Nintendo Sees No Reason for Wii HD

[DIRECTOR]

This sucks

http://wii.ign.com/articles/992/992075p1.html

June 5, 2009 - Satoru Iwata has said that there is currently no reason to make an HD compatible version of the Wii console, saying such an iteration would have no 'significant meaning' to users.

Despite speculative reports to the contrary, the Nintendo President told Venturebeat 'As far as the Wii is concerned, we have not found a significant reason to make it HD-compatible at this time. What is the significant meaning to the users? I don't think we should do it unless we find that reason.'

An HD Wii was heavily rumoured last October, and industry analysts have been confident that such hardware was imminent.

An HD Nintendo console is inevitable, however, with Iwata going onto say, 'If we decide for other reasons to make new hardware, then HD is one of the things we would naturally add.'

 

[StrainedEyes]

Meh, Wii games look just fine on my 40". Storage is all I would care about, but I don't care about it that much.

 

[Galactus]

Well, I'm pretty sure their next console will be HD-compatible (Iwata more or less confirms that in the article), so it really feels pointless of releasing an upgraded Wii

 

[Brainiac 8]

Exactly, it looks fine on my 52" tv, so it don't bother me. Iwata has said many times that HD will be a part of their next console, and I agree, there is no need to waste the money or time to do a small upgrade to the Wii like that.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Well, I'm pretty sure their next console will be HD-compatible (Iwata more or less confirms that in the article), so it really feels pointless of releasing an upgraded Wii

Exactly.

 

[Johnny Drama]

Nintendo Sees No Reason for Wii HD

And neither do I

 

[Matt]

Yeah, they are quite right. The Wii has currently outsold the 360 by over 20 million units. The PS3 by nearly 30 million. A big reason for this is price point. The lack of HD compability is what made the Wii able to launch for half the price of other consoles. Plus the accessible nature of their games do not need HD. Wii isn't targeting hard core gamers or graphic ****es. That has been Nintendo's strategy all along, and the numbers prove it is working quite well.

 

[Havok83]

It would be great if they were to release an HD Wii. Thats the direction the market is going in. I dont think the Wii looks all that great on an HDTV. I can see why they dont care about the issue considering their sales numbers but there are people who would prefer if the Wii was capable of outputting an HD resolutions. Anyways I wouldnt be surprised if this is something they consider once the Wii sales start to really slump. Could be a revision that would reignite sales even if temporarily

 

[hippie_hunter]

It would be great if they were to release an HD Wii. Thats the direction the market is going in. I dont think the Wii looks all that great on an HDTV. I can see why they dont care about the issue considering their sales numbers but there are people who would prefer if the Wii was capable of outputting an HD resolutions. Anyways I wouldnt be surprised if this is something they consider once the Wii sales start to really slump. Could be a revision that would reignite sales even if temporarily

The video game market isn't headed into HD. The market is headed towards a more general audience who would rather play Wii Sports, Guitar Hero, motion control, etc. They're cheaper to make and people are gobbling them up.

The only reason why the Wii 2 will have HD is because no one would buy it if it had the same graphical capabilities and now that Nintendo has literally captured the casual market, they probably would like to have the hardcore market as well and get stronger third party support with games like Call of Duty, Metal Gear, Resident Evil, etc.

 

[Havok83]

The video game market isn't headed into HD. The market is headed towards a more general audience who would rather play Wii Sports, Guitar Hero, motion control, etc. They're cheaper to make and people are gobbling them up.

Making the Wii HD enabled shouldnt have to change that. I dont see why it would. But having the option to upscale Wii games as well as past ones (GC) to at least 720p instead of the current maximum of 480p would make a big difference. I thought this was something that was capable via a firmware update but from what Ive read, the hardware isnt capable of doing that.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

I totally agree with Iwata on this one.
In fact, i can´t even imagine what Nintendo´s future will be after the Wii.
There will be one, of course, but the point is, last two years were very bad to Nintendo from a business standpoint.
Sure, they made money (i think) because, usually, Nintendo´s consoles are cheap to manufacture, but they lost to the PS1, they only sold 32.92 million units.
Last generation was even worst, with Nintendo only selling 21.74 million units, losing even for the newcomer, Xbox.

The point is, imo, and without taking away any of Nintendo´s merit, the Wii is selling like no tomorrow because of the motion control.
The games....no matter how good they are, if they didn´t sold consoles before, they wouldn´t sell this time aswell.
Mario, Zelda, Metroid, DK, Kirby, Starfox,....they always were big names for the Nintendo fans, not for the rest (if they were, Nintendo would have sold a lot more in the previous two generations).
So, i don´t believe for a minute that, the majority of people that buys the Wii, cares for HD.
So, it would only make the console more expansive to manufacture and in retail, with no real benefit, except for the hardcore fans, which, at this point, comparing to the previous generations, is the minority.


