Author Topic: New Wii Hardware Revision Drops GameCube Support (Read 12128 times)

Traveller · « **on:** August 17, 2011, 09:27:12 AM »

The new design is meant to sit horizontally and comes in a two-game bundle.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/27494

A new streamlined version of the Wii will be releasing in the United Kingdom before Christmas.

The console is meant to sit horizontally, with the vertical stand of the original version eliminated. The new system also removes backwards compatibility with GameCube software and accessories.

This new Wii will be sold as part of a new family bundle, which will include Wii Sports and Wii Party, along with a Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk.

FZeroBoyo · « **Reply #1 on:** August 17, 2011, 09:53:02 AM »

Neat.

I would say, "Isn't it a little late for a system revision since the Wii U is coming next year?". Then I remembered that Sony is releasing a new PSP model this fall in lieu of not having the PlayStation Vita ready for launch in North America.

stevey · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2011, 10:26:11 AM »

This doesn't bode well for GC support in the WiiU. (How am I suppose to play SSBB/MKW on the WiiU without a wavebird?)

And besides the logo, I can't see a difference in the 'streamline' console....

Ceric · « **Reply #3 on:** August 17, 2011, 10:42:53 AM »

Quote from: stevey on August 17, 2011, 10:26:11 AM

This doesn't bode well for GC support in the WiiU. (How am I suppose to play SSBB/MKW on the WiiU without a wavebird?)

And besides the logo, I can't see a difference in the 'streamline' console....

Maybe its not as deep?

If it wasn't for GC BC and then Monster Hunter Tri, I probably wouldn't had touched my Wii all this year.

Adrock · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2011, 10:43:25 AM »

I thought Nintendo already confirmed Wii U is not backwards compatible with Gamecube.

MegaByte · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2011, 10:55:26 AM »

Correct.

motang · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2011, 10:56:24 AM »

So Europe is not only getting a downgraded version of PSP but also Wii now.

No word on NA getting this though.

TurdFurgy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2011, 11:48:08 AM »

It's designed to lay horizontal? They're already setting up the Wii U to be confused with the Wii.

UncleBob · « **Reply #8 on:** August 17, 2011, 11:53:59 AM »

Dear Nintendo - We already have plenty of Wii hardware... we need some more games, plz.

Unless... HDMI?

Tanookisuit · « **Reply #9 on:** August 17, 2011, 11:54:14 AM »

Yeah, it looks SO similar to the WiiU. WiiU already needs a redesign.

Chozo Ghost · « **Reply #10 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:05:23 PM »

Quote from: Tanookisuit on August 17, 2011, 11:54:14 AM

Yeah, it looks SO similar to the WiiU. WiiU already needs a redesign.

And a new name.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #11 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:06:36 PM »

I'm pretty sure 90% of the Wii userbase has no idea that the Wii even plays Gamecube games and might not even know what the Gamecube is. Anyone who cares already has a Wii, so it's not really a big deal. Nintendo never drew much attention to the backwards compatibility in the first place. I think they've learned that if you don't have it you can resell the old games.

Chozo Ghost · « **Reply #12 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:22:48 PM »

Quote from: Ian Sane on August 17, 2011, 12:06:36 PM

I'm pretty sure 90% of the Wii userbase has no idea that the Wii even plays Gamecube games and might not even know what the Gamecube is. Anyone who cares already has a Wii, so it's not really a big deal. Nintendo never drew much attention to the backwards compatibility in the first place. I think they've learned that if you don't have it you can resell the old games.

Backwards compatibility serves a purpose in the first few years of a console's life by helping to win over the previous console's user base. Not that the GC had a large user base, mind you, but it was a good thing to have from the time the system launched until about let's say 2008. After that pretty much everyone who cared about that feature already owned it, so Nintendo reasonably could have removed it at that time. I'm surprised it took them this long to cut it out.

I doubt it added much to manufacturing costs, but even if it was only like $5 you figure Nintendo may sell another 20-30 million units, so that adds up to a significant chunk of money saved off manufacturing. It is also highly beneficial to reduce the size and weight of the Wii as much as possible, and taking GC compatibility out was a logical way to achieve that. Not that the Wii was a large or heavy system to begin with, but getting it even smaller is nice.

