I recently read an article at GameCubicle.com (it was actually posted at a number of different sites) regarding a future system under development by Nintendo that will be the successor to the GameCube...
According to Bloomberg, NEC Corp. is engaged in discussions with Nintendo Co. Ltd. regarding the co-development of a graphics chip for a next-generation Nintendo game console. The system would be GameCube's successor and compete with Xbox 2 and PlayStation 3. Hideki Wakabayashi, an analyst with Mizuho Securities, told Bloomberg, "It is natural for NEC to go with Nintendo. It would be difficult for NEC to switch and start supplying to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s game machine." The Nintendo GameCube successor would likely see a release in 2005 or 2006. NEC and ATI recently announced the benchmark shipment of 12 million Flipper chips for Nintendo GameCube. The ATI-designed and NEC-manufactured Flipper is GameCube's core graphics processor.
GameCubicle.com will have much more information shortly...
December 13, 2002
Rick - Editor in Chief, GameCubicle