[UPDATE] "Streamlined" hardware set for Europe this year, but Nintendo of America has no plans to bring new bundle stateside; updated Wii to sit horizontally, lose backward compatibility with GameCube.
The Wii system turns five years old later this year, and Nintendo believes it's about due for a face-lift. The company's European arm today announced that it would be launching "a streamlined Wii console with a slightly altered configuration" in a new bundle this holiday season.
As for the alterations, Nintendo said that the system would be designed to sit horizontally, unlike the current Wii, which can also stand vertically. Additionally, the new version of the Wii hardware is losing backward compatibility with GameCube software and accessories, which means the current console's row of controller and memory card ports is being removed.
The first announced bundle including the redesigned Wii will pack in a white version of the console and a Wii Remote Plus with Nunchuk. As for games, it will feature Wii Sports and Wii Party. Nintendo has said that other Wii hardware bundles will be announced this fall and shipped to stores in time for Christmas.
The Wii is the last of the three major consoles this generation to receive a redesign. Sony was the first to introduce a new look for its console, debuting the slimline PlayStation 3 at Gamescom 2009. Nearly a year later, Microsoft made the Xbox 360 Slim a highlight of its E3 2010 media briefing, giving away the redesigned hardware to everyone in attendance.
[UPDATE]: This redesigned Wii may wind up a European exclusive along the lines of Sony's recently announced PSP redesign. A Nintendo of America representative wouldn't confirm a domestic launch for the redesign in a statement provided to GameSpot, but didn't explicitly rule it out, either.
"Nintendo of America does not currently have any plans to release the Wii bundle that was announced by Nintendo of Europe on August 17," the statement read. "Consumers in the United States can currently purchase a Wii console bundled with the Mario Kart Wii game and Wii Wheel accessory for a suggested retail price of $149.99. The Wii Party game is available separately for a suggested retail price of $39.99."
Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Wow, this has to be the dumbest ideas Nintendo has come across. With WAY too many family related/kids games. It makes the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 way even better. I have a feeling that the Wii is going to die once their Wii ''U'' comes out and not to mention, Nintendo going to go way downhill. The only good games are on the Wii is their own games. =(
I thought the Wii was already pretty streamlined as it is.. maybe what theyre REALLY doing is removing the Gamecube technical weaknesses and backdoors people use to hack their systems.
@ FollowY0urBliss Well for one thing I bought the white one on launch day to try the Wii out for myself. Then I later bought the black one cuz I like black, then bought the red one cuz it came with two games. Not good reasons but hey I bought four GCN last gen so buying multiple consoles is kinda my thing.
I still don't get why Nintendo make this re-design, there was nothing wrong with the current model. Making this one will only confused costumers between the original and the waterdown version and most ppl would rather want the original. All they need to do was to dropped the price of the current model, not made a similar but waterdown version of it.
nintendo have really gone down hill since the N64 they really need to get some new blood or something because they're just digging a deeper hole and they also need some new characters rather than kirby and the like, they've milked them so much they're udders have swollen to twice the size and now produce a thick and creamy pus not fit for human consumption
Is this meant to target people who know little about consoles? Seems to be a nonsensical idea.
The Nintendo Wii was great the way it was - Nintendo's fans should be rewarded for sticking with the console, not punished by removing its GameCube compatibility support. Will we still get to keep the Virtual Console games we bought on our old Wii?
What is backward compatability really....a program. Why cut it out? Plus I think Kidtendo needs an overhaul not just a facelift. They used to be my favorite company until this Wii nunchuck, low res graphic, shoehorned console (Killed some of my favorite titles).
Im hearing people say thats its the original but with out the GC in it!!!..... wow. I really dont know what to think right now.... The wii u is coming next year or something, this is not the time its too late.
It's 80% likely that it will be a slimmer and smaller version of the current Wii. That would explain that it won't be backwards compatible to GC because of the GC Controller slots.
