Quote:Next piece of Nintendo hardware to debut in March
» More vague-yet-lofty promises made on upcoming product.
News | Tuesday, December 30, 2003 | Ed McGlothlin [Contributing Editor]
During a Christmas Day interview with Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that the company's next major new piece of hardware is now set for debut next March.

If that seems early for a Gamecube replacement, Nintendo agrees. Iwata reiterated that the hardware will function alongside the GC and GBA, replacing neither one. Referred to as Nintendo's third major hardware product, the unnamed item will be later be featured at E3 and released in the second half of 2004. The company previously expressed a plan to release it simultaneously in the US and Japan.

Iwata also stated that Nintendo was looking to cooperate more with both Japanese and foreign companies in hardware and software development. Shimbum quoted the veteran Nintendo executive as saying the product "will be a new type of machine for the 21st century allowing all new types of control and play," following previous quotes declaring the machine "totally different" from anything existing today. Your guess is as good as ours.

Quote:- The Mainichi newspaper reported that Nintendo president Saturo Iwata intends to launch a new console system by the end of 2004, which is neither the successor of GameCube nor GameBoy Advance, the new system will have a new direction, and it will coexist with the successor of GameCube and GameBoy Advance in future. The new machine is said to have wireless data communication via radio.

Quote:IGN has pointed out an interview with Satoru Iwata of Nintendo in a Japanese newspaper called Gamasutra. A very small part of the interview gives important details that are clearer (but no more revealing) than this whole backwards compatibility business that you’ve probably been hearing about all the time. One quote is especially interesting; Iwata said that the product will "enable fun and movement not seen before." And later “I expect it to become a third pillar, next to GameCube and Game Boy."

Next to GCN and Game Boy? This could be taken to mean that it isn’t a successor to GCN or GBA and isn’t a completely new console of some kind. The product will be unveiled at the Electronics Entertainment Expo that begins in May. Nintendo has hinted before that the machine would be released this year. Meanwhile, Nintendo of Japan has scheduled a press event for a few games in their upcoming lineup such as Custom Robo. It will happen later this month and is for invited press only. Some think they will make a couple announcements then as well.

Quote:- Nintendo confirmed to Famitsu magazine that they will present a new game system at E3 2004 in May. The machine is not a successor to GameCube or GameBoy Advance, this product can play back existing game titles. (Editor's note: Further hint that the new machine is a variation of iQue Player?)

Quote:"enable fun and movement not seen before."

Quote:Nintendo’s president continues his interview with a Japanese newspaper talking about their new product to be revealed at E3, Nintendo’s business, and now, gasp, a possible mention of the next generation console. But first, Iwata says that the iQue console launched in China is expected to turn into big business within 3-5 years.

Iwata further indicates that the product which will be announced in May at E3 is not the successor of the GameCube and GBA. He feels that games have been reaching their limits now in the kind of experience they give you; this product will somehow be about giving you an experience you’ve never had before with games. He says that the concept is a hint of next-generation game machines (without specifically saying Nintendo’s, it could mean future consoles in general).

Quote:Hey IGN,

There have been a lot of comments made regarding the mystery product that Nintendo will unveil at E3. When IGN mentioned Iwata's statement (link: http://cube.ign.com/articles/460/460563p1.html) of how the product will "enable fun and movement not seen before", I thought about the investment Nintendo made with Gyration Inc. (link: http://www.gyration.com/pr-nintendo.htm) Nintendo used the RF technology Gyration developed for the Wavebird controller I believe, but Gyration also was developing a motion-sensing technology. This motion-sensing technology, called MicroGyro 100, is according to the company "a revolutionary new gyroscope sensor which can accurately sense the motion of your hand or body". Could this have something to do with Nintendo's mystery product? Maybe the "movement not seen before" is a new controller that senses the motion of the user to allow for more interaction between the player and the game. Miyamoto mentioned (link: http://cube.ign.com/articles/461/461576p1.html) how he'd like gamers to become more involved with a game instead of having the game perform the actions for the player (ex: pulling a lever with the control stick instead of the press of a button). Nintendo is know for their innovative controllers (D-Pad, Shoulder Buttons, Joystick to just name a few) and maybe they will once again push the boundaries of gaming and offer a new way to play games.

Matt responds: Nice theory. You could be onto something. Then again, it might just be conga drums.

Quote: Nintendo is know for their innovative controllers (D-Pad, Shoulder Buttons, Joystick to just name a few)

Quote:Update: Iwata said they will put up a serious fight with the product starting in this year.

Nintendo’s president continues his interview with a Japanese newspaper talking about their new product to be revealed at E3, Nintendo’s business, and now, gasp, a possible mention of the next generation console. But first, Iwata says that the iQue console launched in China is expected to turn into big business within 3-5 years.

Iwata further indicates that the product which will be announced in May at E3 is not the successor of the GameCube and GBA. He feels that games have been reaching their limits now in the kind of experience they give you; this product will somehow be about giving you an experience you’ve never had before with games. He says that the concept is a hint of next-generation game machines (without specifically saying Nintendo’s, it could mean future consoles in general).

Quote: In defense of the author of the e-mail to IGN, he didn't say that Nintendo invented the joystick and d-pad. He said "Nintendo is know for their innovative controllers", and he's correct in that Nintendo first introduced the d-pad into home video game consoles, and reintroduced the joystick (in a smaller form to be manipulated by the thumb instead of the entire hand) with the N64 controller.

Quote:anuary 13, 2004 - Yesterday, we published quotes provided by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in an interview with Japan's Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. Today, we have more quotes from the man in charge of the big N, this time via the Kyoto Shimbun paper.

When asked the cleverly phrased question, "The 'new product of a different nature' that will be unveiled this Spring -- what kind of game is it?", Iwata responded to the newspaper with a lengthy sermon on game creation. "Game creation has in various ways, met a deadlock," he said. "Over the past twenty years, games have followed a straight path in development that have made them more complex and good looking. This law of growth and success is no more. Put frankly, games have stopped selling."

He continued, referring to the new product, "We want to offer to customers a play experience that they've never had before. We're not expecting everyone to cheer following the announcement. It's okay if ten percent of the people say the product is 'interesting' and word spreads with people finding themselves wanting to try it."

Continuing on the specific nature of the product, Iwata stated: "We want to make a game that returns to the point that anyone can play it. However, our company does not support a product that combines software and hardware into one. The product uses a platform, but it does not fit into the specifications of the current hardware platforms."

That still leaves plenty of room for imagination, so keep imaginating!

N_A Wrote:Hmmm, you never know, it sounds like Nintendo is running some kind of crazy experiment, but if its something thats not at all conventional.... maybe its crazy, but what if they do something as insane as revolutionize the Power Glove for example to fit modern gaming (taking off from the pictures posted above and the VR system). I could imagine that that would be one way to break away from these conventional systems and give people a completely new experience.

Whatever it is, hopefully they don't dig their own grave.