Nintendo confirms Wii Hardware Revisions Coming

Advertisement (Why?)

Video game consoles are essentially a closed platform, hardware upgrades do happen but they are usually minor due to compatibility reasons. Nintendo usually does not follow this rule with portable systems, as we’ve seen with the DS and the DS Lite. Nintendo is quite aware about the advantages of such a move; sales have gone through the roof with the DS Lite. Is something similar on the way for the already succesful Wii? In an interview, GameDaily asked Nintendo of America VP Perrin Kaplan if the ‘hardware revision model’ would apply to the Wii, to which she replied succinctly, “Sure, absolutely. You'll see the ways in which we do that.”

In fact, a DVD movie-enabled Wii has already been announced for release later this year. And yet, Kaplan comments on the DVD playback as something minor in the scheme for Wii: “I think it's just to give them a choice. We've not yet come out with a firm date; we haven't talked about it too much. It's not the top thing on our list.” DailyTech speculates that the Wii could gain new colors, more internal flash memory, included rechargeable batteries for Wii Remotes as well as component cables. In terms of size, the article points out the Wii is already small and slender. Neowinians, what do you want to see Nintendo do with the Wii?

News source: DailyTech

#1 +Vegetunks on 25 Feb 2007 - 17:37

Well, I'd love a black Nintendo Wii! i think that'd be awesome. otherwise all i can think of is some minor hardware upgrades to help with the framerate in a few of the games

#2 +Kushan on 25 Feb 2007 - 17:49

I thought it was going to come out in various colours anyway? Just the initial batches were all white for productivity reasons.

#3 undomiel on 25 Feb 2007 - 18:35

Ha, figures! I just picked mine up a couple days ago. Hehe oh well there's no must-have features speculated about there that would make me want to wait for it. Having too much fun bowling!

(1 reply) #4 The Teej on 25 Feb 2007 - 18:49

I honestly don't see what else they can truly come up with in future hardware revisions, with the exception of DVD Playback, that I would really be interested in.

EDIT: BTW, I have one already, I am very pleased with it

I'm talking about future revisions that I would be a tad jealous at

#4.1 MrCobra on 27 Feb 2007 - 05:57

A die shrink could be a possibility. Revisions to the main logic board another.

#5 David3k on 25 Feb 2007 - 20:52

I'd like a cream colored Wii

#6 Fighter-X on 25 Feb 2007 - 21:06

They should fix the wii light in the cd slot. That thing never turns on for me

It would also be cool to customize the wii light in the cd slot, instead of just the typical blue color, there should be more variety.

They should also make another wii sports that comes with the new revision.

I think that would be enough =P

#7 +Coldgunner on 25 Feb 2007 - 21:14

I think a lot of stuff could be added by firmware updates.

is the wii able to playback dvd's if there were some kind of dvd software on it??

Last edited by Coldgunner on 25 Feb 2007 - 21:20

(2 replies) #8 +cheesegoduk on 25 Feb 2007 - 21:54

I hope they don't add any major features that previous versions of the wii can't use. It annoys me how more and more people nowadays think that just because other devices change yearly (i.e music players, cars) consoles should do the same. A big selling point(at least to me) is that a console is a console that doesn't change for years, so I don't have to constantly upgrade to get the latest(i.e a PC)
I do agree with and fully understand the minor hardware revisions that happen tho because it helps lower cost for all

DVD playback should be dead easy to do via firmware tho so thats cool

#8.1 El Sid on 26 Feb 2007 - 00:25

I agree entirely. I got a Wii from the very first UK shipment in time for Christmas, and the fact that I payed the full £179.99 means that my Wii shouldn't be getting replaced by a superior model any time in the near future, DVD playback should be downloadable, as well as any other changes Nintendo decide to make to it. Why should I pay £180 for my model, and the person in six months time pay the same price for a better version.

#8.2 +Kushan on 26 Feb 2007 - 03:04

Because in 6 months time, you'll get more hardware for your money (And that goes for everything, PC components and Consoles alike).

This is a very clever trick that Nintendo and Apple especially use all the time. Rather than drop the price of existing products, they release a new model at nearly the same price as the original's launch price and discontinue the old one.

Nintendo did it with the GBA and the DS, it kept prices nice and high and some people even thought they were getting a better console, when really not a lot changed.
Apple does it with their iPod constantly.

#9 Dipso on 26 Feb 2007 - 00:40

I dont see why dvd playback could not be done with software/firmware updates, since it obviously is capable of reading dvd's as the hacks out there allow it to play dvd-r...

I say what would be realy cool for the wii would be a dvd channel or maby a media channel with support for playback through either wifi, SD card or connected usb storage device (HDD, Mp3 player, etc)

#10 daveoc64 on 26 Feb 2007 - 00:45

I also don't understand why they can't offer a DVD Channel for download - they'd get paid for it either way.

