Nintendo Revolution

Categories: Future products | Nintendo consoles | Seventh-generation video game consoles

Nintendo Revolution is the codename for Nintendo's fifth home video game console and the successor to the Nintendo GameCube. The official name has yet to be announced. Its main innovation will likely be its controller that responds to its own position and orientation in 3-D physical space in front of the television, a concept never before seen in mainstream consoles. Because of this, some people believe that Nintendo's goal is not to outsell competitors, but instead, to try to deliver a fresh new type of video game experience.

The system was unveiled at Nintendo's 2005 E³ press conference and the game controller at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show by Satoru Iwata during his keynote speech [1] in September. Promotional material released at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show stated the console was scheduled for a 2006 release. In a interview with Nikkei Business Iwata stated the Revolution will be coming out after April of that year, and that they are considering attempting an international launch [2] with no more than 14 weeks of difference between the first and last launching regions. [3]

Nintendo has had a tendency to be coy with release of information regarding the Revolution, leaving some media outlets with the idea that Nintendo was not prepared or did not have the intention to compete with Microsoft's Xbox 360, and Sony's PlayStation 3. Top executives at the company denied that and insisted that they were simply protecting their ideas, designs, and intellectual property from imitation by competitors before the system is released. Prior innovations (such as the inclusion of an analog stick as standard, wireless controller technology,shoulder buttons, and vibrating feedback for controllers) have been widely disseminated following their mainstream arrival on Nintendo's machines.

Confirmed hardware and technology

Nintendo has announced that IBM has been working with the development of the CPU, codenamed "Broadway." IBM was previously involved with the development of the processor in Nintendo's current system, the GameCube. Nintendo has also announced that Canadian graphics card maker ATI Technologies is involved with the GPU, which is codenamed "Hollywood". Before the GameCube's release, ATI had bought ArtX, the company responsible for the GameCube's GPU and whose members were made of former Silicon Graphics employees involved with the Nintendo 64. Nintendo's president, Satoru Iwata, also announced that the Revolution will be backwards-compatible with GameCube games and have built-in Wi-Fi allowing certain games to be played online, provided by Broadcom Corporation [4]. Nintendo has announced they will provide an optional PC-compatible wireless router for use by consumers that do not already have access to a wireless connection. The accessory is reportedly compatible with both the Nintendo DS and Revolution. While no ethernet port is planned, Nintendo has suggested ethernet may be possible for the system with USB via an adaptor. MoSys, whose 1T-SRAM memory technology was used in the GameCube, will again provide the random access memory technology for Revolution.

Nintendo has gone on record as stating that the Revolution will use standard DVD/CD size optical discs. Nintendo would not be specific when asked about which format would be used. It will also have the ability to play DVD movies with an undisclosed add-on (most likely a hardware dongle). Presumably this is to avoid paying royalties and lower the cost of the system. While all major Nintendo consoles to date have expansion serial ports, none have been announced for Revolution. Other information states that Revolution will be able to hook up to a computer monitor as well as a TV, dating back in May 2003. However, Nintendo has confirmed that at this point in time, they are not supporting HDTV output for the Revolution, however, 480p will be standard. [5] This may mean that the system will be unable to output HDTV at all, or it may mean that HDTV support will be at the developer's discretion.

Nintendo also has said the console will be "sleek", approximately the thickness of three DVD cases (pictures are of the prototype, which is three DVD cases large), considerably thinner than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It will stand both horizontally and vertically. This new industrial design will also address remarks regarding the GameCube's unique look which some have complained does not fit in amongst most home entertainment components. [6].

Controller

The Nintendo Revolution controller, unveiled at Tokyo Game Show 2005, is shaped like a simple television remote control and operates like a mouse in three-dimensional real-space.

