Nintendo talks HD

Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto, and other employees have discussed the future of HD for Nintendo.

[Valay]

"Won’t HD be better for the games like Pikmin?"

Yes!

[Shadow Flare]

If nintendo released wii hd and made pikmin 3, I would buy a wii. I loved pikmin. While hd is a very welcome proposal, nintendo still need to make a game I actually give a damn about

[darthv72]

based on the ati chip inside? It is certainly capable but they are limiting its potential currently. Or at least that is my interpretation of the wii graphics chip. It is rumored to be better than the original xbox which was capable of 720p on a few games.

Why can't nintendo test the performance of the existing wii by way of a fw update to expand the resolutions supported? MS was able to add a few more options to the 360 by doing that once before.

[dib8rman]

Ok motion controls aside another key factor for the Wii's success is it's lack of HD, simply you find many complaints from Industry voices about how Nintendo is killing the Industry, it's because they can't make their games on the Wii and port it.

There are several agenda's within this industry right now and Simply put Wii's lack of Hard Drive space and Wii Friend Codes also it's lack of HD prevent many of them from working on the system with leading share.

To many within the industry currently the idea is HD vs Wii and they need Nintendo to go HD not Nintendo needs to go HD. If a incumbent like Nintendo changes the direction of progress, then they can't bump the revenue by charging more for games with the reasoning that it's HD content.

These companies thrive off investors and investors demand growth, if they can't grow they jack up revenue to mimic growth.

And how do you think they jack up revenue?

Maybe Nintendo will go HD next system cycle, but you can rest assured that Sony and MS will think twice about going UHD next cycle, they will want to wait until Nintendo announces what it will do, only MS may have the guts or stupidity to push out first but if they do another rush job... yea... Sony could innovate the way they always do, by pushing tech as Sony is a company based on pushing tech in new directions by making that tech better. But Sony is not a content company or should I say does not have the content Nintendo has despite its back catalog they are up there though, if they want back in they can't make any mistakes.

As for WiiHD, I'm more interested in Natal and PSmote - more so Natal I would love to know when Natal is coming out, I haven't seen a release date for Natal yet.

Does anyone have any info on when Natal is coming out?

[badz149]

dev will start making HD games similar to those on 360 and PS3 for it! and if you ask me is that a good thing - IMO not very much! Wii is unique on its own with its games because devs have to cater specifically to the different resolution and most importantly the motion controller scheme in order to appeal to the Wii owning crowd but if it is HD capable, devs will make games similar with those on 360 and PS3 because afterall, Wii also support normal controllers and porting directly the same game is cheaper! competing with 360 and PS3 for HD market is not an option for the Wii because I can feel that it will fail miserably like what happen to the GC! Ninty can sell their own franchises like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Wii Fit HD, Wii Play HD etc but that is about it all! the pattern is clear. just look at games that selling on the Wii, almost all of them are 1st party games! plus M$ and Sony will come out with their own HD version of motion controlled games thus making the market more competitive! I know, competitions are good (especially for gamers) but I prefer to have more variety with HD and non-HD, core and casual consoles on the market than having all consoles competing in the same field! just my 2 cents

[NateNater]

Eventually, Nintendo will have no choice but to go to HD. Even if there is some software that doesn't really need it, like Wii Fit, there will always be software that does need it. Picture Zelda, Super Smash Bros, Starfox, and Metroid in full 1080p HD!

[asdr3wsfas]

"Eventually, Nintendo will have no choice but to go to HD."

The point is that nintendo waited until HDTV was more adopted by consumers to consider adding support. As it stands less than half the people who play GoW2 do so in HD because they own old tvs. When most consumers own HDTV nintendo will have no other choice.

[TooTall19]

I believe you mean SD
Edit: nevermind I got what you mean now

[divideby0]

so what did he actually say

[Double Toasted]

an HD software update...and if that doesn't work they'll bring out an HD Wii when the price of developing goes down some more for HD developing...

[n4f]

is that they release a software update that allow hd and all that. like that it wouldnt be a ripoff.
but we all know that it wont be like that so we will wait and see.
i personally dont care about hd( yes a got an hd tv with 360 and wii)

[dirthurts]

The Wii could push an HD signal, but at what price?
Frame rate? Even less detail in texture, geometry, and draw distances?
If they simply do a software update, only games meant for HD will be HD, and those that are designed for it will have to take a cut somewhere. I personally don't feel the Wii as it is will be able to do a worthwhile HD experience.
Maybe if they release an updated version with updated hardware that would simply force all games to run in HD, but without the performance hit. That would be nice.

[bigjclassic]

What stuck out to me was that they said that certain games were suited for HD (pikmin) while others are suited for SD (WiiFit). Either Nintendo is going to push both Wii and WiiHD at the same time or the WiiHD console will be fully B/C to give devs the freedom to create SD games and HD titles.

That would be a win win if they go that route (fully B/C), because 3rd parties that want to push HD technology can do so, or if smaller devs wanted to still make SD titles they have the freedom too. Nintendo should definitely go this route with WiiHD but I think it should be able to read BD-Roms, DVDs (Wii games),and Optical roms (GcN).

