How do you think might me the sucessor of Wii?

[wiifan75]

Wii_R2_Hardcore said:
I think Nintendo will become conservative next gen. After all, if it isn´t broken why fix it? So they will probably create an advanced version of the Wii. HD resolution, Wireless M+ nunchuck and M+ Wiimote. It will be cheap, healthy, family centered, cooperative and inclusive. It will be fully retrocompatible and the online service will be improved. Even though they will still be focused on games, (some of them weird, those some people call non-games) they may scratch the multimedia living room market (music and video) as an obvious included feature for a console.

Microsoft and Sony are going to have to options: to be similar to Nintendo (mii too) or to differenciate from it (go after the hardcore or traditional gamers market).

Next-gen will be interesting. I hope Nintendo don't become arrogant. And being Microsoft and Sony bigger corporations they will sure bet a lot of money in the next round of the console wars. I also hope they understand that the most important thing are the innovation in games. Upgrading the machines when you are not the leader is just not enough. Actually, if you only do that and go way too far you are going to have another PS3, great machine but way too expensive. In few words: Microsoft and Sony must choose a marketing strategy in relation to Nintendo and create real innovations in the games.

I agree with you on most of this but disagree on a couple that I'd like to note.

Nintendo I think will stay focused on gaming so I don't see music and video entering into the mix.  That's what has made their consoles more affordable...the fact that they aren't playing media center like the other two are.

I agree with the type of system you describe though with motionplus wireless remote and nunchuks.  That should be an obvious direction for them I think but who knows.  I also see them bumping up the hardware to accommodate the changes that are taking place.  The world is not HD yet and there still aren't enough households with the tech in the living room to fully realize the benefits of the current HD consoles.  I would bet a lot of people still use the 3 RCA jacks for connection of audio/video.

As far as MS & SCEA making a choice of the two options you gave, I see them being similar to Nintendo in the fact that I don't see them pushing the boundaries any further at the moment.  3D gaming with goggles or something just won't connect in a few years with consumers considering they are still wading slowly into HD now.  I think they will be similar by keeping specs similar to what they are now, focusing on manufacturing methods to eliminate current problems that still exist, and pushing there R&D into the motion area like they are now but with more money.  They all want to be that Monopoly box in the closet.  Not because it's the best approach for their gaming ideas but because it will be the most profitable option at the moment.  I see MS pushing Natal now like they pushed the hardware box itself.  I think there will be multiple versions of Natal over the next several years.  As for Sony, they will do the same or not push hardware anymore either.  The cell processor still needs to be realized by all developers to maximize what it offers now.  Maybe both will see graphic card updates but the guts will be the same I think.  Sony will push their "wiimote" all the way while saying it's "MORE than a wiimote".  Nintendo gets knocked a lot because they didn't give us true 1:1 in the wiimote on introduction but they are smart because they gave us what was affordable.  It worked great and it created a whole new way of gaming that is pretty damn cool.  That Sony has a device giving 1:1 3 years later is great but Nintendo is giving it to us now also.  It's become more affordable for them to market and sell.  Nintendo was good at creating a great experience with a great profit margin.  The others will focus on that next time.  MS doesn't stress about losing money on each console like it originally did but Sony can't keep that pace with them for long.  They aren't sitting on the same amount of cash.  They will make their next devices with profit in mind from introduction.

The second part of that was if they would differentiate themselves from Nintendo.  That has already been answered.  They both knew that nintendo was going motion control and they constantly said it was a fad, a gimmick, and that Nintendo wasn't a threat.  We know that was bull and arrogant considering their approaches now to make themselves similar to Nintendo.  MS has a drastically different approach to it but Sony is just copying the wiimote and pushing further (so they tell us).  Natal will be neat to see and play with when it's available to consumers but as far as Sony's offering of their control, it's just a Wiimote with MotionPlus to me right now.

If Nintendo takes the approach I hope for, then they will bring the Wii to a more comparable product with the PS360s.  That will give gamers and critics less to gripe about and give developers more equal hardware to work with.  And Nintendo can do it now because after the pushes that MS and Sony made, that hardware is more affordable now in it's existence than it certainly was when it was in creation.  MS and Sony already spent all the R&D in that area.  It's developed. Now I think it would be more affordable to implement in a new Wii successor.