Rumors will no longer be rumors in a few days, when the video game industry descends upon Los Angeles for E3 2011. All eyes are on Nintendo next week, as the company reveals the first details on its next game console, the successor to the Wii.

Japanese newspaper Nikkei has run a story with alleged details about the new hardware, translated by the ever-useful Andriasang, and it backs up many of the rumors.

The big thing about Nintendo's new console, unless Nintendo blindsides us with something else, is a controller with an embedded touch screen. It appears to be something wedged between an iPad and what we've come to expect from game consoles. It's unclear if the screen is single or multi-touch. DS, for example, only responds to a single touch. iPad can register up to 11 touches at once.

There's also reportedly a camera on the device. Given what we've already seen from developers on iPhone and DS, the possibilities for gimmicky fun (and perverted deviance) are pretty obvious.

Nikkei also pegs the release as early as the mid-2012. All Nintendo's said is that it's coming in 2012 and sales for the console have not been baked into its projects for the coming fiscal year, which ends in March. That tells us the console will not launch until at least after March 2012.

Other than that? E3 will have (some of the) answers we seek.

Rumors will no longer be rumors in a few days, when the video game industry descends upon Los Angeles for E3 2011. All eyes are on Nintendo next week, as the company reveals the first details on its next game console, the successor to the Wii.

Japanese newspaper Nikkei has run a story with alleged details about the new hardware, translated by the ever-useful Andriasang, and it backs up many of the rumors.

The big thing about Nintendo's new console, unless Nintendo blindsides us with something else, is a controller with an embedded touch screen. It appears to be something wedged between an iPad and what we've come to expect from game consoles. It's unclear if the screen is single or multi-touch. DS, for example, only responds to a single touch. iPad can register up to 11 touches at once.

There's also reportedly a camera on the device. Given what we've already seen from developers on iPhone and DS, the possibilities for gimmicky fun (and perverted deviance) are pretty obvious.

Nikkei also pegs the release as early as the mid-2012. All Nintendo's said is that it's coming in 2012 and sales for the console have not been baked into its projects for the coming fiscal year, which ends in March. That tells us the console will not launch until at least after March 2012.

Other than that? E3 will have (some of the) answers we seek.

cafe!  
 
EDIT: FINALLY BITCHES!!!!

@RTSlord: Congrats!

pretty excited for E3. Took days off work just to sit at home and play games and watch the conferences.

Man screen controller just bums me out!

Always feels good to see an image I uploaded in a staff article, excellent choice Patrick. 
 
Really want to see the new Nintendo console in action. I've tried out the 3DS and I'm sold on that, it just need some big games to get it really rolling. This console is what interests me now.

lol that sounds terrible and extremely gimmicky

but lord knows it will sell like fucking hotcakes

Awww snap, I hope I can see it at E3 when I go... I'm not sure how close a regular exhibition pass can get me however.

And the controller can function on its own without the console/TV. That's maybe the most interesting bit? Maybe I saw that somewhere else but yeah. 

I'm more interested in what they're gonna call it. :D

Confirmed - Nintendo is still obsessed with putting out the craziest gimmicky in the market.

I just wish they were to confirm a hard drive and a decent online service for their upcoming console.

I have one more room that needs a Netflix device. So why not.

@MysteriousBob said:

@RTSlord said:

cafe! EDIT: FINALLY BITCHES!!!!

Well done on getting those magical bullshit numbers. Seriously, fuck quests. It just encourages retards like you. Posting 'first' should get you banned, not rewarded. Anyway, this system sounds like a joke.

I do not know why you think you have the right to call someone retard. It really does not make you sound smarter than him.

Bring it on. I get sick of the same thing over and over again.

@MysteriousBob: You must be a joy to hang out with.

With a controller like these there will be less incentive to hook it up to a TV.

It seems like a console / handheld crossover.

Not that it matters as I'm very hesitant about Nintendo platforms.

6 inch touchscreen? Oh yeah that'll make for a comfortable controller. smh

So much extra nonsense placed on video game consoles and handhelds these days. This is quite ridiculous. Why don't we just wait until we advance to VR to save us all money?

They better bundle two of these controllers in every box, because I can't imagine this thing being less than $100 

I want E3 to start so I can see stuff and things at live press conferences.

Also, touchscreen on the controller still sounds weird...

@RTSlord said:

cafe!   EDIT: FINALLY BITCHES!!!!

Well done on getting those magical bullshit numbers. Seriously, fuck quests. It just encourages retards like you. Posting 'first' should get you banned, not rewarded.  Anyway, this system sounds like a joke.

6 inch touchscreen...how is that going to...

Alright. I think I really need to see this thing already. Bring on E3!

