IGN Discuss Wii with Nintendo:

IGN Wii: We're now called IGN Wii. How could you do this to us?

Perrin Kaplan: Say that again.

IGN Wii: It is pronounced like "we," right?

Perrin Kaplan: Yes, as in inclusive, you and me. So how could I do it to you?

IGN Wii: Yes. Don't you guys think about us when you do these things?

Perrin Kaplan: I think about you pretty much 24/7.

IGN: Well, of course you do.

Perrin Kaplan: Let me just tell you that if you're disrupted by it today, it's obviously caught your attention. And at the show, you're going to get to try out a lot of products that will make you happy.

IGN Wii: Revolution seemed to be a pretty cool code-name that a lot of our readers liked. Why abandon it?

Perrin Kaplan is VP of corporate affairs at NOA

Perrin Kaplan: You know, I thought it was a neat name, too, but it's not as fitting for what we're trying to do. You think about Google being an unusual name. You think about Virgin Airlines. Amazon. Napster. All those. I think it's as unique as those. They aren't just unique, but loved names for places that we all know. And I think this is more fitting and the two Is work on a bunch of different levels. It looks like two people with heads who can play, which is the inclusive nature of everybody. It looks like the controllers. So for us it looked like a couple of different levels.

IGN Wii: You have said that you're going for a name that's unique, like Google. But Wii is also used as "we" every day and therefore only unique in spelling. Do you think there is a risk of confusing potential buyers with a title like this?

Perrin Kaplan: I think it's really fun to look at, the logo. I think people are going to see that on the box and our package art. I think people will get it straight after a while - it's just something they're going to have to get used to.

IGN Wii: Was the name decided on out of Japan or was it a global decision by Nintendo?

Perrin Kaplan: It's a global name. As most things at Nintendo are done, it was not done by any individual. It was really a team effort.

IGN Wii: How long have you known about the new name?

Perrin Kaplan: Well, let me see. We've been working on a name for a good year and have had this one in mind for some time.

IGN Wii: Simplicity seems to be part of the reasoning behind the new name. Why not just spell it "We" then?

Perrin Kaplan: I think that there's a really strong visual to it by having it symbolize the controllers and symbolize people. And, as you pronounce it, the Wii does stand for that whole worldwide inclusion of players. So you get both out of it.

IGN Wii: The logo and the video teaser you put out seem to stress the plurality of the name. What message can we take away from that?

Perrin Kaplan: I think it's just a reminder that the system can be played individually or be played by a lot of people. It is for people of all sized and shapes. It's really a system for everybody. It's a system for the core gamers. It's a system for the people who are just going to be re-entering gaming. I think that's what people can get from it.

IGN Wii: Why announce the final name now and not at E3 2006?

Perrin Kaplan: Why are we doing it now? Well, let me just say that if you look at how much time people have spent online talking about it today and paying attention to it today, it really, I think, required that kind of attention and seeping in for people to let it settle a little bit. It would be really, really easy to lose that at the show. Also, I think it's important for us to go into the show with people knowing what we're talking about.

IGN Wii: Some overzealous readers have created some truly phallic Wii designs. We e-mailed you several of them, as you saw. Any plans to use any of these brilliant materials in your official marketing plans?

Perrin Kaplan: What a nice way of asking that question! We actually have had a day of a lot of smiles around here with a variety of things that fans have created, let me just say that. It shows you that people are big fans of Nintendo.

IGN Wii: Do you think it will come as a shock to some of the Nintendo leaders back in Japan to see some of these fan-created Wii graphics?

Perrin Kaplan: Well, they might have to find those themselves.

IGN Wii: Some fans have already started petitions in hopes of somehow convincing Nintendo to change the name. Any message for these people?

Perrin Kaplan: Live with it, sleep with it, eat with it, move along with it and hopefully they'll arrive at the same place.

IGN: So will Wii be your focus at E3, or will DS have its place, too?

Perrin Kaplan: We're going to be focusing on both, as you probably know. We know people are really interested in hearing about the new system so we will obviously be having a big portion of our focus on it.

