Rumor: Nintendo Planning HD Console For 2012 Release

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A couple of days ago, we reported on a rumor that said Nintendo is planning to cut the price of the Wii to $150 next month. I jokingly said that the only way Nintendo was going to cut the price of the Wii before E3 (which is in June) was if they were planning a new console announcement for the expo. Even though I wasn’t being serious, it now seems like that prediction might not be very far off the mark.

Of course, if they do reveal a new console at E3 this year, it isn’t going to be the 3DS lite like I joked it would be, but “multiple sources” have reported to Game Informer that Nintendo is planning an HD console that can supposedly hold its own against the Xbox 360 and PS3, with an announcement coming at or before E3.

These rumors may initially seem to be a little out of left field, but when you sit down and think about it, it really makes a lot of sense. Microsoft and Sony have both committed themselves to a 10-year life cycle for the 360 and PS3, setting up a new generation of consoles for launch in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

This means that the earliest we’ll see an announcement for the Xbox 720 or PlayStation 4 – or whatever they’re called – is next year, with a 2013 or 2014 announcement being much more likely (my money is on 2013). If Nintendo can get their next home console out in 2012, it will give them a couple of years to have the market to themselves while Microsoft and Sony scramble to catch up.

Add to that the fact that the Wii has aged very poorly since it’s release, what with no true support for HD graphics, limited online play, and a severe lack of third-party support, and the need for Nintendo for to reinvent themselves in the realm of home consoles becomes clear.

“Nintendo is doing this one right,” an anonymous source said to Game Informer. “[It's] not a gimmick like the Wii.”

Other than that, there isn’t much information on the new console, but again, we’re told to expect an announcement either at E3 or even possibly before. While there isn’t any real way to confirm if these rumors are true without an official announcement, a price cut on the Wii next month will be a pretty solid indicator that we’re heading toward a new console reveal at E3 this year. Keep it tuned to TFTS, we’ll let you know more details as they are made available.