Nintendo "Revolution" FAQ

[Goldfiinger]

Nintendo "Revolution" FAQ

Absolutely everything we currently know about the successor to Nintendo's GameCube home console.
by Matt Casamassina

September 12, 2005 - Nintendo's GameCube console is far from dead, but that hasn't stopped the company from announcing that it is underway with a next-generation successor, codenamed "Revolution." The system has been given an appropriate codename if Nintendo is to be believed: the publisher says that the console will revolutionize the way people play games. No easy challenge, but if any company can do it, Nintendo can.


Since it was revealed more than a year ago, a wealth of information on Nintendo's Revolution has surfaced -- and there's still much more to come.

To help keep readers informed about any and all developments surrounding the Nintendo Revolution, IGNcube has created the end-all FAQ for the console. The following information represents everything we currently know about the machine. And as readers will see, there's already quite a lot to know.


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Q: What is the Nintendo Revolution?

A: The official codename for the successor to GameCube.

Q: Is 'Revolution' the final name of Nintendo's new console?

A: No. Nintendo confirmed at E3 2005 that the title 'Revolution' is a codename. A final name for the new console has not yet been selected. It should be noted, however, that the company said the same thing of Nintendo DS, which ultimately proved to be the handheld's official name.

Q: When was the Nintendo Revolution codename announced?

A:: On May 11, 2004 at Nintendo's pre-Electronics Entertainment Expo 2004 press conference, which took place in Los Angeles, California. (The console had been tentatively referred to as "GCNext" by press before the unveiling of the official codename.)

Q: Who announced the codename Nintendo Revolution?

A: Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. On stage at Nintendo's pre-E3 2004 press conference, Iwata said:

"Different also defines our approach to our next home system. It won't simply be new or include new technologies. Better technology is good, but not enough. Today's consoles already offer fairly realistic expressions so simply beefing up the graphics will not let most of us see a difference. So what should a new machine do? Much more. An unprecedented gameplay experience. Something no other machine has delivered before.

"The definition for a new machine must be different. I want you to know that Nintendo is working on our next system and that system will create a gaming revolution. Internal development is underway.

"I could give you our technical specs, as I'd know you'd like that, but I won't for a simple reason: they really don't matter. The time when horsepower alone made all the difference is over.

"Work on Revolution is well underway. When you see it you will be excited because you will experience a gaming revolution."

Q: How long has the Revolution been in development?

A: Preliminary development on Revolution began shortly after the release of Nintendo GameCube.

Q: Will Revolution feature more powerful hardware than GameCube?

A: Yes.

Q: What are Revolution's technical specs?

A: Mostly unknown. But here is a summary;

Revolution Technical Specs

Stylized shell about the thickness of three DVD cases stacked flatly on top of each other
May come in five different colors including a sleek, glossy black and an Apple-esque white
Backward compatible. Plays both GameCube optical discs and proprietary 12cm discs, the latter of which may be dual-layered for upward of 8GBs storage capacity
Slot-loading drive with stylized blue light
One proprietary component/digital out located on the rear of the system
Two USB 2.0 ports located on the rear of the system
No Ethernet jack; Revolution connects to the Internet using 802.11b and 802.11g Wi-Fi wireless
GameCube docking station features inputs for four GCN controllers and two Memory Paks
Two front slots for 512MB flash memory, likely SD Card compatible
Utilizes wireless controllers
Custom-built IBM CPU, codenamed Broadway; speed and architecture undetermined at this time
Custom-built ATI-GPU, codenamed Hollywood; speed and architecture undetermined at this time
MoSys-developed 1T-SRAM solution; unknown amount of memory at this time
Nintendo download service: connect online and download classic NES, S-NES and N64 games

In March 2005, both IBM and ATI confirmed that they have been making the CPU and GPU for Revolution respectively.

In April 2005, MoSys, which supplied RAM for GameCube, announced that it would also be providing the memory solution for Revolution.

At E3 2005, Nintendo said that with Revolution it is aiming to make a "small, quiet and affordable console." It stressed this point and avoided direct questions about technical specifications. Nintendo executives also stated that the company is not interested in engaging in a technical battle with competitors Sony and Microsoft.

In an interview with IGNcube, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto offered further insight:

"You know, in regard to the power of the Nintendo Revolution versus, say, the Xbox 360, we're looking at making a small, quiet, affordable console," he said. "If you look at trying to incorporate all that, of course we might not have the horsepower that some other companies have, but if you look at the numbers that they're throwing out, are those numbers going to be used in-game? I mean, those are just numbers that somebody just crunched up on a calculator. We could throw out a bunch of numbers, too, but what we're going to do is wait until our chips are done and we're going to find out how everything in the game is running, what its peak performance is, and those are the numbers that we're going to release because those are the numbers that really count."

In an interview with the Seattle Post Intelligencer, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata elaborated on the company's philosophy where next-generation technology is concerned:

"Sony and Microsoft are taking about the same approach for the future by making machines with powerful and sophisticated technology. Nintendo is taking a little bit different approach, and I think this is an interesting contrast," Iwata said. "Of course, we are applying advances in technology. But when you use those advances just to boost the processing power, the trade-off is that you increase power consumption, make the machine more expensive and make developing games more expensive. When I look at the balance of that trade-off -- what you gain and what you lose -- I don't think it's good. Nintendo is applying the benefits of advanced technology, but we're using it to make our machines more power-efficient, quieter and faster to start. And we're making a brand-new user interface. I think that way of thinking is the biggest difference."

Reports from development studios seem to second these statements. Software houses in the know have suggested that Revolution will not be as powerful as Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

Nintendo has revealed that Revolution will be backward compatible with GameCube, play both GCN discs and proprietary new 12cm discs, go online via Wi-Fi connections, be able to download software from the Internet, use 512MB flash memory to save data, and feature wireless controllers. In addition, the console will boast two USB 2.0 ports.

Q: Is Revolution "two-to-three times more powerful than GameCube"?

A: USA Today reported this news based on a comment from Nintendo of America's vice president of corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan. The information was later determined to be false. We do not yet know how much more power Revolution wields over its predecessor.

Q: What is Revolution's media format?

A: Revolution will play proprietary 12cm discs, which is the same size as DVDs. It will also be able to play GameCube Optical Discs, as it is backward compatible with the unit. Details on the new 12cm discs are slim. Nintendo initially announced that the discs would be dual-layered, offering upward of 8 gigabytes of storage. However, shortly after the announcement, it removed all mention of dual-layered discs from its official Revolution press release.

Q: Will Revolution be able to play DVD movies?

A: Yes. However, DVD-movie playback will not be available out of the box. Revolution owners must buy an additional dongle that inserts in front of the machine in order to watch Hollywood DVD movies on the platform.

Q: How will Revolution be unique?

A: That is the big question. The console is codenamed Revolution for a reason: Nintendo expects it to be revolutionary. The system will, according to Nintendo, fundamentally change how games are played. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said in recent interviews that the dual-screened Nintendo DS offers a hint of what to expect from Revolution. DS players can use a stylus pen to input control data into the portable device. It's always possible that Revolution may feature similar functionality.

Nintendo believes that technology alone cannot advance videogames, which is why it plans to take Revolution into a dramatic new direction.

