—
No Wii Successor Yet, Says Iwata - Wii News at IGN: Strictly from a console hardware perspective, the Wii being so underpowered compared to the 360 and PS3 is what has people wondering when Nintendo will release a successor. But here’s how I think Nintendo sees it: we sold a Balance Board with Wii Fit and made a mint. We sold MotionPlus as an add-on, then as a new controller with it built in, and we’re making a mint off that, too. If third-party developers leverage the success these two peripherals enable technologically, the Wii has plenty gas left to run another couple years. Who knows what other accessories Nintendo has in mind for the Wii. A camera, a la DSi/3DS? Who knows.
The big question is whether, in Iwata’s words, developers can continue to “offer surprises” on the Wii. The trouble is, when they do, will it sell? Take Red Steel 2 for example.
The Wii is still a very different experience from the other consoles, but can it still inspire developers who yearn for more raw horsepower to capture the world’s attention? It’s a hard road for developers to walk, and it seems like a harder and harder sell for Nintendo to position.
