A Crapton Of "Wii 2" (Project Cafe) Rumors Surface
News - Rumors
Written by Jayce Diaz Thursday, April 21 2011 11:31
Nintendo is more than likely working on a successor to the Wii. That's not blind speculation, it's common sense. The Wii, as strong as it once was, just isn't selling like it used to, and there's been a serious game drought for the console that's been going on for a while now.
If these rumors are to be believed, though, Nintendo is close to announcing the console (tentatively named Project Cafe) at this years' E3. Keep reading to check out all the juicy rumors.
Emily Rogers of Gameolosophy first posted this news, which has been circulating the net ever since. She claims to have some serious connections at Nintendo, which have apparently been proven in the past. While some of these rumors may not be 100% accurate (as most rumors turn out to be), I'd wager that they're at least on the right track.
A large number of companies already have dev kits for the system. Square Enix, Capcom, Sega, Konami, Activision, Rockstar/Take Two, Electronic Arts, Namco and Ubisoft all have kits, and reportedly already have projects in development.
Nintendo really wants heavy third party support, to the point where they may not even have first party games at launch. Sounds a bit ludicrous, but in Nintendo's case it would make sense. Hopefully this means we'll see a bigger push for mature, story-driven games on the console.
Nintendo's new controller, which allegedly includes an HD screen in the center, is said to make more sense once it's in your hands. A leaked (and of course possibly fake) design document shows a much more standard layout for buttons and analog sticks. It also seems that the controller will have built-in motion contols, thought more in the sense of a gyroscope as opposed to pointing.
There is a new Star Fox game in development, though it is too early to say if it'll be shown or even mentioned at E3. Pikmin 3 is also slated for the system.
Nintendo is going for a different storage solution with this console. Whether it means a hard drive or something else is unknown.
Wiiware is supposedly over and done with. Expect a different but similar service with the Wii 2.
While this new console is expected to be revealed at E3, the majority of their conference will focus on the 3DS. The Wii 2 won't be on shelves until at least late 2012, so Nintendo is going to make damn sure that the 3DS owns this holiday season. I wouldn't bank on seeing too many games in action at E3, but the system itself should be pretty exposed.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is seen by many in the industry as the Wii's swan song. With a new console coming out, it would seem like it's fated for another Twilight Princess-like situation where it saw a release on two different consoles. Apparently, Nintendo doesn't want that, and is sticking to its guns when it says that the game will only be released on the original Wii.
Some third party games include a new Resident Evil, a Rockstar game rumored to be Grand Theft Auto V, and a Hideo Kojima title.
Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios is reportedly hard at work on a game for the system. It is said that it's most likely not another Metroid game, though.
The majority of these rumors sound pretty reliable. In fact, I really only have doubts about Nintendo purposely limiting first party support. However, if you look at the 3DS's launch, it was lacking in that department.
In the meantime, check out a few of the design mockups that made their way to 4Chan, and eventually onto Destructoid:
More Project Cafe rumors (Gameolosophy)
Huge load of Wii successor/Project Cafe rumors (Destructoid)
better be 100% compatible with Wii AND gamecube games. it'd be the ultimate system if they are smart to do it. Oh and better allow for transferring things we downloaded on the Wii to the "Wii2"