Topic: Streamlined (GC-less) Wii coming for Xmas

[BlackNMild2k1]

A new redesigned Wii is being introduced this Xmas.
http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/29576/new-wii-console-coming-before-christmas/

The new Wii features a slight reconfiguration where the system is designed to sit horizontally and not vertically and has removed all features necessary to play GC games. This mean no more dual format disc slot and no more GC game and mem card ports.

The new Wii Bundle will be available in White and come with Wii Sports, Wii Party and a Wiimote+ w/ Nunchuck






notice how the Wii logo is now horizontal instead of the usual vertical positioning.


source of pic: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-17-new-wii-loses-back-compatibility

[Adrock]

I tried using Gamecube backwards compatibility in the beginning and it allegedly fried my memory card. I can't say for certain but it definitely seemed that way. It got corrupted and was beyond repair once I used it on the Wii. After that, I went back to Gamecrazy and bought repurchased my Gamecube. I pretty much only used the legacy ports to play Brawl with the Gamecube controller.

Depending on the price, I may buy one of these and put the Homebrew channel on one of my Wii consoles. I'd like to have one legitimate console.

[Chozo Ghost]

I have been predicting something like this for a long time and I'm surprised it took this long. The GC only sold like 21 million units LTD. There's only so many GC games and accessories in circulation, so the number of Wiis capable of GC backwards compatibility is far in excess of the actual games and stuff so it was kinda redundant. I bet 90% of Wii owners never even used that feature, and probably just about as many were probably ignorant that it was even there... so it was just a big waste to keep including it for so long.

I am curious how much removing all the GC stuff will shave off of the manufacturing costs. I'm guessing it might be like $20 or something. Could be more or less than that, but even if it was only $5, considering how little it mattered its just as well to take it out.

[Adrock]

Apparently, the new redesigned Wii model is currently only official in the UK. I'd be really surprised if it didn't make it to other territories.

I wonder how much of the parts are changed in this revision. Did Nintendo just remove the Gamecube ports? Are the parts modified to no longer handle Gamecube games (i.e. No GCN mode in the chipsets, the disc drive doesn't accept GCN optical discs)? Maybe that could shave off some manufacturing costs. I'm not claiming it does; just speculating.

Seems odd to introduce this so late in the life cycle though maybe Nintendo is trying to jump start sales with a new model, even though, from the one picture, it looks exactly the same besides the repositioned logo.

[Chozo Ghost]

Seems odd to introduce this so late in the life cycle

It actually seems to be a common practice. Nintendo released a revision of the NES well after the SNES was released, and they also released the GBA Micro like a year after the DS was released. I also know Sony released a revision of the original playstation sometime after the PS2 was out, and I think the PS2 slim thing came out after the PS3 but I'm not 100% on that.

Anyway, the Wii U isn't even out yet and probably won't be for another year or so, but I don't think Nintendo is going to pull the plug on the Wii even after the successor is out. As long as it sells they will probably continue to manufacture it and sell it. Hell, Sony is still manufacturing and selling PS2s so....

[that Baby guy]

I feel like I've heard a bunch of this before...

[Adrock]

Thanks for the history lesson. I'm aware that Nintendo has released revisions late in their hardware's life cycle, but they've also introduced them earlier (i.e. SP, Lite).

[BlackNMild2k1]

I think if this revision does go world wide, NoA probably won't say anything about it until the last moment since it basically just removes features that almost no one was using anyways. If they said nothing at all, almost no one would have noticed outside of not vertical stand in the box.

It would be nice if they included an HDMI port on the back though.
and maybe some increased internal storage. It's gotta be costing more to keep going with such small flash chips that don't get manufactured for anything besides the Wii.

[TJ Spyke]

What would be the point of including an HDMI port? The system can't display higher than 480p anyways. This won't affect me since I don't plan to replace my Wii, but I wonder how people who would want to use a GCN controller feel? I preferred the GCN controller for Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii.

Chozo, the slimlime PlayStation 2 was released in October 2004.

[BlackNMild2k1]

HDMI would streamline the back of my TV and allow the Wii to be hooked up directly to many monitors.

[Chozo Ghost]

I think if this revision does go world wide, NoA probably won't say anything about it until the last moment since it basically just removes features that almost no one was using anyways. If they said nothing at all, almost no one would have noticed outside of not vertical stand in the box.

What they would probably do is trumpet it as a new and enhanced streamlined and more compact version of the Wii, but they probably wouldn't say a single word about the GC compatibility being cut out. Or if they did it would be in very fine print buried under everything else so that no one would notice.

[Chozo Ghost]

HDMI would streamline the back of my TV and allow the Wii to be hooked up directly to many monitors.

Yeah, HDMI is cool because you just plug one connection in and it handles the video and audio and everything. Its much simpler and less cluttered than messing with RCA cables or (heaven forbid) composite cables. Even if it isn't doing HD its still cool.

Plus it would probably fool a lot of gullible people who would mistakenly think the Wii is now capable of HD just because of the HDMI output and buy it even though there's no difference. So Nintendo would profit off sales due to ignorance.

[Mop it up]

Didn't the GameCube sell worst of all in Europe? If so, it would make sense it is the first place to drop GameCube support.

I'd buy this system if I had some way to transfer all of my data. Make it happen, Nintendo.

[MegaByte]

HDMI has a licensing fee. Given that they're removing components to cut costs and their reluctance to support movie disc licensing, there's no expectation that Nintendo would add the port to the Wii.

[Chozo Ghost]

Didn't the GameCube sell worst of all in Europe?

I think the Gamecube sold worst of all in every region, except for Japan where it was 2nd due to the Xbox doing very poorly there.

[TJ Spyke]

I think Mop was saying that Europe was the worst region for the GameCube in terms of sales (like how North America was best)/

[Chozo Ghost]

I think Mop was saying that Europe was the worst region for the GameCube in terms of sales (like how North America was best)/

Ah, okay. Well Europe doesn't seem to be the strongest market for any console. Maybe Europeans are more into PC gaming, but I don't think consoles have ever been as big there as they are in NA or Japan.