendo at your peril. They infact have a good selection of titles for the GameCube but they aren't distributed properly! They are never kept stocked up.

Also they should force KMART, EB and Target to give them good position and stores and not up the back, with half the GameCube stock is old and the other half is second hand.

Tell them if they want GB Advance and GB DS they have to give Gamecube a fair go.

Nintendo need to fire their marketing department and distribution.

They made big mistakes not targeting adults last time around, not including a DVD player (though it does give the GC a lower price point.) and not helping bring 3rd parties online.

They also made massive mistakes not working towards online game play. Something they seem to have realised.

If the new Nintendo launches with a good mario game and is backed up by the new Zelda (cancel it for GC, cut your loses, use it to come out all guns blazing next year.), if they can distribute their range of titles better and thus give 3rd parties profits and the new system is easy to port games over to and Nintendo market to mature gamers. The tide will turn for Nintendo.

Remember Nintendo is #2 in Japan, strong in Europe and decent in America, woeful in Australia (fire all of Nintendo Australia). It puts them in a pretty fair position to make a game of it.

They need to play hard ball.

Remember XBOX sells like one hundred consoles in Japan a week, they are NOTHING in Japan.

 

[DIEHARD]

Zelda on Nintendo Revolution must happen. It would sell 10 million consoles alone.

 

[Jordan]

Zelda as a launch title would be awesome, but I'm glad they're sticking to there guns and are releasing it for the 'cube. Nintendo's first party line-up over the past year or so has been disapointing, so it's good that they're going to release at least one more gun title before the end of the system's life..
Imagine Super Smash Bros Online and Zelda as launch titles though... It is definitely the smart thing to do from Nintendo's point of view... SSBO will be HUGE, as will Zelda (as every Zelda is).

 

[Caged Panther]

Make fun of Nintendo at your peril. They infact have a good selection of titles for the GameCube but they aren't distributed properly! They are never kept stocked up.

Also they should force KMART, EB and Target to give them good position and stores and not up the back, with half the GameCube stock is old and the other half is second hand.

I work for one of the retailers you mentioned and I can tell you our gamecube selection has a pretty sweet spot in the store but we still can't shift the things.

And this is where the problem starts no retailer wants to be bringing heaps of gamecube games into stock when they can't shift them because ultimately they have to write off part of the cost of the games to reduce the stock and keep the games turning over.

If they had targeted the right demographic to start off with and got a larger installed user base.

Nintendo are really going to feel the hurt with their gamecube (if they haven't alread) between now and when they get their new console on the market as with the DS, PSP and Xbox 360 all coming onto the market retailers are going to be pushed for space and the most obvious way to create more space is to do away with a dead line like the gamecube.

 

[DIEHARD]

It is a catch 22. No one is going to buy a console with no visible library of games, even though there is. No one is going to by a console whose stock displays are at the very back and populated by over priced 2nd hand games. But they do actually have a very decent library.

Promotion is another major problem around the world, in Australia particularly Nintendo surrendered a few years ago and seem to have no real care for the country.

Nintendo need to reassess their marketing. Something I think they will do for the Nintendo Revolution, but they should have done it for the Gamecube.

Without Nintendo marketing themselves, they are basically telling everyone they are third best.

On the same token, no one will stock a non profitable item.

Nintendo need to cut their loses with the GameCube, pull stumps and focus entirely on the Revolution. Cancel Zelda for GC and put it as a launch title for the Revolution, or have a Mario title as the launch and three months later release Zelda, in a massive ONE TWO combo.

It is largely Nintendo's fault. The Australia market wont be hard to win a lot of market share back and Nintendo are sitting decently in Europe and the USA and Japan, where the XBOX is non existant. If they focus on their weaknesses and bring 3rd party titles back on board, coupled with their unique 1st and 2nd party games with a cheaper price point, Nintendo will make a come back.

 

[dG]

They console looks too plain imho.

Like a basic zip drive or something. I know its whats under the hood that counts, but even that looks a little plain.

Nothing they have done here has inspired me to even look at the console, let alone fork out a couple of hundred dollars for it.

 

[***MH***]

Make fun of Nintendo at your peril. They infact have a good selection of titles for the GameCube but they aren't distributed properly! They are never kept stocked up.

lol, i was merely pointing out that xbox360 and ps3 have had so much media exposure that nintendo seem like they are having a little difficulty keeping their brand up in lights.
im a huge nintendo fan of the 90's don't get me wrong, i just feel sorry for them since the turn of the century that they are on the bottom end of the scale in terms of competing with the big boys.
well, at least they beat sega ey!

 

[Valiant_Raider]

One of the main problems I see with the nintendo marketing strategy here in Australia is the lack of publicity that they do.

I remember when they launched the N64 every 5 or 6 ads on TV had Tim Ferguson on them, even Michael Klim was doing ads for Nintendo.

Fast forward to the cube, where were the ads?

This has got to change for revolution, at the very least for the first six months bombard consumers with mass advertsing. Get the machine to the people and word will spread of the quality of the games.

 

[canberra_raiders2k2]

xbox is selling very well all over the world..minus Japan.

 

[Generalzod]

The graphics on the cube are excellent, Just imagine what the graphics would look like
on the new system mind blowing.

 

[Azkatro]

I refuse to believe it! One thing I always respected and appreciated about Nintendo consoles is that they persisted with solid-state media. The Nintendo consoles always had an appeal in the sense that you could jump on and have a game of something for five minutes, whereas the PS/PS2 just aren't quite the same.. turn it on, load game, read memory card yadda yadda.