As for the future....imo, Nintendo is fu**ed, and they have themselfs to blame.
Is not a bad thing, but, imo, they can never again, turn their backs to motion controllers and alike, because that´s the reason why they are selling so much.
If tomorrow, by any chance, the all motion control hype dies, and Nintendo needs to turn their back on it, they will lose everything they made with this gen, they will lose their audience in a heartbeat.
It´s true that the Nintendo fanbase is the most loyal of all, no console sells as fast as a Nintendo, because, the moment it gets released, everyone runs to buy one.
So, the question is, did they gain a bigger fanbase because of the Wii?
My answer is, no....just look at third party games, 90% of them don´t sell s**t (so, why does so many games get made exclusive for the Wii is anyones guess).
The big nintendo names, they sell, they sell a lot, and that happens because, the hardcore that bought a Wii (and they are too many too count) don´t usually play with it (many keep saying that don´t play with the Wii for months and months), so, when on game comes out, they sell like hot cakes.

So, to finish it up, no, there is no reason for a Wii HD, not now anyway.

 

[Havok83]

just look at third party games, 90% of them don´t sell s**t (so, why does so many games get made exclusive for the Wii is anyones guess).

Bc of the motion controls, the games arent easily translatable to the other systems. The Wii is easier and cheaper to develop for which is why theres more crap on it. Many publishers dont even bother bringing that over to the 360 and PS3. I remember reading back that Ubisoft said that they make Wii games to fund their 360/PS3 projects

 

[Spidey-Bat]

If tomorrow, by any chance, the all motion control hype dies, and Nintendo needs to turn their back on it, they will lose everything they made with this gen, they will lose their audience in a heartbeat.

Sorry, but this is kind of a dumb statement. The Wii has been out for nearly 3 years. If the hype of motion controls had died down, it would have happened by now. Add to it that Microsoft and Sony are creating their own motion control technology, it doesn't look like the hype of it will be dying down anytime soon. Motion controls are not a gimmick/fad, they are here to stay.

And to say they didn't gain a bigger fanbase because of poor 3rd party titles doesn't make sense. Fan base and support are two separate things. They have gained a bigger fan base; just look at the sales. Their 3rd party support is lacking, though seems much better than Gamecube. And let's be honest, 90% of the 3rd party games are ****. Go into a game store and look at some of the titles. It's not Nintendo's fault. A lot of these companies are making cheap party games that use the motion controller to turn a quick profit.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

Sorry, but this is kind of a dumb statement. The Wii has been out for nearly 3 years. If the hype of motion controls had died down, it would have happened by now. Add to it that Microsoft and Sony are creating their own motion control technology, it doesn't look like the hype of it will be dying down anytime soon. Motion controls are not a gimmick/fad, they are here to stay.

Well, you quoted me, but failed to see the "by any chance", meaning that it´s an example, nothing more, of course the all motion control thing will not go away.

And to say they didn't gain a bigger fanbase because of poor 3rd party titles doesn't make sense. Fan base and support are two separate things. They have gained a bigger fan base; just look at the sales. Their 3rd party support is lacking, though seems much better than Gamecube. And let's be honest, 90% of the 3rd party games are ****. Go into a game store and look at some of the titles. It's not Nintendo's fault. A lot of these companies are making cheap party games that use the motion controller to turn a quick profit.

Once again, you clearly missed the point.
The thing, and this is my opinion alone, the Wii is selling because of the all motion control thing, not because it´s Nintendo, and i mean this with all respect i have for the company.
The real contest will begin when Sony and Microsoft release their own motion controllers, only then we will see if Nintendo continues it´s trend, or starts to lose their steam.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

Well, you quoted me, but failed to see the "by any chance", meaning that it´s an example, nothing more, of course the all motion control thing will not go away.

I saw the "by any chance" but it doesn't make much sense to me. Obviously if the fascination of something popular dies down, the product will struggle. It'd make a much sense if you had said "If the hype with online capabilities dies down, Microsoft will lose everything." There's really no indication it is going in that direction (on both accounts).

Once again, you clearly missed the point.
The thing, and this is my opinion alone, the Wii is selling because of the all motion control thing, not because it´s Nintendo, and i mean this with all respect i have for the company.

You said "So, the question is, did they gain a bigger fanbase because of the Wii? My answer is, no....just look at third party games, 90% of them don´t sell s**t (so, why does so many games get made exclusive for the Wii is anyones guess)."

And I disagree with your answer and explanation for believing so. I think that The Wii has gained a bigger fan base and 3rd party support does not seem to have a significant impact on that.

The real contest will begin when Sony and Microsoft release their own motion controllers, only then we will see if Nintendo continues it´s trend, or starts to lose their steam.