Nintendo Wii Wikipedia Entry

Design

Wii is the smallest stationary console Nintendo has ever manufactured, described by Nintendo as being "about the thickness of three standard DVD cases and only slightly longer". The console will have the ability to stand either horizontally or vertically. The front of the console features a self loading media drive which is illuminated by a blue light and will accept 12 cm Wii game disks, 8 cm GameCube game disks and, if the user purchases the necessary attachment to play them, DVDs. Being able to load different sized disks is uncommon in slot-loading media drives, which typically only accept disks of a single size.

When the console was unveiled at E3 2005 the console was colored black. However at the Tokyo Game Show 2005 and E3 2006 a white console was shown. Nintendo has shown hardware in various colours (platinum, lime green, white, black, blue and red). The most recent press releases state the colors of the console as "TBA."

Controller

The primary controller for Wii uses a one-handed remote control-based design, which, when turned on its side, can be used like a gamepad. The controller communicates wirelessly with the console via Bluetooth, with which it is possible to operate up to 4 controllers as far as 10 meters from the console.[2] Using internal sensors and an external sensor bar placed near the display screen, the movement, position, acceleration and orientation of the Wii Remote can be sensed in 3D. The controller also contains an internal speaker for audio and a rumble motor for force feedback functionality.

The Wii Remote features an expansion port, with which it is possible to augment the controller, with various shells and add-ons. Nintendo has announced several such expansions, including a "nunchuk" controller with an analog stick, a "classic controller" for playing games that require more traditional gamepad functionality (such as Virtual Console games), and a "zapper shell" for traditional shooting gameplay. Also at E3, it was announced that the "nunchuk" attachment will have an accelerometer, enabling it to also have motion-sensing capabilities.

Connectivity

Wii will have built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing communication over the Internet via wireless networking. Connectivity with Nintendo DS utilizes the Wi-Fi capability. Nintendo has stated that Wii will have a standard interface for Wi-Fi where you can download content. An optional USB adapter will permit network connectivity via wired Ethernet as well.

In addition, the console incorporates Bluetooth wireless communication, with which it communicates with the wireless Wii Remote controller. Connectivity with other Bluetooth devices has not been mentioned.

Wii has a flip lid which can be opened to reveal 4 ports for GameCube controllers and 2 GameCube memory card slots. Two USB ports (at the rear) and one SD card slot (likely at the front of the console) are provided. Additionally, at E3 2005, Nintendo revealed that a small internal attachment to be sold as an add-on to the console will allow Wii to play DVD-Video.

Technical specifications

Nintendo has released very little detailed information at present concerning the technical specifications of the Wii console. Some details have however been released by Nintendo and other third parties involved with the console:
Processors:
IBM PowerPC processor Codenamed "Broadway" CPU
Made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process
ATI "Hollywood" GPU
Memory:
Amount of RAM unconfirmed
512 MB built-in flash memory
Ports and Peripherals:
Two USB 2.0 ports
Support for up to 4 wireless Wii remote controllers
4 Nintendo GameCube controller ports
2 Nintendo GameCube memory card ports (for backward compatibility)
Optional USB 2.0 Ethernet LAN adaptor
Wii Sensor Bar port

Media:
Slot-loading disk drive compatible with:
12 cm Wii optical disk (single or dual layer)
8.0 cm GameCube optical disks
DVD Video (additional dongle required)
1 SD memory card slot
Built-in content ratings system:
PEGI 3+, 7+, 12+, 16+, 18+
ESRB EC, E, E10+, T, M, and AO
CERO All Ages, 12+, 15+ 18+
OFLC G, PG, M, MA15+
Networking
Wi-Fi by Broadcom
Video:
up to 480p[5] and will work with a computer monitor as well as any TV or projector.[6]
Component (Including Progressive Scan Mode), composite or S-video output
Audio:
Main audio output unknown
Single additional speaker located on each Wii Remote

Features

Backward compatibility

Nintendo has stated that Wii will be backward compatible with all GameCube software and most peripherals. The top of the console (or on the side if laid horizontally) is the GameCube docking station, featuring four GameCube controller ports and two memory card slots compatible with GameCube Memory Cards and the Nintendo GameCube Microphone. One notable component that seems incompatible is the Game Boy Player, which attaches to the bottom of the GameCube, and allows every type of Game Boy game except Game Boy Video cartriges to be played on the user's television. A way to play Game Boy games through the Wii console has yet to be mentioned by Nintendo.

