Nintendo E3 invite may hint at Wii successor

Nintendo has sent out invites for their E3 press conference. The invites contain an image of three warp pipes from Super Mario Bros. in black and white. Thanks to my good friend Michi-Hiro for the image.




Could this be a clue of sorts? The image could hint at a linear progression, perhaps to leap higher and higher with the possibility to be sucked deeper and deeper in to the tubes. Height and depth could be the ideas conveyed here. Also, the number three may play a role. Obviously, there are three dimensions. But the first two tubes could also stand for the Nintendo DS family and Wii console - the current consoles and cornerstones of Nintendo's success - with the promise of the next hardware surpassing them. I believe that the ideas of progression and extension are quite obviously evident here. What do you come up with?

EDIT Here is the image within the context of the mail invite.

 

EDIT Reader Kevin noted that this image was already part of last year's invite and has kindly uploaded an image. He also asserts that it was used before then. I have to admit that I did not remember. But now, I think we can safely assume that the image contains no hidden meaning with regard to Nintendo's next home console.

Xbox360 successor in EA's hands, source responds

Microsoft may also be announcing a new home console at the E3 expo in early June, Develop magazine has learnt. At the very least, one publisher is in possession of early hardware to work on launch titles.

The successor to the Xbox 360 console is on desks at an unnamed Electronic Arts studio, Develop understands. The new hardware, sent to EA last month, is a very early build with no casing – it is in fact being stored inside a PC shell. EA developers are getting to grips with the tech to create first-generation software, Develop has been told. (...) Develop’s source is not employed at either company.

The source believed, but did not have certain information, that the new Xbox would launch by the end of 2012. The individual expects an announcement will be made, at least in some form, at E3. (...) A seperate inside source has told Eurogamer that an E3 reveal for the new system is "highly unlikely".

There are a number of things I would like to point out. Firstly, furnishing any third party with early hardware is a move that every manufacturer will consider very carefully. The only reason to do so is to facilitate good enough launch titles. There is no reason to supply publishers before they need to start actual development. Add the fact that launch titles usually have a slightly shorter develoment cycle - I expect no more than two years and perhaps as little as one-and-a-half - and you can safely assume that Microsoft may be shooting for a late 2012 launch at the earliest and early 2013 at the latest. This corroborates the above rumour and, in turn, may suggest that Microsoft will indeed announce the Xbox360 successor this year and use E3 2012 to announce launch dates and pricing, as well as to offer hands-on sessions.

My guess is, though, that this June would be a little early for an initial announcement. Microsoft obviously want to steal Nintendo's thunder, which must be the only reason why they would churn out a new home console, anyway. But they still have plenty of time left to do so, if they do not mind handing this E3 to Nintendo. In fact, many companies are following Apple's lead of making hardware announcements at their own dedicated events, because then the news will focus exclusively on them.

As far as motivation for a new console is concerned, both Microsoft and Sony want to play out this generation for as long as possible. But hardware defects and extra costs of one billion dollar for extended warranties aside, Microsoft learnt the lesson that it can help your installed hardware base to be first to market. Admittedly, Sony's many problems did their part to facilitate Microsoft's early lead. But regardless of that, by the time the PS3 launched, the Xbox360 already had an impressive software portfolio. This time, Microsoft will not be able to beat Nintendo. But they certainly will not want to launch last. Then again, Sony will employ the same strategy. So expect them to announce a new home console soon, as well (though I expect they will wait until the NGP has been on the market for some months).

In an exclusive statement I can add to the story, an anonymous source (who may or may not be in the know about the details of Project Café), has responded to this rumour with these words: "Microsoft better be bringing more to the table than mere hardware power."

Nintendo to incorporate haptic feedback?

There are fresh rumours regarding the controller of Nintendo's new home console. The touchscreen will offer haptic feedback in a way that allows different surface structures to be distinguishable, Swedish gaming news site Loading has learnt from a "source close to Nintendo". Apparently, the console may be called Nintendo Feel. Thanks to Fook for this one.

The revolutionary aspect will once again be found in the controller itself. (...) Haptic technology is a form of tactile feedback used to simulate the experience of touching different objects shown on screen. The player can move their fingertips across a surface and clearly feel the difference between soft, smooth or rugged textures. Electronic companies across the world have been conducting research in this field for years. It’s been rumored that Apple is close to patenting a similar technology, and we’ve seen the Toshiba demonstration of ‘New Sensation UI Solution’, that applies a thin film over a screen in order to achieve a haptic effect. (...)

You have to try Nintendo Feel to really understand. But the idea itself is very easy to sell, no matter if you are aiming for hardcore players or the wider audience that was first introduced to games through DS, Wii or Kinect. (...) Remember Vitality Sensor? It will most likely make a comeback at this year’s E3, though not as a peripheral for Wii, but as a key feature of Nintendo Feel.

The author goes on to imagine stroking and feeling fur in ´Nintendogs´ or drawing patterns in the sand in ´Legend of Zelda´, feeling the cool river, hot lava or the structure of the bark of an old tree.

You may remember that an early haptic accessory, the Novint Falcon, has been mentioned a number of times before the Wii was fully unveiled.