"Not to mention the fact that technology like this is still rudimentary at best and not cheap."

Er, and the Wii is cheap?

Um... compared to the Xbox360 and the PS3... YES!

Hiya Adam,

That story originally came from T3, and in fact we actually mocked that image up ourselves! Naughty Times Online didn't link to us, but if you could that'd be wonderful - http://www.t3.com/news/nintendo-wii-as-it-might-look-in-2010?=36036

Thanks!

The Wiimote is definitely a keeper; it should become more accurate, though. Hopefully the Wii MotionPlus will improve things a lot. And the hardware needs to be a lot more powerfull. There's only one reason why so few decent Wii games are made: poor hardware. Let's face it: the only successfull games on the Wii are simply another version of the same games Nintendo has been making for years. Just how many Mario games do they wanna make anyway? The Wii has only a handfull of truly great games (Twilight Princess, Metroid) but the rest is a collection of childish games and collections of stupid mini-games. I hope the next console will set this straight.

What's the next Nintendo system going to look like?

That's easy. Upon launch, take technology that is outdated at least four years prior to the launch date, shove it into a tiny box, package in some controllers that have inaccurate approximation technology, and ensure uniqueness by bundling in games featuring the same porno-mustachio'd character from over 200 other games (throwing in some big-eyed anime chearleader games just for good measure).

Then, sit back and let the marketing team take over assaulting every mom on the planet with visions of the system's grandure, catering to the most unreliable segment of the game playing population: casual gamers who seldom buy software outside of that bundled with the system itself, and then turn your back on your bread-and-butter gamers who are left scratching their heads.

Next you pump the channels full of re-packaged GameCube games and hope no one notices that 3rd party developers are having a hard time porting true next-generation games from the "other" consoles down into a barely-exceeds-VHS resolution (HD on a Wii is considered to be 480P) combined with literally at least one third the processing horsepower for gaming logic and CPU intensive things like AI.

Lastly, throw in a pinch of artificially created system shortages to raise the street price, and you've got yourself a Wii 2, or more than likely, a WiiII (pronounced "Weeeeeeeee!").

Gimpy, you sound like a childish know it all. Just because you don't like Wii, that doesn't mean you a) are very good at making judgements over who buys it and b) know whether or not it's a good system for others.

I'm a gamer. I could write a litany of games I've played and loved. I love Wii because, for the first time in a long time, a system's come out that does things new and differently and makes it all fun. I could give three craps about graphics, so long as the game's good - and, honestly, at this point, how much better can graphics get? I don't want to see the nose hairs in High Def of the Oakland Raiders on Madden behind their helmits, thank you very much. I just want a fun game. Nintendo, with Wii, managed to create a fun system with a unique concept that works - and put out enough fun games to go with it right from the launch (even if some are recycled, the recycled ones are still very good, with improvements... and hello, Madden? Final Fantasy? How many of those titles can you get? The whole industry's recycled at this point! Lame, lame, hypocritical critique on Ninteno).

Basically, if you don't like it, don't play it. And don't be bitter that there's other systems out there doing it better, cheaper and with more profits than the "leet" game systems that dominated the last gen.

You said it, Ryan! People have been making the same gripes about the Wii since about a year before it launched. It's not HD! It uses OLD technology! Boo hoo! And where does it stand now? Oh yeah, at 40 million units sold, it's on the verge of outselling the PS3 and 360 COMBINED. I actually own all three systems, and I still prefer the Wii for uniqueness of play. The graphics are beautiful enough that I don't need HD to enjoy my games. Now if I could just find a copy of WiiFit and MarioKart SOMEWHERE on this planet...

Gimpy does have a point, but the Wii is too different to compare it imho. It targets a completely different group. But as long as companies keep making games for all, then I don't care who is at the top (I don't own any console, I'm a pc gamer) But I AM afraid companies will turn to the Wii, because they can make simple games, reducing the cost, while addressing more people, more units sold! And thus making a whole lot more money, while making crappy games.

And something else, the gaming industry has been one the major factors in improving computer parts quality (speed, size etc.) If gamers no longer need newer, faster products, it will slow down that technological research.