Virtual Console

A variety of classic games are scheduled to be available (design subject to change)

One of the most anticipated features of Wii is its game download service, dubbed the "Virtual Console." Using this Virtual Console service, users will have the ability to download and play many or all Nintendo-produced games.

Games from the NES, Super NES, and Nintendo 64, as well as Mega Drive/Genesis and TurboGrafx 16 will be offered via the Virtual Console download service. While the entire catalogue of games for these machines will not be offered, a "best of" selection will be available at a price.

While the gameplay will be the same for all of the retro titles offered via the Virtual Console, Nintendo has stated that some of the games may be improved with sharper graphics or better framerates, with a possibility for Wii remote adaptation. The Virtual Console service will not be used exclusively for retro games, however. Nintendo has stated that "it also will be home to new games conceived by indie developers whose creativity is larger than their budgets."[2]

WiiConnect24

At E3 2006 Nintendo announced its Wii specific internet service entitled WiiConnect24, the service allows the user to remain connected to the internet even in standby mode. Additionally, Nintendo has partnered with Opera Software to provide the Opera web browser for the system.[7]

Parental controls

Wii will feature parental controls, prohibiting young viewers from viewing inappropriate content. This allows parents to set the age level of the system, and when a disk is inserted, it will read the content rating encoded on the game disks; if this rating is greater than the system's age level setting, the game will not load unless the user correctly enters a password to override the setting. For instance, a game carrying an ESRB rating of M for Mature, which is intended for those age 17 and older, will not play on a system that is set to only allow games rated T for Teen (ages 14 and older) or below.

It is confirmed that the European units will use the PEGI rating system[8], North American units will use the ESRB rating system[9], units for the Japanese market will presumably use the CERO rating system, German units will use the USK system, and Australian units will use the OFLC system.

Games and developer support

Launch titles

The list of confirmed titles includes:
Dragon Quest Swords
Elebits
Excite Truck
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Red Steel
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Wii Sports

Key first-party titles

The Nintendo Wii software library will contain such staple Nintendo series as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid. Some of the more anticipated first-party titles may include:
Duck Hunt Wii
The Legend of Zelda: Wii
Pikmin 3
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
WarioWare: Smooth Moves

Developer support
Many companies, from Activision and EA to Square Enix and Ubisoft, have announced or are currently in development of games for the Wii.
The development kits for the Wii cost $2000 US. By comparison, the PlayStation 2 development kits cost $20,000 US at the console's launch, with the original PlayStation's SDK costing $4000-$5000 US at launch
There is also going to be the opportunity for homebrew-style independent development via the Virtual Console feature.

Price

Nintendo has stated that the Wii will be cheaper than the PS3 and Xbox 360, with the basic Xbox 360 at $299 USD and the basic PS3 at $499.] Additionally, Satoru Iwata has said "the price won't be significantly higher than Nintendo's prices have been historically" ($199 for all previous consoles) and that more details can be expected in the summer of 2006. As for the price of the games, Satoru Iwata said in an interview that no first party game would cost more than $50.

Miscellaneous

Name

On April 27, 2006, Nintendo changed the Revolution section of their official website, http://wii.nintendo.com, to announce the official name of the system. Nintendo's executive vice president of sales and marketing Reggie Fils-Aime explained that:
"Wii sounds like 'we,' which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii."

Nintendo spells "Wii" with two "i"s to create an image of players gathering together. The spelling is also intended to evoke the console's remote controllers.[15]

Reaction

The company's decision has not been universally accepted by gamers. According to Forbes magazine, message boards at Nintendo's website have ranged from attempts at "toilet humoresque catchphrases" to complaints against the name's "kiddiness" Various Nintendo executives have said that they knew it was likely that there would be a negative reaction to the name.] During Nintendo's pre-E3 2006 press conference, Reggie Fils-Aime said, "we want to thank everyone who wrote good things about it the day you heard it... both of you."

Enhanced-definition support

The Wii will fully support 480p, otherwise known as enhanced-definition (EDTV), the same resolution as a standard DVD. Despite the other seventh generation consoles, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, supporting high-definition (720p and up), 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 game play could be achieved without HD and that abstaining from the technology would help keep the cost of games down However, the support of 480p will still mean an improvement in graphics quality when properly viewed on an HDTV set (or any enhanced-definition-capable set), when compared to viewing on standard-definition (480i) television sets.