DICE 2006: Nintendo DS Announcements

[Tidus Andronicus]

Reggie announced and detailed the new Nintendo DS download stations, which will be placed in retail outlets across the US and Canada. Gamers can bring their DS units to retail outlets and wirelessly download new games, demos, trailers and more. These downloads can be played and viewed until gamers turn their handhelds off. "We see it as a huge sampling opportunity for each and every one of you"

The Nintendo EVP also revealed that the company's upcoming Metroid Prime Hunters will feature voice over IP support, enabling gamers to talk to each other before and after matches.

Eventually, he came around to the subject of Nintendo's next generation console, codenamed Revolution. "Our greatest innovation will come later this year with the Nintendo Revolution," he said. "Its sole purpose is to continue groundbreaking entertainment to the consumer."

Reggie said that with Revolution Nintendo is focused on a wider audience. He noted that system development costs will be "substantially" less than other systems.

"With the free-hand controller that we've shown, there will be an unparalleled level of play," he said and suggested that he brought the hardware with him. "We have the capability to show it to people here during the next two days if those opportunities come up."

Fils-Aime noted that the free-hand is destined for the living room. "It's meant to look like a TV remote; meant to be approachable and easy for anyone to pick up. Everyone's videogame character will play a different way because of this controller."

In closing, Reggie noted: "We as an industry cannot take growth for granted. We have a continuous challenge to take gaming to a whole new level. To make gaming much more relevant for those currently in our consideration set, but also to reach out with new innovations for those not in our industry. Come join us in the blue ocean of opportunity."

http://revolution.ign.com/articles/687/687257p1.html (one of many sites with this info, look hard enough you might find more.)

Today was D.I.C.E. and as Nintendo promised, they made a couple announcements there. Mainly dealing with the Nintendo DS, although they did make mention of the Revolution.

One big bit of DS news is that the DS will have wifi download stations all over the place, at Best Buys and GameStops ect... You will be able to download minigames, demos, and even trailers from these kiosks! They even confirmed that this feature will be available in just a couple of months!
The other, and I think coolest bit of info for the DS (Even though I already knew about this feature, and you may remember me talking about it back when the DS came out ^_~) Is that future games on the DS can take advantage of the Microphone and be used for Voice Chatting! Nintendo confirmed today that the Metroid Prime game for the DS will have this feature!

As I said, the Revolution was mentioned, but not much more than what I posted in the quote was said... so really nothing new there.
Course, with all the cool things Nintendo is giving the DS's online features, just imagine what the Revolution will have! ^_~

[NeW2FF]

Sweet... I'm getting a DS Lite as soon as it comes out..... lovin the good news.

[Rostum]

Sweet... I'm getting a DS Lite as soon as it comes out..... lovin the good news.

[Tidus Andronicus]

I'd just like to add that there are now videos from DICE out, so you can see what Reggie said first hand... x3

http://media.revolution.ign.com/arti...15/vids_1.html

[KentaRawr!]

Cool! So, in a few months, I can download these things? That's awesome.