Iwata in June 2004 described Revolution as a videogame machine "of a different nature that does not follow the conventional path of new game systems that increase speed and visual quality for making elaborate games." He added: "The rule of satisfying customers by increasing specifications worked once, but no longer applies now."

At E3 2005, Nintendo unveiled the Revolution console. It is the company's sleekest unit to date. The tiny-sized system is designed to be quiet and affordable. The revolutionary aspect of the machine -- it's input device -- remains a secret.

Q: Is the revolutionary aspect of the console its controller?

A: Yes. The console's revolutionary new mechanic will go hand-in-hand with its input device, which may no longer look or function like today's controllers. In a March 2005 interview with BusinessWeek, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata admitted that Revolution's new input device was still incomplete, and that multiple ideas were still being tossed around.

"The new interface will allow some new forms of innovation," Iwata explained on the subject. "Already, you're seeing changes in Nintendo DS, which has a microphone, input pen, and touch screen. We have a number of candidates for a new [Revolution] interface but are not ready to reveal them. All I can say right now is that whatever we choose will be intuitive and easy to use for everyone."

Revolution may come in a variety of colors

Q: Will the Revolutionary input device be a microphone?

A: Unlikely. Nintendo has stated on the record that while microphone-to-game mechanics are intriguing, competitors have already capitalized on them.

"But the fact of the matter is, to realize voice commands; all you have to do is install a microphone. We realize a few of our competitors are already thinking of following us on this, so it will not be a defining feature of the new console," Iwata explained in a March 2005 interview. "We may or may not use the microphone in the new [Nintendo Revolution] interface."

Q: Will Revolution feature screens on the console or the controller?

A: No. At a June 2004 analyst briefing in Japan, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said, "We have no intention of making a two-screen console akin to the [Nintendo] DS."

Q: What makes the controller so revolutionary then?

A: At E3 2005, Nintendo's executive of vice president of sales and marketing, Reginald Fils-Aime, offered a hint.

"We announced the ability to download and play the best NES games, S-NES games, N64 games, in addition to Revolution games and GameCube games," he said in an IGN/G4 interview. "If you put those controllers all lined up together, they're all very different. So think about what kind of device is going to allow you to play all those different types of games. It's pretty interesting."

This, of course, suggests that Revolution's controller may enable gamers to configure their own layouts in order to best suit their different gameplay experiences.

Further, Revolution's controller will very likely make use of motion-sensing technology. Leaked documentation shows that players may be able to twist and turn the device in order to twist and turn objects and characters in Revolution games. Nintendo has dabbled in this type of technology in the handheld sector with such games as Kirby Tilt 'N Tumble.

Q: Will Revolution hook up to a television?

A: Yes. It will also be able to interface with a computer monitor. In June 2004 Nintendo engineer Genyo Takeda said: "You'll be able to play [Revolution] not just by linking up to a television but to a computer monitor as well."

Q: Will Revolution go online?

A: Yes. The Revolution console will feature online play out of the box. Nintendo at the March 15, 2005 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco announced an aggressive new Wi-Fi strategy for both DS and Revolution. Wi-Fi enables wireless, high-speed connections to the Internet using such popular standards as 802.11b and 802.11g. Company executives made strong statements about Nintendo's belief that gamers should be able to wirelessly go online and play against each other.

"We intend to incorporate wireless technology in all we do," Iwata announced at the event. "Therefore, Nintendo Revolution will be Wi-Fi enabled, built into every system."

Q: Will Revolution owners be able to connect online and download classic Nintendo games?

A: Yes. Nintendo announced at E3 2005 that Revolution would be able to go online wirelessly and download classic Nintendo games. Nintendo has not yet announced what titles will be available for download. However, it has confirmed that Revolution owners could theoretically download every NES, Super-NES and Nintendo 64 game ever made. The publisher is reportedly already working with third party publisher to ensure that popular third party games are also available to download.

At E3 2005, Shigeru Miyamoto said: "We have not set a price or determined a list of software for the Nintendo Revolution download service. But, we're looking at this as a consumer service and not so much from the business end. What we want to do is provide the product that is going to make the Revolution the console that people want in their homes. So it actually might be driven from the consumer end rather than from us. You know, the games that they most want might be the ones that we do. From a technological point, we can do any of them. It's just, we haven't determined which ones we'll do yet."

Q: Will Revolution support high-definition?

A: No. Nintendo is more focused on making Revolution small, quiet and affordable, according to company executives. As a result, it will not be able to output in the accepted 720p, 1080i and 1080p high-definition formats. It will, however, support 480p (progressive-scan), which means that it will once again be able to use component outputs.

"It is accurate that at this time we will not support high-definition [on Revolution]," confirmed Nintendo of America's vice president of corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan, in early 2005.

"Nintendo's Revolution is being built with a variety of gamers' needs in mind, such as quick start-up time, high power, and ease of use for development and play. It's also compact and sleek, and has beautiful graphics in which to enjoy innovative games," Kaplan said. "Nintendo doesn't plan for the system to be HD compatible as with that comes a higher price for both the consumer and also the developer creating the game. Will it make the game better to play? With the technology being built into the Revolution, we believe the games will look brilliant and play brilliantly. This can all be done without HD."

Sources indicate that Nintendo is internally split on the issue of high-definition. This is an option that is still being considered within the company. Both IBM and ATI, the makers of Revolution's CPU and GPU respectively, have allegedly been asked to try and find a work-around the lack of HD support.

Q: Will Revolution be backward compatible?

A: Yes. At the March 2005 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that Revolution would be backward compatible.

"Contrary to much speculation, I can announce today that Revolution will be backward compatible. The best of the Nintendo GameCube library will still be enjoyed by players years from now," Iwata revealed.

The announcement was a surprise because analysts and media, IGN included, figured that Revolution's radically different new input device would make backward compatibility a near impossibility. Evidently Nintendo has found a way around this hurdle.

Q: How are discs inserted into Revolution?

A: The unit features a slot-loading drive that accepts both GameCube optical discs ands proprietary 12cm discs. Users simply insert the disc into the front of the unit and the drive does the rest.

Q: Does Revolution have a hard drive?

A: No.

Q: How will games be saved on Revolution?

A: It depends on the game. The machine plays Revolution and GameCube titles out of the box. A GameCube docking station located on one side of the unit features four GCN controller inputs as well as two Memory Pak slots. Data for GameCube titles will be saved to standard Memory Paks. Meanwhile, Revolution software data will be stored on 512MB flash memory, according to Nintendo.

Q: Who are Nintendo's hardware partners on Revolution?

A: During the course of the last two years, several major hardware companies have been linked to Revolution including IBM, ATI, MoSys and NEC.

In December 2002 Bloomberg reported that Nintendo had agreed to collaborate with NEC on a system LSI that would serve as the core for the new console.

Just a few months later GameCube graphics chip maker ATI announced a vague "technology development agreement" for use in future "Nintendo products." Unconfirmed reports from insiders alleged that ATI had been in development with the graphics chip for Revolution well before that announcement.

In March 2005, Nintendo confirmed that both IBM and ATI would supply the CPU and GPU respectively for the Revolution console.

"We're excited to be developing the graphics chip set for Revolution, which continues our longstanding relationship with Nintendo," explained Dave Orton, ATI Technologies' president and chief executive officer. "As the leading graphics provider, ATI is committed to delivering exceptional visual performance that enables consumers to interact with new and visually compelling digital worlds. ATI is proud to support Nintendo's innovative contributions to gaming."

