THQ hints at imminent Wii 2 reveal

A new Nintendo home console could be on the way, judging by comments made by THQ boss Brian Farrell.

Speaking at an investor conference yesterday, as reported by CVG, Farrell stated that he didn't expect new hardware from Microsoft or Sony in the near future, but conspicuously left Nintendo out of the equation.

"It used to be that investors would play the console cycles," he explained. "A new console would mean a period of hyper growth in the industry.

"Now that game costs have gone up so much, these cycles have gotten longer, so it's harder to understand how to play the console cycle. We don't expect new hardware any time soon from either Microsoft or Sony. It's difficult on Nintendo - we'll let them announce their new hardware."

"What we like about now is we've put most of our capital behind the 360 and PS3 for the next couple of years and that's where we think the action's going to be."

This isn't the first time we've heard whispers regarding a Wii successor. Back in November, Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata said, "We are of course studying and developing the next console to Wii.

"However, there is a big difference between studying a product and announcing what it is and when we will release it.

"I am afraid to say that the history of entertainment is also the history of imitation. A great idea will promptly be copied unless protected through patents.

"At the same time, it is really important for our business to positively surprise people. Will you be surprised by our completed product if we told you how it is surprising three years in advance?"

Then a month later, Nintendo US chief Reggie Fils-Aime suggested that there would be no new Nintendo home console until the Wii had sold 45 million units in the US.

Of course, Farrell could just be speculating, but you'd best keep an eye on Nintendo's E3 conference in June, just in case.