(1 reply) #11 +Kushan on 26 Feb 2007 - 03:05

There's a lot more to adding DVD playback than just the software, there's all sorts of patents, royalties etc. that must be dealt with too.

#11.1 Danrarbc on 26 Feb 2007 - 06:30

Which is why they could charge a certain number of Wii Points for the software.

(1 reply) #12 Manson_AAN on 26 Feb 2007 - 05:55

^ and it will require a lot of memory, the 512mb flash will not be enough. (if you want to download DVDs through a "DVD channel"

#12.1 Dipso on 26 Feb 2007 - 13:58

eh.. where not talking downloading DVD's through such a channel, called it a channel to illustrate "downloading playback software". You would of course use the wii to read the dvd, the channel is just a piece of software that can play the dvd.

#13 Sn4k36 on 26 Feb 2007 - 06:32

I think that the nintendo Wii should have Ondemand video, so we don't have to download the videos, we can just watch them over the net, for like a low price of $3.99 per movie...

#14 Xerxes on 26 Feb 2007 - 09:16

But isn't the DVD enabled Wii for Japan only though? not that is really matters, who doesn't have a DVD player anyway these days? (I've got 5; standalone, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360 and PC

)

(2 replies) #15 neufuse on 26 Feb 2007 - 17:04

didnt gamecube discs spin backwards? do wii discs do the same thing? if so would they need to put a new dvd drive in the system to support dvd's because of this? or does the drive in there support reading in both directions? I could see having to put out new hardware if the drive didnt suport it

#15.1 macrosslover on 26 Feb 2007 - 19:32

the feature is in the abilities of the current system, they had it there they just disabled it basically because they felt that wasn't a necessary feature, basically they were being cheap, but that argument has been beaten into the ground, the basic point is i'm nearly 95% sure that it is possible within the realms of the current system they just choose not to.

#15.2 Hooya on 27 Feb 2007 - 04:03

No, that's a common misconception. The disks spin the same direction. They just only read disks that have a particular barcode that normal drives can't read.

Wikipedia is your friend.

Quote -

A common misconception about the GameCube optical drive is that it spins the discs in reverse (counter-clockwise) compared to regular DVD-ROM drives. The peculiarity of this rumor is that one need only open the disc tray on an operating GameCube to see that the disc clearly spins clockwise as it slows to a halt.

(1 reply) #16 whYeNQue on 26 Feb 2007 - 23:41

i would love to see a 3d screen on the side of the wii that would show your Mii's playing with each other when the system is off or even showing you little tricks that you can find in games that nobody knows about... that would be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool or a little mini 3d projector star wars style coming out on top of the wii. imagine what you could use that for... ooooh add an accelerometer to the wii and play wii frisbee... obviously you would need some sort of tesla coil wireless electricity supply... but thats simple enough to implement... add a microphone to the wii and controllers so that you can play whispering games that you can send voice messages to your controller from your wii that play on the speakers in the controllers... useful when you lose your controller... umm what else... add a motion sensor to the sensor bar so that it can see what parts are moving... like feet movement and head movement... that would be cool for a football game... umm a mini wall projector to play mini games in wii sports 2... how about some sort of wii suit... total immersive experience

ok, so there is a total mixed bag of ideas there... randomly springing from the dark recesses of my mind

#16.1 b_roca on 04 Mar 2007 - 23:14

you'd love to see your mii's playing with each other eh? nice! like a virtual porno

(1 reply) #17 majortom1981 on 27 Feb 2007 - 01:25

I thought a dvd player needed an mpeg decoder. From what I understand the wii does not have one and a revision would include putting one in the system.

#17.1 Overseer on 27 Feb 2007 - 13:16

MPEG decoding can be done via software, much like on a PC (PowerDVD, WinDVD, etc.). However, I'm not sure if the Wii can output Dolby Digital via TOS/Coax.

#18 Xero on 27 Feb 2007 - 03:02

I'd like a lithum rechargeable battery. I find it hard to believe it still uses AA and goes through them like a fat kid and a plate of cookies.

#19 kak on 27 Feb 2007 - 14:57

I hope whatever free peripherals they do offer, they offer to first buyers too. Same deal with the new straps.. enter your Wii SN and wait for your package. It would be some serious bs if they shafted people who waited in long lines.

#20 Aleck79 on 27 Feb 2007 - 16:40

I wonder if this would be more of a simple add-on or something deeper and more complex to give the system a little more 'teeth' as compared to XBox 360 and PS3.

Maybe a faster proc/memory but I doubt it.

More likely an inclusion of a HDD or DVD etc.

#21 b_roca on 04 Mar 2007 - 23:15

what about a HDMI slot? or atleast support for higher resolutions. now that would be a real bummer for wii owners

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Neowin.net