Q: What are Revolution's CPU and GPU called, and why?

A:: The IBM-created CPU is called Broadway. The ATI-developed GPU is called Hollywood. At the March 2005 Game Developers Conference, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explained the reasoning behind the titles.

"With IBM, we are creating Revolution's core processor, which we have codenamed Broadway because Broadway is the capital of live entertainment," he said. "With ATI, we are developing the graphics chipset, codenamed Hollywood because Hollywood is the capital of movie entertainment. With Revolution, we are determined to create the new capital of interactive entertainment."

Q: Has Nintendo sent out Revolution development kits to software houses yet?

A: We're not sure.

In March 2005, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata was asked bout Revolution development kits. "Development kits are already out there, depending on which stage you're talking about," he responded. "All I can say right now is 'in the near-future' for the base platform information they will need to get started on games."

When asked about whether kits had gone out at E3 2005, however, Shigeru Miyamoto said no. "We have not sent out development kits to developers yet," he confirmed. "However, development kits for the Nintendo Revolution are very similar to the ones for the GameCube. So we feel that the environments are so similar that they will be able to start development very quickly upon receiving the development kits for Revolution."

Q: When will Revolution be released?

A: "If you're asking for a specific date for our next system -- we don't have one. Nintendo is going to remain competitive and will launch around the same time as competitors -- not later than," said Nintendo of America's vice president of corporate affairs in a May 2004 interview. This used to be the company line. But at E3 2005, Nintendo sang a different tune. No longer concerned about beating Sony to market, Nintendo executives said simply that Revolution would "launch in 2006."

During a conference call discussing its financial status, Revolution memory maker MoSys said that the console would launch in mid-2006.

Microsoft will debut Xbox 360 this November in America. Sony said at E3 2005 that it would like to launch PlayStation 3 by March 2006. Given these plans, Revolution will likely be the last system to hit the market.

Q: How much will Revolution cost?

A:: An exact price is unknown. But Nintendo is aggressively seeking to deliver a small, quiet and affordable console. It seems likely that the unit will debut at the sub-$200 mark and possibly cheaper if all goes as planned.

Q: When will Nintendo reveal more about Revolution?

A: At the Tokyo Game Show 2005. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata will talk about Revolution in his keynote speech. Nintendo fans must not miss this event for it is here that Iwata is expected to unveil the Revolution's mysterious controller. The keynote will take place in mid-September and IGN will be on hand with details and photos.

Q: What Games are in development for Revolution?

A: Believe it or not, there are already a number of top-tier titles in development for Nintendo's next-generation console. At E3 2005, the company revealed that a Revolution sequel to Super Smash Bros. Melee is being readied for the launch of the new system. Even better, the game will be Wi-Fi compatible, enabling players to fight it out against each other online. In addition, brand new Zelda and Mario titles are underway for the upcoming machine.

When questioned on the subject at E3 2005, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto did not yet know if the Revolution Mario update would be the much-talked-about Mario 128. "In regards to Mario 128, we're currently doing a lot of Mario experiments back in Kyoto. We are definitely going to have a new Mario for Revolution. Whether or not that's 128 or not, I can't really say. It might be a new Sunshine. We're not sure. We're doing a lot of Mario tests right now for the Revolution," Miyamoto said.

At E3 2005, Nintendo also revealed that Metroid Prime 3 is in development for Revolution. The title is once more being handled by Retro Studios. It will launch in 2006, say sources.

In addition, Nintendo confirmed that an Animal Crossing sequel is being readied for Revolution. Little is known about the title, except that it will interact wirelessly with Nintendo DS.

Nintendo also revealed that it has teamed with Square Enix to bring an original Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles title to Revolution.

Next, Nintendo's vice president of corporate affairs confirmed to IGNcube at E3 2005 that Nintendo is working on a new IP that will premiere with the launch of Revolution. "Wait for Revolution," she said. "At least one new franchise. Brand new."

Finally, Bandai has pledged support for Revolution.


Revolution Software Partners

A lot has changed since the days of the Nintendo 64 "Dream Team." GameCube arrived and a new Nintendo philosophy with it. The company began the console's life-cycle with several funded "second party" development studios including hit makers like Rare, Left Field, Retro Studios and Silicon Knights, and all of these backers made titles exclusively for GameCube. But it was not to last. Shortly into GameCube's shelf life, Nintendo ended its relationship with Left Field, sold Rare to Microsoft, bought Retro Studios whole and terminated its second-party relationship with Silicon Knights.

As work on the company's next-generation console, codenamed Revolution, ramps up, Nintendo once again seems to have a new approach to development partnerships. The company appears to be less focused on exclusive second-party houses and more interested in setting up relationships with proven third-party studios.
In Rare's absence Nintendo inked an industry shaking deal with Capcom Entertainment to make GameCube the exclusive home of the Resident Evil franchise. Even before the door had shut on Left Field the Big N had partnered with one-time-rival Namco Entertainment to include Legend of Zelda's Link exclusively in the GCN version of Soulcalibur II. Incidentally Namco went on to create Star Fox for GameCube. And Nintendo has managed similar deals with everyone from Sega to Square.

The company will continue to partner with major third-party players as work on Revolution continues. A number of leading third-party developers, in fact, have already been approached by Nintendo make software exclusive for the company's GameCube successor.

That said, historically most of GameCube's biggest games have come from Nintendo itself and the same will probably be true of Revolution. Nintendo has already started developing software for the new console and has allocated more manpower to that end than ever before.

Below, a preliminary list of Revolution software partners:


Nintendo (Kyoto)
Situated out of Nintendo's main headquarters in Kyoto, Japan is the driving force of the company: several different divisions working together under the Nintendo label to make some of the industry's greatest games. Nintendo's Kyoto office houses some 1,200 employees, more than 850 of which are directly involved in game development. Nintendo is, simply, one of the biggest and most powerful software companies in the world.

The firm's Kyoto office is separated into following subdivisions: Research and Development 1 (R&D1); Research and Development 2 (R&D2); Integrated Research and Development (iRD); Entertainment, Analysis and Development (EAD); Special Planning and Development (SP&D); Research and Engineering (R&E); Software Planning Division (SP&D) and Nintendo Licensing Division.

Nintendo Research & Development 1
General Manager: Takehiro Izushi (10 years)
Chief Director: Yoshio Sakamoto, Hirofumi Matsuoka
Staff: 100+ People

This is spiritually the oldest team inside of Nintendo. Created by Gunpei Yokoi in the late 70's, the R&D1 team stands tall as the original group behind all of Nintendo's first videogames. Since the dawn of the Game Boy, Nintendo R&D1 has carried the burden of using most of its resources for the Game Boy line.

R&D1 is responsible for a wealth of hit games including Metroid, Metroid II, Metroid III, Kid Icarus, Kid Icarus 2, Super Mario Land, Super Mario Land 2, Wario Land, Wario Ware, Balloon Fight, TeleroBoxer, Mario Clash, Urban Champion, Tetris, Dr. Mario, Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Zero Mission, Wario Ware: Mega Microgame$, Nintendo Puzzle Collection, and Wario Ware DS.


