Gamescom 2011

Wii getting a redesign

Brendan Sinclair
By Brendan Sinclair, Senior Editor

[UPDATE] "Streamlined" hardware set for Europe this year, but Nintendo of America has no plans to bring new bundle stateside; updated Wii to sit horizontally, lose backward compatibility with GameCube.

The Wii system turns five years old later this year, and Nintendo believes it's about due for a face-lift. The company's European arm today announced that it would be launching "a streamlined Wii console with a slightly altered configuration" in a new bundle this holiday season.

The new Wii looks very similar to the old one.

The new Wii looks very similar to the old one.

As for the alterations, Nintendo said that the system would be designed to sit horizontally, unlike the current Wii, which can also stand vertically. Additionally, the new version of the Wii hardware is losing backward compatibility with GameCube software and accessories, which means the current console's row of controller and memory card ports is being removed.

The first announced bundle including the redesigned Wii will pack in a white version of the console and a Wii Remote Plus with Nunchuk. As for games, it will feature Wii Sports and Wii Party. Nintendo has said that other Wii hardware bundles will be announced this fall and shipped to stores in time for Christmas.

The Wii is the last of the three major consoles this generation to receive a redesign. Sony was the first to introduce a new look for its console, debuting the slimline PlayStation 3 at Gamescom 2009. Nearly a year later, Microsoft made the Xbox 360 Slim a highlight of its E3 2010 media briefing, giving away the redesigned hardware to everyone in attendance.

[UPDATE]: This redesigned Wii may wind up a European exclusive along the lines of Sony's recently announced PSP redesign. A Nintendo of America representative wouldn't confirm a domestic launch for the redesign in a statement provided to GameSpot, but didn't explicitly rule it out, either.

"Nintendo of America does not currently have any plans to release the Wii bundle that was announced by Nintendo of Europe on August 17," the statement read. "Consumers in the United States can currently purchase a Wii console bundled with the Mario Kart Wii game and Wii Wheel accessory for a suggested retail price of $149.99. The Wii Party game is available separately for a suggested retail price of $39.99."

Brendan Sinclair
By Brendan Sinclair, Senior Editor

Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.

193 Comments

  • retroworld3000

    Posted Oct 23, 2011 7:12 am GMT

    Wow, this has to be the dumbest ideas Nintendo has come across. With WAY too many family related/kids games. It makes the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 way even better. I have a feeling that the Wii is going to die once their Wii ''U'' comes out and not to mention, Nintendo going to go way downhill. The only good games are on the Wii is their own games. =(

  • coop36

    Posted Aug 27, 2011 6:00 am GMT

    I thought the Wii was already pretty streamlined as it is.. maybe what theyre REALLY doing is removing the Gamecube technical weaknesses and backdoors people use to hack their systems.

  • leeko_link

    Posted Aug 23, 2011 8:28 am GMT

    @ FollowY0urBliss Well for one thing I bought the white one on launch day to try the Wii out for myself. Then I later bought the black one cuz I like black, then bought the red one cuz it came with two games. Not good reasons but hey I bought four GCN last gen so buying multiple consoles is kinda my thing.

  • leeko_link

    Posted Aug 23, 2011 8:24 am GMT

    I still don't get why Nintendo make this re-design, there was nothing wrong with the current model. Making this one will only confused costumers between the original and the waterdown version and most ppl would rather want the original. All they need to do was to dropped the price of the current model, not made a similar but waterdown version of it.

  • bags123

    Posted Aug 22, 2011 7:37 am GMT

    nintendo have really gone down hill since the N64 they really need to get some new blood or something because they're just digging a deeper hole and they also need some new characters rather than kirby and the like, they've milked them so much they're udders have swollen to twice the size and now produce a thick and creamy pus not fit for human consumption

  • Suikogaiden

    Posted Aug 21, 2011 6:51 pm GMT

    Wii, the video game console for people who arent into video gameing.

  • so_hai

    Posted Aug 20, 2011 6:31 pm GMT

    Is this meant to target people who know little about consoles? Seems to be a nonsensical idea.

  • NightFox313

    Posted Aug 20, 2011 12:39 pm GMT

    The Nintendo Wii was great the way it was - Nintendo's fans should be rewarded for sticking with the console, not punished by removing its GameCube compatibility support. Will we still get to keep the Virtual Console games we bought on our old Wii?

  • Infinity_Gauntl

    Posted Aug 20, 2011 9:36 am GMT

    What is backward compatability really....a program. Why cut it out? Plus I think Kidtendo needs an overhaul not just a facelift. They used to be my favorite company until this Wii nunchuck, low res graphic, shoehorned console (Killed some of my favorite titles).

  • mariobro9999

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 5:50 pm GMT

    Im hearing people say thats its the original but with out the GC in it!!!..... wow. I really dont know what to think right now.... The wii u is coming next year or something, this is not the time its too late.

  • Trickymaster

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 4:23 pm GMT

    It's 80% likely that it will be a slimmer and smaller version of the current Wii. That would explain that it won't be backwards compatible to GC because of the GC Controller slots.

  • RikusTwilight

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 3:31 pm GMT

    It looks like they're bringing this in, and then the WiiU next year.
    Doesn't anyone see the resemblance to the WiiU? (not the controller, the console they haven't really shown off yet) It's not the same thing, but just makes it seems a little sneaky that they'd make this one lying down now and then next year bring out the WiiU which is going to look very similar

  • vallan2

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 12:59 pm GMT

    Please Nintendo, fire the man who came up with this idea. Seriously.

  • campbell153

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 12:37 pm GMT

    Ok... this bothers me a little, 1st major headlines about the cash flow situation with Nintendo (like every hardware developer) 2nd Nintendo loses investors because of the Wii U announcement 3rd Nintendo announce price drop with 3DS because of slow sales! why may i ask has Nintendo decided to release another version of the Wii that does less than the original? Nintendo this is a stupid idea! the Wii U will probably come out at the end of next year (i know they said the end of Q1 for release but consoles always get delayed) so why re-make a last gen console now????? I am a huge fan of Nintendo, i own a Wii and bought a 3DS a few months ago! plus i own loads of Game Cube games too which are classics! so Nintendo "fanboy`s" dont think i am putting down Nintendo just for the sake of it!.. the above news bothers me slightly as i dont want to see the "BIG N" take any more blows from haters!

  • meke186

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 10:33 am GMT

    seriously no difference at all. unless its width is shorter or something, which is impossible to see if you only see the front of it. But literally the same, id say it would only be worth it, if nintendo was making a lot of better games, because i know im done buying wii games until zelda comes out, but thats my last probably. And if it fixed itself and worked better with flat screen tvs

  • Aaron_goomba96

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 9:31 am GMT

    It looks the same! ?????O_O?????

  • shaks101

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 4:01 am GMT

    If this console comes at £50, then its all good, a penny more and Nintendo have failed.

  • vgshine

    Posted Aug 19, 2011 2:16 am GMT

    Isn't the regular wii already slimmer than the 360 slim?
    (That's not a joke, I'm actually asking cause I've never seen the 360 slim in person)

  • Flint247

    Posted Aug 18, 2011 10:27 pm GMT

    The Wii looks cooler standing up.

  • penguingamer13

    Posted Aug 18, 2011 7:54 pm GMT

    Wait... What is the point of this? Doesn't everyone and their grandma own one of these already?
    And taking out the backwards compatibility is a REAL bad choice
    That is one reason to really get it!