Earlier today IGN updated with a news story that shed some light on what to expect from Nintendo’s upcoming console, code-named Revolution. Speaking with anonymous developers privy to Nintendo documents and information, they expect the Revolution to only have about 2 to 3 times the power of the GameCube. The system is said to have around 104 MB of RAM (up from GameCube’s 40 MB), which falls well short of the massive 512 MB found in the Xbox 360. This inside information matches up precisely with what Perrin Kaplan from NOA said months ago at E3 when she said the Revolution would be 2 to 3 times more powerful than the Cube. Shortly after that bombshell, we were led to believe that she might have been wrong or misinformed. It looks like she knew what was going on after all.
One important piece to note is that IGN and the developers they spoke with still have not seen the final specs of the Revolution. Also, the insiders freely admit that the GPU (graphics card) has not been seen yet. If you think about it in traditional computer terms, how many people do you know that had a somewhat slower computer that couldn’t run one of the latest games, only to upgrade to a nice graphics card and have the games look and run great? While many Nintendo fans will no doubt feel some disappointment in today’s news, it’s important to remember that there are pieces of the puzzle to yet be revealed. Even if the system does end up being only 2 to 3 times more powerful than the Cube, we can expect some amazing games. Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4, and Twilight Princess are all examples of fantastic graphics with current generation technology.
So, the Revolution will not pack the graphic punch of its competitors, but it looks like it will definitely be cheaper to buy than the PS3 and Xbox 360. Keep in mind that no Nintendo home console has launched for more than $199, so it stands to reason that will be the high end of the price scale. IGN has speculated that a $149 or even a $99 price could be possible, but honestly it’s way too early in the game to predict what Nintendo has in store. The system has a lot of features packed into it, like wireless wi-fi (costs $100 for an adapter to do that on the 360), the ability to play all GameCube games out of the box, downloadable games from the NES, SNES, and N64 eras, and a motion-sensing wireless controller. Nintendo is definitely aiming for a different audience than Sony and Microsoft. Only time will tell if their strategy will prevail. If they can manage to release fun and intriguing games for a decent price they just might be on to something. One only has to look at the Nintendo DS vs. PSP sales charts to show that superior technology doesn’t always secure a landslide victory.
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