Nintendo has today announced plans to release a successor to the Wii next year, following a planned unveiling of the console at this year"s E3. A playable model will be on display alongside final specifications for the as-yet-unnamed successor.
The news comes from the company"s Japanese investor relations website, following months of speculation and supposed information leaks. The most recent of which, the "Screen Stream" controllers, would have players viewing a quarter of a 1080p display on their controller for an improved multiplayer experience. Other rumours include a price point of $400, support for 1080p and stereoscopic 3D, and graphics surpassing that of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Graphical capabilities have long been considered a weak point of the Wii, so this rumour comes as no surprise.
Nintendo has a lot to live up to following the arguably surprising success of the Wii. Recent sales figure place the console as having sold 86 million units, making it the fifth best-selling console of all time. The release of the 3DS has so far enjoyed a warm reception, and Nintendo will most likely be keen to capitalise on the success of the handheld, as well as on the recent influx of 3DTVs to the marketplace, by providing 3DTV support.
The E3 Expo is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on June 7th-9th.