Lets face it, folks--the Wii has been an obsolete piece of technology for quite some time now. Sure, when it was first released, the Wii was a revolution. Its motion controlled gameplay was fresh and novel, and brought in a whole new audience of casual gamers. But after the dust settled, I think we were all left a bit underwhelmed. Outside of a few stellar first-party titles, there just isnt much to play on Nintedo's little white box. And given the Wiis stunted technological capabilities (standard def graphics, no DVD/Bluray support, limited online functionality), it simply cant reach a hardcore audience and compete on the same level as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
But it seems Nintendo has taken note, and over the past week or so, rumors about their next home console have emerged. While very little has actually been confirmed, what we think we know is this: Nintendos new console is codenamed "Project Cafe," and it is rumored that the system will actually be called the Nintendo Stream. The system can allegedly output in 1080p HD, with triple-core procesaing capability well beyond that of the 360 and PS3. Nintendo will also be reverting to a more traditional control scheme, with a dual-stick controller very reminiscent of the 360's current controller, but with one major difference: the inclusion of a six inch touchscreen on the face of the controller. Imagine taking your iphone a crazy gluing it to the center of your Xbox controller and you get the idea. It is also rumored that the Stream will be backward compatible with old Wii titles, meaning your bevy of Wiimotes wont just gather dust. It has also been rumored that the Stream will retail for ~$350-$400, and is slated for an early 2012 release date--well ahead of the competitions' next generation of consoles.
But what does this all really mean? Well, from a gameplay perspective, a whole darn lot. Anyone who owns a Nintendo DS can attest to the value of a second touchscreen. Take, for example, a game like The Legend of Zelda. The main character has a large inventory of weapons and items to alternate between, and also must constantly check his map to make sure he is headed in the right direction. Normally, this would force the player to constantly flip back and forth between the game screen and the pause screen, greatly slowing down the game's pace. With the addition of a second screen, however, all of this switching can be done on the fly, as the second screen can persistently display the player's inventory and map. This also cleans up a lot of screen real estate, as cluttered user-interfaces could be replaced completely through the use of a second display. Further, this touchscreen could be used for context-sensitive buttons, or could replace otherwise complicated button presses (such as special moves in a fighting game like Street Fighter). Furthermore, it has been rumored that players will be able to stream games directly to the controller's screen, turning it into a consolidated hand-held gaming device (hence the console's name). This means your roommate can watch TV while you play on your Stream without one interfering with the other.
Let's keep in mind, however, that this is mostly rumors, as very little about the system has actually been confirmed by Nintendo. However, we do know for sure that it will be playable this year at E3, so most--if not all--of our questions should be answered at Nintendo's press conference. Either way, this is very exciting stuff for us Nintendo faithfuls who have stuck with the Big N through the past two generations, as it may lead to a recapture of a more hardcore, mature gamer audience. For more information about the Stream, check out IGN's list of rumors.
But it seems Nintendo has taken note, and over the past week or so, rumors about their next home console have emerged. While very little has actually been confirmed, what we think we know is this: Nintendos new console is codenamed "Project Cafe," and it is rumored that the system will actually be called the Nintendo Stream. The system can allegedly output in 1080p HD, with triple-core procesaing capability well beyond that of the 360 and PS3. Nintendo will also be reverting to a more traditional control scheme, with a dual-stick controller very reminiscent of the 360's current controller, but with one major difference: the inclusion of a six inch touchscreen on the face of the controller. Imagine taking your iphone a crazy gluing it to the center of your Xbox controller and you get the idea. It is also rumored that the Stream will be backward compatible with old Wii titles, meaning your bevy of Wiimotes wont just gather dust. It has also been rumored that the Stream will retail for ~$350-$400, and is slated for an early 2012 release date--well ahead of the competitions' next generation of consoles.
Let's keep in mind, however, that this is mostly rumors, as very little about the system has actually been confirmed by Nintendo. However, we do know for sure that it will be playable this year at E3, so most--if not all--of our questions should be answered at Nintendo's press conference. Either way, this is very exciting stuff for us Nintendo faithfuls who have stuck with the Big N through the past two generations, as it may lead to a recapture of a more hardcore, mature gamer audience. For more information about the Stream, check out IGN's list of rumors.
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