Wii U Dated and Priced: 11/18 for $300

The next generation is officially here!  While the argument of whether Nintendo's truly ushering in the next gen or finally catching up with the old one will be a point of debate for a while, no one can argue that this current generation is on its way out -- and that Nintendo will be the first one out of the gate.

In a press conference held just a little over an hour ago, Reggie Fils-Aime took center stage and told everyone what we've been waiting to hear since E3: the new console's price point and release date.

Everyone was a little, er, surprised.

The Wii U will be released in North America on Sunday, November 18 (followed by European release on November 30.)  Taking a page from the Microsoft's and Sony's playbook, Nintendo is releasing two versions: a Basic version for $299.99 and a Deluxe version for $349.99.

Wii U Basic will net you a white console touting 8GB of drive space and the Wii U Gamepad, while the Deluxe version will come in sleek black, 32GB of space, the Wii U Gamepad, and launch title NintendoLand.

This was a small sticker shock for Nintendo fans, most of whom weren't expecting Nintendo to break the $300 psychological barrier, but it's nowhere near as jarring as Sony's now infamous PS3 launch pricing.

While not completely unexpected (the Wii launched at $250, and the Wii U is more advanced), Nintendo's major success with the Wii in its initial years was not due to its exciting title selection, but rather due to its price accessibility coupled with a fun game that maximized motion control potential (Wii Sports) -- so it is a little surprising they stepped slightly outside of that market.  Of course, this initial strategy made for a humongous burst in initial sales to casual gamers, but the flip side is that they often would never purchase a game again -- hence Nintendo's steep profit decline in the latter half of this generation.

We'll see where the money talks this time around when the console is release in a few months.  More Wii U news incoming...

E3 2012: Nintendo Wii U Detailed

Getting a jump on the yearly gaming marketing spree that is the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Nintendo took to the internet to launch their Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 video, showing the world the finalized look and details of the Wii U.

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata hosted the video, detailing the Wii U's technical specs, in light of its initial design philosophy.

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Here are all of the pertinent details:

Wii U GamePad

Click for larger image.

There are a few differences from the prototype version of the GamePad first introduced at last year's E3.  Thankfully, the analog joysticks replace the prototype's thumbsticks, and the button placement has been slightly shifted for a more ergonomic fit.

Hit the jump for the all of the revealed details of the Wii U - such as NFC support, social networking, and conventional control schemes!

Click to read more ...

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Flies on November 20

In the continuing celebration of the 25th anniversary of our speechless woodland hero, Nintendo announced today that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will launch in North America on November 20, 2011.

"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the biggest game in the series yet," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "We've just scratched the surface of this massive experience, and we look forward to sharing additional details with fans as we approach the Nov. 20 launch."

The game is available for pre-order now from most major retailers.  So dust off your Wiis and make sure you pick up a Wii Motion Plus before 11/20 -- it's required for play!

E3 2011: The Nintendo Wii U Specs and Details

Now that the true nature of "Project Cafe" is revealed, we finally got our hands on the press kit to give you the details surrounding the new Nintendo Wii U.

Launching in 2012 (next fiscal year, so expect it after March 31, 2012), the Wii U is a brand new HD console.  Boasting resolutions from 480i to 1080p, the Wii U is powered by an "IBM Power-based multi-core microprocessor."  The Wii U also has four USB 2.0 ports and supports composite, S-video, component, and HDMI connections.  In a slightly disconcerting omission, the new console will have "internal flash memory" of an unannounced size but will be expandable via SD or via external USB HDD.

The big news, of course, surrounds the Wii U's new tablet-like controller.  The controller has a 6.2" 16:9-ratio touchscreen set in its center, complemented with traditional button controls and two analog Circle Pads, to create "a second window into the video game world."

The rechargeable controller includes the D-pad and the power and home buttons that we're used to from the Wii Remote, along with the A/B/X/Y setup of Nintendo's handheld consoles.  The controller also has L/R shoulder buttons and ZL/ZR buttons set toward the back.  Lastly, the new controller hosts a built-in accelerometer, gyroscope, camera, microphone, sensor strip, stylus, and stereo speakers.

