Rumour: “Wii 2.0″ To Come With Blu-ray?

Joshua Hood 50 Comments

Given the number of hardware revamps the Nintendo DS has received, it’s unsurprising that rumours are always swirling about an updated version of the Wii. Yesterday, a report surfaced that claimed Nintendo is working on a version of the console with a Blu-ray drive, for release some time next year.

It’s not the first time that Blu-ray has been rumoured for the next iteration of Nintendo’s massively successful home console. Last October, MaxConsole reported that a Nintendo of France employee had supposedly leaked the specifications of the console, which would come with Blu-ray and support 1080p movies and games. However, that rumour pegged the console for a third quarter 2010 release, and in case you hadn’t noticed, that’s about now and we haven’t heard anything about it.

Whilst GirlGamersSuck, the source of the new rumour, say that they are “100% certain of [their] source accuracy and reliability”, there is no other evidence beyond long-standing rumours to back up their claims. The site also seconds a previous rumour that Nintendo want to make a surprise announcement only a month before release, to guarantee hype for the new console, which could explain why we haven’t heard anything yet.

The site couldn’t confirm if this “Wii 2.0” was a whole new console – think GameCube to Wii – or just refreshed hardware – think DS to DS Lite. The DS was out less than two years before the Lite came out, so if Nintendo is indeed planning a refresh, it would be about the right timing. As we’ve seen with the DS Lite and the PS3 Slim, a new look for the hardware and a potentially lower price point could help keep up the Wii’s sales momentum. Everyone’s favourite analyst Michael Patcher also expects a HD-ified Wii at some point in the next two to three years.

Obviously, we’re just reporting this as a rumour for now, but the time could be right for a restyled Wii.

Source: GirlGamersSuck

Tags: ,

Related stories from TSA

Nintendo To Pull The Plug On Wii & DS MP Servers On May 20th
Tesco Is Listing Dark Souls II For Xbox One & PS4
Firaxis May Have Teased XCOM: Enemy Unknown Sequel At PAX East
(UPDATE)Rumour: Next Gen Xbox Launching 2013, Head Designer Replaced

50 Comments

  1. wow, going from a machine that can’t play CD’s or DVD’s to Blu-ray is quite a leap.

    • yea, i thought my wii was broke when it didnt play a DVD!?!?! But BluRay is what is needed, be pritty dumb not to add it, even if its only BluRay gaming

  2. Wot nintendo never even allow DVDs never mind blu ray. Hmmm what is the terrible smell, oh I no it’s bull…. Oh we I mean desperation of a site trying to get hits, can’t say I’ve even heard of the site

  3. Blu Ray is the future…simple as…

    Its a good step for Ninty if you ask me…

    Sony/Ninty seem to be offer each other compliments in many way offering simalar tech….

    After all. imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

    • Digital is the future, the only question is how far into the future, looking at the appallingly embarrassingly bad PSPgo sales then it may be some way off yet.

      Blu-ray Discs will be looked on like 8-Track, VHS, MiniDiscs, CD & DVDs in years to come.

      • I’ve never believed the PSP Go’s problems were that it’s digital. The problem is that is was a mid generation release not the first iteration of a console.

      • MiniDiscs really don’t belong in that list and nor does Blu-Ray. All those formats were very popular and pretty much the international standard of their respective eras. Minidisc never usurped CD which outlasted it and then MP3 came along to make sure it died. For Blu-Ray it’s too early to say if it will really become the next standard but since HD-DVD finally fell, Blu-Ray is making all the right moves

      • Well, no because Blu-ray could still end up losing out to DD.

        I was just making the point that the physical medium, as a whole may already be considered old hat or only of a niche use.

  4. It’s like 20 years ago all over again ……

  5. Can someone correct this title, it’s Blu-ray (lower case ‘r’), being picky again, sorry, blame the uni work. Much love

    • fussy bugger.
      Done :)

      • You need to correct it in the article, too! :P

      • :D, I’m just making sure the site’s as correct as possible, so I’m doing you a favour ;)

      • Can you also correct Jas-n’s name so it has a “o” in it? His name is Jason!

        Yours sincerely,

        Mr. Bunimo Mike. :-P

      • If your doing changes, change bunimomikes name to something harder to type on the keyboard like “begegegjegjeijgmike”

      • I always picture it as Bunion Mike, even though I know it isn’t I just can’t get my head around Bunimo Mike

    • I didn’t know that, guess I just always assumed it was with a capital R. My apologies!

      • well you know for next time, as I said my uni works put me in a random mood :)

      • Bizarrely, even the wiki article about Blu-ray/Blu-Ray swaps between the capitalisation of the letter “R/r”. :-\

      • yeah but that’s wikipedia for you, look on a PS3 game case etc, it’s a lower-case ‘r’

      • Hey, matey. I’m just happy to see the correct spelling, let alone case-sensitivity! :-)

  6. Nintendo have more of their equipment in more living rooms under the main TV in the house than any other manufacturer. They probably realise that if they want to stay there then they need to add media capabilities.

    A DLNA client, playing (and ripping) CDs and DVD & Blu-ray movie playback is the bare minimum for any new products coming onto the market that want to stay under the main TV and not be relegated to a bedroom.

    • Nintendo will go all out with the 3DS at the Tokyo Game Show, it’s too soon for a Wii successor if you take into account the amazing games coming out for the Wii from Sept-Feb.

      Its practically a full re-launch.

      I’d expect something for Oct 2011 though

  7. The idiot says he ain’t confirming 1080p, Blu Ray is 1080p!!!!
    It ain’t gonna happen anyway!

    • He might be on about games, that or Blu-ray can output to an SDTV, so if true, the BD will be downscaled.

  8. Many would argue that “Gamecube to Wii” sits firmly in the “just refreshed hardware” category. Not that it matters, as this is hardly credible.

  9. I doubt this, i mean, Mario on blu-ray, alot of people would die with just the thought!

  10. I think blu-ray is almost certainly going to be in the next Nintendo home console simply because of the piracy success Sony has had with the PS3. Whether it plays movies is a seperate question. It probably comes down to whether Nintendo feel they’re competing with Sony and Microsoft or if they believe they can release a console that people will by to sit along side their 360/PS3/PS4…

Comments are now closed for this post.