The controller is a major departure from the last twenty years of console design. Two sensors near the television allow the controller to sense its position in three-dimensional space; other sensors in the controller itself allow it to sense its tilt and yaw. Players can thus mime actions (and receive "rumble pak" style vibration feedback) instead of simply pushing buttons. An early marketing video [7] showed actors miming such actions as fishing, cooking, drumming, conducting an orchestra, shooting a gun, sword fighting, and performing dental surgery. To communicate with the sensors, the Revolution's controller uses Bluetooth technology. [8]

A digital directional pad is positioned at the top of the controller face, with a large GameCube-styled A button directly below it and a trigger on the underside acting as the B-button. Below the A button is a row of three small buttons: Start, Home, and Select. Near the bottom end of the controller are two additional buttons labeled lowercase a and b (labeled X and Y in promotional videos), suggesting that users can turn the controller 90 degrees and use it like a classic NES controller. Beneath these buttons are four lights which indicate which "port" is being used--at present, up to four players are expected to be able to play on a single Revolution console.

The controller can also slip inside or be attached to peripherals through a proprietary port on its bottom end. A tethered peripheral with an analog stick and two shoulder buttons (labeled Z1 and Z2) will, according to Satoru Iwata, be bundled with the free-hand controller (letting the user play games "nunchaku-style").

A "shell" peripheral is also slated to release for the Revolution that will be "very similar in style and form to the Wavebird" [9]. The official name for this is the "Classic-Style Expansion Controller". According to Iwata, it is meant for playing "the existing games, virtual console games, and multi-platform games" (TGS 2005 keynote, 40:43). The freehand controller will slide into a hole in the top of the classic controller, and thus it will retain the freehand controller's position sensing capabilities. IGN has an article called "Understanding the Revolution Controller", which discusses the shell as well as includes a mock-up of what the shell might look like. [10]

Nintendo promises a wide variety of peripherals ranging from dance mats to analog game controllers. It is possible that they may be inexpensive enough to be bundled with games much like the rumble pack, expansion pack, and microphone for Star Fox 64, Donkey Kong 64, and Mario Party 6 respectively.

President Iwata has confirmed that the sensors will be compatible with any television, including projectors.

Known specifications

Due to the relatively early stages of development, specifications may change before the console's final release. According to a recent interview with Nintendo of Europe's Jim Merrick, Nintendo may never release a complete system spec, citing that the exact technology is irrelevant, and has little bearing on how "satisfying" the gameplay is [11].

• Processors:
  • IBM PowerPC CPU "Broadway":
    • No further details.
  • ATI GPU "Hollywood":
    • The GPU is believed to be being developed by the same team formerly known as the Californian firm ArtX which developed the graphics chip of both the GameCube and its predecessor, the Nintendo 64, before being purchased by ATI.
  • Nintendo has stated several times that the Revolution's focus is not power, but innovation. While this may lead some to say that the Revolution will be graphically inferior, nothing is officially confirmed.
• Memory:
  • 1T-SRAM by MoSys
    • No further details.
  • 512 MB built-in flash memory
    • Replaces the function of an internal hard drive.
    • Will be used to store:
      • Revolution game save data
      • Downloaded games
      • Game demos
      • Patches or upgrades
• Ports and peripherals:
  • Two USB 2.0 ports.
  • No proprietary serial ports announced.
    • All Nintendo consoles to date have a serial port.
  • Wireless controllers.
  • A single proprietary output for video and audio.
  • A dongle enabling DVD playback.
  • 4 × Nintendo GameCube controller ports and 2 × Nintendo GameCube memory card ports (for compatibility).
  • Optional USB PC-compatible 802.11b wireless router.
• Media:
  • Slot loading optical disc drive compatible with both 12 cm and 8 cm proprietary optical discs (again, for GameCube compatibility) as well as standard DVD discs.
  • 2 × front loading SD memory card slots.
• Networking:
  • Wi-Fi by the Broadcom Corporation:
    • Built-in 802.11b & 802.11g support.
  • No Ethernet port.
• Final version will be smaller than the presented E³ prototype, which is "about the size of three stacked standard DVD cases" (as quoted from the conference).

