Next Wii will not have 3D

Not only has Nintendo been the only game console manufacturer to shy away from HD capabilities, it is now also the only one that sees absolutely no value in 3D TV gaming.

In an interview with German video game magazine Spiegel, Nintendo notable Shigeru Miyamoto said that it was unlikely that the Wii’s successor will be capable of outputting stereoscopic 3D content. Miyamoto cited the fact that not many people have 3D TVs, and adoption rates are not expected to grow that quickly over the next several years.

It’s not surprising since Nintendo has historically been the last to adopt any sort of new technology.

It was several years after online gaming became popular with the PS2 and Xbox that Nintendo finally warmed up to the idea, though it continues to remain extraordinarily cautious about online connectivity. And of course there is still no way to play a Nintendo game in high-definition even though as many as 2/3 of US consumers own an HDTV, according to an Infogroup survey earlier this year.

However, the 3DS shows that Nintendo does have its finger on the new 3D trend. That system is a different animal, though, because it uses a proprietary technology and does not rely on the consumer to have any other pieces of equipment (like an expensive TV or 3D glasses).