EAD head Shigeru Miyamoto is the creator of Mario

The most famous creations probably come from the two main directors within the division. Yoshio Sakamoto is the man responsible for Metroid, Balloon Fight/Balloon Kid, Card Hero, and the Japan only Famicom Detective Club (which is very acclaimed). Hirofumi Matsuoka is the creator of Wario Ware (the franchise Mr. Miyamoto is jealous of not creating), as well as the Wario Land series.

Nintendo Research & Development 2
General Manager: Kazuhiko Taniguchi (2 years)
Chief Director: Yoshinori Tsuchiyama, Masaru Nishida
Staff: 60 People

A very experimental group within Nintendo. The team developed a lot of the Mario/Zelda ports for the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. It also has developed quirky original titles like Kirby Tilt N' Tumble. An impressive number of now-EAD employees that have emerged in the last four years actually started working in this small, quirky division, including Eiji Aonuma and Toshiaki Suzuki.

R&D2 developed NES Open Tournament Golf, Marvelous: Treasure Island, Sutte Hakun, Super Mario Bros. DX, Kirby Tilt N' Tumble, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, and Super Mario Advance.

Nintendo Integrated Research & Development
General Manager: Genyo Takeda (20 + years)
Chief Director: Unknown
Staff: Unknown


iRD developed Punch-Out (Arcade), Arm Wrestling (Arcade), Mike Tyson's Punch-Out (NES), Super Punch-Out! (SNES), Pro-Wrestling (NES), Star Tropics (NES), Zoda's Revenge: Star Tropics 2 (NES), and NES Play Action Football (NES).
The division also developed and co-developed Nintendo 64, Nintendo 64DD, GameCube Link Cable, GameCube Controller, Nintendo 64 Controller, N64 Controller Pack, GameCube Modem, and GameCube.

Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
General Manager: Shigeru Miyamoto (20 years)
Chief Producer: Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka, Eiji Aonuma, Shinya Takahashi, Tadashi Sugiyama, Hideki Konno
Chief Director: Toshiaki Suzuki, Masamichi Abe, Shigefumi Hino, Katsuya Eguchi, Kiyoshi Mizuki, Kenta Usu
Staff: 400+

Formerly known as Nintendo R&D4, this is the largest and most famous group inside of Nintendo. Shigeru Miyamoto and his division have become the mascots of Nintendo.

EAD developed Pokemon Stadium (N64), Pokemon Box (GCN), The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GCN), Pikmin 2 (GCN), Pac-Man VS (GCN), Mario Kart: Double Dash (GCN), Luigi's Mansion (GCN), Animal Crossing (GCN), Super Mario Sunshine (GCN), and more.

Nintendo EAD is set to lead the way into Revolution development. The group, which is working on the anticipated GameCube Legend of Zelda sequel among other things, is also deep in development with Nintendo DS software.

Nintendo Software Planning Division worked with Retro Studios on Metroid Prime 2

It is believed that one of EAD's first Revolution titles will be the long-talked-about next installment in the Mario franchise, known currently as Mario 128. In a recent interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, the director admitted that work continues on the project, but that he isn't sure what system it will come out for. Meanwhile, Legend of Zelda co-director Eiji Aonuma recently stated that though he would like to ready a Zelda title for Revolution's launch, a Mario game is far more likely.

Nintendo's internal studio will also be in charge of demonstrating the unique "revolutionary" features of the company's GameCube successor with original software that takes advantage of the console's strengths.

Nintendo Special Planning & Development
General Manager: Satoshi Yamato (2 years)
Chief Producer: Satoshi Yamato
Chief Director: Shynia Kawada, Toru Osawa
Staff: 35+

One of the new divisions formed when Nintendo moved over to its new and bigger central office in Kyoto, Japan. Toru Osawa, former R&D1 designer, joined under GM Satoshi Yamato to head this group. The team was created in order to focus on Pokemon Mini, e-Card Reader games, and GBA games.

NSP&D developed Momoko Sakurai Carnival (GBA) , Mario Party-e (e-Card - GBA) , and Pokemon Mini Shocking Tetris (PM).

Nintendo Research & Engineering
General Manager: Satoru Okada (10 years)
Chief Producer: Satoru Okad
Chief Director: Kenichi Sugino
Staff: 50+

These were the engineers who actually worked with Yokoi on R&D1. When Yokoi left, R&D1 split and dedicated itself to software, while the engineers went on to create a hardware portable team at Nintendo. Satoru Okada and Kenichi Sugino with the other team members have created the main portable systems in regards to chip design and industrial design.

R&E developed Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Advance SP, and Nintendo DS.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is the first game from Nintendo's Tokyo studio

Nintendo Software Planning Division
General Manager: Akira Ootani (new)
Chief Producer: Akira Ootani, Kensuke Tanabe, Kenji Miki
Staff: 20?

A new set of producers joining a division created by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in order to free up Shigeru Miyamoto and other NCL producers from having to fly oversees to work with American and European developers creating first-party products for Nintendo.

SPD developed Metroid Prime 2, Geist, and Advance Wars: Under Fire.

Nintendo Licensing Division
General Manager: Shinji Hatano
Chief Producer: Shinji Hatano
Staff: 20?

A division of Nintendo that produces first-party published games by independent developers in Japan, the team also is involved in licensing characters like Pac-Man vs. from Namco, or Link to Namco for use in Soulcalibur II.

Intelligent Systems
General Manager: Tohru Narihiro
Chief Director: Taeko Kaneda , Makoto Shimojo, Toshitaka Muramatsu
Staff: 90 People

A satellite development company that started as a one-man engineer formerly employed by Nintendo to convert Famicom Disk software into the America NES ROM cartridge media. Tohru Narihiro slowly expanded his team by gaining a few engineers from Nintendo and other companies. Eventually Intelligent Systems began programming games under the R&D1 team's management. The two teams have been closely linked, and have cooperated on several games by creating internal teams between the two. Recently, Intelligent Systems has become a much bigger force and is now run completely independent of R&D1.
Intelligent Systems developed Paper Mario, Fire Emblem 3-7, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Advance Wars 1-2, Battle Clash, Tetris, and Pokemon Puzzle Challenge (GBC)

With R&D1, the satellite developed Metroid 3, Wario Ware: Mega Party Games (GameCube port), A Bell Tolls for the Frog Prince (Japanese RPG), Card Hero (Directed by R&D1 Sakamoto), and Tetris Attack.

Nintendo (Tokyo)
In 2003 Nintendo funded a new research and development studio in Tokyo that would create "unique games for Nintendo hardware platforms, adding to the depth and breadth of Nintendo's first-party game library." Yoshiaki Koizumi and Takao Shimizu, who worked on Super Mario Sunshine as director and assistant director respectively, head Nintendo's Tokyo studio. The 65-person studio's first game, the original Bongo-controlled platformer DK Jungle Beat, received a wide number of Most Innovative awards at 2004's Electronics Entertainment Expo.

Hal has created such hits as Kirby and Super Smash Bros. Melee

The studio, which aims to expand, is seeking experienced game development staff to create new game experiences, according to a June 2004 report in Famitsu magazine.

Nintendo's Tokyo studio is poised to help the company deliver unique and entertaining software for Revolution.

Game Freak
The 40-person plus company is credited for the creation of the Pokemon franchise, which resulted in the incredibly popular phenomenon that sparked a wide range of games across a number of Nintendo platforms. More than 129 million Pokemon-branded games have sold to date -- a figure that only Mario himself, with 175 million units sold, has been able to best.

