Topic: First Revolution Details

[RickPowers]

Perrin Kaplan drops some tiny details on Revolution the night of the Xbox 360 reveal.

By now, everyone knows just about everything there is to know about Xbox 360.  Nintendo, on the other hand, has kept a fairly tight lid on the details of their next console, codenamed Revolution.  All that has been known until now is that it will feature wireless connectivity, similar to the Nintendo DS.    

Today, Perrin Kaplan (Nintendo's Vice President of Corporate Affairs) has divulged some info about Revolution to The New York Times.  The article is mostly about Xbox 360, but Kaplan did give some interesting information on two facets of Revolution, including it's size, described as horizontal, and no taller than three stacked DVD cases.  That's pretty small, but why use DVD cases as a frame of reference?  The answer will make many Nintendo fans quite happy.    

Unlike GameCube, the new system will play DVD's, Ms. Kaplan said, and will feature a wireless controller. It will play GameCube games as well as a new class of high-definition games, with new emphasis on online play.    

Gamers, rejoice.

[RickPowers]

I'm personally betting on Nintendo adopting HD-DVD as it's disc format for Revolution, which would indeed allow playback of standard DVD discs (as well as GameCube discs, based on the same technology), and DVD playback is an added bonus

As for standard wireless controllers, it's great to have that confirmed, but it was pretty much as expected, given Nintendo's fantastic Wave Birds.

The real gem here was the high-definition comment, something Nintendo was cautious about with GameCube. Microsoft has certainly raised the bar, and there is a certain amount of parity in terms of features that gamers will expect.

If you read between the lines a bit, however, there is more cause to be excited. If Perrin is willing to start talking about the size of the unit, that means the hardware must be nearly finalized, so there is little reason that Nintendo would continue to hold back the system at E3.

Five days left ...

[Savior]

I cant wait to see it, if its that tiny they have to have a mockup or something at E3...


more? playable? who knows, Shock the World Nintendo!  

[Ian Sane]

This is a little more detailed than what IGN reported.  Wireless controllers and DVD playback?  That's okay with me.  I hope they do the controllers like the Xbox 360 which apparently allows you to plug the controllers into the console to charge the battery and play games at the same time (an idea they OBVIOUSLY stole from me).

Rick's right though.  If they know the size then they've got something pretty finalized.  Kaplin couldn't say anything if all they had was a dev kit.

This blurb of news was perfect timing.  Everyone saw the Xbox 360 and went "meh" so Nintendo releases some minor info and everyone's excited.

[BigJim]

We don't necessarily need HD media to play "HD games." Xbox 360 only uses DVD9 also.  Chances are the blu-ray capacity in PS3 will go to waste more than not.

Modern PC games like Half Life 2 fit on a DVD and look killer in high-res modes.

There's definitely a lot of hardware parity with Xbox here. Nintendo can't give consumers any excuse to dismiss Revolution. While I hoped for a shockingly small mac mini-sized unit, it may be considered a "toy" to some again.

[Bill Aurion]

Wireless better be through an adapter like the GC...I want my cord controllers!

[BlackNMild2k1]

Bill, No Longer shall you be tethered to the machine!!! As Nintendo gave a sample of this generation, they shall put into full stride next generation, Nintendo shall set you FREE!!

say it with me now,

Nintendo shall set you FREE!! [/preacher mode]

[StrikerObi]

Quote
Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
Wireless better be through an adapter like the GC...I want my cord controllers!

If anything it'll probably be like Xbox 360. Wireless with an option to wire it to the sytem to charge. Though, if you look on the Xbox 360 website you'll see that they are also planning a corded controller.

[MaleficentOgre]

cords are for poo poo heads.  the truest test of skill is betting a button masher (bloody roar 4) while in the bathroom (with the tv in the living room.

[Bill Aurion]

Then I, sir, am a poo poo head!  I just like having the option if I so wish it... (Uh oh, that sounded like Ian-speak! Arg!)

[ThePerm]

"Wireless with an option to wire it to the sytem to charge." you know i bet they were browsing
OUR forums when they found that idea...i could have sworn somebody came up with it here.


SIZE COMPARISON

http://theperm.tetrametrics.com/Images/revolution.jpg

3 dvd cases next to a gamecube

[BigJim]

FYI: To put it into perspective, the DS is about 1.25" thick also. There's hella power in that little Revolution.

Someone had to say it...  What if Revolution could double as a pseudo-portable, with optional battery and screen? It'd cost a lot more than PSP total, but.... damn my imagination to Hell.

