Next Nintendo Handheld to Feature Motion Sensor
We won't see it until the DS stops printing money, though.
Iwata: Looking to the future.
In an interview with Japanese newspaper the Asahi Shimbun, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata spoke of a successor to the DS and suggested that it will feature motion controls.
“[It will have] highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing,” Iwata said of the kind of technology such a new platform would contain. The Nintendo DS has had motion control implemented in the past, but only by way of add-on peripherals.
With Nintendo's handheld experiencing record sales in America last year, on top of being the biggest-selling platform in Japan, Iwata was reluctant to discuss further details about the project. It seems unlikely that we will see this new handheld until sales of the DS family dry up.
One feature the new handheld isn't likely to have will be iPhone-esque use of cellular networks to connect to the Internet. A monthly service plan for such a feature isn't on the cards, with Iwata instead looking to expand the free WiFi hotspot service in Japan.
For the expansion, Nintendo is looking to all sorts of different businesses to provide wireless connection spots. Currently, the game giant has a deal with McDonalds in Japan to offer a “Mac de DS” service, which allows for mini-games, quizzes and manga downloads.
With all the chatter about the Wii recently, the Nintendo executive said that sales stalled in Japan last Autumn, but was keen to stress that the console has been the biggest seller in Japan and America for the last three years, and that the software was a large part of that success.
The Asahi Shimbun also reported that the latest Legend of Zelda game, first announced at E3 2009 with next to no details, will be released before the end of 2010 (most likely in Japan only, though), and that more news on the Vitality Sensor will be revealed in a July press conference.
Source: Kotaku
“[It will have] highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing,” Iwata said of the kind of technology such a new platform would contain. The Nintendo DS has had motion control implemented in the past, but only by way of add-on peripherals.
With Nintendo's handheld experiencing record sales in America last year, on top of being the biggest-selling platform in Japan, Iwata was reluctant to discuss further details about the project. It seems unlikely that we will see this new handheld until sales of the DS family dry up.
One feature the new handheld isn't likely to have will be iPhone-esque use of cellular networks to connect to the Internet. A monthly service plan for such a feature isn't on the cards, with Iwata instead looking to expand the free WiFi hotspot service in Japan.
For the expansion, Nintendo is looking to all sorts of different businesses to provide wireless connection spots. Currently, the game giant has a deal with McDonalds in Japan to offer a “Mac de DS” service, which allows for mini-games, quizzes and manga downloads.
With all the chatter about the Wii recently, the Nintendo executive said that sales stalled in Japan last Autumn, but was keen to stress that the console has been the biggest seller in Japan and America for the last three years, and that the software was a large part of that success.
The Asahi Shimbun also reported that the latest Legend of Zelda game, first announced at E3 2009 with next to no details, will be released before the end of 2010 (most likely in Japan only, though), and that more news on the Vitality Sensor will be revealed in a July press conference.
Source: Kotaku
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Comments
Joji 6 Jan 2010 13:16
1/1
An improvement of the tilt sensor would be cool, similar to what iPhone is already doing.
Don't like that bit about the online stuff though. Sounds very half hearted to rely on a McDs deal in Japan, while Nintendo should be approaching proper telecoms instead, who I'm sure would jump at the chance to work with them. Guess we'll hear more soon enough.
Don't like that bit about the online stuff though. Sounds very half hearted to rely on a McDs deal in Japan, while Nintendo should be approaching proper telecoms instead, who I'm sure would jump at the chance to work with them. Guess we'll hear more soon enough.