The company has stuck largely to Nintendo's Game Boy and Game Boy Advance handheld platforms as of late, and the chances are good that it will be a major player on Nintendo DS. But it may also lend a hand in future Revolution-based Pokemon software.

Genius Sonority
The Japanese studio, co-funded by Nintendo and the Pokemon Company, officially began operation on July 1, 2001. The odd name actually translates to "talent echoes to the heart," according to the company. Genius Sonority is a small developer whose staff consists of people who worked on such franchises as Earthbound and DragonQuest. The studio released its first project, Pokemon Colosseum, in early 2004 for GameCube. The software house will likely continue to focus on Pokemon related products for future systems including Nintendo DS and Revolution.


Hal Laboratory
Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee would not be possible if not for the 80-plus-person staff at Hal Laboratory. The company was founded in 1980 and has enjoyed a long, prosperous working relationship with Nintendo ever since. In fact, former Hal head Satoru Iwata now serves as president of Nintendo Co. Ltd.

Apart from the Super Smash Bros. franchise, Hal is perhaps best known for its series of Kirby related platformers. It also co-developed the original Earthbound RPG for Super Nintendo and began work on a Nintendo 64 sequel, which was never released. Rumors that the developer could be working secretly on an Earthbound sequel for GameCube or for Revolution continue to persist, though no official evidence of such an undertaking has been made public.

Hal released only one game in 2003: Kirby Air Ride for GameCube. It's clear that it has other projects underway -- a possible Smash Bros. sequel? -- but the developer is remaining quiet about its future games for the moment. Regardless of whether or not Hal's next project appears on GameCube or Revolution, the company will remain a major Nintendo player in the next-generation race.

Retro Studios
This Austin, Texas-based studio, founded in 1998 as a Nintendo second-party by ex-Iguana Entertainment president Jeff Spangenberg, hit a couple of brick walls in its early years. A series of cancelled projects and lay offs threatened to ruin the studio. But when Nintendo offered Retro the Metroid license it stepped up in a big way and created what was to become one of GameCube's best titles in Metroid Prime.

Retro Studios is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo. The software house, headed by Nintendo's ex-director of business development Michael Kelbaugh, consists of about 45 people. Retro is scheduled to release the ambitious follow-up to Metroid Prime in time for the 2004 holiday season. The studio, one of Nintendo's technical powerhouses, is likely to continue work on the Metroid franchise with future projects for Revolution.

IGNcube will list several more Nintendo software partners, including NST and Camelot, soon.


Revolution Rumors

Most everyone appreciates a good rumor. They set imaginations ablaze with possibilities. And for the average gamer, there's no rumor like the one concerning a future game system. Taking it a step further, there's no rumor like the one hinting at fundamental changes in the games industry. Take the Nintendo Revolution, for example. Here's a system promising much more than a jump in graphical capabilities. It promises something altogether different. Sure, it will undoubtedly look better than what current consoles dish out, but Nintendo has stated numerous times that the Revolution will live up to its name.
Precisely how Nintendo will pull this off has bloated the Internet with rumors and speculation. Especially this last week, which saw a bunch of information make its way unto forums and message boards across the Web. First, there was a supposed "leak" on the Nintendo Power Forums detailing some of the Revolution's key features. Second, Nintendo has been updating certain patents that may or may not deal with Revolution, but sound interesting nonetheless. Finally, there's the "Nintendo 21" rumor, which states the Nintendo's next-generation system will act as a wireless hub and feature pressure sensitive controllers. Keep in mind we're merely presenting what popped up in the forum. The info could be legit, and it may be total hogwash. But since rumors are so undeniably tasty, we'll print it anyway.

Revolution Rumor 1

From Nintendo Power Forums

The poster claims his information came from an insider privy to Nintendo's plans. As is usually the case, the source goes unnamed and unverified. But he does spout some pretty interesting stuff. For starters, he claims the Revolution does in fact employ gyroscopic sensors in its controllers, even though they will not be wireless. He also claims the Revolution will sport dual processors and feature built-in broadband, with some kind of online strategy in the works. Nintendo will supposedly go online with the Nintendo DS first with the Revolution following suite. A hard drive will also be included. As far as controller parts are concerned, the Revolution will feature four like the GameCube.

The poster also claims the Revolution will forego using Sony's Blu-Ray storage format in favor of HD-DVD. The system would launch with a currently unnamed Mario title. The source wouldn't say why the system would be revolutionary, stating the leaked information would land him in hot water. He also claimed it would give Sony and Microsoft an advantage at this point in the development cycle. The source did claim the technology itself was nothing revolutionary, only that the system would use it in ways never before seen. The source then added, "Touching is good, but feeling is better." What that means is open to debate, but it leads us into…


Revolution Rumor 2

Taken from a Nintendo document

Gotta love this one. This rumor includes a shopping list of system features and a hand-drawn picture! Supposedly, the artist drew the picture from memory after seeing a document headed toward a Nintendo shareholder's meeting. The (very) rough sketch depicts a number of things, including a controller, shell case disk and a game system from two different angles. Emblazoned across the middle of the page is "Nintendo 21," which seems to indicate a name change from Revolution. Below that lies the "Nintendo 21" logo, which closely resembles the GameCube logo. It also serves to note that both angles of the system drawn on the page also resemble the GameCube, down to the placement of the four controller ports, as well as the "power," "reset" and "open" buttons.

But wait, there's more. The sketch is also connected with information detailing key system information. First, the "Nintendo 21" would hit retail late 2005. It will use a two-sided, 8mm disk with a 5.4 GB capacity and feature a shell case. The Nintendo 21 will also act as a wireless hub and serve a "home game function," letting it communicate with other Nintendo 21 consoles in the vicinity by using the IEEEE protocol. Kyosera, known primarily for designing cell phones and printers, is jointly developing the "home game" function. And here's some more info: the "Nintendo 21" will feature pressure sensitive controllers, with the buttons and handles sensitive to "rubbing" and other such stimuli.


Revolution Rumor 3

From Japanese Publication Shukan Diamond
In late December of last year, Shuken Diamond published a rather interesting bit of information concerning the GameCube's successor. The article, found in the 2005 Preview Edition of the magazine, claimed the Nintendo Revolution Controller would not feature a traditional D-Pad or "A" and "B" buttons. While the information goes unverified by Nintendo, the information strengthens the company's claim that Revolution will alter the way people interact with games. It also ties in nicely with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's recent statement, in that Revolution presents a "paradigm shift" in gaming. All of this begs the question: what exactly stands in for the missing D-Pad and pair of buttons?

Your guess is as good as ours is. Moments after the news hit the Web, gamers stuffed message boards full of theories and wild speculation. Most of which centered on gyroscopic technology. To be fair, Nintendo does in fact hold patents for such technology, so it's possible that Revolution will mark Nintendo's first foray into tilt-sensitive controllers. Then there's the pressure sensitive controller, which respond to a player's "rubbing" of the handles. Others speculate on the possibility that Nintendo will use an evolved form of trackball. Still others think Nintendo will take the DS approach and include a touchpad. We've even heard rumors of a fancy new rumble device. Supposedly, it would allow a new level of immersion by accurately interpreting digital output into physical sensations.


