Written by Kyle Williams  on October 15, 2004

Specials: "I'd start a revolution if I could..."

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Chapter Two: The Facts?

Why the query in the title of this chapter? Because Nintendo has said precious little regarding their upcoming gaming rig. The "official" announcements are hardly announcements at all and internet gaming sites the world over are stabbing in the dark at what everything means. For instance, let's take the new console's name...

What'll it be called?
When he took the stage at this year's E3 press conference in LA, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata put any doubt that Nintendo would stay in the hardware business to rest when he directly told the crowd that work is underway on Nintendo's new system, claiming that it will incite a " gaming revolution." Pretty bold words, eh? Well, for the time being Revolution seems to be sticking as the working title of Nintendo's enigma console. However, much like project Dolphin turned into the GameCube, I doubt that the Revolution moniker will stick. Don't get me wrong, I think that Nintendo will use revolution as a marketing campaign as the system is released. I just don't think that the console will bear that name. Without any evidence to back up this claim, I think that the other moniker associated with the project, "N5," might actually stick. That, and I think that N5 sounds slick so, for the duration of this article and those to come, I hearby brand the mystery machine as the N5.

What'll it do?
On one level, "What'll it do?" is a silly question. Everyone knows that the N5 is going to play videogames. What this question begs for is more information from the coy words delivered by Mr. Iwata. Promises not only of technical prowess taunt us, the gaming masses, as we eagerly anticipate Mario's new home. Hints of "An unprecedented gaming experience," have us wondering just what will we be doing next Christmas.

Nintendo has revolutionized gaming before. They promoted four-player action as far back as the NES. They were the first to successfully introduce a rumble feature in a home console controller, and they are about to do it again with their GameBoy DS. Of course, they've missed the mark a couple of times, too. Remember the Virtual Boy? The Power Glove? The beloved (buy nary used) R.O.B.? They were all brilliant ideas that never exploded the way that they should have. Where amidst this flurry will the N5 fall?

There are a few things that we can safely assume and reasonably infer. A disk based media system, four controller ports, and some type of portable connectivity is almost inevitable. Alternately, Nintendo's upcoming DS gives us hope that the big N is finally embracing the online wave. Might we finally see a Nintendo Online service?

Join us again next week as I sit down and talk about some of Nintendo's fellow revolutionaries.