This of course, is just what I think.
Peace!

lol! Wow, I am a major Nintendo fan, but what Gimpy says has a slight bit of truth in it. I do love the part about WiiII being pronounced, "Weeeeeeeeeeee!" But that is what makes Nintendo so great. It doesn't need all the fancy "gizmos" to make it fully accessable and enjoyable. While I have been disappointed with the 3rd party games being developed for the Wii, the games provided to the world by Nintendo itself are freaking amazing! And, yes, because it uses older technology it is harder to put newer 3rd party games onto it, but Nintendo has so many old games that you can play on it from 1985 on up that are revamped, that the newer games sometimes just don't add up. The uniqueness of the Wii console gameplay completely makes up for the lack of graphics. I also love the Wii because of the simplicity of the console. And the wireless connection of the WiiMotes makes the gaming that much more enjoyable; you can play basically anywhere in the room without the limitations of your own wires and entanglements of your opponents' wires. The only console I own is the Wii, so I may be a little biased (Microsoft just plain sucks, IMHO). I am also a PC gamer, so playing the Wii is freshing because it's so different. At this point, Nintendo can't go wrong with what they do with the Wii unless they start going into the direction of the other consoles. As long as they stay unique and testing new, simplier things, they will go far.

I have the Wii and my family LOVES it. I can empathize with the lack of games that aren't cartoon based. And the prices! My kids like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I like the Plain Jane bowling game the best.
What should the next gen Wii look like? I don't care. What should it DO? It should actually TEACH you something. Let it teach you how to play the guitar (it wouldn't take much) instead of just playing a fancier game of Simon. Let it coach you on the proper tennis or golf swing. Make it give the player actual skills that they can use in real life. Why not? Isn't that what the Wii Fit is supposed to do?

The success of the Wii and the comments here prove something I've suspected all along- people don't care as much about "hi def" as they do about entertainment value.

I have three consoles, two PCs and a Mac, but I do most of my gaming on a full size arcade machine that I built from scratch (MAME) that has all the old arcade games from about 1981 to 1991. Sure, the graphics are crappy, but I LOVE that thing!

It's fun and I don't have to make a huge time commitment - I come home from work, play for half an hour and I'm good. (I have friends who play Halo 3 so much it's like a second job.)

I think the same is true with the HD broadcasting that the government and electronics industry is shoving down our throats. The reason the FCC had to extend the deadline three times to switch over to HD is because consumers simply didn't care that much.

Honestly looking at this thread I can see both sides of this because I got a Xbox360 and Wii and I love both of them! For gaming each console has its place from the Wii (overly simple, with classic characters & titles), to the Xbox360 (middle of the road, good titles and well established) and finally the PS3 (overly costly, but no real classic titles.

People in my opinin can be broken into three categories: 1. Serious Gamer 2. Recreational Gamer 3. Non-Gamer. The Wii though has done something that no other console has in the history of gaming has ever been able to do... GET MY WIFE TO PLAY IT. My wife hates games (yes, I know but I still love her anyhow) but when she tried the Wii she had fun and wanted to get it.

It was then that I realized what the Wii is, which is the gaming system for the non-gamer. It's like the Henry Kissinger between the gamers and non-gamers. Because of that I love the Wii and would buy the next console whatever it will be as long as it still appeals and is loved by the non-gamers.

Mind control? Doubt that will even happen when the technology does exist, nobody wants a game console tapped into their brain (not yet at least). A Wii-Glove remote? Wearable technology that streamlines down the current remote, definately possible. "Design Magazine" had a great article a while back on integrating technology into textiles (fabric) and the benefits of it. The possibilities are endless as long as we keep moving forward.

hey, as long as they improve the motion sensing techlology (especially for the nunchuck), and increase the hard drive space (or at least allow us to utilize flash drives for VC & WiiWare games), then I'm in!

wow, I was expecting some actual info. This article did not shed light on anything =/

Lets make sure that it's Blue-Ray or entirely hard drive based so the games can be big. I'd also like to see a quadrupling in processing (both core and graphics) power so they're beautiful. That'll step it up. The controls are great! I hope they don't do to much to change it.

Warm Regards,
Scott

Has anyone thought that picture reminded them of the Borg, from Star Trek:The Next Generation?

If there is anyting that is cool ad popular im allway buying it s hope me luck.

Alright, first I'm going to say YAHOO for this thing! It enters your mind so that you can play even when your sleep, and just like the ds, except with your mind,you can draw stuff! Truth be told, I personally am trying to contact the makers of the animal crossing game. Because they say that this will be the last nintendo system ever made... sad, but at least you'll know that you got the best right? But yeah, they're going to make another animal crossing game for it too though, and with any luck, they'll have to have a loophole, a surprise for us nevertheless, nintendo is going to make a big break in its own history with this stuff...