Revolution Rumor 4

From U.S. Patent filed on July 21, 2004

This rumor centers on new technologies that would change the way a gamer actually watches a game. To start, here's a brief intro: a fixation point is whatever a gamer stares at most of the time when playing a game. Thing is, most games feature several of these fixation points, so developers have needed to devise methods of including every object on screen at all times. When this wasn't possible, the display needed to shift and prioritize objects according to the action. Developers accomplished this by zooming the image up or down, to help gamers re-focus their attention. Just look at any number of sports games. The camera invariably follows the soccer ball, baseball or football. The document argues that the constant change in perspective makes playing games tougher than it should.

The patent describes a technology that would prevent a fixation point from moving and prevent the display area from changing in size. Regardless of where a player sits, he (or she) would command a deep view of the happenings on screen. This would also carry over into multiplayer gaming, where multiple players would normally require multiple fixation points. The new set of technologies would eliminate the strain associated with split-screen gaming. In summary, this would all make for excellent game sessions thanks to unparalleled view of the display. Changing the way a gamer watches the action unfold on-screen would be somewhat revolutionary, but again, it's too early to tell exactly how Nintendo plans on using the tech described in the patent. Unless, of course, they already have to some degree...

But that didn't stop anyone from speculating. Once again, rumors seeped into websites and forums. The conjecture pointed at everything from holographic imaging to new methods of image processing where a developer could create hyper realistic vistas at a fraction of the current processing cost. The latter of which alleviates concerns over the rumors that the Revolution will lack the raw processing power of both the PS3 and Xbox 2. If Nintendo has found a way to render realistic imaging at a relatively low processing cost, then it really doesn't matter that the Revolution will lack some of the punch of competing consoles. What matters is that it will stand on equal footing from a graphics stand point. Furthermore, the technologies developed to nix the forever-changing "fixation points" problem will only reinforce the new rendering methods...or so go the rumors.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IGNcube will update the Revolution FAQ with new information as it becomes available.
IGNcube's Revolution FAQ is maintained by Matt Casamassina, with contributions from Anthony JC.

http://cube.ign.com/articles/522/522559p1.html

What ya all make of that ?


-------------------------------------------

Update:

Understanding the Revolution Controller

If you use two pointers, can four people still play? How will Revolution handle more conventional games? We've got the facts.
by Matt Casamassina
September 16, 2005 - Nintendo's Revolution controller has set the videogame industry abuzz with excitement and in some cases confusion. One glance around popular community message boards proves that gamers are both blown away by the possibilities and simultaneously scratching their collective head about how the peripheral might interact with more traditional software. The device is so dramatically different from the accepted norm that we'd be surprised if readers weren't thrown for an initial double-take. But once the details about the new controller sink in, it's not difficult to see the gameplay possibilities lurking just beyond the horizon.


We've combed over all the controller details and put together a handy list of facts about the peripheral that, we believe, will help clear up any misconceptions about what it does and doesn't do. As readers will see below, the Revolution's input mechanism is thoroughly flexible and preemptively ready for any type of gameplay challenge.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: What exactly is so special about the Revolution controller?

A: The Revolution controller may look like a stylish television remote, but there's a lot more to the device than its glossy exterior suggests. The remote-like peripheral, which has been called the "free-hand style controller" and "pointer" by Nintendo, interacts with a sensor bar placed above, below, or near televisions. The bar contains two sensors that communicate with the controller using Bluetooth technology. The marriage transforms the pointer into a virtual wand of sorts, enabling users to move objects and characters in games simply by moving the peripheral. The sensors read the pointer's every move in real-time space. They can detect up, down, left and right motion, and also translate forward and backward depth. The controller's sensors also recognize twisting, rotating and tilting movements. In short, any motion made by arms and wrists can be translated to Revolution games.



The free-hand-style unit also comes standard with three gameplay-specific face buttons, three menu-specific buttons, a D-Pad and an underbelly trigger. In addition, the unit's bottom shell can be removed, revealing a slot for expansion peripherals. Nintendo has several add-ons planned, some of which we'll detail below. The pointer is completely wireless and features built-in force feedback. Gamers can rotate the free-hand-style unit on its side to play NES software on Revolution.

Q: Can you give us an example of how it might work in a game?

A: Sure. Imagine a fishing game in which the pointer essentially becomes the fisherman's pole. Gamers simply make a casting motion to send the line flying and pull back on the pointer to tug a fish upward once it has taken the bait. In a sequel to Luigi's Mansion, the pointer might be used as a flashlight. Gamers point to the area they want to illuminate and Luigi's flashlight spotlights it. Voila. In a tennis game, the pointer becomes the racquet. Players swing the device as they would a racquet to smash tennis balls back at opponents. The list goes on and on and the options only increase when the peripheral's expansion functionality is considered.

Q: What kinds of expansions are planned?

A: Wide assortments of peripherals are possible, but thus far Nintendo has only officially confirmed two of them. The first is an analog stick/trigger unit that Nintendo has dubbed the "nunchuck-style controller." The second is a conventional controller cradle/shell. Nintendo has also indicated that it might like to explore other expansions. It used Donkey Kong style bongos and a light gun as examples.

Q: What does the nunchuck analog/trigger unit do?

A: The small, ergonomic peripheral attaches to the bottom of the pointer by way of a short cable, and is easily grasped in one hand. The device features a single analog stick on its top side and two triggers, labeled Z trigger 1 and 2, underneath. The unit extends the functionality of the pointer and really shows its usefulness in certain genres, particularly first-person shooters. Imagine the possibilities. With the analog stick in one hand, users move Samus Aran around the environments in Metroid Prime 3, freeing up the pointer to act as the heroine's gun. The result is a level of control so responsive and accurate that its closest rival is a PC/mouse configuration. Incidentally, Retro Studios created a demo of this very setup that was at TGS 2005 previewed to a select group of editors, IGN included, and it was very impressive.

"Our current plan is for each [Revolution] hardware system to be sold with the free-hand-style controller and the nunchuck-style expansion controller," confirms Nintendo of America's senior director of public relations, Beth Llewelyn.

Q: What does the conventional controller cradle/shell do?

A: This add-on makes it possible to play Revolution games in a more traditional manner. The shell is designed to look and function like accepted "regular" controllers, such as the Wave Bird. After its bottom casing is removed, the Revolution's free-hand-style remote is inserted into a gap in the middle of the controller shell. Gamers can then use the shell as they would a traditional controller, with a notable difference: the pointer remote's sensory functionality remains active. As a result, gamers get the best of both worlds: more buttons and two analog sticks along with motion-sensing operations. In a Revolution version of Madden Football, gamers might be able to use the combo to control players with the shell's analog sticks and execute pinpoint passes with the pointer's improved accuracy.




Nintendo has not yet released official imagery of what the controller shell might look like. However, we've created a mock-up (above) based on what we know of its functionality. The real controller shell is likely to connect to the free-hand-style pointer in a very similar fashion. Please note that we realize our model is not entirely to scale, but this is the best we could do on short notice.


Q: What do all of the buttons on the free-hand-style pointer do?


