Analyst Predicts Wii HD Imminent

Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter is telling AFP that's he's quite certain that Nintendo will be looking to add true high-definition visuals to the Wii in the near future.

"A Wii HD would really position Nintendo well, which is why I'm absolutely convinced there is a Wii HD coming," predicts Pachter. In his view, Nintendo is risking losing the hardcore audience with the casual-gamer friendly Wii and that an HD version of the console would be an important step towards getting them back.

"Business wise, they can't have people saying that their machine is a toy for my mom," he goes on to say. While the Wii currently holds a solid lead over the more powerful machines from Sony and Microsoft, Pachter seems to believe that the gains will eventually dry up as the Wii's technical deficiencies become more and more apparent. Addtionally, there have already been reports that Nintendo is already showing off new hardware to developers for debut sometime in 2011.

While it's inevitable that Nintendo will release a new version of it's cash cow, especially considering that they've released multiple SKUs for every console they've ever released (except for the Virtual Boy). I'm not, however, as convinced as Pachter that simply adding HD output will make a difference in the console's perception amongst the hardcore. Last gen-graphics and mini-games won't be any more appealing just because they're in 720p and Nintendo still has franchises like Zelda and Metroid to keep he core audience happy.

The speculation surrounding Wii HD seems to indicate that the console will include legitimate upgrades beyond just HD output so Nintendo doesn't seem to be putting all of it's eggs in that basket either. In any event, Pachter's predictions seem almost guaranteed to pan out at least in general.