It looks like they're bringing this in, and then the WiiU next year. Doesn't anyone see the resemblance to the WiiU? (not the controller, the console they haven't really shown off yet) It's not the same thing, but just makes it seems a little sneaky that they'd make this one lying down now and then next year bring out the WiiU which is going to look very similar
Ok... this bothers me a little, 1st major headlines about the cash flow situation with Nintendo (like every hardware developer) 2nd Nintendo loses investors because of the Wii U announcement 3rd Nintendo announce price drop with 3DS because of slow sales! why may i ask has Nintendo decided to release another version of the Wii that does less than the original? Nintendo this is a stupid idea! the Wii U will probably come out at the end of next year (i know they said the end of Q1 for release but consoles always get delayed) so why re-make a last gen console now????? I am a huge fan of Nintendo, i own a Wii and bought a 3DS a few months ago! plus i own loads of Game Cube games too which are classics! so Nintendo "fanboy`s" dont think i am putting down Nintendo just for the sake of it!.. the above news bothers me slightly as i dont want to see the "BIG N" take any more blows from haters!
seriously no difference at all. unless its width is shorter or something, which is impossible to see if you only see the front of it. But literally the same, id say it would only be worth it, if nintendo was making a lot of better games, because i know im done buying wii games until zelda comes out, but thats my last probably. And if it fixed itself and worked better with flat screen tvs
Isn't the regular wii already slimmer than the 360 slim? (That's not a joke, I'm actually asking cause I've never seen the 360 slim in person)
Wait... What is the point of this? Doesn't everyone and their grandma own one of these already? And taking out the backwards compatibility is a REAL bad choice That is one reason to really get it!
Really? Because the backwards compatibility was just soo expensive? Thats the only reason half my friends even OWN a Wii. Bad move Nintendo.
@WeWerePirates The Wii has it's own set of control pads: The CIassic Controller and CIassic Controller Pro.
Cant you already set the original horizontal, I know I did. Guess this is what these companies do when there bored.
Leeko: WHY do you own three versions of the same console?? They are all working, correct?
This is a re-design so I had no problem with that as long as they still sell the original ones too. This one is probable made with the casual audience in mind. At least I own all three versions of the Wii already with the red, black, and white versions.
I guess European people are more open to designs of gaming systems? The PSP and now the Wii. Removing the Gamecube B/C and the sideways stand will save Nintendo some money. Even if not very much. So I guess these 2 systems are very popular in Europeon markets to warrent a redesign so late in the lifespan. The Sucessors to the Wii and PSP are due in 2012. Here in North America during Christmas they will possibally pack in Wii Party to the current bundle. Nintendo should make some money with the Wii console version 2. (The Wii too) Nintendo has redsigned some of its consoles The NES and SNES late in there lifespan. So now the Wii 2 or too
Ya! Good see see a company with it's priority's set. Hundreds of man hours, and a ton of money spent for a redesign of a current gen system with last gen (grafix) technology. Those resources should have been spent on the U.
@Freezezzy Yeah, but the difference is that the PS3 actually had games. Most of the games I play on my Wii nowadays are Gamecube games.....
I'm also struggling to find some reason into this... maybe they want to see how mad will people become if their next console doesn't have backwards compability?
I think everyone that wanted a Wii now either owns one or has sold theirs.. Just saying.
Nintendo of Europe is weird. Making a streamlined,new iteration of a console,and giving it LESS features? No backwards compatibility,no standing up? Sounds like Wii 1.0 is better to me.
They should have had the Wii Sports Resort in favor of Wii Sports since they bundle the Wii with the Wii 'Mote Plus so what's the point bundling it with that if they don't have a game to utilize it?
They are taking features away from it? Sheesh. Wii's are getting so cheap they'll be given away in boxes of cereal soon.
Seriously? People complained when Sony removed BC from the PS3, and yet here we have Nintendo doing the same thing with the Wii. Plus, the redesign is completely unneccessary, since the console is already small and compact, and can already sit horizontally.
@Gelugon_baat If they gave up on the Gamecube before the Wii came out, then why was Twilight Princess released on both?
@alegamer Yes. And conglaturations Nintendo you have achieved another incredible feat I haven't been this disappointed since your '25th Anniversary Mario Disc' AKA Super Mario All-Stars for a stupidly high price. But it came with the three-track ost so it still wasn't worth it!
No backwards compatibility, that sucks. I play more GameCube games on my Wii than Wii games lol.
@tyco_ex man do i agree with u! :D anyway, when the wii u is looming on the horizon, why fund more development for a console about to expire :?
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