A: The main controller features a D-Pad, an on/off switch and several different face buttons, three of which are dedicated solely to gameplay. Directly below the unit's D-Pad is an oversized A button. Farther down are two more buttons. In officially released screenshots, these buttons were labeled "a" and "b" respectively. However, when Nintendo president Satoru Iwata held the controller up at his Tokyo Game Show 2005 keynote speech, the buttons were clearly labeled "X" and "Y." The buttons were also labeled "X" and "Y" in Nintendo's Revolution controller promo video, which suggests that the final product is much more likely to use the letters.
"The [Revolution controllers shown] are still prototypes so there may be slight changes in the final versions," says Nintendo's Llewelyn.

It should be noted that the oversize A button is used for primary action functionality. It might be used to make a character jump in a first-person shooter, for example. The X and Y buttons are more likely to be used when the controller is turned on its side in order to accommodate classics NES games.


Located in the middle of the controller are three menu-ready buttons: select, home, and start (from left to right). Nintendo has not yet explained what the home button is used for, but it is likely to bring up a Revolution's central operations page -- something akin to Xbox Live. From here, we suspect gamers will be able to manage their downloaded software or go online, among other things.

The only other thing of note on the face of the controller are the blue LED indicators, bottom, that show what controller port the unit is wirelessly using.

The underbelly of the controller features an ergonomic indent directly opposite the top's D-Pad. This area houses the B trigger, which is also considered a primary action button. This button, easily accessed by players, might be used to fire a weapon in a first-person shooter or to grasp an object in a god game.



Q: Does the Revolution's free-hand-style controller use batteries?

A: Yes, although the specifics in that regard are still being determined. We suspect that the unit will use rechargeable batteries and that a charging dock station will be made available either with the console or sold separately. Nintendo may have chosen to attach add-ons to the unit with cables instead of wirelessly in order to avoid further battery issues.

Q: Can users wield two free-hand-style controllers with Revolution games?

A: Yes. Nintendo's Revolution controller promo video shows players using two pointer controllers to execute various gameplay tasks, such as beating virtual drums.



Q: Can four players wield two free-hand-style controllers each?

A: No. Only four free-hand-style controllers can be used total, according to Nintendo. Therefore, if one person used two pointers in a multiplayer game, only two additional people could play, each with one pointer.

Q: Won't potential light gun add-ons fail to work correctly with Revolution owners who use high-definition televisions?

A: No. Revolution's sensory technology does not interface with TV scan lines, as is the standard with traditional light guns. Because of that, light gun games are entirely possible with Revolution regardless of television type.

Q: Why are there no pictures of the sensor bar?

A: It's still very much in prototype stage and as a result the final design has not yet been decided.

Q: Has Nintendo revealed all the features of the Revolution controller?

A: No, we don't believe so. Certain secondary features still remain hidden. Nintendo itself may be defining these features even as it tests and reworks the controller.

Sexy huh ?

Can a mod make this sticky please

[nouse4aname68]

heres another question for you,,, who cares??? i have no faith in nintendo anymore, they will not last against ps3 or xbox 360, not too long from now and they will be making software only like sega

[The Chocobo Kid]

heres another question for you,,, who cares??? i have no faith in nintendo anymore, they will not last against ps3 or xbox 360, not too long from now and they will be making software only like sega

dood don't be like that. give nintendo a chance here. they should very will with the Gamecube and sure to do the same thing here.

[Lefein]

heres another question for you,,, who cares??? i have no faith in nintendo anymore, they will not last against ps3 or xbox 360, not too long from now and they will be making software only like sega

You care enough to go to a Revolution forum?

[c.a.p]

heres another question for you,,, who cares??? i have no faith in nintendo anymore, they will not last against ps3 or xbox 360, not too long from now and they will be making software only like sega

Anti-Nintendites, you gotta love 'em! Please learn a little before you post, Sega went software becasue they were nearly bankrupt when they released Dreamcast, while Nintendo still has plenty of cash left. Also, if you've actually been reading the praise Nintendo's been getting for the controller, you'd probably think otherwise. Oh well, you can think what you want, you'll just be missing out in the long run.

[homer]

heres another question for you,,, who cares??? i have no faith in nintendo anymore, they will not last against ps3 or xbox 360, not too long from now and they will be making software only like sega

You care enough to go to a Revolution forum?

dude no matter how good a game looks, the game has to have good gameplay and story to make it a AAA title. I go with Lefein on this one. NIntendo is very innovative with their system but they have to be innovative with the games too. Its Mario over and over again. Try making new characters, their is something called overusing characters

[c.a.p]

heres another question for you,,, who cares??? i have no faith in nintendo anymore, they will not last against ps3 or xbox 360, not too long from now and they will be making software only like sega

You care enough to go to a Revolution forum?

dude no matter how good a game looks, the game has to have good gameplay and story to make it a AAA title. I go with Lefein on this one. NIntendo is very innovative with their system but they have to be innovative with the games too. Its Mario over and over again. Try making new characters, their is something called overusing characters

They have said before that their will be a new franchise for the launch, so you don't have to worry about that.

[Nikorasu]

heres another question for you,,, who cares??? i have no faith in nintendo anymore, they will not last against ps3 or xbox 360, not too long from now and they will be making software only like sega

wow... some people...

Companies as good as Nintendo and Sega shouldn't be forced to do smaller stuff, just cause money grubing companies like Microsoft want to make more money... =P

Real gamers know their roots, and know companies like Sega and Nintendo are/were the real game companies. And if you feel like Nintendo should die off... Then don't come in the Nintendo forum... =P

Anyway, great FAQ! Thanks for posting it! ^_^;

BTW... what the heck does this mean? O_o...
"Q: Will Revolution be able to play DVD movies?
A: Yes. However, DVD-movie playback will not be available out of the box. Revolution owners must buy an additional dongle that inserts in front of the machine in order to watch Hollywood DVD movies on the platform."
I don't see how a "dongle" would make it play DVDs... or what they even mean by "dongle"... XD

[nouse4aname68]

you guys always say, know your roots, but u also say, look to the future, the nintendo is so innovative, well guess what, change is good, and the 360 and the PS3 are the new wave of gaming, thats all there is to it, and ....

dood don't be like that. give nintendo a chance here. they should very will with the Gamecube and sure to do the same thing here

i work at a gamestop, ive owned a GC, and i know a lot of friends who had em, the GC was not that hot, multiplatform games hardly EVER sell on GC, only the few hot exclusives, and those sales are few and far between, the only thing keeping Nintendo afloat are the handhelds, which now have to compete with the PSP, Nintendo is fine for now, but there isnt a whole lot of hope

[Nikorasu]

XD... hahaha... Yes Change is good, and Nintendo's system is the one thats changing the most! =P PS3 and 360 are just adding better graphics... and some extra features.

In a few years, just watch and see the PS4 and Xbox... whatever... will have motion detection in their controllers. =P

The way I see it, Nintendo's system has the most to offer... Yea the PS3 is great and I can't wait for it... but the Rev will probably keep my interest a lot longer, cause of the all the new kinds of things.
After like 5 years with a PS2, i started to get bored... and one of my friends introduced me to GameCube... And I've never seen games so original on any other system. That and I enjoy the different system for a change.
I'll by both the PS3 and Revolution, so I have something to switch between if I get bored of one... lol

I'm sorry you can't get over the minor fact that the controller looks like a remote... but thats your problem. Learn to adapt, and give it a try... its a new way of playing.

