Nintendo Prepping New Console But Won’t Release it Until Wii U Owners are “Satisfied”

The general murmurs and suggestions all indicated that Nintendo just really wants to move past the Wii U and put out a new piece of competitive hardware. It’s going to happen because Nintendo is not backing down and is “not at a dead end of any kind,” but Wii U owners are going to have have to be fully “satisfied” with their purchases before Nintendo makes its next move.

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has confirmed that Nintendo has begun prepping its next generation machine.

“We are preparing for our next hardware system,” he said in a Q&A statement to investors. “In fact, we already have a clear idea to some extent about the direction our next hardware is going to take.”

“Once we launch a new platform, we naturally start to prepare for the next one. As it takes several years to develop a single platform, if you ask us whether we are preparing for our next system, then the correct response will be that we are always developing new hardware.

On the other hand, the most difficult question for us to answer in public in concrete terms is when we are going to launch our new hardware and what kind of hardware we are going to launch, and I am afraid that I cannot talk about this in more detail.”

All of this planning and prepping does not mean the end of the Wii U by any means. Iwata goes on to say that Nintendo will not make any new major hardware announcements until Wii U owners are “satisfied” with the “great value in our software.”

“I can certainly assure you that we are not at a dead end of any kind in which we are out of ideas for developing new hardware. I of course believe that launching new hardware will not produce good results unless we first make sure that those who have already purchased our platforms are satisfied.

[T]he idea I mentioned about redefining the definition of video game platforms will also require approximately two years. This is how we would like to talk more about our mid-term measures and lead them to actual results. However, we will not be able to create a good environment for the company unless projects are undertaken simultaneously, so this is the kind of timeframe that we have in mind.”

So the Wii U’s follow-up is already in the planning stages, and Nintendo has decided to dance to its own pace again by not going along with Sony and Microsoft in coordinating releases for a generational change. Nintendo can’t compete directly with the two anymore, so it has to set itself apart as something else. What a better way than to defy their established “next-gen” mindset?

Iwata brings up an interesting point, though. What is it going to take for you to feel like you’ve gotten the most out of your Wii U? Naturally, we need to see Mario Kart 8 andSuper Smash Bros. before the console retires. Monolith Software’s X is a huge title that inspired me to buy the console, and Bayonetta 2 is another game that I know a lot of people picked up a Wii U just for its exclusivity.

However, I think we can finally draw the curtain on the Wii U and move on from it once Producer Eiji Aonuma and his team crank out an original Legend of Zelda game that takes full advantage of the Wii U’s HD capabilities. I could live without a Metroid or a Star Fox or a Kirby on this Wii U console, but all seems for not if I don’t get my Legend of Zelda.

I need a Zelda, a standard 3D Mario platformer and a bunch more games before I'm satisfied.

I want a starfox adventure game with beautifully rendered HD planets to explore. Then i will forever be satisfied and I'll buy 2 more wii u's.

There's no general murmur, companies work on next console R&D while still in the current cycle, that happens.

Nintendo probably has a great head on their shoulders and they know if they abandon the Wii U that their loyal fanbase won't be there for them next time around. I'm guessing a next console reveal in 2016 and release in 2017.

I'll only be satisfied if I get at least 5 years out of my console.

For the love of god, make it as technically competent as you can and give it a better name!

Make a proper console! Like Gamecube... loved that thing!

I want my 5 year cycle - and all the quality repressed we can get in that time frame.

Listen, there is an unwritten agreement between the consumer and console hardware producer that our purchase will be guaranteed at least a five-year lifespan. Breaking that unwritten contact has historically been considered a failure on the part of the hardware producer. Hell, I still believe Sega had a moral obligation to continue producing exclusive titles for the Dreamcast. Early adopters are the crowd that first gets the ball rolling in terms of adoption rates, and that crowd can't get ignored.

I need the next Zelda along with a sequel using the same engine. I also need several new IPs and more games published with outside developers like Platinum.

Wii U will have at least 3 or 4 more years. 5 to 6 years is alright lifespan. esp. for the Wii U being quite a misstep of the gen. It kind reminds of me a better/ more successful dreamcast.

