Wii 2 details leaked – full HD support and a 2010 release?

(Source Gizmag.com, November 03 2009)

 

The rise and rise of the Nintendo Wii continues unabated and we've seen all manner of weird and wacky accessory released over the last year. With everything from bowling balls to exercise bikes popping up to complement associated games, it's no surprise the console is a big hit with those who like gadgets and gimmicks, but aside from the MotionPlus we haven't seen anything genuinely revolutionary since the original motion-sensitive controls.

It may be up to the next-gen successor to truly re-imagine the Wii's potential then, and details have just been leaked for the "Wii 2" that suggest Nintendo will be addressing many of the issues preventing it from grabbing an even bigger market share.

MaxConsole was the first to alert the industry of these 'leaked specs', which allegedly came from an internal source at Nintendo France. The limited information available so far suggests that it'll include a built-in Blu-ray drive (partly to help prevent piracy) and support for 1080p games and movies. It's also touted for release in Q3 2010 and will be rolled out worldwide simultaneously, with Nintendo offering trade-in deals on the original consoles.

This would therefore suggest that the new model will be fully backwards compatible, unlike some PS3s, though what we really want to know is what Nintendo is doing with the motion controls. With Project Natal gaining momentum it would be foolish for the Japanese giant to expect overdue HD support to beat away the competition, so we'll keep our eyes peeled for any further leaks that might confirm Nintendo's ambitions for 2010.