In general Nintendo always offers much better quality and durability, for a lot less cost. The Gamecube, for example, can take a beating (as in being draged by a car) and still works fine, which is great for those with younger siblings.
And the Revolution has almost more to offer than the PS3, for likely HALF the price! Who cares if the graphics are not as good! You can play tons and tons of old Nintendo games on it, you can play online, you can play new games that will probably still have beautiful graphics! As the information in these faqs show, there are a TON of features that will make this system a great buy.
The controller for the Rev is one of the most inovative changes I've seen in a long time, and I'm sure it will change the way people play games... at least a little bit.

[nouse4aname68]

i dont see why everyone is so excited about the older games, its called an emulator, they are FREE and they are available NOW, everyone seems to forget this, it isnt anything new, so the only new thing that is coming out of the revolution is the controller, no spectacular games, no really nifty features, or anything

[Nikorasu]

wow, ok well... The revolution has still many unknown factors! We dont know graphics, we dont know what developers and games YET... We also dont know all its features yet! For one, we don't really know what that home button will do, but there are other things as well...
And what do you mean no nifty features?? O_o its got plenty! for one the controller, but also its ability to play so many old games... it will go online, its got wireless features/bluetooth, it can play dvds... what more do you want?? oh, and super graphics isn't a feature in this respect...

Do you think the average public knows how to use emulators?
Yea, its not that hard, but most people just dont bother trying... And in general use of emulators is frounded upon, since they're illegal. Nintendo is therefor trying to provide an easier way for new players to see they older titles, as well as old players that loved their older games.

Also, its still anticipated that Nintendo's old 1st party games from NES to N64 will be free... or at least very cheap. 3rd party old games, although, will still have a price... =/ But its not like they'll cost much, obviously the games are old, and no one will pay that much for them... Nintendo knows this.

[nouse4aname68]

online-done before, PSP, Dreamcase, and as for online play, XBOX and PS2, 360 and PS3
old games-EMULATORS a free version of old games
the controller-dont get me started, it wont be as awesome as people are thinking
play dvds-yawn... been done EVERYWHERE, if you dont have a dvd player, a computer, an xbox,
or a ps2, then yay a dvd player, but its standard,
super graphics???- are you kidding? they better pull something amazing out of their hats to
compete against the new nVidea cards

emulators are not illegal as long as u own the games that you are emulating, so go buy the 5$ cartidge of an old game you like and your legal yipee, probably the same cost of downloading it to your revolution and your saving some big money by not buying the system

[Nikorasu]

...your yawning at features none-the-less... and thats what you asked for...

All the features don't all have to be inovative and new... that would only confuse people more... Nintendo is offering the features that are popular and are most wanted... and they're offering it on a system that has its own inovative features anyway... The revolution in that respect is much more than the other consoles.

I really just don't see your problem with it... =P Its got everything you could want from this generation... plus it has somethings NEW, that haven't been done before... What is your problem? First you diss its inovation... then you ask for features, then you say those features are not inovative enough? O_o... sheeesh leave, just leave... You obviously don't belong here.

[c.a.p]

...your yawning at features none-the-less... and thats what you asked for...

All the features don't all have to be inovative and new... that would only confuse people more... Nintendo is offering the features that are popular and are most wanted... and they're offering it on a system that has its own inovative features anyway... The revolution in that respect is much more than the other consoles.

I really just don't see your problem with it... =P Its got everything you could want from this generation... plus it has somethings NEW, that haven't been done before... What is your problem? First you diss its inovation... then you ask for features, then you say those features are not inovative enough? O_o... sheeesh leave, just leave... You obviously don't belong here.

Amen to that brother! Oh, and one thing:

the controller-dont get me started, it wont be as awesome as people are thinking

Might I ask how in the hell do you know that? You havn't held/touched/played with it at all, so you're just making stuff up now. At least it's something new, unlike the competitors. Have you seen the praise it's been receiving? And if you don't like it, guess what? There's a freaking adapter that's more like a conventional controller. You should have nothing to worry/complain about.

[Goldfiinger]

Anyway, great FAQ! Thanks for posting it! ^_^;

BTW... what the heck does this mean? O_o...
"Q: Will Revolution be able to play DVD movies?
A: Yes. However, DVD-movie playback will not be available out of the box. Revolution owners must buy an additional dongle that inserts in front of the machine in order to watch Hollywood DVD movies on the platform."
I don't see how a "dongle" would make it play DVDs... or what they even mean by "dongle"... XD

Like the dongle type thing u need with the Ps2/Xbox i guess? Even tho i think for the Ps2/Xbox its just a infra red port for the remote. So hmm not sure

ps: Can someone make this sticky and i'll try to keep it updated ? Worth doing ? Yes or no ?

[nouse4aname68]

ur saying the system is so out there and innovative, im still waiting to hear something exciting, the controller is the only thing different, besides worse graphics and cheaper system, so what i should start jumping for joy for the new controller? they need more to help them

[Nikorasu]

as i said before... if your not interested in it... then just leave... no ones making you buy the system...

you say "whats so great about it?"... but in reality you wouldn't like it no matter what it was... What do you have against it? =P

btw, I'm sure the graphics will not be bad... they may not be the best, but we just dont know right now. For all we know, it could have the best graphics of all 3 systems!
Its too early yet to expect too much from the system... and its too early to be so against it...<_< We don't know much about the games yet, or even much more about the system or the graphics... but as it stands, theres certainly nothing to complain about!

Its not just the controller either... didn't we already say that? <_< and if you want to talk about the controller, well fine, but then you have to understand that its not just a controller! Yea it looks different, but it also plays different... its a whole new way to play games entirely!)

I'm tired of just repeating my self to you... either leave... or you will be ignored... Or at least try to develope a little intellegent understanding of the concept.

I'm not sure what your looking for in a console at this point... it would seem like you can't be satisfied... O_o Sure, the Revolution wont have all the same games PS3 will have, but there will be ports, and thats not as hard to do as people think... Plus, the Revolution will have all the standard features we've come to expect out of our consoles, as well as some great new things... And it wont be expensive... Seriously, if there is something else you want... please tell us! XD

[Goldfiinger]

Why is cheaper system bad ?

If gamers want two systems im guessing a lot will look at either getign a real powerful one ie 360 or PS3 and combining it with a cheaper one ie Revolution. Good ? No thats bad Nintendo should die !!!

The only bad thing u can come up with is its graphics. Why does that matter so much ? If it has good games and a new and old way of playing those games isnt that good?

I mean whats it not giving us that the other two are ? It's just not giving us as much power. Whats the big deal there ?

Apart from that whats it lacking ?

If you only get excited about power then the Nintendo isnt for you. Nothing wrong with that.

[Nikorasu]

yea, really... I don't really see how someone can judge a system by its graphics... Yea graphics look pretty... but if the games suck, then whats the point? and even if the games are ok, if the console doesn't offer something new and original (not talking about just more powerful stuff), then the same old games keep coming out, then you'll just get bored...

With a console like the Revolution, features like the controller, change how the games are played in a very core way... And as well, it opens up the huge possiblilities for new types of games! New genres and new ways of playing will emerge with the Revolution.
I know there are some people that don't care about inovation... and just want another standard FPS or whatever... but thats not the kind of thinking thats gonna be healthy for the gaming industry... or for the general gaming masses.
For the sake of the whole gaming industry, I hope there is always new inovations like this for every new console generation.

[luxurys]

http://ps3.joystiq.com/2007/10/15/metal ... evelopers/

[luxurys]

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