Nintendo have finally given a date for their next games console, that year will be 2005.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata had this to say in a Japanese interview today:
"We are developing a new home video game console with a plan to release the new system around the same time as rival makers do,"
"We will get ready for a battle in 2005 although foreign game developers are now saying that rival next-generation systems won"t come until 2006,"
Sony and Microsoft have already announced they plan to launch their machines in 2005 and Mircosoft are firmly stating they will be first in the "next-generation" console war.
Iwata stated clearly that Nintendo do not plan on quiting the gaming industry yet. He said during the interview, "When we withdraw from the home game console, that"s when we withdraw from the video game business."
Nintendo"s current attitude is different from Microsoft"s and Sony"s but it is unknown if they will continue with the "games only" console or go for the "home entertainment" type.