Next-Gen Nintendo Console to Use 25GB Game Discs
Rumors have been circulating about Nintendo’s next-generation video game console since at least 2009. Recently, Nintendo has confirmed via press release that a new console is in the works. Will this new machine share the same success as the Wii – which has sold a reported 86 million units since November 2006?
The company’s decision to launch an entirely new console is a big one. Message boards and news websites all over the Internet are buzzing with excitement over the new console. Now, gaming news website Kotaku.com has released some delicious new details about the new console, code-named “Project Cafe.”
According to the Kotaku article, the new console will feature HD resolution, 8GB of internal storage, and will use 25GB optical discs for games. Much of the attention of the gaming community is centered around the display resolution of the games – will it be 1080i or 1080p? What really grabs my attention is the part about the game discs.
The current Wii game system uses replicated DVD discs and a proprietary protection scheme developed by Nintendo. This prevents the discs from being illegally copied using DVD duplicators and other hardware. The majority of Nintendo Wii games use single-layer 4.7GB DVD-ROM discs, while a select few such as Super Smash Bros. Brawl use 8.5GB dual-layer DVDs.
Interestingly, the Wii uses standard 12cm full size DVD discs for games, but it does not play back DVD videos or music CDs. This includes both burned and replicated CDs. Nintendo had intended for the Wii to be a game system, not a multimedia system.
Going forward with 25GB discs will give Nintendo game developers a huge increase in usable space for game data. This higher capacity will likely be put to good use with HD graphics and videos used during gameplay.
Based on the reported storage capacity of these new discs, it is likely that Nintendo will be using a special type of replicated Blu-ray discs for future games. This has not been confirmed, however it seems highly unlikely that Nintendo went to the trouble of engineering another disc format with the same capacity as a Blu-ray disc. Like the Wii and the GameCube, the “Project Cafe” console will almost certainly use a proprietary file system or copy-protection scheme.
Nintendo has announced that they will demonstrate a playable prototype of the Wii’s successor at this year’s E3 Expo in July. The new console is slated to go on sale sometime in 2012.
In a world where streaming and on-demand services are constantly in the spotlight, it’s interesting that Nintendo has chosen to stick with optical discs for their next-generation console. While hard drives and down-loadable content are great, Nintendo definitely recognizes that optical discs still offer the best bang for the buck. When it comes to high storage capacity at a low cost, a disc is still the best choice for data storage.
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