TheLivingShadow said:
How about a console that entirely relies on itself (I mean NO OTHER hardware, not even controllers!) and nothing else? Besides being able to run DVDs or Blu-Rays or whatever capable disc format, it would also produce the sound and the visuals (using a projector as part of the console). What about the controllers? Well, I have a simple answer: Kinect-like control.
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Nintendo would never ship a Wii succesor without a controller. Controller-less gaming is nice as a gimmick, but if the console did not come with a controller it would completely eliminate backwards compatibility to all previous systems, and controller-less gaming makes only sense for a narrow range of games (dance / fitness games / minigame collections etc.)
But I think you are indeed thinking into a right direction and that the Wii successor will be shipping with an EyeToy-like video camera/microphone combination. It won't be Kinect-like technology because that Kinect's technology is simply way too expensive and would seem too much like copying Microsoft. It will be a stereoscopic camera/microphone like the one rumoured for the PS3. It would enable lots of things not possible with the Wii right now at a very cheap production price. It would be rather innovative too, as stereoscopic cameras are still not that widespread. And one couldn't even say that Nintendo is stealing ideas from Move or Kinect, as the Nintendo DSi has already been using cameras and microphones for some time and Kinect and Move both don't use a stereoscopic camera. And the device would be more interesting to game developers to support it since every console owner would have it, not just some as it is with an optional device like Microsoft Kinect/Playstation Move. Being a stereoscopic camera also makes it just perfectly equipped for when 3DTVs really kick off. And it would theoretically even allow for many things possible with the Kinect camera, as two cameras can be used for depth recognition as well, though it would need more processing power than the Kinect camera. Nintendo will probably stick to a Nintendo Wii-like, left and right hand split motion-sensored wireless controller, and the controller might even use Move-like glowing balls (I'm not sure about that part though, the copying from Sony Move would most probably be too obvious).
The Wii successor may very well have other, maybe even bigger innovations as well (apart from the obvious things like HD and 3D capability), but I'm rather sure it will have this. Only problem is that the Xbox 360 successor will also be shipping with a similar camera and the PS3 successor will probably do as well, so Nintendo should be first to market so it will seem like Sony and Microsoft are copying their concept. But that just fits in perfectly, as Nintendo will most probably be the first to announce a new console anyway. The Wii is technically simply becoming a bit outdated and unlike Microsoft and Sony, they do not have the motivation of keeping the current generation as long as possible because they didn't make massive losses on hardware in the beginning.