However, your old Wii collection will not go completely to waste: the Wii U is entirely backwards compatible -- in both software and hardware.  All Wii games will be playable on the Wii U, and all Wii input devices (Remote, Nunchuck, Classic Controller, etc.) will be usable with the new console.

As more details surface, we'll be sure to bring them to you.  And like I said before, RIP Wii.

E3 2011: Nintendo Announces the "Wii U"

Today, Reggie Fils-Aime pulled back the curtain on the "Wii U," their HD console, codenamed "Project Cafe."

Featuring a 6.2" touchscreen, the Wii U is a tablet-like device with 6 buttons, a d-pad, dual analog sticks, an accelerometer, and rumble capability.  The Wii U is poised to be an in-home media device, allowing video sharing and fast-switching between the big screen and the Wii U screen.

Immediate reaction by gaming press and experts is overwhelmingly positive, but with a hint of confusion -- Reggie's presentation was very hesitant to call the Wii U a "console," instead opting for the term "controller." ...but we see the Wii U working independently from the TV, and the Wii U is described as being able to play Wii games, meaning functions on its own separate from a Wii console.

Similarly, it seems like a new portable device, but it also seems like it's tied to the home.  It has a game slot and its own graphics processor, but it can't leave the Wii?

More details as they appear -- hopefully, we'll clear the issues up soon.

UPDATE:  Some new answers are popping up, and it's finally beginning to make sense.  The entirety of Wii U's portion of the press conference was focused on the tablet-like controller, but the Wii U itself is a brand new 1080p HD console.

This new HD console is getting some good third-party support, too.  A teaser video featured developers like Irrational's Ken Levine among others and games like Darksiders II, Tekken, Batman: Arkham City, Assassin's Creed, and (amazingly) Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Online.

The Wii U has been announced to be online-enabled (of course), but they have made zero indications as to what their online services will be.  No matter what it is, it will be, no doubt, better than their current Friend Code system.

Also, RIP Wii.

E3 2011: Nintendo 3DS New Lineup

I am hard-pressed to say that the Nintendo 3DS launch needs a "shot in the arm," since, quite frankly, the lineup has been pretty much DOA since the system launched.  Nintendo must know this too, since Reggie Fils-Aime came out to tout their new 3DS lineup first, and it looks like they're giving people what they want.

UPDATE: We've gotten our hands on some new titles and some assets, and we're happy to share them with you here!  We've added new details where appropriate, but, for the most part, Nintendo has only released the news that these titles exist -- nothing about release or other pertinent info. 

Hit the jump for all of the details and screen shots!  Animal Crossing 3DS, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Kirby Mass Attack, Luigi's Mansion 2, Mario Kart 3DS, and more!

Click to read more ...

E3 2011: Zelda For All in 2011

 

Opening the Nintendo press conference today, Shigeru Miyamoto (attempted) to order an orchestra to play their "ITEM GET" song to intro their celebration of the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda.  As part of this celebration, Zelda will be available on each of their hardware platforms, in one form or another.

First up: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening from the ol' GameBoy days will be available for download on the Nintendo 3DS eShop, starting today.  Next week, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D releases world wide for the Nintendo 3DS (but you already knew that!)  Later this year, the Legend of Zelda: Four Swords will be available for free (!) download on the DSiWare, and lastly, and most importantly, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be released this holiday season on the Nintendo Wii.

In a cool twist, Miyamoto also announced that Zelda symphonic concerts will be occurring all over the world in celebration of this gaming anniversary.  No details of what orchestras are playing or where, but more details will be released no doubt as the concert series approaches.

'Skyward Sword' Trailer Hides Beautiful Nostalgia

Nintendo has no doubt been tirelessly crunching away to complete The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, but we haven't heard much since the Game Developer's Conference in the first week of March, where Nintendo released the most recent trailer.  It took 2 months, though, to find out that the trailer seems to be hiding one hell of an Easter egg.