Features

Online arguments commenced when Nintendo of America's Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Perrin Kaplan, announced there would be no HD support for their upcoming system. Kaplan stated beautiful graphics and innovative gameplay could be achieved without HD and that abstaining from the technology would help keep the cost of games down. In reaction, major Internet based magazines like IGN.com organized letter writing campaigns to protest against Nintendo regarding the decision and urging consumers to take action [12]. A website called 1080up.org was also formed specifically for lobbying Nintendo to include the feature but so far nothing clear has come from it.

Backwards compatibility

The Nintendo Revolution has reportedly been designed to be compatible with Nintendo GameCube software and most peripherals. Standing vertically, the top of Revolution has four GameCube controller ports that will allow the system to be compatible with ordinary GameCube controllers, Nintendo's wireless Wavebird controller, the DK Bongos, the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance cable, and the Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix dance pads. It also features two memory card slots that should be fully compatible with all generations of GameCube memory cards ("Memory Card 59", "Memory Card 251", and "Memory Card 1019") and the Nintendo GameCube Microphone. The Nintendo Revolution is designed to accept the tiny Nintendo GameCube discs through the same slot-loading disc drive that will accept standard-sized Revolution game discs and DVD movies; this is a first for slot-loading disc drives, which typically only accept discs of one standard size. However, it is unclear if it will have the high-speed port required for use with the Game Boy Player accessory, but is unlikely because of the difference in the Revolution's and the GameCube's size (a rectangle against an almost quadratic footprint with different measures). However, it is highly likely that instead of using the same Game Boy Player used with the GameCube, they could be developing an entirely new one that is Revolution specific.

Virtual console

Nintendo has announced that Revolution will have the ability to play all the Nintendo-produced Nintendo 64, SNES/Super Famicom, and Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom games; the software may be recompiled or emulated but will be offered via the Nintendo online download service. Satoru Iwata refers to this feature as the "Virtual Console". According to a Japanese press release, "all downloaded games will be stored on the 512 [MiB] flash memory built into the system."[13] To prevent illegal copying, downloaded games will feature a proprietary DRM system.

Nintendo announced that the downloadable games may be redesigned. It was also said that although the gameplay would stay the same, it would be possible "that with Revolution, we may be able to see the old games with new looks." Some 3D games may "look sharper when played on Revolution." [14] If the technical aspects of Revolution also go well, "[Nintendo is] discussing the possibility of having older games like Mario Party playable online."

Although no specifics have yet been released, there will be fees associated with the "virtual console" feature. Nintendo has suggested that they may give some of the downloadable games away with Nintendo products or through other special offers.[15] It is also unknown what specific titles will be available or whether or not third-party developers will release their older games for the Revolution, although it has been said that Nintendo is in talks with these developers for this purpose. Yuji Naka, the designer of Sonic the Hedgehog at Sega, said in an interview with Famitsu, "It's also great that we'll be able to play Famicom and other games via download. I hope Sega games will be playable as well." He also said similar in a recent interview with Nintendo Power. Currently, Nintendo could release more than 200 potential titles (and if, like it has been rumoured, the Revolution is indeed compatible with the Game Boy Player accessory, then over 98 percent of Nintendo's back catalogue could be playable on the system).

Some see Nintendo trying to pattern the most successful strategy used by the music industry against illegal music downloads. Since computers have been powerful enough to emulate past-generation home consoles and the Internet provided an easy, fast, and widely accessible distribution path for ROM images (a file which contains the data for a game which can then be played via an emulator), illegal ROM downloading has been common among a segment of fans of old games. The music industry's most successful method of reducing illegal music downloading has apparently been to offer consumers a way to download music legally for a small cost. If Nintendo is successful at utilizing this model, they may be able to reduce illegal ROM downloading and open up a new revenue stream. This backward-compatibility feature also stands as a new unique selling point against the Revolution's competitors.