[PoisonedTea]

I think Nintendo have realised that what they had/have with the Wii is a once in a lifetime occurence - a freak result, if you will. With rumblings from loyal Nintendonites(?) that the focus of Nintendo seems to be more and more on casual titles, and that throwing loyal fans a "bone" every year with a new Mario, Zelda, etc., isn't good enough, the company is realising that they have to at least entertain the idea of having multi-platform titles as the Gamecube did in the XBOX/PS2 days.

This will only be possible if the hardware can cope and sadly the Wii can't at the moment. I for one DO hope the next Nintendo console is on par (or at least very close) to the next iterations of Microsoft's and Sony's home consoles. Note, I'm not necessarily saying "GO FULL HD" because we all know that HD doesn't make a brilliant game BUT having the capability under the "hood" of a new Nintendo console means that at least the possibility is there to not only churn out the casual-ware of this gen, AND also introduce new IP's that could compete with Gears of War, Uncharted, etc,. THAT would be amazing for us gamers!

[ChickeyCantor]

I think Nintendo talks while their plans are already thought out until their deaths.

This is just an ongoing show, before you know it their next console is nuclear enabled.

HD is inevitable and saying otherwise is just ludicrous.

[EvilTwin]

Yup.

When the Wii released, the cost for HD tech was prohibitively high.

But now, you can't even find an SDTV at Wal-Mart. The cost of producing an HD set has come so far down that old tube-type televisions will be obsolete in the very near future.

Likewise, HD hardware for a gaming console has come down in price, too, so it's only a matter of time before Nintendo releases an HD console.

I wouldn't be surprised for them to sneak a new console out in 2011. Remember, they launched the Wii with Zelda, which also was the Gamecube's swan song. I could see the next LoZ being the last great Wii game, and also the one to launch their new box.

[ChickeyCantor]

Even the PS3 is down to 300, so 2010 would be a perfect place to sell a new Nintendo console with specs like the Ps3....and sell it for 250.

And i agree, their next console will implement the same thing as Wii-motes anyway so they could actually pass those games on to the next console.

[ChartedMetalTurismo]

Even the Wii HD would be better than the Failbox 3fixme!

[CryWolf]

I agree the Failbox need to replace or Nintendo and Sony need to join forces to destroy xbot on console sales.

[Somnipotent]

i would buy a wii hd IF it had a better/more robust online experience, integrated hdd, plays hd media (bluray), and it comes in black...

wait a sec...

that would be a ps3. nevermind then.

[asdr3wsfas]

"and comes in black"

Your fashion sense is so hardcore.

[Quadrix]

Is it even possible to turn a console from SD to HD with a simple software update?

[ChickeyCantor]

Well HD is usually used in different context, if they use software to update their resolution output, nothing will change cept the output.

[Gen0ne]

That would be nice though. And sooner than later would be nicer.

[Gr81]

All the talk about a Wii HD. Not having HD hasn't stopped the Wii from becoming the most successful console this gen. What would HD graphics do to enhance games like Kart, or Wii Sports, or Brawl, or Galaxy.

Graphics are meaningless if the content isn't there.

[Quadrix]

Indeed. Of course, HD by itself isn't enough. I think the real charm is how much is on the screen at once. So in a sense, the processor and RAM the system has is a bigger thing than graphics.

[Shnazzyone]

CONFIRMED!!

"comparing the memory sizes of a NES game and Blue-ray"– Shinji Hatano, General Manager, Marketing Division

[fatstarr]

seems like a hd wii. check my comments i been saying it for a while now. and it is possible. just look at dolphin emulations :]

[TruthbeTold]

When? Wii sales are already faltering, especially in Japan, which is their self described early indicator. Of course no matter how you cut it, the Wii is a success, but what about Nintendo's future? "Casual" gamers who won't take it to the next level are not going to buy many games period. While existing "hardcore" Nintendo gamers, and "casual" gamers who are playing more games over time as they develop, and trying more complicated games have a choice of either staying put for the occasional bone, or buying what the competition has to offer.

If that is the case for too long, then Nintendo will be back at square one. Counting on Mario and Zelda to bring everyone back in 2012 or 2013 when finally they come out with a 360 spec type of console. The Wii advantage will be watered down alot. I don't think the shareholders will stand for that. And we know that it's the shareholders who hold Iwata by the balls.

[MonopolyRSV]

For me, it's not really about HD, it's about Blu-Ray. Have the capability for HD graphics, but concentrate on making BIGGER games.

[Quadrix]

Yeah, I'd prefer that over HD. 480p, when done right, can actually be visually satisfying

[ChickeyCantor]

The problem with "bigger" games is that you will need a bigger budget. Unless you are funded, you as a developer just can't make your games bigger without loosing some quality.

Time is money!!

Only if the budget allows it, a bigger game is more likely without budgering the quality to get everything done before the deadline.

HD development is expensive.

[MonopolyRSV]

What they need to do is put me on a plane to Nintendo of Japan headquarters, give me a small room with a nice bed to sleep and healthy meals for a month, provide a translator, make me sign a confidentiality agreement, let me observe whats going on in their planning department and R&D, and we'll have all this nonsense cleared up by Christmas.