When these Xenoblade Chronicles X, SMTxFE, Fatal Frame 5/Project Zero 5 & Starfox U gets released then I will be satisfied...even for whatever weird catastrophic reason they only manage to release 1 - Xenoblade Chronicles X ..then I will be satisfied. :P

They can do whatever with Wii U after that, shoot it, burn it, etc.

^ Yup that's what Im thinking too. :P

As for their next console, will watch it carefully probably won't be getting it at launch (so I say now). They better hope they get some sort of 3rd party support & not just in Japan where they make "Japan only" game if the system is again region lock. :P

After smash i'll be about half way there, just bring me Zelda and don't disappoint, and a real 3d mario and a few extra surprises and i'll be satisfied.

I used to want pikmin 4 and paper mario for Wii U, but I kinda want pikmin on the next system for the visuals (even though they can still do a lot better than 3, just compare pikmin 1 and 2) and AI which still needs a lot of work, darn that cpu.

And i don't want gamepad gimmicks in paper mario.

anyone else want them to just release the next console with a ton of horse power and 500GB hdd and just package a wii remote as the controller?

just put all the money towards power. so whenever people want to make fun of nintendo they have to bite their tongues when it comes to graphics.

They should include a modernized gc controller, not a wii mote. Then they could have a more ergonomic, improved wii mote and nunchuck on the side. I don't want them to ditch the wii mote, but they need a standard controller with every console.

I expect it to support native 4k games for sure, we already have 5tf gpu's out now and by the time Ninty's ready they could fit in a console. It just depends on if ninty wants to release a somewhat power hungry, sizeable console in japan, because nothing else is stopping them.

IF they didn't do it for Wii U..I doubt they will use wiimote as primary control again, wouldn't have mind wiimote controller as primary for Wii U...my guess is they probably will go back to normal controller. I don't mind normal controller either. Power doesn't necessarily have to be super powerful ..all I hope is 1080p at 60fps with graphics quality at MAX for ALL games. :P

That's pretty much their standard response for when people ask them about the coming generation.

If Nintendo releases the successor console to the Wii U exactly 5 years to the day. Then most people will be happy The Wii U is almost 2 years old in 7 days. So if Nintendo can hold off releasing it's 7th home console until November 18th 2017. Then most people will have had their favorite series debut on the Wii U.

However sometimes entire series such as Metroid have missed an Console era. A Metroid game never did make it to the Nintendo 64.

As for the Wii U a proper Legend of Zelda game is coming. a proper Mario main series game is coming, Star Fox is coming. But will a Metroid game come to the Wii U. Retro studios is finished with Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. So hopefully they are working on a Metroid game for the Wii U.

In 3 years most of peoples favorites 1st party games should have been released by then.

I loved motion controls for Galaxy, Zelda TP (even though waggle), Skyward Sword, and Metroid Prime Trilogy.

I would be more than happy to see Nintendo go with a console with significant horsepower and motion controls.

So Nintendo is never going to release another console, great....

I'm not satisfied until I get a good metroid game. Is that too much to ask for?

What was wrong with 3D World?

Seriously, we aren't getting another 64.

A lot. What do you mean we're not getting another 64?

I just want a mario with full analog control, no run button, no gimmicks (toad levels sucked) and not the 2d hybrid 3d world was. It could be galaxy 3 or something else.

It seems like me a big point of 3d world was to get EAD up to speed with HD development, and making another 3d land was just an easier way to do that than a galaxy 3 or something.

Old news. Real old.

@farrell2k:

I know the Wii U isn't going anywhere, but I feel because the Wii U is doing pretty bad in sales compared to the competition, Nintendo is going to release their best games on this console just to smite the people that didn't purchase it, and reward the people who don't jump on sales chart multiplatform bandwagons and appreciate all Nintendo has to offer from hardware and software.

What do you think?

If that's true, that's very worrying. They can't remedy what they don't understand.

In 2 or 3 years I'm expecting at least 1TB SSD