The unveiling of the new controller has also shed some light on the functionality of the backwards compatibility; specifically, when held sideways, the controller resembles the NES controller. It is still to be seen with what controller SNES and N64 games will playable.

Games in development

See List of Nintendo Revolution games.

Many games featuring Nintendo's classic franchises, such as Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Metroid, Super Smash Brothers, and Donkey Kong, have been announced. Nintendo has also announced that it is in the process of developing an entirely new and original franchise to be added into the Nintendo universe, although all other details about this project are unknown at this time. It has been speculated that the new franchise might be more mature than most previous Nintendo games. Square Enix is working on a sequel Crystal Chronicles title, Ubisoft is releasing Splinter Cell 4 on all major consoles including Revolution, and Blitz has announced that Possession will come to all three next-gen consoles. Koei and Namco/Bandai (merging) have made announcements that they will make games for Revolution but not what games yet. Also, Camelot has announced that they are currently working on a Revolution RPG. Some rumors say that this may very well be the third Golden Sun game. Killer 7 producer Goichi Suda, aka Suda 51, has confirmed that Grasshopper Manufacture is planning to make a Revolution game. [16] According to Game Informer, Hideo Kojima is developing a Revolution game with the team from Kojima Productions that developed Metal Gear Acid. [17]

Rumors and speculation

• Nintendo might have multiple colors for the Revolution. Five colors were shown at E³:
  • White
  • Silver
  • Black
  • Red
  • Lime
• The Revolution may have connectivity with the Nintendo DS or Nintendo's next handheld system (seeing as Nintendo says that the Nintendo DS is not the next Game Boy system). Nintendo Power magazine has said this is likely in its July 2005 issue. A reported interview with Mr. Miyamoto seems to confirm this; however, the legitimacy of the source is unknown.[18]
• Several publications are citing an anonymous source inside Nintendo that claims the system will be renamed "Revo". The source has released images of what could be 2.5GHz IBM G5 Custom cores, with 128 KiB of level 1 cache and a 512 KiB shared level 2 cache, while the graphics will be powered by a dual core ATI RN520 chipset, with 16 MiB of on-board eDRAM for the frame buffer."[19] Current rumors from the same website provides new, as well as contradictory, details to the first report: "The specifications [...] suggest that the system will be powered by two 1.8Ghz IBM PowerPC G5 processors, a 600Mhz graphics chip from ATI and a 7.1 Digital Sound chipset. The console will apparently sport 128MiB of high speed 1T-SRAM as main memory, along with 256MiB of slower DRAM, while the graphics chip has 12MiB of on-board high speed RAM. 6GiB proprietary DVD-size discs, designed by Panasonic, would be used for Revolution's games. 1 "[20] The contradictions make it evident that some, if not all the information presented by this source, is incorrect.
• Another rumor on the specs - According to a rumor, the Nintendo Revolution will have a IBM Custom dual-threaded PowerPC 2.5 GHz processor, 512 MiB of 700 MHz 1T-SRAM, an ATI R520-based custom GPU core at 600 MHz with 256 MiBs of 1T-SRAM with a average in game performance of 100 million polygons per second and 50 billion shader operations per second, and an Aegia PhysX PPU with 32MB 1T-SRAM. [21] Factor 5 president Julian Eggebrecht responded by saying that Han_Solo is not a employee of Factor 5, does not speak for Factor 5, and might be facing possible legal action from Factor 5. [22]
• A Nintendo of Europe Executive (Jim Merrick) has claimed that "there would be no significant difference between the graphical abilities of the console compared to other next generation systems". This suggests that the graphical abilities of the Revolution are likely to be comparable to those of the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3.
• There is speculation that there will be 50 games ready for launch. A third Super Smash Bros. game with online play is said to be bundled in with the Revolution.
• Classic Sega titles may also be made available for download, in addition to classic Nintendo titles. This potentially includes titles released for the Sega Master System, Sega Genesis/Megadrive, Sega CD, Sega 32x and Sega Saturn. Some of the CD-based games would need to be either stored on external SD cards that the Revolution supports or delivered on optical discs, given the system's expected 512MiB of internal storage. These rumors were sparked by comments made by Sega on the Nintendo Revolution. [23]
• A new Kid Icarus game was hinted to be in development by Shigeru Miyamoto in an interview with IGN.
• Mario Revolution is likely to be the long developed Super Mario 128, considering comments by Mr. Miyamoto.[24]
• Pilotwings 3 may be slated for a Nintendo Revolution release, after being cancelled for the GameCube.
• Konami may be in the process of developing two projects for Revolution.
• A Killer Instinct game may be in development for the Revolution. [25]
• A version of the game Starcraft: Ghost may be in development for Revolution after being cancelled for the Gamecube.
• An ad circulating on the net states "A new experience is coming. The revolution starts March 2006". This could be a potential release date. Another rumor previously suggested a November 2006 release.
• Nintendo may utilize an internally developed proprietary visual distortion method to be applied to all of the games compatible with the Nintendo Revolution, including NES, SNES, N64, GameCube and Revolution titles. A blog does state that a technology called NURB is being developed by Nintendo, which could bring graphical capabilities up to the PS3's level. [26] ("NURB" is likely a typo for NURBS.) However, nothing from Nintendo has been officially announced. The same source claims that Cube Environment Mapping [27] will also be used.
• Nintendo or a third-party company may develop an Ethernet port accessory compatible with the system's USB 2.0 ports.
• It has been rumored that the Nintendo Revolution will have the ability to download Nintendo DS video game demos that you will be able to recieve on your Nintendo DS. [28]
• Capcom may be developing Resident Evil 5 for the Nintendo Revolution, and simply hasn't announced it yet. [29]
• Nintendo has been strongly hinting that not every major feature with regards to the Nintendo Revolution, and specifically its controller, has been revealed, likening it to the way that they first only revealed the fact that the Nintendo DS would have two screens, and only later revealing that it had a touchscreen, microphone, and wireless capabilities. According to Nintendo of Europe's Jim Merrick, they "have not shared everything that there is to know about Revolution or its controller. (...) C'mon, we're Nintendo - we like to hold things until the very end!". [30]
• Third-party developers such as Activision, Atari, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Konami, Midway, Sega, and THQ have said positive comments about the Revolution and may be supporting for the system, but have not announced specific games themselves.

