A new rumour is suggesting a "double USB hard drive" storage solution is on the way for Nintendo's Wii.

A Qj.net source says the storage device mounts onto the back end of the Wii, and is designed to look like a natural extension of the console. The report also proposes 32GB and 64GB models are on the way and that a firmware upgrade will be required to use the new device.

What's meant by "double USB" is uncertain, but it's likely this means it requires power from both USB hubs on the back of your Wii.

Pirates will be so over this.

Then again, homebrewers recently cracked the USB2.0 lock, so USB iso loading is only a matter of weeks, anyway.

So yeah. Good. I hate to have to delete one Wiiware title to download another. : /

Wonder that if this is true Nintendo will eventually put them and motion plus with new wiis creating a new standard.

Sounds good to me.  Where do I sign up :-)

Not this again. I highyl doubt it.

Besides which, if it's 32GB and 64GB it's more likely to be Flash-based than HDD

I still don't understand why a hard drive is so important. The Wii has 512 MB of memory, I have 3 VC games on it and 1 WiiWare game, plus every channel, and it's still not half full.

"I still don't understand why a hard drive is so important. The Wii has 512 MB of memory, I have 3 VC games on it and 1 WiiWare game, plus every channel, and it's still not half full."

I really hope this is true. And if the drives are flash-based like Jensonb is saying, then load times and whatnot should be a lot faster.

I only have a few VC games, not enough to warrant getting an HDD.

I'll have to learn more before I can make a decision on this.

Is it just me, or is Nintendo becoming the new Sega?

All I need is the ability to play off my 2GB SD card and I'm set for a good while.  I finally gave in and bought one for cheap and transferred most of my games to it with loads of room to spare.

A HDD of that size would only be good if DLC explodes on the Wii or they increase the size limit of WiiWare titles.

Sounds interesting but the Wii should of had more space to begin with. I wonder how expensive these things will be.

They really should let people stream SD card content. But I'll be all over this too. Though, isn't it a bit excessive if it covers the whole back? What if they wanna release other USB peripherals? I suppose it could have usb slots on its back also. But yeah, I hate rumours.

It it's true I'll just wait till Nintendo releases a new Wii with a built in HD.

"All I need is the ability to play off my 2GB SD card and I'm set for a good while.  I finally gave in and bought one for cheap and transferred most of my games to it with loads of room to spare.A HDD of that size would only be good if DLC explodes on the Wii or they increase the size limit of WiiWare titles."

It would be so nice to have more VC space without having to switch between memory cards and such, but i have to say i doubt this rumor. Especially since they haven't executed their memory card plan yet. 

You guys do know that Play-from-SD-Card support has been confirmed as coming, right?

"You guys do know that Play-from-SD-Card support has been confirmed as coming, right?"

I'm all for it

I think its a bit late, Nintendo. Also, I don't think the HDD will be that large. Around 8 or 10 GB will still be huge for virtual console.

Nintendo doing something the fans want? Only in my dreams.

Huh? What was the solution they announced?

92 downloaded games.

That's incredible!

They did not announce that at GDC08, they announced the firmware update I mentioned above.

 Anyway, Reggie has already hinted that there will be no conventional HDD and that the solution Nintendo are working on is "better", whatever that means.

Well I don't think a flash drive is better if that's what it is, but it's certainly sufficient for the Wii. I mean, a few GB worth of space is enough for pretty much anything on VC and WiiWare combined. And if it's at least 32GB as rumoured, that's really plenty even if they up the WiIWare limit to more than 40MB per game. Of course, I doubt they'll increase that limit any considerable amount as they'll want to keep games compatible with the driveless Wiis, so maybe 100MB or so will be the absolute max, which should be enough for most games anyway seeing what they manage to put out with just 40. Personally, I'm almost past caring, I just hope they bring something to satisfy the few people who already have too many games like yourself, or those who needs a little more space to increase their collections (myself included).

Outside that, whatever they bring will just cause more bitching. It will not be good enough or it will be too late or too expensive or too crappy looking or anything that will allow people to whine more.

If you get actual quotes instead of some noob's interpretation of what was the internet buzzing with at the time you'll see Linky's right.

Fine, lemme find a direct quote.

I can't either but what he had said was that you could download directly to SD card if your internal memory was full (has this actually been implemented yet?), and then the internet followed its nature and unanimously assumed you could also play from the SD card.

Makes sense that people would assume it. Mainly because doesn't the DSi have that function?

Doesn't this rumor pop up and get shot down every few months? I see no reason to lend it any more credibility this time.

"Linkyshinks said:

"They did not announce that at GDC08, they announced the firmware update I mentioned above.

ORLY?"