But if they did it with GameCube, it just seems even more possible with Revolution. I'd say a console/portable hybrid could be revolutionary... Makes the idea of speaking to other Revolutions and the DS more interesting.

[ThePerm]

previously reported quotes from Squares Iwata

The stance Square Enix takes on the new networking plan in relation to Revolution is the most intriguing. "What increased our interest further," states Wada regarding the networking plan, "is that the next step is already being prepared for Revolution." Nintendo's networking plan is, according to Wada, "not just a portable, not just a console -- it's exactly what we wanted in that it's the birth of a completely new platform."

Wada finishes off on the note of support from Square Enix: "From here on, we'll have to challenge ourselves with content in response to what Nintendo offers. We would like to give strong support."

[Bill Aurion]

Your comparison is a little misleading, Permy...You have a GameBoy Player!

[TheYoungerPlumber]

I don't know what to say, so, uh.  SHINE GET.

[Savior]

I doubt its a hybrid.... well i dont nececarily doubt it...


When the Third Pillar was announced i thought it would have been a hybrid, based on the fact that Nintendo had those LCD Screens at E3...


but i dont nececarily believe it can be that realistic...  especially when it comes to battery concerns.


I also dont think its that 3D Glasses thing so who knows

[Robageejammin]

I would have gone to E3 this year if it wasnt for that stupid Art history final which falls exactly on E3 and which the professor happened to specifically say "dont even think about planning any trips that day". Ugh, its gonna be one heck of an E3

anyway, very exciting stuff. Not drowning in hapiness over the whole DVD thing though. Its cool but i feel like Nintendo's thing was to go against the whole "turning video games into extreme media devices" idea. Now its like they were just kinda late with it.

But whatevers good for the biz i guess

[Gamefreak]

That's nice and all... welcome to 2000 Nintendo.

I'm way more excited about the 360 at this point. I hope Nintendo can compete at E3. Just get the online service right, and keep up technologically....

[PaLaDiN]

Apparently Matt IGN is excited about Revolution.

Which is cool, because he said in some mailbag that if he started showing excitement for the Rev, we'd know it would be good.

Which is crappy, because whatever excites Matt IGN is likely to suck.

[pudu]

Well after being unbelievably dissapointed by that lame MTV xbox 360 "special" this news is 28.34 times as intersting and exciting.  (I'm not saying the next xbox is doomed...I'm saying that special SUCKED).  Those quotes from Iwata coupled by this news and the small form factor of the revolution...could Nintendo have made it more confusing?  They not only have kept the specs and info away from the media but also have us on wild goose chase.  I've never heard so many outlandishly strange rumors and ideas before a console launch as for the Revolution.  Now we wait for E3 where one of 2 things can happen:

1. They surprise us beyond our wildess expectations and ACTUALLY deliver, crushing the competition with it's innovative approach
2.  They release something like the DS with very mixed reviews and opinions and create an even smaller niche for themselves this next gen.
(there would be a third option where they match the xbox 360 in most ways and deliver another plain jane console with the same old features but this simply isn't going to happen)

Anyway I am REALLY hopping they throw us a bone at E3...otherwise I will finally have proven my suspicion they get some sort of sick pleasure out of teasing us fans...revealing promises of greatness and then chuckling as we all go nutts, pulling speculation out of the smallest news as we disect it to death :S  

[Darkheart]

I dunno NInty's usually good at hinting at whats to come.  That whole extra screen concept for the DS pretty much arrived from their whole gameboy/gamecube interactivity.  Just think about it the reason fourswords and FFCC can be ported to the DS so easily is because its the same concept.  So I wonder if when the rev is released we will be all like "wth why didnt we see this comin?"  I dunno thats just my concept tho. . . . .

[King of Twitch]

If it's going to be that small, maybe they could put suction cups on the bottom of it so I can stick it to the side of my TV and save even more space.  

[Darkheart]

Quote
If it's going to be that small, maybe they could put suction cups on the bottom of it so I can stick it to the side of my TV and save even more space

Bad Bad things will come of that especially nicknames:


SuckyBox
LeechCube
TehSuxoors
Suctocube


BJcube   <--- motto for it  " Yes yes its what we call nintendo's revolution; the Bjcube, the first game system to suck, yet bring you happiness and pleasure like never before"  Insert Reggie Rant  

[King of Twitch]

I can hear the commercial now... nanan nanana nana Bat-Cube

[ThePerm]

http://theperm.tetrametrics.com/Images/mockup2.jpg