To the disappointment of 3D enthusiasts, Nintendo has indicated that 3D gaming capability would probably not be implemented on its next-generation Wii 2 video game consoles, even though the company had previously shown an interest in 3D entertainment by unveiling its Nintendo 3DS portable 3D gaming handheld console at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles last month.
This information came from Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s game designer and R&D general manager who was responsible for producing some of the company’s most successful video game franchises, including Mario, Donkey Kong and The Legend Of Zelda. When asked about the possibility of a 3D Wii successor in an interview with the online arm of German weekly magazine Spiegel, Mr Miyamoto confirmed that Nintendo is unlikely to move in this direction.
Justifying Nintendo’s decision to shun 3D on the Wii, he said there are not enough 3D TVs in the homes of the company’s targeted audience to make 3D consoles financially viable at the present. To back up his case, Mr Miyamoto cited the success of Nintendo Wii which sold very well despite not supporting HD resolutions, and the reason is because “most people do not have any HDTV equipment and know how to appreciate what the Wii offers”.
However, the company remained firmly convinced that the Nintendo 3DS will be popular among gamers, simply because the 3DS is a self-sufficient, portable 3D gaming unit with its own 3D display, which does not require its users to buy expensive 3D TVs or wear special 3D glasses.
Earlier at E3, Nintendo’s president and CEO Satoru Iwata was quoted as saying that the company was monitoring 3D TV trending data, and would strongly consider developing Wii 2 in 3D if 3D television adoption rate reaches 30%. But for the moment it seems that Nintendo may continue to reject the extra dimension, even though the Sony PS3 is already 3D-enabled (with the Microsoft Xbox likely to join the fray).