Iwata Says New Console Won’t Launch Before Q1 2012

Now that official word is out on the upcoming Wii successor, Nintendo has decided to address the console’s launch. Earlier today, more details were revealed about “Project Cafe,” as it is rumored to be called. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata made some notable announcements about its release, which apparently won’t happen until after the first quarter of 2012.

Nintendo has made it clear that 3D wasn’t in their sights for the Wii successor. Iwata echoed those sentiments, stating that 3D visuals wouldn’t fit the vision of the console, especially since 3D TVs aren’t very prominent. He also added that the reason for a new console was the lack of surprises the Wii offers gamers. At this point, Nintendo has squeezed as much juice as possible from their current platform.

Despite rumors and speculation that the new Nintendo console will be more conventional and offer HD visuals on par with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 when it arrives next year, Iwata stated that innovation was still a part of Nintendo’s goal for the future. He didn’t get into specifics, but Nintendo’s president did specify that gamers would see unique changes. “We will offer something new for home game systems,” stressed Iwata.

It’s interesting to think about what Nintendo is planning. “Something new” can mean anything. Does Iwata mean something new for Nintendo consoles? Is he talking about something new for the entire industry? We’ll find out later this year at E3 in Los Angeles.