I think they will be different enough from one another. Also, take into account price point. The 360 is cheaper (the crappy bundle but still counts), but you're going to have the buy their Natal stuff separate. No matter if it's separate or in a new bundle, it's probably not going to be under $250.The PS3 won't be under $250 until well into the next gen. Plus, the Wii already has software. It'll take a long time for Microsoft or Sony to build up their library of software that works with their motion control.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

I think they will be different enough from one another. Also, take into account price point. The 360 is cheaper (the crappy bundle but still counts), but you're going to have the buy their Natal stuff separate. No matter if it's separate or in a new bundle, it's probably not going to be under $250.The PS3 won't be under $250 until well into the next gen. Plus, the Wii already has software. It'll take a long time for Microsoft or Sony to build up their library of software that works with their motion control.

I agree that it will not be right off the bat that the Natal and the "Sonymote" will make an impact, but in time, they can very well give Nintendo a run for it´s money.
More even with Natal, because it´s totally diferent from the Wii, but still can make everything that the Wii does.
And the point is still the same, imo, because the Wii´s fame and fortune cames from the motion controller, so, when you have more motion controllers on the market, people can start to lose interest on it and go for a more powerful console.

 

[terry78]

Graphics-wise, if that is indeed one of the main issues, Nintendo can easily create a console that is on par with or possibly exceeds the visuals of 360 and PS3, yet they chose to not do that, honestly I believe, to prove a point. Their next console I suspect will still be motion based, but will improve exponetially eye candy wise.

 

[Shaolin Kenobi]

Considering the whole "8 is enough" crowd essentially being right...
Graphics don't make a game fun.
Back in the day 8 bit was enough to engross for years.
Me personally... I prefer higher end displays and graphics...
But it isn't essential by any means.

 

[xwolverine2]

shows how how they care about quality/clarity...
then again im not surprised... its the wii

 

[Matt]

It would be great if they were to release an HD Wii. Thats the direction the market is going in. I dont think the Wii looks all that great on an HDTV. I can see why they dont care about the issue considering their sales numbers but there are people who would prefer if the Wii was capable of outputting an HD resolutions. Anyways I wouldnt be surprised if this is something they consider once the Wii sales start to really slump. Could be a revision that would reignite sales even if temporarily

The video game market isn't headed into HD. The market is headed towards a more general audience who would rather play Wii Sports, Guitar Hero, motion control, etc. They're cheaper to make and people are gobbling them up.

The only reason why the Wii 2 will have HD is because no one would buy it if it had the same graphical capabilities and now that Nintendo has literally captured the casual market, they probably would like to have the hardcore market as well and get stronger third party support with games like Call of Duty, Metal Gear, Resident Evil, etc.

Exactly. The market is not heading to HD video games. In fact, the people have spoken and the fact that Wii has outsold 360 by 20 million units shows that. People don't want to pay 500 or 600 dollars for a console. People don't care about having internet explorers on their gaming console. The market is heading to a more simple system like the Wii and frankly I find it refreshing. If I want a computer, I will buy a computer. I want a console to play video games (and maybe watch DVDs). Thats it.

 

[Havok83]

Exactly. The market is not heading to HD video games. In fact, the people have spoken and the fact that Wii has outsold 360 by 20 million units shows that. People don't want to pay 500 or 600 dollars for a console. People don't care about having internet explorers on their gaming console. The market is heading to a more simple system like the Wii and frankly I find it refreshing. If I want a computer, I will buy a computer. I want a console to play video games (and maybe watch DVDs). Thats it.

adding HD capabilites to the Wii wont bump it up to 500 or 600 dollars. In fact I dont see it changing the price at all

 

[Spidey-Bat]

It would definitely cost more than $250 if they added HD capabilities.

I'd like to see a study done to see how many people actually play any console on a big HDTV. Separate everyone by how much they spend on games per month (or year).

 

[Havok83]

It would definitely cost more than $250 if they added HD capabilities.

why would it cost more than $250. The Wii will be 3 years old this year. Its past the point where consoles usually have been given at least one price drop. Nintendo hasnt done so bc sales have been great. The system could be released with the ability to output games to HD resolutions, which would offset the effects of a price drop. For example, lets say they were planning on dropping it to $199 next year. Instead they revise the system and continue to sell it at its current price. or something in between like $229

 

[Spidey-Bat]

I just don't see it costing less than $250 for a HD capable Wii. At least not without sacrificing hardware quality like MS has done with the 360.

 

[Havok83]

I just don't see it costing less than $250 for a HD capable Wii. At least not without sacrificing hardware quality like MS has done with the 360.

I cant imagine adding the ability to output games to 720p resolution would cost much more per system. Nintendo is in a different position than MS with the 360. MS cut corners to lower the amount of money they were losing per system when they initially sold them. Theres also teh fact that they rushed it to the market to get it out there before the other consoles. Nintendo is the only 1 of the big 3 to make money off their system from the getgo. I dont see them sacrificing quality as they dont need to.