Nintendo, a maker of video game consoles, has announced the trademark under which it will market its console earlier code-named Revolution. The new name – Wii – should represent the nature of the new machine, which is aimed at broad audiences.
“While the code-name ‘Revolution’ expressed our direction, Wii represents the answer. Wii will break down that wall that separates game players from everybody else. Wii will put people more in touch with their games… and each other,” a statement by Nintendo reads.
Nintendo Revolution console will feature IBM’s custom PowerPC architecture based microprocessor named Broadway clocked at 729MHz and code-named Hollywood chip with built-in graphics core, DSP and I/O features from ATI that will operate at 243MHz, earlier reports suggested. While the architectures of the chips are totally different from those used in the original Microsoft Xbox console, the clock-speeds are nearly the same, which indicates that the console should be relatively inexpensive to build.
Nintendo revolution will use 91MB of memory in total: 23MB of “main” 1T-SRAM, 64MB of “external” 1T-SRAM and 3MB texture buffer on the GPU. By comparison, modern consoles from Microsoft and Sony feature 512MB of memory, something which indicates that the amount of data to be processed on the Revolution will be much lower, which is an indirect pointer about significantly lower performance of Nintendo’s console.
But Nintendo says the goal of the Revolution is not extreme horsepower necessary to create never-before-seen graphics and audio effects, but some kind of functionality that differentiates the console from the rivals. Nintendo said that one of the primary selling points for the code-named Revolution machine will be game controller that supports 3D positioning.
“Wii sounds like ‘we’, which emphasizes that the console is for everyone,” the statement also adds.
Nintendo officially states that the code-named Revolution console will play all of Nintendo GameCube games, and deliver downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The Nintendo Wii console will be available in Q4 2006.
Comments currently: 20
Discussion started: 05/03/06 05:58:50 AM
Latest comment: 12/31/07 12:49:12 AM
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[1-18]
1.
wii?? men what kind of name is that, my 5 year old brother could hve come up with a better name than wii. please Nintendo dont be stupid and change the name back to
REVOLUTION
[Posted by: Sh@d0wClon3 | Date: 05/03/06 05:58:50 AM]
2.
what the heck is wrong with them.....WII??????
[Posted by: Robert | Date: 05/03/06 09:07:21 AM]
3.
I see where Nintendo is going with the new name, but I still believe the Revolution was a great name for the console. It perfectly defined what they were doing with the way they refuse to enter the power struggle between Microsoft and Sony surrounding graphics and power, both of which are highly overrated. I don't care how cartoonish the graphics are I will play Mario Kart til my death.
[Posted by: tytan | Date: 05/03/06 10:52:42 AM]
4.
Nintendo continues to shoot it self again and again. If they thought the comedy with people joking about the Gaycube was bad, wait till they hear the mess this will make.
[Posted by: The_Starfox | Date: 05/03/06 10:56:10 AM]
5.
Welcome to the world of last week's news.
[Posted by: Chris | Date: 05/03/06 01:34:36 PM]
6.
Nintendo have made another truly innovative piece of hardware, which I belive really will increase the number of gamers. Even if the Wii will not be as powerful as the PS3, it has got somthing that Sony doesn't besides the innovation, that is great games like Zelda, Metroid, Mario kart and other Mario titles, as well as Pokemon, which is still really big in Japan, I say this because in the UK it has lost populary, I don't understand why because the series of Pokemon games are genius, who else could think of so many diffrent creatures? Anyway it's not just eyecandy that makes great games, it's innovation and gameplay!
In my opinion Nintendo will always be the king in the console market, due to there great innovation and games.
[Posted by: Ben (chamberlain347 on xfire) | Date: 05/04/06 02:35:54 AM]
7.
The name has spoilt the entire console!!!
[Posted by: biddler n craig | Date: 05/04/06 05:06:32 AM]
8.
What a fuking pile of shite, i have been looking forward to purchasing this console for a matter of months and am now going to purchase a 360. i would be embarassed to tell my friends i owned a platform pronounced wee. Fukin tailends
[Posted by: gamer god | Date: 05/04/06 05:09:23 AM]
9.
i am so fed up with ur stupid nintendo and i am going to a ps3 and i am going to throw the nindendos new system out the window and if i see i am going to shoot in the head
[Posted by: baseballboy | Date: 05/04/06 09:11:58 AM]
10.
This name is pretty interesting...think about it...the name is revolutionary...Wii...no other company could come up with that.
[Posted by: Someone | Date: 05/04/06 09:05:12 PM]
11.
The Gamecube was underpowered compared to the others, but look at the graphics that it could generate in RE4. So I wouldn't just to conclusions that it is underpowered, by the numbers maybe it is. Just look at Windows and OSX, both look great until you look at the hardware specs that it needs to run smoothly. It is a matter of creating an efficent platform that is balanced in the performance depertment, instead of tossing more numbers out there.
[Posted by: HyperGamer | Date: 05/05/06 10:11:47 AM]
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What a load of crap...the GameCube was way more powerful than the PS2.
[Posted by: Callum | Date: 12/31/07 12:49:12 AM]
12.
The name Revolution I feel is better than Wii.
Why did they change this machine is going to be a REVOLUTION.
Disappointed
[Posted by: Zulf | Date: 05/06/06 11:30:47 AM]
13.
what the fuck are you guys thinking i mean really the nintendo wii? you might as well call it wii wii! just leave the name alone it was fine the way it was what makes you think people want to buy a system called nintendo wii? that's so fucking stupid. if you don't change the name back people are gonna end just buying the Playstation 3
[Posted by: nick | Date: 05/09/06 08:41:30 AM]
14.
p.s
the name really sucks that bad!
[Posted by: nick | Date: 05/09/06 08:42:43 AM]
15.
why rename it? i was quite happy with the name revolution. but despite this minor setback i still plan on buying this system.
[Posted by: johnstone_ed | Date: 05/09/06 10:09:00 AM]
16.
I personally think that Nintendo's Wii system is the best because they care more about gameplay rather than graphics. Video games are to be played, not watched (though good graphics are great during movie sequences).
I can hardly wait for the system to come out.
[Posted by: Nintendo Kid | Date: 05/09/06 05:35:27 PM]
17.
how can you use the Wii remote on racing games such as Need for Speed Underground where you have drift races and such. What about shifting gears.
[Posted by: 123abc | Date: 05/10/06 03:15:59 PM]
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can you use controllers with this? What about games where you have to use a controller instead of a remote?
[Posted by: 0198324 | Date: 05/10/06 03:20:20 PM]
18.
why change the name. revolution was so much better. If your looking for a revolution then have a revolution not a wii
[Posted by: 456 | Date: 05/10/06 03:22:45 PM]
[1-18]
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