Intel, Nintendo Collaborating on New Console?

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The latest word is that Intel is trying to talk Nintendo into jumping on the Larrabee bandwagon.

What better way to kick off a new week than to crank up the rumor mill? PC and console gamers alike may take interest in the new supposed "inside scoop" related to Nintendo, as Japan's Impress Watch provides an interesting addition to the recent mutterings of a new console. According to the Japanese site, Intel and Nintendo are in talks about that very subject: the successor to the Wii.

The article's author, Hiroshige Goto, reports that Intel is trying to push Nintendo into using its Larrabee graphics processor. Despite various reports speculating that Nintendo will cough up an HD Wii this year or early next year (2011), Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime already stated that the company doesn't add to existing hardware (despite the Nintendo DS revision to the current DSi model).

With that said, any conversations with Intel would imply that Nintendo is working on a blueprint of the next console. As we've seen for the last few months, the next hardware upgrade has been a hot Nintendo topic triggered by declining Wii sales. All the additional HD talk may be pushing Nintendo into moving forward and join the ranks of Sony and Microsoft.

Goto's article points out that Intel's Larrabee might conflict with Nintendo's conservative approach to gaming. There's also the fact that Intel canceled the Larrabee as a standalone "discrete graphics product."

Kevin Parrish

Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then, he’s loved all things PC-related and cool gadgets ranging from the New Nintendo 3DS to Android tablets. He is currently a contributor at Digital Trends, writing about everything from computers to how-to content on Windows and Macs to reviews of the latest laptops from HP, Dell, Lenovo, and more. 

25 Comments Comment from the forums
  • azcoyote
    Pshaw... Like Nintendo would want Larrabee in a new Wii... Last time I checked the old Wii has an Ati chip... Doubt that will change....
    Reply
  • B-Unit
    ^^^
    The Fail is strong in this one...
    Reply
  • juliom
    I'm pretty sure the next Nintendo console will continue to use an ATI graphics card. Dunno about the CPU though... Maybe Intel talks are for the CPU? Maybe AMD could manufacture a nice CPU for a nice price and we would get a Phenom II class chip on the next Wii for a low price?
    Reply
  • chuenl
    Well, they got to make it up somewhere for the 1.25B dollars given to AMD.
    Reply
  • brisingamen
    intel made 37 billion or some silly trash last year, the 1.5 they threw to amd was nothing, they should have been made to pay 5 billion.
    Reply
  • krazynutz
    Okay, gently correct me if I'm way off the mark here, but since the Dolphin emulator can play Wii games in HD, would it be possible for the Wii's successor to be backwards compatible and be able to play the old Wii games in beautiful HD? I know the PS3 can't do that for PS2 or PS1 games. Is it even possible on a console?
    Reply
  • neblogai
    There is no way Nintendo is getting Larrabee for their new console. They, as well as Sony, are suffering in this generation because their hardware is not common enough (in case of Nintendo- hardware is weak, in case of Sony- overcomplicated). So, Nintendo taking weak and overcomplicated Larrabee for their next console? A joke.
    Reply
  • jimmysmitty
    neblogaiThere is no way Nintendo is getting Larrabee for their new console. They, as well as Sony, are suffering in this generation because their hardware is not common enough (in case of Nintendo- hardware is weak, in case of Sony- overcomplicated). So, Nintendo taking weak and overcomplicated Larrabee for their next console? A joke.
    Weak? Larrabee is supposed to match a GTX285. The Wii has a pretty weak ATI GPU too. Its about the performance of a x1800 if I remember.

    Complicated? Larrabee can code using any API (DX/OGL) and as well and x86 language (C, C++ ect). Thats pretty simple to me.

    Cell on the other hand cannot code for APIs or x86 instruction sets.

    If anything LRB would be better than them getting a weak last gen GPU again.
    Reply
  • kageryu
    Nintendo...Wiintel? Wiint? Intelliwin?

    Either way, this could turn out to be a good thing. Nintendo is currently mocked as the console with the previous gen gfx. Intel's GPU could easily turn the tables around for the next generation and make the Nintendo's next console a valid competitor in terms of graphics and user interface, Natal may not go uncontested.
    Reply
  • mman74
    My 2 cents worth. If Wii is such a cash cow for them - then they need to split the market and come up with 2 machines.
    This "family around the box" system only has an appeal at Xmas time, otherwise I am not going to use that machine. They need to put out something for the mature gamer demographic otherwise my money is staying with Sony or MS.
    Reply