Take this news with your usual dose of Internet cynicism, but yet another analyst* said Wii 2.0 could be out in a matter of years.
Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter told GamesIndustry.biz that a higher spec, HD-enabled “Wii 2” could be on the shelves “in a couple of years.” Pachter’s comments were in response to those made by our old, misguided friend, SEGA executive Scott Steinberg, who expressed concern about the long term future of Nintendo’s console.
First, is there a Wii 2.0 of some kind in development today? You’d be a fool to think there’s isn’t, because any company that wants to maintain its edge will begin development on a new console almost the moment the old one goes out the door. And, like the Wiimote development, I imagine there are dozens of prototype versions just lying about Miyamoto’s office, like some kind of geeky mad scientist’s lab. Second, if obvious comments like these are what it takes to be a high paid, highly quoted analyst at Wedbush Morgan, sign me up!
There’s certainly a Wii 2.0 out there today somewhere in Kyoto, as there are a handful of DS/Game Boy updates. Pointing that fact out, like Pachter did in response to SEGA’s comments, again shows me that the “experts” are still coming to grips with this new Nintendo strategy. Pachter, in my opinion, points out this obvious fact because people like him are still accustomed to power and specs and HD being the driving force in the “next generation.” To these analysts, moving forwards still means increasing clock speed and screen resolution. Now, will Nintendo have an HD system in a few years? Definitely. But you can bet that feature — and graphics — will not be what tops the list they use to market it to customers. The game’s changed.
* seriously, can people just mail it in for an analyst degree these days, or what?