HERE WE GO

I refrain from commenting on this device before I've seen it in action. Wii sounded like a terrible idea on paper as well, and we all know how that turned out. Nintendo has earned me giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I can't wait to see it either way. Nintendo's been kicking ass in marketing hype these past few years.

@VetleNM said:

I refrain from commenting on this device before I've seen it in action. Wii sounded like a terrible idea on paper as well, and we all know how that turned out. Nintendo has earned me giving them the benefit of the doubt.

A terrible console(That sold extremely well) in real life?

I am intrigued by this touch idea, but more intrigued by the reports that there's an actual control wrapped around the touch screen. That seems crazy, like the old GC ASCII pad.

DS, for example, only responds to a single touch. iPad can register up to 11 touches at once. 

This whole touch-screen on a controller thing could just be Nintendo kinda retrying what they did with the GBA/GC connectivity. Like you can select spells, or have non-immediate information on the lower screen, etc.

@VetleNM said:

I refrain from commenting on this device before I've seen it in action. Wii sounded like a terrible idea on paper as well, and we all know how that turned out. Nintendo has earned me giving them the benefit of the doubt.

A terrible console(That sold extremely well) in real life?

Controller still sounds stupid.

TRANSFARRING!

Maybe that screen on the controller is 3d, that's my guess.

I know Nintendo have made so much money off Wii and DS these last few years, but surely this console's controllers alone are going to be horrifically expensive to manufacture and will cost the consumer a lot as well?
 
Then again you can get a phone with a mediocre camera and of course a screen for almost nothing these days so who knows.

@MysteriousBob: You must be a joy to hang out with.

The NINTENDO Vaginaii :P

You know, all Nintendo has to do to make me a little Nintendo fanboy again is utter the following sentence at this year's conference: "We're bringing back the Nintendo Seal of Quality and dumping all the shovelware (third AND first party) into the trash."
 
But if the controller really is the touch-screen motion-sensing abomination that has been rumored in the press then even the above sentiment won't make me interested.

This sounds ridiculous. Are these controllers going to cost $200 each?

It sucks because It'll be 2:00 AM when this conference airs in Australian time. Hopefully those conferences get archived real quick by the time I wake up.

@DefaultProfit: A "terrible console" with all the highest rated and highest selling games this genthat doesn't crash?

@Shaanyboi said:

This whole touch-screen on a controller thing could just be Nintendo kinda retrying what they did with the GBA/GC connectivity. Like you can select spells, or have non-immediate information on the lower screen, etc.

I hope so, that could work really well. Even an active map with waypoints and markers for a dungeon crawler would be pretty cool.

Sounds weird. Not in the "motion control? in my video games?" sort of weird. More like the, "I play consoles to get away from touchscreens" sort of weird

Ok, call me a tard if you must, but I want to clarify, when one says "There's also reportedly a camera on the device.", does device mean console, or controller?

I'm kind of assuming controller, but hey, Nintendo's just crazy enough to try some kind of Kinect sensor module fused directly to the console ploy, I dunno what to think anymore...

Okay, is just me or does it sound like this controller might kill off the 3DS?  It's essentially another handheld device.  If I had a choice between the 3DS or the Wii2 with a portable controller/handheld, it's an easy choice to make.  The 3DS is already having issues placing itself as a 'must have' device.

@Shaanyboi said:

This whole touch-screen on a controller thing could just be Nintendo kinda retrying what they did with the GBA/GC connectivity. Like you can select spells, or have non-immediate information on the lower screen, etc.

I'd be down for a new Four Swords Adventures

I want all Nintendo hardware to flop so they can stop producing that garbage and focus on making games. Whoever came up with that idea is a fucking genius, was it that analyst? I'm so tired of these gimmicks...

That would ultimately bring us closer to a one-console future where there are no exclusives and no gamers will be missing out on anything. I hope we'll see that day someday. I will keep dreaming that dream.

@tourgen said:

@Shaanyboi said:

This whole touch-screen on a controller thing could just be Nintendo kinda retrying what they did with the GBA/GC connectivity. Like you can select spells, or have non-immediate information on the lower screen, etc.

I hope so, that could work really well. Even an active map with waypoints and markers for a dungeon crawler would be pretty cool.

Yeah, or like how Mario Kart DS is where you have the track map on the bottom screen so you can see items coming behind you or something. There are good applications for this, but it's just a matter of how people intend on integrating this into their games. Metroid Prime's scanning could just have the information appear on bottom screen or something, or let you select abilities, etc.

there are potentially interesting applications for this. I'd like to see them re-attempt the Four Swords kind of adventure game or something. Only it'll be feasible now that everyone on that couch isn't required to have a GBA and link cable...

@SpiritOf said:

DS, for example, only responds to a single touch. iPad can register up to 11 touches at once.

I can't be the only one thinking about that 11th touch input, can I?

Your nose, obviously...