GDC 2011 Trailer

In a random perusal of that GDC trailer while toying with an app on his iPod Touch, FPawesome discovered something amazingly familiar hidden within the notes of the seemingly new orchestral score of Link's next adventure.  If you listen to the score in reverse, you can hear the now famous "Zelda's Lullaby" [<^> <^>] from Ocarina of Time, clear as day!

I would be hard-pressed to think that this is some coincidence (see Gibbs' Rule #39), but it remains to be seen if this "Zelda reversal" is somehow tied to the game's story or if this is simply a thematic homage in Skyward Sword's compositions.

No doubt, we'll hear more about this next installment of the franchise at E3 next month.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is currently slated for release sometime this year on the Nintendo Wii.

Wii Successor Coming in 2012

In a brief statement earlier today, Nintendo will reveal its next home console this June at E3 Expo and release in 2012.

No further details of the Wii's successor was released, save to say that "more specifications" would be unveiled at the professional-only conference in June.

While there are still no direct signs of a successor to the Xbox or PS3, Nintendo could definitely use a shot in the arm to boost their home console sales.  Despite being wildly successful at its initial release in 2006, Wii sales has steadily declined, ultimately dropping Nintendo's profit margin by 52% this fiscal year.  For those who have stock in Nintendo, the release of the 3DS, however, would presumably slow that profit margin from declining much further this year.

With console cycles extending to 10 years, here's hoping the next Wii has some more longevity in the next round.

3DS @ GDC - Nintendo's News Round-Up

In case you didn't know, the Game Developer's Conference is currently taking place this week in San Francisco.  Earlier this morning, Nintendo took center stage in the Moscone Center to give the developers, designers, press, and gaming professionals a sneak peek at what's in store for Nintendo and their recently-launched-in-Japan 3D handheld, the Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata opened the keynote address, who emphasized the importance of content in the games industy, and then passed NoA President Reggie Fils-Aime to show the attendees what content they have in store:

NETFLIX SUPPORT ON THE 3DS

Joining the ranks of the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and a myriad of internet connected TVs, set tops, and handhelds, the Nintendo 3DS will be able to connect to Netflix's immensely-popular video streaming service later this summer.  Reggie says that "3D programming is on the way," implying that, when Netflix starts streaming 3D media, the 3DS will be able to accommodate.  Historically, handhelds (such as the iPhone and iPod Touch) have not counted toward Netflix's six-device limit; however, it is currently unknown whether the 3DS similarly applies.

NINTENDO PARTNERS WITH AT&T FOR ACCESS TO THOUSANDS OF WI-FI HOTSPOTS

Later this summer, a newly announced partnership between Nintendo and AT&T will give 3DS gamers access to the internet via AT&T's Wi-fi hotspots in restaurants, bookstores, and shopping plazas all across the country.  The 3DS's always-on SpotPass will connect to these hotspots automatically so that gamers can play online games and search the 3DS eShop for downloadable videos and game content.

THE NINTENDO eSHOP HOSTS NEW CONTENT

The eShop, accessible via Wi-fi on the Nintendo 3DS, will give gamers access to all kinds of downloadable content, including blasts from outside of Nintendo's past.  The eShop will host DSi Ware, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color games, in addition to Sega Game Gear and Turbografx-16 titles.  Nintendo is also going to offer "3D Classics" - classic titles given the 3D treatment - although no titles have been announced.

SUPER MARIO 3DS

In a move that surprises exactly zero people, Nintendo is bringing the red plumber to the new handheld in three glorious dimensions.  While no real details have been announced, Iwata said that the game is currently being worked on by the team behind Super Mario Galaxy, so I guess that means we can suspect some jumping, some stomping, and an awful lot of star chasing.

The Nintendo 3DS was released in Japan this past weekend, with a North American release to follow on March 27.