Various development sources have confirmed to IGNcube that preliminary talks about the successor to GameCube have begun. Nintendo has allegedly told studios to prepare for a "spring 2005" release for the still-unnamed next-generation console.
Asked if they had received any official documentation for the machine, all software houses contacted said no.
Nintendo has repeatedly stated that it would not be the last hardware manufacturer out of the gates with its next console. In an interview with IGNcube, Nintendo of America"s vice president of corporate affairs Perrin Kaplan stated that the company would come to market at the same time or perhaps even before its rivals.
Industry analysts believe that Sony, underway with the tentatively titled PlayStation 3, is the furthest along with its platform, but that the firm -- content with still-strong sales of PlayStation 2 -- may be in no rush to debut its technical successor.
Several development houses admitted to IGNcube that they have already started work on games for the next round of consoles, but none would confirm whether or not they are targeting Nintendo"s machine with their games.