Gallery

See also

• List of Nintendo Revolution games
• Nintendo GameCube
• Nintendo DS
• List of video games developed by Nintendo

References

• Information on Nintendo's Wireless Router
• Information about system titles in development
• Nintendojo news update Press release with post-E³ information about Revolution.
• Nintendo.com: "Huge Revolution News Unleashed!" - Official Nintendo pre-E³ Presentation of "Revolution" prototype
• N-Sider, October 2004 in-depth FAQ
• Gyration, September 24, 2001 Press release involving Nintendo investment
• IGN GameCube FAQ
• Game Informer interview with Reggie Fils-Aime
• IGN: Revolution Technical Specs - May 25, 2005
• IGN - E³ 2005: Revolution Not Final Name
• "IGNcube's Nintendo 'Revolution' FAQ"
• EGM interview transcript provided by Nintendojo
• Interview giving high hopes for controller in the crowded gaming industry August 20, 2005
• Nintendo.com: "Nintendo Reveals 'Revolution'-ary Controller in Keynote Speech"

External links

• Nintendo.com: "Nintendo Shows Products that Expand Appeal of Video Games to New Audiences"
• GameSpot: The Revolution Revealed
• IGN: Revolution Controller - The Possibilities
• Video of controller usage
• Nintendo Genre Innovation Strategy
• Slides from the TGS Keynote announcing the Revolution controller
• Responses from developers
• 1up: The Revolution Begins Now
• Namco/Bandai
• Koei

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