Wii 2 = Blu-ray?

[aygie]

I wasn't going to post this until i saw it on the front page

Rumor: Blu-ray Enabled Wii 2 in 2010

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3617

Gaming site Maxconsole.net, citing information leaked to Logic-Sunrise.com by a Nintendo France marketing employee, is reporting that a new Nintendo console will be launched worldwide in the third quarter of 2010. This "Wii 2" will reportedly get a Blu-ray drive, and support 1080p for games and movies.

An official announcement will reportedly happen just one month before launch date. In the intervening months, "huge publicity and viral marketing will be utilized to create buzz" (so this post is ultimately contributing to that, right? Damned if you do...).

Allegedly, here will be the option to trade in old Wii's for "Wii 2" consoles.

Original article:

Exclusive: Wii 2 specs leaked, Blu-ray enabled and 1080p support?

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=37744

We've just received some exclusive news and specs on the Wii 2 via Logic-Sunrise.com) (though a Nintendo of France marketing employee). The leaked specs denote the Wii 2 will get a Blu-ray drive (mainly to stop piracy), but will also support 1080P for games as well as movies. The new system is due out during the third quarter of next year and there will be the option to trade in old Wii's!

More details below (translated from French):

This is a nice exclusive we have here at MaxConsole courtesy of Artik from www.Logic-sunrise.com on the Wii 2. The actual information is said to have been leaked from an internal source of the marketing Nintendo France Service. Unlucky for them, this kind of information should stay internal, but that's not our philosophy.

- The Wii2 system will feature a Blu-Ray drive with a secondary aim of stopping piracy.
- 1080P and lower resolutions will be supported, for blu-ray movies and games.
- The release date is scheduled for third quarter of 2010.
- The release will be worldwide and on the same day for all countries.
- A scheme will be available in which it is possible to trade in the original Wii for a cheaper price on the new Wii 2.

Moreover, Nintendo wants to make a worlwide annoucement, only one month before release date. Huge publicity and Viral Marketing will be utilized to create the Buzz. Official pictures are not yet available, and more specs will be released in due course.

Why do we believe it at all ?

* Artik from Logic-Sunrise.com has regularly provided news to MaxConsole and has a lot of 'insider' contacts.

* Nintendo has suggested that it's time they embraced high definition technology for the Wii and Blu-ray has firmly established itself. So a Wii 2 with Blu-ray support does make sense.

[Beefbowl]

That's a pretty big jump. I wonder if it's going to be backward compatible.

[aygie]

Originally Posted by Beefbowl

That's a pretty big jump. I wonder if it's going to be backward compatible.

Must be, imagine all those copies of Wii sports not being compatible!

Would be massive news for Blu-ray if this is true.

[RiseDarthVader]

Hmm looks like Nintendo may by kicking off the next console gen next year.

[aygie]

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

Hmm looks like Nintendo may by kicking off the next console gen next year.

Or entering current Gen standards late.

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by Beefbowl

That's a pretty big jump. I wonder if it's going to be backward compatible.

That and wonder if it will be region free.

[Beefbowl]

Originally Posted by aygie

Or entering current Gen standards late.

I hope they come out with blue tooth controllers.

[bhampton]

Looks hawt.

If they make like there's not enough of them to go around they can sell tons of um. That will make Blu Ray much more popular.

-Brian

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

Well if the rumor is true, I just hope they don't leave out all the bells and whistles that are in all newer BD players, e.g. Bitstreaming.

[jw]

SO the Nintendo based line of games for the interactive wii will get hidef treatment? hmmm, seems like an overkill for a machine that won its popularity for a gaming system among people that arent in the traditional category of gamers. I doubt grandma will care, She just wants her wii sports bowling on her tube TV....

Myself though, I am interested

[proxpilot]

Originally Posted by aygie

Or entering current Gen standards late.

This^^

[RWebb74]

just imagine the next Zelda game with Drake's Fortune type graphics. That would be sweet.

[Tempest]

Originally Posted by Nerdkiller likes BD

Well if the rumor is true, I just hope they don't leave out all the bells and whistles that are in all newer BD players, e.g. Bitstreaming.

They are known for not giving you bells and whistles so expect the bare minimum of options. Current Wii's cant even play DVDs. I highly doubt it will be feature packed like the PS3 is where it supports a whole array of video formats.. Simple fact is this won't be a new gen console.. it will be nintendo finally upgrading to the Current Gen that has been around 4 years already..

[Terjyn]

Yeah, I really don't see this being a boost for Blu-Ray. By 2010 no way will this be competitively priced for a Blu-Ray player, and that's if it actually plays Blu-Ray at all.

[aygie]

Originally Posted by Terjyn

Yeah, I really don't see this being a boost for Blu-Ray. By 2010 no way will this be competitively priced for a Blu-Ray player, and that's if it actually plays Blu-Ray at all.

Even if they sell 50 Mil+ consoles? (As they have with the current Wii)

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by aygie

Even if they sell 50 Mil+ consoles? (As they have with the current Wii)

50 million Blu-Ray players between 2010 and 2013 will be a drop in the bucket world-wide. And that's assuming that the Wii 2 curve will match the Wii's curve, which is pretty absurd to just assume.

[Lasertrout]

Is this going to be a complete new console like the change from PS1 to PS2 etc or is this just the existing Wii with a different look and a Blu Ray drive bolted to it?

[ScarredLungs]

This would be a good boost blu ray sales I believe. Especially with the trade in option.

[K_Williamson42]

I was just about to go out and pick up a Wii now that its only $199....but I guess I'll hold off, why not get another blu ray player if this is true! This would definitely help grow the blu ray world!

[Afrobean]

Originally Posted by aygie

Or entering current Gen standards late.

Funny that the competition is scrambling to get motion control on board when Wii had it from the beginning, eh? While Wii is playing catchup in one regard, everyone else is trying to pull ideas from it to try to match its success.

Also funny to think that the system dominating the market apparently isn't even considered a competitor because it's not part of "this generation".

Current Wii's cant even play DVDs.

This was a conscious choice they made for the software of the system. Simple hacks can be applied which open up the system to playing DVD movies, but Nintendo didn't want their gaming system to be seen as something other than a gaming system. So while Microsoft and Sony were doing their best to look like media centers, Nintendo intentionally disabled any media center functionality it might have been able to use.

It's this stance that makes me question why they would make a new console that could play BD movies, but I could see them using BDs as the format for their next system's games. And BD drives are much cheaper now, so it's not unreasonable to think they could build a cheap system with one in it.

Originally Posted by Lasertrout

Is this going to be a complete new console like the change from PS1 to PS2 etc or is this just the existing Wii with a different look and a Blu Ray drive bolted to it?

I couldn't see them adding a BD drive unless they were making a new platform where the new drive would be required for new games.

Far more likely, I think, would be them making a new version of the Wii that plays the same old games, but is finally capable of outputting HD. Whenever Nintendo gets around to announcing their plans for their next console, don't be surprised if it's exactly the same as the current one, just with HD graphics. Don't expect a new platform, don't expect Blu-ray, and certainly don't expect media center functionality.

I would love to play me some Smash Bros. in HD though. Don't much care for much else, some HD brawling would be great.