Analyst: Wii 2 will debut in 2012

If you care anything about what people who are paid to predict the happenings of the games industry think (it's OK to say "no"), then you might be interested to hear that Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian expects we'll see a successor to the Wii next year.

The Wii launched in November of 2006. It's been more than four years. To give some perspective, the 'Revolution' was revealed three and a half years after Nintendo's previous console, the Gamecube, was released. So it seems like we're overdue for Nintendo to show us the next thing it has up its sleeve. But with the PS3 and 360 still going strong, will Nintendo really release a brand new system?

Sebastian says yes. He said in a research note that he expects the "debut of a new Wii in 2012." This will come after Nintendo ignites the hardware market this year with the 3DS. Customers will remember how exciting it is to actually see a new video game system, and that will drive interest for a Wii 2 in the following months.

Nintendo has hinted that it's working on a new system, but has been very cagey about it. We have absolutely no details about what could be in the works for the device. Would you buy a Wii 2 next year, or in 2013?

Feb 1, 2011