Adrock · « **Reply #13 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:35:19 PM »

Maybe I'm missing something but why does the redesign look too similar to Wii U? It looks like the Wii to me besides the moved logo. Is it because the packaging is showing the console laying horizontally? Back when Wii U was unveiled, I thought it looked too similar to the Wii so I suppose I'm just confused over the new emphasis on the similarities of redesigned Wii and the Wii U because the redesigned Wii looks identical to the original model. Not sure I'm explaining this well.

ejamer · « **Reply #14 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:40:48 PM »

Agree with Chozo Ghost, also wonder why the EU Release List is discussed in this article - anyone else seeing that?

Adrock · « **Reply #15 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:33:04 PM »

Apparently, the redesign is only officially announced for Europe. I could have sworn I read an article stating that NOA said they currently have no plans to release it but I can't find the article now.

Discostew · « **Reply #16 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:35:22 PM »

Quote from: Adrock on August 17, 2011, 12:35:19 PM

Maybe I'm missing something but why does the redesign look too similar to Wii U? It looks like the Wii to me besides the moved logo. Is it because the packaging is showing the console laying horizontally? Back when Wii U was unveiled, I thought it looked too similar to the Wii so I suppose I'm just confused over the new emphasis on the similarities of redesigned Wii and the Wii U because the redesigned Wii looks identical to the original model. Not sure I'm explaining this well.

Well, the WiiU isn't finalized yet, so there is a possibility that the final design won't look so much like a Wii.

broodwars · « **Reply #17 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:35:39 PM »

Quote from: Adrock on August 17, 2011, 01:33:04 PM

Apparently, the redesign is only officially announced for Europe. I could have sworn I read an article stating that NOA said they currently have no plans to release it but I can't find the article now.

The article's up on Destructoid.

MegaByte · « **Reply #18 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:37:39 PM »

Quote from: ejamer on August 17, 2011, 12:40:48 PM

Agree with Chozo Ghost, also wonder why the EU Release List is discussed in this article - anyone else seeing that?

That's because the official news of the redesign was buried at the bottom of that press release.

BlackNMild2k1 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:53:12 PM »

For every one saying that the new Wii looks even more like the Wii U now....

I have to say, how? It looks identical to the Wii other than the logo.
(agreeing with Adrock)

The Wii U shared a similar look with the Wii, but there is no way you can say that the revised Wii looks more like the Wii U when nothing (immediately obvious) about it's appearance has changed other than the position of the logo and the fact that it's not being sat up vertically.

Chozo Ghost · « **Reply #20 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:54:21 PM »

Quote from: MegaByte on August 17, 2011, 01:37:39 PM

Quote from: ejamer on August 17, 2011, 12:40:48 PM
Agree with Chozo Ghost, also wonder why the EU Release List is discussed in this article - anyone else seeing that?
That's because the official news of the redesign was buried at the bottom of that press release.

It makes sense that this is a revision Nintendo wouldn't really want to draw much attention to, because its not the sort of revision that adds anything new. Its taking something away. Not a big deal, but to some people it looks bad I guess.

Kytim89 · « **Reply #21 on:** August 17, 2011, 02:10:09 PM »

Nintendo should have increased the internal flash memory to 2GB and added extra features that the older Wii missed out on during its release.

TJ Spyke · « **Reply #22 on:** August 17, 2011, 02:14:54 PM »

Quote from: stevey on August 17, 2011, 10:26:11 AM

This doesn't bode well for GC support in the WiiU. (How am I suppose to play SSBB/MKW on the WiiU without a wavebird?)

Both games had 3 other control options: Wii Remote, Wii Remote + Nunchuk, Classic Controller.

Not a chance HDMI will be added, what would be the point when the system can't display higher than 480p anyways? Kytim, no chance. The whole point of removing the GCN stuff is to save money, adding more flash memory would add cost and wouldn't really benefit them.

BlackNMild2k1 · « **Reply #23 on:** August 17, 2011, 02:21:24 PM »

Adding more flash might actually save them money.

I can't think of a single device that is using 512MB of flash other than the Wii. If they used a chip that was being mass produced in higher quantities (like 2GB), then it might actually be cheaper to produce and therefore save them some more pennies in the long run.

A flash bump to 2GBs might have happened if the 3DS was a bigger success since it also uses 2GB flash chips. Having the Wii and 3DS use the same flash chip would drive the price of that chip down a lot faster through mass production.

MegaByte · « **Reply #24 on:** August 17, 2011, 02:25:14 PM »

I wouldn't be surprised if they are using larger chips, just with parts disabled.

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Author Topic: New Wii Hardware Revision Drops GameCube Support (Read 12128 times)