Revolution Details By End of Year

Reuters is reporting that Nintendo will announce the price, launch date, and further details about their next generation console by the end of this year. Their tight-lipped attitude this E3 is apparently an attempt to ensure they don't tip their hand to rivals. From the article: "Some gamers and industry analysts had criticized Nintendo for providing sparse details on the new machine, comparing it to Sony and Microsoft's unveiling of slicker, graphic-intense next-generation machines...Iwata said the new console is aimed at customers who hate clutter and find current games and the controllers used to play them to be confusing and difficult."

Comments

I don't blame them

[NanoGator]

"Their tight-lipped attitude this E3 is apparently an attempt to ensure they don't tip their hand to rivals."

I can forgive them for that. Shortly after announcing the N-64, the PS1 got the Dual Shock controller and the Saturn got an analog controller.

"Iwata said the new console is aimed at customers who hate clutter and find current games and the controllers used to play them to be confusing and difficult."

Normally I would have called bullshit. But then I thought about some of the 'fun' I've had playing San Andreas lately. Hitting the correct shoulder button is an exercise in "Dammit!". I keep hitting the L3 button by accident whenever I make a sharp turn. (Oh, brilliant design there, Sony. Put a button where I can accidently hit it a LOT.) Then I played that damn dancing level where the button shapes would fly by and I had to hit the right one. Yeah Sony, thanks for using heiroglyphics for your button labels.

Yeah, I'm ready for simpler. I'm also really hoping that the gyro rumor is true. Analog sticks just don't cut it with shooting games.

Re:I don't blame them

[NanoGator]

" I have never had a problem accidentally hitting shoulder buttons."

Oops, sorry dude, I thought I had deleted my comment on shoulder buttons.

Well, maybe you can memorize button commands really quickly. Fine for you. However, when you're playing a game and one of the shoulder buttons is 'fire' and the other one is 'turn', it actually is quite easy to hit the wrong button. I don't mean "I hit R1 instead of R2", but rather "Uh.. wait, what does R1 do and what does R2 do?"

The problem with two shoulder buttons on each side is that they're rarely used intuitively. They're often used for secondary functions, as opposed to using them because their placement implies that function.

Re:I don't blame them

[NanoGator]

"I know that Nintendo has a reputation for being tight lipped but I think that in their current situation, they have more to gain be announcing details..."

What could they have to gain? Right now, the XBOX 360 and the PS3 are BFD's. If Nintendo announced details now, they'd be competing with those two. (The fun part of that is that for Nintendo to keep up, they'd have to make up numbers like Sony and MS are.) If Nintendo waits a couple of months instead, they'd have the benefit of the PS3 and XBOX 360 being old news.

Nintendo doesn't need a year of hype. (It certainly doesn't need it early enough for the competition to rip off their ideas.) When SpaceWorld debuted the GameCube, lots of people had already made up their minds they were going to get it. They didn't need 12 months to sit on the idea.

Re:Clutter

[Gr33nNight]

What if the controllers are rechargable like the GBA-SP? You get 30 hours of play time before you have to recharge. Sounds good to me.

Re:Clutter

[Gallandro]

I agree with you there. Conceptually, a wireless controller is a Good Thing, but there are a lot of cases where I would greatly prefer a wired controller. Especially with little kids around my house. Right now my Xbox controllers are tethered to the machine, but who knows where the little wretches will take controllers not connected to anything.

I just hope the controllers on the new systems come with a 'page' feature like cordless phones do. Fat chance of that.

Re:User Interface

[rayde]

hey, if you remember the Atari, that's how it used to be!! maybe they'll just use an old atari joystick and give it bluetooth support or something.

Re:Trust me, guys.

[KDR_11k]

Touchscreens can report only one button press at a time and lack tactile feedback, not even Super Mario Bros. would be playable on that since you'd want to hold run AND jump.